I've now amassed quite a bit of character, props, etc. that I may not necessarily use at that very moment, but have installed them in my runtime anyway.  My question is how do you keep up with all the stuff you have??!   The way I've been doing it is to just browse the folders in the directory.

Is there a program that can catalog items?  Any tips on other methods to keep up with the goodies?

Thanks,

Brent

Well, I think everybody has a different methodology concerning this, but I'd be happy to share mine with you.  I started out by making seperate runtimes - the only thing in my default poser runtime is what is installed by poser itself, nothing more.

The reason for this is that Poser will take up more memory as it's default runtime grows larger.  I'm not entirely certain why this is, other than perhaps bad programming, but for whatever reason when you increase the size of posers default runtime it takes longer for the app to load and it uses up more memory.

So, I started with the notion that everything would be in a seperate runtime and each runtime should be a specific category to make things easy to find later.   Now, since most of what I do in poser is character based, that is how I seperated my runtimes.  I have a seperate runtime for each character like M3, V3, A3, etc. This runtime contains the figure itself, any poses specific for this character and my various character files and textures.  I generally don't leave anything in the default directories when installing it, instead I have a folder in the pose directory called "characters" that all my character stuff gets copied into, and one called "poses" that all the various poses get copied into, etc.  This way when I go open say the A3 runtime and I need to apply a character morph or mat to A3 I can find it easily, it's in the pose section under the characters folder.  If I need to find a pose, its under the pose section under the poses folder, etc..

I don't keep the clothing files in these directories, however.  The reason for this is twofold, on rare occasions I use an aftermarket application for converting clothing from one figure to another, one that runs a lot better and smoother if  I don't need to move the clothing from one runtime to another when it's finished and also so that the mat files for that clothing don't need to be copied to a second runtime once conversion is finished.

So clothing is grouped by category rather than by figure type for and each category of clothes has it's own runtime.. Such as casual, business, swimwear and lingerie, etc...  and then in the figure section I have folders for each specific character - M3, V3, A3.. etc.  When I install (or in my case more likely create) new clothing I put it in the appropriate folder for that figure in the runtime category in which that type of clothing is stored.  

This makes creating a scene much faster as well, since when I'm say doing something with M3 and V3 and their in an office environment, I can load both characters into the scene, then switch my runtime to "Business Clothing" and then load the appropriate attire for both by selecting first from the M3 folder under business clothing and then from the V3.  It also makes it so when on those rare occasions where I do feel it necessary to convert clothes I can do so quickly and easily without moving a lot of files around afterwards, I just have to copy the new CR2 that is created into the appropriate folder for that character.

As a bonus all of my clothing mats for the clothing are stored in the pose section of that runtime, so finding the mats for various clothing is much, much easier - my pose section is not swamped by listings of characters and poses, just mats for the type of clothing in that category.

I have a seperate runtime for all of my hair objects, as well as two different categories for scenes - Indoor and outdoor.  I make subfolders in those runtimes for such things as "office" or "home" so that I can keep my props and figures fairly well organized and easy to find.  In the outdoor category you'll find directories for "terrain" and things like "trees" or "buildings".

This does increase the number of runtimes I have, but with the way posers library system works it's the quickest method I've found of staying organized and being able to find things quickly while allowing poser to run at peak efficiency.  

It does mean I have to go in with Windows explorer and move things around a bit, but in the long run it's worth it.  I can still locate a specific prop or item I installed 6 months or a year ago quickly and easily because it's all sorted and organized by category.  It might have taken me an extra 2-3 minutes to get everything where I wanted it originally when it was installed by moving stuff to subfolders with explorer, but in the long run it was worth it because since I've started doing it this way I haven't lost track of a file since.

So when I do install something I rename the folders to my liking, I remove all the vanity directories in the stuff that will show up in posers library, get rid of all of those damn !! and other nonsense symbols that many use to put there stuff at the top of the directory and make sure everything that way is listed in alphabetical order.  You'll be stunned at how much faster you can find stuff that way, instead of trying to remember that your mat files for "Amazing Spiffy Wowser hair" are actually in a directory called !!! Artist name MAT Amazing Spiffy Wowser Hair" which shows up toward the top of your listing.

Taking a few extra minutes to rename those directories when you install them so that they will list in a logical order will be a real godsend, particularly if you make sure you always name the directory for your figure or hair the same as the directory your using for the mat files for that object - that will save you a huge amount of time in the long run, because if 3 or 4 months pass before you use that item again it can be a real PIA trying to track down all the various mat and pose files at that point because if your like me your not going to remember the artists name by then, not if it's not something you use on a regular basis.

