I opted to download a trial version of Poser 8 to see what it was like. Unfortunately my internet connection dropped a number of times through the d/l.  I tried again just now to be told I'd exceeded the 5 permitted download attempts.

Have cancelled my trial - though not without difficulty.  Finding the way through support is like plaiting fog.  Anyone else had this?

Content Paradise? Content Hell more like. It's slow, clunky, unreliable and in my opinion does them a huge disservice.

Haven't bought stuff from there for ages, it's a shame because there's some good stuff to be had, but as cspear said it's just not worth the hassle..

Poser's usability features are atrocious, and that's a shame because there's a lot of really cool technology going on inside it. Of course if you can't even download or install it you will never know. I wonder if SM has any idea of how much drop off they have in users who download Poser and either cancel or abandon the product.

Usability factors are of particular interest to me, so I may be more sensitive to the issue than most, but even so there are so many obvious, glaring issues that I have to believe that it's just not a priority with them.

So if you really want to do some 3D graphics work be prepared to muscle your way through a lot of it. When you come to something that makes you wonder why it's behaving that way or why it's set up the way it is, the likely answer is that it really shouldn't behave that way or that it was a bone-headed feature to begin with.

Unfortunately DAZ isn't any better. I don't know about any of the other 3D products.

Quote - Poser's usability features are atrocious, and that's a shame because there's a lot of really cool technology going on inside it. Of course if you can't even download or install it you will never know. I wonder if SM has any idea of how much drop off they have in users who download Poser and either cancel or abandon the product.

Usability factors are of particular interest to me, so I may be more sensitive to the issue than most, but even so there are so many obvious, glaring issues that I have to believe that it's just not a priority with them.

So if you really want to do some 3D graphics work be prepared to muscle your way through a lot of it. When you come to something that makes you wonder why it's behaving that way or why it's set up the way it is, the likely answer is that it really shouldn't behave that way or that it was a bone-headed feature to begin with.

Unfortunately DAZ isn't any better. I don't know about any of the other 3D products.

I've used Poser since version 4 (I'm on 7 at the moment).  I'm purely a hobbyist so as to the ultra technological side - well, I leave that to those who perhaps use it professionally.  The runtime 'organisation' is a joke, I will give you that.  A pity it doesn't have a sort of Explorer type interface for that instead of going through all the motions of click-click-clicking various folders. (Other than the core Poser runtime, all of mine are linked externally).

As I hadn't downloaded the first time there was nothing in my 'cart' so I set up a new download - shhhhhh - it's ongoing now - though I suspect I'll be cancelling before the trial is up ;)

I frequently buy from Content Paradise and I haven't found it to be any slower than the other 3d marketplaces out there (or here).

Quote - ... I haven't found it to be any slower than the other 3d marketplaces out there (or here).

Like a few other store sites, CP relies heavily on Javascript, so browser version/config and PC config can make quite a difference, especially if a slow connection is thrown in to the mix.

I use FF4 for d/loading.  Would perhaps a download manager help in case of interrupted d/loading?

What sort of internet connection are you using? Dial-up, DSL, Cable, What? Perhaps with more info one of us can help more.

I've never had any problem purchasing or downloading through CP or SM.  The  CP store is far more usable than the RMP.

I've had a connection to CP drop in the midst of PP2010 download, and I'm on cable. :blink:

I don't have any problems or issues with buying stuff from CP. But because of their download policy, I rarely buy anything from them unless I absolutely need it and can't get it elsewhere.

You could also download directly from the Smith Micro site, no? I mean, CP is just another store front but we also have the company's site:  http://my.smithmicro.com/

You may want to try going there for downloads of our trial software. 

Quote - You could also download directly from the Smith Micro site, no? I mean, CP is just another store front but we also have the company's site:  http://my.smithmicro.com/

You may want to try going there for downloads of our trial software. 

thanks everyone for your responses to my cri du coeur :) I use a wifi connection from my PC to my router (broadband). We've had horrible weather here recently and I'm wondering whether that's a factor in line drops.  I do d/l from SmithMicro via the email sent to me.  So far I've managed to at least get the installer and Poser 8 content downloaded and am just d/l legacy content (is this worth installing btw?)

