Here's another "I'm not a newbie, just a little rusty" question...

Suppose I have a table and chair set.  One obj file for a table and one for a chair.
How do I create a prop preset that includes several chair props around the table from one obj file?

I'd like to be able to move each chair individually, but when I set up the prop for other people to use, I'd like to make it where they don't have to keep inserting the say prop over and over again.

Can this be done, and if so how?

Thanks,
Lee

Load the prop into the scene.
Have it as the selected actor.
Go to Edit > Duplicate object

Or do you want to set up the library prop file such that it loads multiple chairs at once?

Also there are tools such as several by Dimension3D that will make the mesh data external to the .pp2 file so that multiple applications of the prop in a scene reference the one set of mesh data in the geometries folder. Poser File Organizer is a very useful application for managing runtime content and it can extract mesh data from props to a geometry sub-directory. The mesh data can be externalized by 'hand editing' as well and there might be some tutorials around on how to do that. Multiple instance of the chair can be saved individually or as a group to the Props Library and they will load where they were positioned when they were saved. You can also "memorize" the default location on each chair before saving them singly or as a group.

BTW a full scene can be saved lights and all as a .pz3 and placed in the Figures Library with the file extension changed to .cr2 so that the whole scene loads with one click but you will have to be sure the scene elements and their referenced files are where they should be in the runtime so that the scene loads properly.

Yes, I'd like to set it up where you can click on a library prop where it would load multiple instances of the chair obj at predefined places (like around the table) yet the chairs could be moved independently after they were inserted into the scene.

I'm creating a product for the Marketplace and I'd like to make it easy for the user to be able to load various chairs in predefined places.  So they won't have to load one at a time and move each one to the correct position.

EDIT: Sorry Momodot, I posted this before I read your response.  Would what you recommend work with what I'm trying to do?

The trick is to duplicate the OBJ reference in the prop file.

Note: My initial reply had the wrong sample text.  If you caught it immediately, look again at
the 3:47 edited version!

Unless your modeling is quite unusual I would recommend creating some freebie content as you familiarize yourself with Poser and Poser content conventions. I have had unpleasant experiences with poorly "Poserized" props sold as Poser-ready. Poser-ready props should conform to Poser universe scaling, should have properly established points of origin, should have Poser conforming material UVs and grouping, should have correct poly shaping and orientation, should have mesh economy and should be not have vertice welding that renders poorly in Poser. Freebies are a good way to test your Poser content mesh, texture and file organization complience and establish the quality of your work for consumers.

Poser File Organizer by Dimension3D is excellent for packaging content and it also can externalize prop mesh data, and convert material room .mt5 files into pose room .pz2 pose files. It is excellent for checking file references are good and switching between absolute and relative paths.

 We use to do this with our Kitchen table and chairs.  We made 1 table with 4 to 6 chairs.  One object file, but kept the chairs separate groups so they could manipulate the chairs according to their liking.  Also, this way they can load the whole set, but choose if they only wanted 3 chairs visible they could make 3 chairs invisible, easy to use.  This would be loaded into the Figures library because it would look at it as a poseble figure, one main parent (the table) with 4-6 sub groups that were the chairs.  I do all this in UV mapper to group things, but the cr2 file could be manipulated so they were individual chairs.....does that make sense to you?  Sharen

Quote - If you want, say, four chairs from one OBJ, you can do this in the PP2 file easily enough.

The trick is to duplicate the OBJ reference in the prop file.

So would the positioning of the chairs be done by moving them within Poser or manually edited with a text editor in the PP2 file?

You could position them in Poser, save an individual prop file from each,
and then edit them together into the form as in my sample.  The important
parts for the multiple file are the OBJ refs at top and the "doc" section at bottom.

My adivise is to load one chair in the scene scaled and positioned as you like, save that as a prop, use Poser File Organizer to externalize the geometry, load additional instances of that new chair prop and position those, 'memorize' all from the menu or individually on the properties panels, select the first chair and save to the prop library clicking "select sub-set" on the save dialog and choosing the other chairs... the chairs will be saved as a group with individual 'starting positions' and referencing a single .obj mesh data in the geometries folder.

