Been compiling a database of my Poser runtime, trying to cut down on the longest part of a Poser render; (Ok, I've got character X up, now, what do I have that they wear, hair, etc....;)

One thing I've noticed was when I went through Poser (5) itself, capitalized folders show up in the listings, but lower-case don't. (i.e., 'Victoria's_closet would show up in Poser, but victorias_closet wouldn't)

However, using P3do (a good idea), I find the lower-case folders as well. So, figuring that P3do would be a good place to start, I asked.

They said they hadn't really seen anything like that. Suggested asking in a Poser forum (oh, hey, like this one!...;)

My simple question is....if I capitalized the initial letter on a folder, would they suddenly show up in Poser? If so, shouldn't all the merchants and freebie-makers know?

Or do I just have too much time on my hands?...:)

At least in Windows, Poser does not sort alphabetically but using other criteria, maybe ASCII order. The folders with lower case names show up at the bottom of the list.  It is an annoying bug.

FlyerX

This test proves the point.... on the left is Poser's display,
on the right I used my good old Norton file commander
to display the folders in case-insensitive alphabetical order.

oh...it's a feature!...well that explains everything...;) Well, now we know...

However, are the folder names case-sensitive? It would make sorting this sorting hat a little easier...;)

K, that explains my wierd props folder listing a-z the a-z again , I will now have to check the spelling :) 

IIRC, poser uses the system Unix used by having capitalized letters sorted ahead of uncapitalized letters in folder-names.  Windows et al doesn't care about caps but Poser still does.  I don't know why this "feature" is still alive as it should be fairly easy to correct.

That is the most annoying thing about poser. I have gone and rename ever directory so they have a Capital in the first letter so they are alphabetical. Another annoying thing is I have found with Poser with external runtimes it will look in the main Poser folder for a texture or geometry before it will look in an external runtime first.

And another one is that the drop down menu of the Library is in alphabetical order although the library tab have another order depending on the importance
So on the tabs camera is last but on the drop down menu it is first!

I would rather say it is a C++ bug than an Unix rule. C language is case sensitive and if you don't pay enough attention that kind of things will happen when sorting a list.

Good to know what this was about.  I will take the appropriate measures in P3dO.
Thanks pakled for raising this up, and thanks to the others for the support.

Yarp
www.senosoft.com

Not only UC or LC makes problems. Also the sorting order of special charcters, e.g. "-", "_", is tricky, except "!" which runs on top every time ... leading to that damned "!" ... "!!" ... "!!!!!!" prefixed names.

But in all some poser programmers have great difficulties with all directory path's and it's equal if in relative notation with ":" or in absolute windows notation.
Poser tend's to take the first file with a matching filename. This was all time given for all texture files but in P7 I found that this will also happen to obj-files from geometries folder. If loaded via library tab it's ok. After saving as pz3 and loading again sometimes the wrong file is used.
And it doesn't make any difference if that file(name) is located in one or several runtimes.
The only way around is in renaming that files ... and change that all to cr2, pp2, pz2, etc.

Quite annoying ...

Wow This just gave me an idea for separating clothing from creatures in my runtimes. Just Capitolise all Creature folders and use lower case for clothing. Nifty!

JoEtzold, I didn't get you with matching files confusion in Poser. A file name is supposed to be unique. Except if a file has been duplicated among several runtimes I can't see how Poser could load a file instead of another.
Or do you mean that Poser is confusing files with "-" and "_" in name ? Like in "con-fusing.obj" and "con_fusing.obj".
I sure have to check this out too.

LostinSpaceman, Poser will fix this one day (they probably are not aware of this). You'de better prefix file names with something. Say "C" for creatures and "C" for cloths ;)

Quote - JoEtzold, I didn't get you with matching files confusion in Poser. A file name is supposed to be unique. Except if a file has been duplicated among several runtimes I can't see how Poser could load a file instead of another.
Or do you mean that Poser is confusing files with "-" and "_" in name ? Like in "con-fusing.obj" and "con_fusing.obj".
I sure have to check this out too.

LostinSpaceman, Poser will fix this one day (they probably are not aware of this). You'de better prefix file names with something. Say "C" for creatures and "C" for cloths ;)

They're on verion 7Pro and they haven't "Fixed" it yet. I seriously doubt it's even on their priority radar at this point in time.