And the last folder in my runtime list is called, curiously enough, ":Install".  It's pretty much exactly what it says, it's a runtime that I can install things into one at a time.  I use this when I download a new file for poser or create something of my own.  I can get it sorted and organized just the way I like, get my directories renamed and what not and find everything easily because that new file is the only thing in the install runtime.  I then copy that entire runtime into the appropriate runtime where I want the item to reside (Whether it's a character for a particular figure or a scene or an article of clothing).  Then I go in and delete all the files and directories under the Install / Runtime folder, so the next time I use it it's a blank slate yet again.  It also comes in real handy for working on a new distribution file, so I can test everything to make sure it's all working and then zip it with ease once it's all done to my liking.

So that is more or less my system of organization, not sure if it would work for you but it works well for me.

Bear, great question! Dad, good answer. But I am looking for something a little more automated, and on a mac. I tried Hogsoft PBoost and managed to screw up my PC runtime on one system, so I was not impressed. And then I tried Poser Content Manager from www.colossusentertainment.com (free) but it only archives/catalogs new things added, and won't show you a listing of everything, and also does not work on mac/intel. I am starting to think that if there is no third party widget to catalog and vue on a mac, that maybe I should just use lightroom or aperture or something like that, but I think those tools won't show a thumbnail for anything but standard image filetypes...hmmmm.... I tried once with multiple runtimes but I am so unorganized without software help, I wound up with multiple runtime confusions and characters breaking. Maybe we are asking for a miracle...

Attached Link: http://www.senosoft.com/

In common with a lot of the hoarders around here, I use P3dO Explorer - there's a free version, and a paid for Pro version so you can try it out first. It will show you your libraries in a full screen explorer type interface, which makes it much easier to see what you've got. Better still, if you use the PoserPython plug-in you can load content into Poser straight from P3dO. I've rearranged my libraries into something which Poser would no longer recognise, but thanks to P3dO that doesn't matter. There's also another similar free product, Advanced Library by dizzi. Try them both, and see which you prefer.

Dear english bob, that tool looks like it rocks. thanks! downloading now. Do u think there is any problem running that on the intel side of a mac using Parallels to manage my poser 7 mac library? hoping it will be well...

I have no Mac experience, sorry... All I can suggest is to try it and see. If it does work, post here so others can benefit from the knowledge!

FWIW I have two ways of organising my runtime that work for me

First of all I have renamed almost all the folders in my runtime.
I now have folders for each character broken down so that !!V4 collects all V4 items, with subfolders for !Characters and !Clothing
I also have folders for !Scenes, !Weapons, !Hair, etc

After that, I browse using the free version of P3DO all the time, only going into the folders in P7 when I want to use the item in a scene

Hope this helps

I have one simple solution to the mess in Runtime: I don't install everything I download ^^ I install only stuff that I have idea on how to use it in a current project, or one of near-future ones, and that's all. My Runtime is now still below 5GB, while archives of downloaded stuff are on several DVD's (not mentioning every DVD is in two or three copies, some stored in different town even, just for safety). My archives are sorted by figures (example of folder tree: A3Clothesby EvilInnocenceFormal Dress), or - in case of environments - by type (examples: SceneriesArchitecturalby SkyGirlEgyptian or SceneriesPlantsMushrooms). This way my archives are pretty easy to search through when I'm hunting for something I really need, and Runtime isn't overbloated with unnecessary stuff. As for Runtime, I just hate when stuff installs into folder named after creator's name, with no signs what's actually in there - a new building or maybe Aiko hairdo or whatever, so I rename folders and move stuff from one place to another. I group things by figure or type also in Runtime, so I have Aiko's clothes in one place, Hiro's in other, plants have five or six folders on their own, all MAT poses live in folders starting with !MAT, and I can find stuff needed in literally seconds. Good luck in sorting your Runtime :)

Quote - I have no Mac experience, sorry... All I can suggest is to try it and see. If it does work, post here so others can benefit from the knowledge!

Works great on a mac, albiet a little slow to read things. But I've noticed that to be true of most apps running in windows and trying to read the mac drive. thx.

Attached Link: MediaDex

I use a media management app called MediaDex ($50) for the standard version , Mac and Win both. It's like iViewMediapro and ExtensisPortfolio.. but a lot cheaper ! I just open and name a new catalogue window, drop in, say for instance, my character folder that I have just for V4 clothes only and it will just show the pngs or all files ..cr2s etc that are in that folder. It enables you to do a lot more things than just the basic catalogues but thats all I wanted it for. There is a trial version . I've just about done all the folders in my runtime now ... just wish I'd done this 3 years ago.

I use multiple runtimes that sit outside of my Poser folder on my D: drive.

[ http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?message_id=3128011&ebot_calc_page#message_3128011

](http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?message_id=3128011&ebot_calc_page#message_3128011)I have many! I have them broken down by theme or figure.  I explain it all in the above thread.

I want to thank everyone for the great suggestions!  I really appreciate the help.

Best to everyone,

Brent