Quote - You could position them in Poser, save an individual prop file from each,
and then edit them together into the form as in my sample.  The important
parts for the multiple file are the OBJ refs at top and the "doc" section at bottom.

That seems like the easiest way to do this so far.  I think I'll give it a try when I get home from work tonight.  Thanks!

And thanks for all the other suggestions,  I'll probably be trying those as well.

Momodot:  I already have several products on the Marketplace (for a few years now), I just haven't created any in awhile and am trying something new (with the chairs) that I haven't done before.
Now that I think of it, I have done this before but on a smaller scale.   I've had a studio TV camera object and created three props of the same object in different positions.   But I've never done something where I would have 10 props (from the same obj) in one prop preset.

EDIT: Momodot: You're last suggestion seems like a good idea as well. Thanks.
You guys are just throwing suggestions at me too fast for me to keep up!   LOL!

Load the Table (T) and Chairs (C) and position them where you want for a default configuration.
Note -
You might want to parent the C's to the T before you save the (compound) prop in the Library.

Now ...

1. Save the T in the Props Library and use the "Select Subset" button
2. Select the T and as many C's as you want to include in this compound prop.
3. Save the "T+C" in the Library

Using the "T+C" prop

When you load the "T+C" prop you will get the table and chairs in their default positions.

The chairs are still separate props and can be moved independent of the table but ...
You can, also, move the group (if you parented the chairs) just by moving the table.

Need a bunch of table and chairs?

Set up your groups and then save (using the Select Subset button) ...
... all the groups in the Library as a single (compound) prop.

Make your group(s) as big as you want.

cheers,
dr geep
;=]

Thanks dr geep.  Another great suggestion.  I'll give that one a try too.

pzrite: Those scene look nice. Sorry if I sounded harsh. I have just been burned by products developed by none Poser users and sold as Poser content... stuff that won't render properly and has no grouping to allow me to fix it... stuff I'm sure the testers must have looked at in a prop viewer rather than actually opening and rendering in Poser. There are other vendors such as obm890 who are wonderful modlers who do an excelent job optimizing their work for use in Poser.

There are a lot of really neat tools by Dimension3D for developing Poser content but Poser File Organizer is particularly useful testing and tweaking Poser content... the other tools are good for things like building morph injections, ERC dials etc. but Poser File Organizer is a very useful general utility that I use to export content with its ferenced files and make sure those files have well functioning paths. I use it a lot to externalize prop geometry though the D3D Tool set has an individual tool for this task as well as seperate tools for other purposes.

Quote - pzrite: Those scene look nice. Sorry if I sounded harsh. I have just been burned by products developed by none Poser users and sold as Poser content...

No problem, that's why I mentioned in my past few posts that I'm an "oldie" asking "newbie" questions.

I just turned 47 today, and I realize the older I get, the more I forget. 
So far it's taken me a couple of months to finish my latest project.  When I was 10 years younger, I could have finished it in a couple of weeks!

Ah well, thanks again for your advice.

I know what you mean... I certainly have gone down hill in the last ten years. I always liked the look of your Sit-Com and Talk Show sets but didn't have the money to get them. I think you definately will do enough business to warrant getting some of the D3D and maybe PhilC tools that make doing Poser content so much easier. Do you have Poser 7? Cloth Room is nice for making drapery for scenes and the Morph Brush too is usefull for giving things a slightly irregular and used look.  as well as fo making morphs for seat cushions for instance for sitting poses. Good luck :)

Well I ended up going with Dr Geep's suggestion, but thank you to everyone else that made helpful suggestions.

It's funny how you can use a program for years (I've had it since Poser 1 and never missed a release) and still not know some of the basic simple things it can do.  Using the subset to group props was just what I needed.

Live and learn I guess....

Thanks,
Lee

You're welcome.