Cool beans. Yeah, my cable company keeps saying weather shouldn't be a factor but every single time there is an electrical storm, my internet connection takes a dive, so I think they're full of it.   :)   As for the Legacy Content, that's really up to you. There's some stuff you may find usefull in there but if you're pressed for hard disk space, you may want to skip it.

I recently downloaded Poser 8. Using FF 4 with cable internet, it was somewhat slow. (Perhaps not the best time of day in a college town, and it is a large set of files). I had no problems otherwise. I think Poser 8 is a good value for the price. There is better software out there, but it will cost you.

Quote - A pity it doesn't have a sort of Explorer type interface

What I think is a pity is people saying what the product doesn't have based only on the experience of using the version from 3 years ago.

When you get P8 installed, make sure you also read the manual on the library. Most people who complain that it isn't to their liking are those who never use the customization options that let them make it the way they want it. It's not perfect, but it isn't nearly as dreadful as the misinformed like to say it is.

Oh, and before you wonder (perhaps out loud) what's it to me, you should know I wrote it.

Quote - Oh, and before you wonder (perhaps out loud) what's it to me, you should know I wrote it.

sorry didn't mean to cast any aspersions - was only expressing my opinion of Poser so far.  I've managed to install and see the P8 GUI and I have to admit it's a great improvement on previous versions.  I like the larger preview window and so on - so - let's hope I don't break the thing altogether ;)

Oh I didn't see aspersions - just like to keep the data real for people who read it.

By the way, I'm not supposed to talk about such things, but I'm testing the next version of Poser, and looking over the program file and all the content downloads, I can pretty much promise that nobody without a reliable high-speed Internet connection (cable or FIOS) is going to be able to DL it with ease. It's a mind-bogglingly huge set of files. There are many files, and at least two of them are well over 1 GB. I'm not counting legacy either.

snort

I just checked the stats on the home computer I had 10 years ago. The zip files from Poser 9 would not fit on that computer - forget opening them.

I have Verizon FIOS and it's consistently awesome. I just finished downloading a 1.2 GB file from SM in 18 minutes. That's a lot slower than some other sites I go to - about 1.1 MB/s. I've had downloads come to me at 20 MB/s from elsewhere.

And as a Poser 8 user, I will second the improvement to the library. The search function is especially good.  Use P 7 on my old laptop. Many improvements. Thank you bagginsbill.  Looking forward to Poser 9. Hopefully I will have a job by then. Healthcare field is in the government's crosshairs as we speak.

Quote - So far I've managed to at least get the installer and Poser 8 content downloaded and am just d/l legacy content (is this worth installing btw?)

If you were a new user to Poser I would strongly recommend NOT installing the legacy content. As you mentioned yourself, the runtime organization (content management) is, well, let's just say, not very good. Even if all you have is the most recent stuff, it's nearly impossible to figure out the rhyme or reason behind the library "organization", but when you add the different approaches from different versions, it's hopeless.

Of course, as a former user you may be more comfortable with the legacy stuff.

bagginsbill - My only experience with Poser is with P8, so I can't speak to anything earlier. I understand that a lot of effort has gone into giving the user options regarding the library window. The problem as I see it is that the whole structure of the library component and the assumptions that it seems to have been based on, are deeply flawed and no amount if tweaking will ever make it right. Users want to organize their content in ways that fit their working styles, and the only way to do that now is to shoehorn their content into the existing library structure.

I would prefer that the library window simply be replaced with Windows Explorer or the equivalent. I know that there are some third party products out there that take this kind of approach, but I've not yet tried them out.

Hi

I downloaded the trial for 8 a long time ago when I was having problems exporting video from P6.

I used it for a day or so and was still having problems so I uninstalled it.

