Sorry if this has been covered...

Can the Runtimes be named differently like say - RuntimeHair etc...?

I have forgotten how to do that... help if ya can...thanks. :)

runtime is a reserved name.  to make a more descriptive runtime, you create a folder above it, e.g., "V4 Hair/runtime".  Then add then under the known Content Directories (F2)

I have two runtimes on my system.  Though I split them one folder up at the My Library level.  I split it there because Daz Studio 4.5 has alot of things stored at that level, and some may reference to specific folders.  I'm not sure about that last part, though.

Some people keep numerous runtimes (or libraries), sorting them based along different preferences..  I keep one with everything I use consistantly, such as Genesis,  etc.  The other is for items that i grab for a specific scene, but won't use again.  I have a friend who splits along theme, with one for key items such as M4/V4, one for fantasy, one for sci-fi, etc.

I would recommend against having a seperate runtime for each 'type' of item though, since these are seperate one level down for Poser

The key is to let Daz Studio know where the different content is.  Use the Content Directory Manager.  There are a lot of ways to get there, but the easiest to describe is:

Main Menu -> Preferences -> Content Library tab -> Content Directory Manager...

Under current sets, make sure to include paths to your the folder your Runtime folder sits in, not the Runtime folder itself.  Do this for Daz Content and Poser Content.  For example mine are:

C:UsersPublicDocumentsDAZ 3DStudioMy Library

C:ProgramDataDAZ 3DMy DAZ Library

C:UsersDSDDocumentsDAZ 3DStudioTemp Library

You might have others for some plugins such as Reality already installed.

You might find more here http://wiki.daz3d.com/doku.php/artzone/pub/software/dazcontent

i have like 6 runtimes in my system for the various areas i got things from and things that aren't daz4.0 and 4.5 specific my runtime for 4.0 and 4.5 are pretty much the same runtime in the my library section although 4.5 did add a second my library area.

most of my ds4.0 and 4.5 stuff is in my first my library section easier to find in my opinion

although all of my runtimes are in the content/runtime format except the my library ones then it's my library/runtime wo 4 regular runtimes and 2 mylibrary runtimes in case that was confusing

Thank all.... I just have so much stuff with my DAZ/Poser that I keep books with all stuff listed.... lol

i sooo have to start doing that lol

I've so many runtimes but I left it for so long before I did anything about sorting it out.

One day I got the bug and started, it's so easy, now I do it automatically with everything and then burn it on a DVD for a backup so I never have to fiddle and sort through runtimes again.
 

I've one for each figure,clothing,sets,props and interiors,exteriors,nature,animals and more and have a tree levels within these folders.

I unzip or run Daz products to a folder in my Docs I created called Pzdownloads.
Throw out everything I won't need or want, create a folder and name it whatever the product is, drag the runtime into that and then move it to the appropriate Allruns folder.

My Allruns folders are separate folders I created i.e., AllrunsV4, AllrunsM4,AllrunsProps and more.
These are even broken down to different files within the particular Allruns folder.
AllrunsV4 has V4character, then types of characters, fairy,elegant,creepy,ethnic and so on.
Then it's just a matter of going to Preferences in Daz, click down Poser formats and add whether you want....btw I use Dazstudio 3 Advanced, not sure how things work with the new Daz. 

...currently in the process of setting up a new system.

It has two HDDs on for boot Boot & Apps and the other (larger) for the Runtimes.  Now for Daz 3.1A (which I still need for Reality 2.5 and LDP2), PoserPro 2012, and Carrara8, the "old style" runtime strucutre works perfectly fine even when on a separate drive. As long as the content directories as mapped properly and the Geometries, Data, and Textures folders are kept intact, there sould be no issues.

However 4.5, with it's "Library" structure, Genesis, the CMS, and Smart Content, it appears to complicate the whole matter.  For one, as I understand all Genesis related content must be in the same folder with the Genesis core figure to avoid errors during loading.  My question, is it possible to set this up outside the "Library" folder (which normally is in the "My Documents" folder that resides on the smaller boot drive)?

I have no use for the CMS or other automated content managment utilities. I prefer the classic "top down" tree structure over the horizontal format the 4.5 Library system uses.

DS4 is the same as DS3 - just use the same folders, if you like, as the data folder stuff is kept separate. As for Genesis, although the installers (if you don't use DIM) will want you to place the morph files in the same folder as the base it isn't actually necessary for the figure to work.

...didn't know that.  So the  paths will noit be broken if I place the poses, characters, & such in another folder then?

I didn't want to appear dim and ask what DIM was so I googled it lol! dah....!
 

