I wonder what steps to take when making a nice compatible package for (free) Poser content. In my case, it's a poseable prop (figure) that I want to give away. In which folders should the different files be placed? How should the ZIP be organized? Any tutorials out there?

Yes Osc - there are - gimme a little bit and I will get back to you here with either the tuts or the folders you will need to package the parts in to make is poser user friendly

Thank you Angel! :)

It's really easy. On your desktop, make a folder called Runtime. In that you create the following: libraries, geometries and textures (I'm assuming there are texture maps including. If you've used Poser 5/6 materials you want to include, add a Materials folder as well. In the libraries folder, you create one called character and then you can decide if you want to name the following folders with your name or the name of the model. Let's say you want to name them after you, then the final paths would be: Runtimelibrariescharacteroscillator the cr2 here with the accompanying png (and rsr if you're making it Poser 4 compatible) Runtimegeometriesoscillator the .obj file here Runtimetexturesoscillator the texture maps here and, if you're using procedural materials you want to include as sepatate files, then Runtimelibrariesmaterialsoscillator the Mt5 / MC6 REMEMBER that the paths inside your cr2 must point to this placement, just with : instead of And remember that the obj is referenced twice in a cr2 Then when all is in place, you go to the desktop, and if you've got Winzip installed, just rightclick the folder and choose "Add to runtime.zip" - that will make you a properly path'ed zipfile. You can rename it or leave it at Runtime (not advisable though) Good luck :D

Sounds easy enough! Thanks a lot ernyoka1!

Thanks Trekkie

Sorry ernyoka, but I disagree with you. If you put the runtime folder on your desktop, after you zip it the paths will all point to "Documents and Settings/MyName/Desktop/Runtime/blahblah..." where they should point to "Runtime/blahblah..." It's better to place the new runtime folder in the root directory "C:runtime" before you zip it. I find it handy to move it onto an empty flash drive and then zip it. Ob

If you put the runtime folder on your desktop, after you zip it the paths will all point to "Documents and Settings/MyName/Desktop/Runtime/blahblah..." where they should point to "Runtime/blahblah..." No it won't. Not if you use the rightclick and zip. I should know, this is how I've packaged the latest 160 freebies... If you start up winzip and go THAT way, then you're correct, but simply rightclicking the Runtime folder on the desktop will give you a correct path.

Ah, ok, I just tried it, it doesn't matter how you start winzip, the secret is NOT to check "Use full path info". I always thought that meant you didn't get ANY path info so I never used it unchecked, but it works fine. Thanks.

And don't call your readme 'readme.txt. Call it 'myproductname.txt' Edit - If you look in Freestuff here, you'll find Correct Reference by Hogwarden. It's an essential app for checking that all paths are correct before letting your files loose in the wild and discovering people can't load things. mac

And don't call your readme 'readme.txt. Call it 'myproductname.txt' heartily seconded. in general i really like it if people name their files usefully, including their runtime zip -- starting with product name, terminated by their own name. that way i never lose track of whose product this is, and can give proper credit. the hogsoft utilities are fabulous for maintaining a well-organized runtime.

I read part of the previous threads, it looks like someone must have mentioned Renderosity's own guidlines to packaging a product. I would also recommend including a .PZ3 with your product. I do'nt know why this is'nt a requirement, nor something many vendors actually do, but helps insure you're selling more of where you're rpomos came from, I think. = )

A problem: I've managed to edit the cr2 and make a ZIP, which installs nicely into the Poser Runtime. When I use the figure in Poser it looks ok. I switch on Display > Document Style > Texture Shaded and I can see the texture on the figure ok. BUT when I render the poor thing, it's covered by some really strange patterns, not the texture. I use a texture as well as a transparency map and I have changed both the Preview and the Image Map instances in the CR2. I have also tried to assign the texture maps manually after loading the figure in Poser, but I still get the strange patterns. See the attached pic of the render - it should look like the inserted thumbnail.

Seems to work now. I restarted Poser and now it works. Poser must have cached something (but I did reload the textures).