Now I went back and reinstalled it, I didn't think it would work since I figured the time had run out, but it installed and is running great.

Anyone know how I can tell how long it will keep working, I don't get any messages or anything when I open it.

And I'm months from the original install date.

Mike

Quote - Users want to organize their content in ways that fit their working styles, and the only way to do that now is to shoehorn their content into the existing library structure.

More disinformation. Totally incorrect and once again information true of Poser from years ago, but not from the last two versions, is being given. The content can be moved from any category into any other. If you want to put all mat poses into the hair folder you are free to do so.

Further, the version I'm making now has multi-select and you can move content around within the library via drag and drop, just like in Windows Explorer.

Quote - I would prefer that the library window simply be replaced with Windows Explorer or the equivalent.

Hah. Another misconception. Drag and drop from the Poser library window OR Windows Explorer is already supported. You do not have to open the Poser library AT ALL to load content.

Are you going to make me correct things all day or should we all just stop claiming to know the product features? (Except those of us who read the manual or wrote the program.)

Is there a comicbook version of the Poser manual?

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

Yes, see attached link.

i'm still waiting on my grant to pay for Doc's tuts.

Quote - > Quote - Users want to organize their content in ways that fit their working styles, and the only way to do that now is to shoehorn their content into the existing library structure.

More disinformation. Totally incorrect and once again information true of Poser from years ago, but not from the last two versions, is being given. The content can be moved from any category into any other. If you want to put all mat poses into the hair folder you are free to do so.

Further, the version I'm making now has multi-select and you can move content around within the library via drag and drop, just like in Windows Explorer.

Quote - I would prefer that the library window simply be replaced with Windows Explorer or the equivalent.

Hah. Another misconception. Drag and drop from the Poser library window OR Windows Explorer is already supported. You do not have to open the Poser library AT ALL to load content.

Are you going to make me correct things all day or should we all just stop claiming to know the product features? (Except those of us who read the manual or wrote the program.)

You do need to keep to the old Poser file structure if you have external runtimes that are used by multiple versions of Poser that require the old file structure.  As a tester who has to test in versions 6 and up including both Pro versions, I find it easier to just leaving things as they are.

Quote - More disinformation. Totally incorrect and once again information true of Poser from years ago, but not from the last two versions, is being given. The content can be moved from any category into any other. If you want to put all mat poses into the hair folder you are free to do so.

Settle down, BB. It's true that an undocumented feature of P8 lets you put content in any category you like, but you're still stuck with Poser's categories: Figures, Poses, Expressions, etc. If these categories no longer hold any significance to Poser, then why not the users set up their own?

Quote - Hah. Another misconception. Drag and drop from the Poser library window OR Windows Explorer is already supported. You do not have to open the Poser library AT ALL to load content.

That may be the case. I only  know that I tried it once and Poser crashed. Of course, Poser crashes a lot so it may have been unrelated. UPDATE: I tried it just now and it works like a charm. So now I'm wondering if there is any reason to even bother with the Library window anymore.

Quote - Are you going to make me correct things all day or should we all just stop claiming to know the product features? (Except those of us who read the manual or wrote the program.)

Well, you really can't fault me for not being aware of undocumented product features. If these features are, in fact, found in the Poser documentation, then I have somehow missed it, and I owe you (among others) an apology. Perhaps you could tell me exactly where these features are discussed.

Who ordered the ton of wood to build a windmill? It comes with popcorn.

is there any way to make p8 library display thumbnails at actual size?
i ususally save the promo image in the product item folder at 200x260.

or perhaps, p9 could have an option to display actual size?

i liked when it used to show the thumbnails first and the subfolders at the bottom.

actually, an option in P9 to choose the P7 style library would be ultra awesome!

(DS4 doesn't display actual size thumbnails either)

• sigh of heart -

Quote - is there any way to make p8 library display thumbnails at actual size?
i ususally save the promo image in the product item folder at 200x260.

or perhaps, p9 could have an option to display actual size?

i liked when it used to show the thumbnails first and the subfolders at the bottom.

actually, an option in P9 to choose the P7 style library would be ultra awesome!