As for the duplicated filenames issue, that's also been around since the dark ages. Whenever Poser doesn't find the file in the place specified in the Cr2, PP2 or whatever file, it goes seraching the whole runtime or all runtimes if it has external ones linked. It will then grab the first instance of a file with the same name even if it's not the file intended. This is why unique filenaming is so important when it comes to creating content. Just because you name your texture Blue.jpg doesn't mean it's going to work on product X by another merchant who also named their texture Blue.jpg.

Maybe they are just not aware of this. It certainly is just a sort issue and this is very easy to fix.
The duplicate name issue on the contrary is much harder to detect, I wouldn't blame them for that.

Yarp, as LostinSpaceman said, it's a flaw since old times.

In each poser version it happened to texture files. One of the most used filenames is Black.jpg.
Most of the hairs and architectural equipment uses such a file.

But with object files it was new. I have loaded the same pz3 in old P5 and it worked ok. It was a female boot having the same name like that from gerry's p4 boots  "wfbootl.obj".

Quote - - Maybe they are just not aware of this. It certainly is just a sort issue and this is very easy to fix.
The duplicate name issue on the contrary is much harder to detect, I wouldn't blame them for that.

Indeed it's easy to fix but programmer has to have only a bit knowledge of directory, folder, path, filename and extensions. That are basics !!! And is NOT hard to detect. And so you should blame them.

And it's ridiculous, look at the pull down then loading a texture to a image map in material room.
They have the complete path at hand but compare only the filename instead looking if the front parts are also according. And more, normally only the actual image in that pull down is checked but often there are checked more than one item's if having the same filename.

Ok, than you choose the correct file again from disk using the file dialog but don't think it will be used. No need, we are knowing and having that, so doing nothing is a good solution ... preserves the computer ressources from being wasted ... :mad:

So I would understand if they take a file with the same name from one runtime cause not finding it in a second runtime up to that moment. But both object files are in the same runtime and that mean they don't need care any about the path if searching for files and that's a completely disgrace for the programmer's quality Mostly all their internal list's might be wrong defined and the search routines are crap. That's also a main point for the long lasting search process.

Though the poser guys are not lonely with that behaviour ... especially SAP consultant's are normally not able even to spell the word directory ... :lol:

Yep programmers sometimes make stupid bugs, including me.
I was just speaking on a technical point of vue. 

But I have to agree with you that they don't make great efforts to fix problems. Even the easier ones. The only clue I see for this strange attitude is that programmers are not using Poser at all. Which is also strange anyway.
 

If you are a programmer with some projects done you know the usual order, first marketing, second time table, third amazing new features (best if with the wow-effect in showroom) and than quality and other small necessities ... if not too cost-intensive ...  :laugh:

So let's see which bug's Poser 8 will deliver to the community ... :blushing: ... oh, so sorry, that big bad dumb dictionary ... should be spelled "feature" ... :lol:

Quote - The only clue I see for this strange attitude is that programmers are not using Poser at all. Which is also strange anyway.
 

I'm afraid this is true...
And the only excuse for them would be that poser is so addictive that they wouldn't work as much :biggrin:

Quote - (i.e., 'Victoria's_closet would show up in Poser, but victorias_closet wouldn't)

Try to make sure that your folder names don't have any funny characters in them. Underscore "_", exclamation "!" and dash "-" are okay and Windows won't allow a slash '" or "/", question mark "?", or colon ":".
However, try not to use the apostrophe ' `. Even though Windows may allow it in a folder or file name, Poser may not display it within its Library.

In your example, the first name has an apostrophe and the second one doesn't. This could be the issue. ;)

oopsie...; There's no apostrophies actually in the folder names; I just put them on the names of each, without resorting to the mighty command < i >...;)
I'll look some more tonight

 shaderworks by semidieuat rdna has python script to add external runtimes alphabetically or enable you to reorder them how youwant..
It also has a script to conform a whole external runtime of clothes or just the clothes you select automatically.
I has many other useful features too and I wouldn't be without it.
I'm a mac user, and I have a feeling P3do is not for mac anyway.  But semidieu's scripts work fine on PC or mac so I'm happy because all my stuff is in external runtimes.
Love esther

The UC/LC thing might come from Poser's early history.  Does MAC use MC/LC like Unix does?  The earliest versions of Poser were for PC AND MAC, yes?

Just a thought.

Happy Holidays Everyone (who celebrates)
Rªnce