That's interesting Richard. One of the reasons I didn't want to try DS4 was because of the runtime nightmare.

Quote - ...didn't know that.  So the  paths will noit be broken if I place the poses, characters, & such in another folder then?

As long as the Runtime and data folders are in the root folder, the folder you have actually selected as a directory in DS, then things should work in DS4 as they did in DS3.

I keep a few different "runtimes".  The DAZ Studio content manager makes it quite easy to hot-swap between them as needed.  

Smart Content gets a bad rap for some reason, but I find it very valuable. YOu can make your own tags and metadata very easily and categorize your content into your own fantasy organizational paradise.  one thing I love is that you can sort a singular item into multiple places.  I have a metal armor shader and I can store it in both my metals folder AND my armor Folder with almost zero additional storage space.

I am making a video on all this as it relates to one of the biggest library-stressing items in existence: the Supersuit.

to create your own new directory, do it starting at the "My Library" folder level.  your new "My Library" can be named whatever you like but what comes inside it should follow convention.  There will need to be a "runtime", "Data", and "People" folders inside it. for example. If you like, try naming the new "My Library" folder a name that reflects the reason for the new structure. if you have supersuit stuff in there... You might call it "Supersuit Library"

Once you have created the structure, just point DAZ to it using the Content Directory Manager (right click on the Content Library tab to find it)

I would note that some content simply needs to be installed where Genesis is. Tori for V5 MUST be installed where V5 is installed and this cannot be changed. other content requires Genesis and so on.

You should not have more than one directory that contains any of the same data active at the same time or you will get Duplicate ID errors and potential problems.

...but the "My Library" folder resides in the "My Documents" documents which would be on the wrong drive thus defeating the whole purpose of the larger runtime drive.  Why did Daz go to this structure? Everything was fine and simple when it all resided in the Programme Files directory.

Quote - ...but the "My Library" folder resides in the "My Documents" documents which would be on the wrong drive thus defeating the whole purpose of the larger runtime drive.  Why did Daz go to this structure? Everything was fine and simple when it all resided in the Programme Files directory.

You can put your new "My Library" folder wherever you want to... i simply meant that it should be a copy, so to speak, of that folder and the way its set up... not the location.

I have "My Library" folders on several drives (named something unique).  Just point DAZ Studio to them and all will be well

From Windows Vista on the Program Files folders became protected system folders that have strict write privileges.  User data should never be stored in them.  Frankly I am shocked that people that choose to use Windows don't know this by now.

You can also add a new folder by right-clicking on the appropriate ... Formats header in the Content Library.

In fact add-ons like Gabi don't ned to be in the same directory tree as the base Genesis any more, though if you use the isntallers theys till require that - DS will scan all the dataDAZ 3dGenesisBase folders it's hooked up to when it loads the figure, this was new in 4.5 or late in 4.0 I think. It's handy when creating add-ons as you can save new morph assets to an empty folder, save any presets there, and place textures, then the whole thing simply needs to be zipped up for distribution without having to separate your files from DAZ' and other merchants'.

Quote - From Windows Vista on the Program Files folders became protected system folders that have strict write privileges.  User data should never be stored in them.  Frankly I am shocked that people that choose to use Windows don't know this by now.

...I'm coming from XP which allowed it (by default, Studio 1.7 through 3.1 installed everything there). 

I don't even use the "My Documents" folder for finished pictures or Word/Excel files as it is more of a bother to deal with.

Again, the My Documents folder by default is created on the C: drive.

I need all my runtimes on the larger D: drive.

My thinking was why didn't they just create a "Daz3D" folder on the Drive Root where everything goes?  That would have been simpler.

@ Richard.  So if I install Genesis content to a dummy folder then move it manually (rather than let it install to whatever default directory it goes to) and map the location in Preferences > Directory Management tab, I shouldn't have any pathname errors?

You can move My Documents - go to C:Usersyou, right-click on the My Documents folder, select Properties, click on the Location tab, click the Move... button and set the new location. Yes, install the content to the folder you want to use - with DIM you can specify locations in the settings by clicking the little gear icon at top-right - and point DS to that folder.

...well so far so good.  4.5 is seeing the "My Library" folder I set up and 3Advanced is seeing the original runtime structure both of which are on the D: drive.  GenX and Reality2.5 both open fine as well as the LIE for 3Advanced.  Almost finished with the .trx content, then will install and set up the .ds and .dpc files.

After that comes Carrara and it's native .car files.  Been a while since I last set Carrara up so I don't remember if I need to map the 4.5/3Advanced content folders to it as well.