(DS4 doesn't display actual size thumbnails either)

• sigh of heart -

Have just found that by hovering mouse over the bar below the library list a tooltip (view options) comes up.  Via that you can enlarge the thumbnails substantially :)

For the last day or so I've been loading characters, poses, etc. directly from Windows Explorer as suggested by BB. I haven't had a chance to test this out thoroughly, but unless I hit a show stopper I'm likely to abandon the Poser Library window entirely.

Explorer is faster, more flexible, and the drag and drop feature doesn't suddenly quit working as it does with th Library window.

MistyLaraPrincess - Are you aware of the little "View Options" widget at the bottom of the Library window? I don't quite know how to describe what it looks like -  maybe a spear with rope wound around the middle 2/3's.

Anyway that gives you a lot of options on how the Library window works.

ElZ - I took a look through the manual, not exhaustively, but a good look, and I don't find any mention of OS-level drag and drop, nor of category restrictions, suggestions, or lack thereof. I was shocked. 

These were important new features that the beta testers tested a lot. I can't believe nothing was mentioned in the manual.

Sorry about that - you could not have known. My fault.

Quote - Further, the version I'm making now has multi-select and you can move content around within the library via drag and drop, just like in Windows Explorer.

Hello,

ohh, time for a wish? One function I would like to see in the new library is to restrict the "search" function to the currently selected Runtime. I've organized my runtimes into cars buildings, base figures, hair, clothing etc. and know when looking for a chair, it's sufficient to search in the buildings runtime. Since my content is quite big, that would save a lot of time!

(Shame on me if that does exist already, but I din't figure out how).

Best regards,

   Michael

I bought Dimension 3D's XL library script when I first got Poser 8. Still use it with PoserPro 2010.

I bought the script because when I open a folder that contains more than 100 thumbnails or so in the native poser library, the scrolling tool becomes almost invisible to me. I can scroll using the mouse wheel, but it's slow and painful after a while.

If I used a monitor with a lower resolution, I suppose it'd be okay. But at current resolutions, the library is impossible for me to use.

Is there a way to make that scroll tool bigger?

First, you don't have to grab it exactly - the whole width of the scroll bar is sensitive, even if you don't click on the thumb. Clicking anywhere beside it will grab the thumb.

Second, clicking below or above the thumb will move you down or up exactly one page full of stuff.

Third, the keyboard page-up and down are useful.

Fourth, why don't you just arrange your library for maximum usefulness? I don't get why people dock it and put up with it being tiny. I float mine, and I have a second screen and it gets the whole screen. Or when I don't have a second screen I show it with a hot key, make my choices, then hide it again. Loading from the library is not where I spend my time. It's adjusting parameters and posing and composition and editing materials - none of those activities require the library on-screen and having it there is pointless. My screen shot is not even showing how I really have it when full screen - I reduced it to show you. Mine shows over 200 items at once. I have never ever scrolled anything in the item list.

Quote - First, you don't have to grab it exactly - the whole width of the scroll bar is sensitive, even if you don't click on the thumb. Clicking anywhere beside it will grab the thumb. Second, clicking below or above the thumb will move you down or up exactly one page full of stuff.

Third, the keyboard page-up and down are useful.

Well, ah... I never thought of trying any of those options. If it works as you say, problem solved. Thank you.

Quote - Fourth, why don't you just arrange your library for maximum usefulness? I don't get why people dock it and put up with it being tiny. I float mine, and I have a second screen and it gets the whole screen. Or when I don't have a second screen I show it with a hot key, make my choices, then hide it again. Loading from the library is not where I spend my time. It's adjusting parameters and posing and composition and editing materials - none of those activities require the library on-screen and having it there is pointless. My screen shot is not even showing how I really have it when full screen - I reduced it to show you. Mine shows over 200 items at once. I have never ever scrolled anything in the item list.

I do dock most of my toolbars on a second screen. I got into that habit ever since it became an option in photoshop.

However, if I'm following a tutorial on that screen, for example, I don't have quite enough room for a large library.

My workflow also has me loading stuff from the library with alarming frequency. It's just how I do things. I tend to save a lot of poses, cameras, and lights, and use the saved files even for minor changes. It's probably the result of years of working with an unstable system and losing parameter adjustments to crashes.

Anyway, thank you for the info. Knowing that should make the native library workable and far superior to other options.

2 files over 1 gig.... My lord, the program that ate New York!

Quote - Oh I didn't see aspersions - just like to keep the data real for people who read it.

By the way, I'm not supposed to talk about such things, but I'm testing the next version of Poser, and looking over the program file and all the content downloads, I can pretty much promise that nobody without a reliable high-speed Internet connection (cable or FIOS) is going to be able to DL it with ease. It's a mind-bogglingly huge set of files. There are many files, and at least two of them are well over 1 GB. I'm not counting legacy either.

Yup I read through the manual and still had a ton of questions. Maybe you can send up a memo BB and let them know that a good program will be a poor program without decent documentation. I just futz with it until I figure it out or ask here.  I'm not saying walk me by the hand just expain a few things to help me understand it better.  

I use Content Paradise often, even have my retail products there, and have very few problems.                                                                        Sometimes I download directly from Smith Micro as well.

When problems do occur it is usually my server and weather related.

As for any bugs in the Poser software, they are there, but almost all software has them...lol.

I've been following the manual to learn stuff I didn't know and following Dr Geeps tutorials as well. There are soooo many things I'm finally beginning to understand by doing this. :)

I really like Poser 2010 so far but let me tell you it will be a very long time before my finances allow any other upgrades...sigh.

Second page, maybe third, so it may be a dead horse, but...

Contacting Support is easy... .

http://support.smithmicro.com

or

techsupport@smithmicro.com

Most messages are responded to that same Business Day... Messages after hours are considered the next Business Day. Business Day is Pacific Time Zone, Monday through Friday during normal Business Hours.

Downloading... The Servers are Secure, so turn off the Download Accelerators, they will slow it down, and may cause failure.

Do not run your Virus Scan with the setting to Scan on Download... turn off Scan on Download or set to Scan upon completion.

Hardwire to your Router/Modem... Wireless is great, but not perfect, especially when downloading.

If you get a corrupted or failed attempt, empty the cache before attempting again. You may also try renaming the file. Some Download Managers are persistant and will use that corrupted bit with the subsequent attempts.

There are three stores... Store.SmithMicro.com, www.ContentParadise.com and My.SmithMicro.com

Quote - MistyLaraPrincess - Are you aware of the little "View Options" widget at the bottom of the Library window? I don't quite know how to describe what it looks like -  maybe a spear with rope wound around the middle 2/3's.

Anyway that gives you a lot of options on how the Library window works.

yeah, i've played with all those option.  there is no option for actual size, it beats all the thumbnails to be the same size.

Thanks though

Quote - Yup I read through the manual and still had a ton of questions. Maybe you can send up a memo BB and let them know that a good program will be a poor program without decent documentation. I just futz with it until I figure it out or ask here.  I'm not saying walk me by the hand just expain a few things to help me understand it better.  

If clarification is needed in the manual, or if a feature is overlooked or needs more description, the best thing to do is to submit a bug report. That's the most certain way that it will be noticed and addressed.

Quote - I've had downloads come to me at 20 MB/s from elsewhere.

I was happy with my 10Mb/s until you said that.

Quote - If you want to put all mat poses into the hair folder you are free to do so.

But who wants matted hair? :biggrin:

Whoops - that was a bad typo - 2 MB/s, not 20.

"If clarification is needed in the manual, or if a feature is overlooked or needs more description, the best thing to do is to submit a bug report. That's the most certain way that it will be noticed and addressed."

your kidding right? the poser manual is in dire need of rewrites. always has been