Quote - I decided to do external Runtimes based upon your information. I have an extra hard drive that I don't mind putting a lot of stuff on to.

So, do you end up having a Runtime for each chararcter (morph?) or do you have one for each main character, like M4 and make characters based on him as children but in the same Runtime?

If you make an M4 Runtime, and make all of the variations into their own Runtime, will the variations work once you load Michael? I guess what i am asking is if it is Ok to take parts for one character from various Runtimes that are not related structurally?

I tried the first one. I have Zane as a zip. So I extracted it to a temp folder, then picked the various folders with the same name in the template and moved each of the Zane folders to their corresponding place in the template. For instance,  If there was an empyy Runtime in the Template, I deleted it and moved the Runtime for Zane into its now empty spot. There were folders in Zane that did not have corresponding folders in the template so I moved them to the same relative path they had in the extraction.

When is it Ok to change the name of a folder and when it is taboo? Is it only the direct children of the Runtime folder that have to keep their original names?

It seems weird to me that a body variation (is this a morph?) should be in the Pose folder instead of in the character folder, but they are sometimes, right?

I was able to load Zane after loading Michael 4, but not easily. I had to try severl files before one of them worked. There were Rem files, and other various extensions, I don't remember which one finally worked, But, even then, his little black shorts stayed on very dimmly for awhile.  I added a chair prop and moved Zane over to put his hand on the chair. Then, I stopped, worn out.

Joey

 

Here is an example of some of my runtimes:

 

Runtime Name:  V4 Character Addons

In this runtime I put all character morphs for V4.  If the character morph package comes with clothing and/or props, it still goes into this runtime

 

Runtime Name: V4 Clothing

I put all clothing for V4 into this runtime.

If the package is a jewelery or prop package without clothing, then I put it into the Props runtime.

 

Runtime Name: M4 Character Addons

In this runtime I put all character morphs for M4.  If the character morph package comes with clothing and/or props, it still goes into this runtime

Runtime Name: M4 Clothing

I put all clothing for M4 into this runtime.

If the package is a jewelery or prop package without clothing, then I put it into the Props runtime.

Runtime Name: Props

Props are not really character specific and can be used across character with tweaks of the dials.  Things like weapons, music instruments, purses, hats, umbrellas, jewellery, boxes, furniture, vases, urns, dishes etc go into this runtime.

Runtime Name: Hair

All hair packages or hair related packages go into this runtime.  This way when I look for hair, I know that if I look in this runtime that is all I will find.

Runtime Name: Poses

Only Poses go into this runtime. No texture addons. I'm talking actual poses such as sitting, praying, walking, standing, etc etc.  Even hand poses and expressions.  I sort this runtime further by figure IE: V4, V3, M4, M3, Aiko etc.

So far as naming folders:

1. I strongly suggest that you do not move or rename anything in the textures or geometries folder.

When you open the runtime folder you will find:

Textures  (Do not rename or move files/folders)

Libraries (Ok, the name and move some of the files/folders inside)

Geometries  (Do not rename or move files/folders)

 

When you open the Libraries folder you will find:

Character  (Ok to move and rename the folders inside)

Hair  (Ok to move and rename the folders inside)

Hands  (Ok to move and rename the folders inside)

Props  (Ok to move and rename the folders inside)

Camera  (Ok to move and rename the folders inside)

Poses  (Ok to move and rename the folders inside)

Lighting  (Ok to move and rename the folders inside)

Materials   (Ok to move and rename the folders inside)

Morphs  (DO NOT move or rename this folder or anything inside of it)

"Other folders with names of vendors etc". These are morph folders. (DO NOT move or rename this folder or anything inside of it)

DAZ!  These are morph folders.(DO NOT move or rename this folder or anything inside of it)

 

When you use multiple runtimes, when you install a package, for example, into M4 Character Addons, all of the files for that package are in that runtime only.

 

Sometimes a package will be for more than 1 figure. Quite often an outfit for V4 will also fit Aiko.  If that is the case, I install the package into the Aiko runtime too.  Or into whatever character addon runtimes I have.  For example something for V3, SP3 and Aiko 3 would go into 3 runtimes. Of course I would delete the non related files for each runtime.  IE: the files for SP3 and Aiko from the V3 character runtime.  V3 and SP3 from the Aiko Runtime.

 

Just remember that a runtime is a runtime is a runtime. They all are the same thing, only external ones are sitting outside of the main Poser folder.  And all "multiple" means is that you have more than one.  All files get installed in the same way.

 

PS:   Don't confuse "Figure" with "Character"

The figure is the base IE: V3, M4, V4, Aiko 3, Aiko 4, Apollo etc etc.

The character is the morph that you apply to the Figure to change the shape.

So basically think of the "Figure" as the actor IE: Johnny Depp, and the character to what he is turned into once he has been to wardrobe and makeup  IE: Captain Jack.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi