On the weekend I had to re-install Windows 7 (64 bit) due to the operating system getting slugish.

I've re-installed the operating system and most of my apps (Artrage, Vue, Photoshop Elements, Hexagon, Painter, etc).

Now I'm re-installing DAZ3D ver 4 Pro. I did backup the daz content database, stopped the DAZ database service and copied the database over to the proper location.  I also imported the metadata.

My DAZ Content is saved on a separate hard drives which is for data only.

Previously I had all my Daz content organized under Categories. I would have thought this would have been stored in the content database but all of my Categories are missing.

Other than manually recreating them is there a database option or trick that will make them re-appear?

Thanks kindly...

Make sure your Daz Content Manager is turned on.

Yes... I checked my computer and the service is running....

Cheers

Try re-importing the data base through DS rather than just relocating it to the correct folder. I would probably run the data base maintainance tool and also try restarting DS.

How do you import the database? I checked in DAZ3D and can not see that option...

Thanks kindly...

Make sure the Content Library tab is selected then click the dropdown menu

Import Mapped Directories?

The first thing I would try is Migrate old Database and see how that goes. Actually before that I would try turning the Content Manager off and back on to see if it resets itself. If those things don't work run the database maintainance which should sort it out (takes longer is why I would leave it till last).

Also you could try scan known directories although I'm not sure if that would do much.

To do this you go to Content Pane and on the context menu find "Content DB Maintenance ...". On the dialog box that comes up select "Export User Data" and click accept. 

How long this will take depends on how much content you have and how much user data. I have a lot of content and a lot of user caategories and it takes about 20 minutes on my system. 

This writes a file in the same directory as the meta data files with your user categories. This will protect you from the CMS data base getting corrupt and allow you to restore all your categories. To protect against disk failure or courruption, you need to have a backup of this someplace else.

And what is the path to this mysterious place where metadata is backed up to? Is it to the same location as the database files?

Quote - And what is the path to this mysterious place where metadata is backed up to? Is it to the same location as the database files?

The metadata files are in the runtime/support folder of your DAZ format libraries. DAZ Studo seems to save the user data in the first DAZ format library on the search path. The file is called "UserData_1.dsx"  Most of the files in these directories will be named "DAZ_3D_xxxx..." so just go to the end of the list to look for the user data file. 

Why can't Daz/Poser use a simpler directory structure than this old runtime nonesense. When I re-install Vue it's a 5 second fix to have Vue pointing to all the assests (objects,a tmosheres, materials, scenes)...And I have a large inventory of Vue stuff purchased from Cornucopia3D and downloaded from the net....

I do computer network support for a living and when it comes my hobby, I just want to create art and not be some kind of a database administrator....

There has to be a much simpler way to organize and maintain your Daz/Poser assets than the current way of doing things....

Vue does not require a database or db engine and maintains a simple directory structure. I think it's time Daz and Poser do so...

Sorry if I sound frustrated. But I am very frustrated with Daz's way of handling assets...

Then abandon CMS and DIM. I don't use ether and have 146gig in 23 runtimes. The only content I have for Studio is genesis; a bit over 7 gig.

But then that 146gig is on a seperate HDD. Wish I could do the same with studio, but studio balks everytime I try to install content anywhere except where it wants it.

Thing is an old Poser runtime is far more orgenized then the drop it anywhere kids toy box Studios conte... my liba... my content libr... or what ever to sam hill DAZ may be calling it now, is.

But this has been an on going thing with DAZ installers. At one time I had 4 studio content folders in 4 different places because each era of installer installed to someplace else. {yes, my bad for not pointing them to the right place}

I install studio, point it to my runtimes and done. If I had to reinstll window 8; which I have never had to do, I'd cut the studio content folder out, move it one of my HDDs; 3, then just move it back when I was done.

Did you know that even though DAZ has changed the name of the content folder 3 times in 2 years, even it's newest items still come zip in a "content" folder, not a my library, or what ever the new name is for it that DIM wants it called to install to.

It is my candid opinioin DAZ wants content installation and orgenization as complex as possable to force people to use DIM and CMS.

You think I'm kidding? I am a carraraest, I did the beta for C8.5. When C8.5 was released DAZ had changed the autofit so in order to use it you absolutly had to have CMS installed. My solution to the problem? I don't use genesis directly in carrara. I refuse to have DAZ's DR... CMS on my comp. Simple as that. And I need absolutly no help downloading or installing my content.

Getting genesis set up for use in carrara is one of the things I use Studio for

Would you like to guess why I was banned from the DAZ forum?

I think DAZ is a fantastic application. I love it. My only issue is the way it handles assets... I also take issue with it's directory structure and use of the runtime format...

I recall years ago whenI used to program in dBaseIV and Visual Basic. When you compilled your application and wanted to give it to a client you had to include the dBaseIV runtime files or the Visual Basic runtime files.

Perhaps Poser at the time was these directory system as a model for their directory structure. I think it is NOW time to abandon this archaic nonesense and develop something newer and more mobile. As I said before with Vue I do not have to go through all this pain whenever I re-install my operating system or re-install Vue...

That said,  am now re-categorizing everything. Hopefully the next time I re-install my operating system I will not have to go through this pain. And IF I do, Daz and Poser will remain on the shelf. I have it with dedicating so much time jsut to re-install and organize a single application when IMHO there is NO NEED for IF DAZ/Poser where to come of age and abandon a legacy approach to asset management...

1. DAZ is the company, Studio is the app. DAZ also developes Carrara, and to a much lesser degree Bryce and Hexagon. And that isn't counting plugins.

Daz is also, and it's top busness concern, a content brokerage. I'll stop myself here before I get in to the conspericy threoies; which aren't really that theoretical. It is in your best interest to make content use and instalation as simple as possable, but it is best for busness if DAZ has as much control of your {their} content as possable. {you don't buy content so much as lease it for personal use}.

That said, it is my personal opinion; and please don't take ofence, that you are creating much of your own problem. Please bear with me. My oldest used figure is the Maya doll. Laugh it up but the figure was way ahead of its time. When Carrara got the feature that allowed it to use Poser figures I set her in a run time and scouered the internet to find free stuff for here. In nine years I have had to reorganize it twice; just to sort out bad freebies. Also in that amount of time that runtime has migrated across 3 computers, 3 OSs, 5 HDDs, 4 builds of carrara, and 3 full builds of Studio. More over my massive "figures" folder has migrated across two comps, 3 HDDs, and two OSs. In nine years it has grown from the Maya Doll to 30+ runtimes; that's counting inactive runtimes like starfox. I reorgenazed them all once a while back; to sort out bad content, had to brake down my props folder when it got far too big; archatecture, assesories flora, and vehicals. And resort my V4 poses folder when it got too confusing; mats, morphs, poses. But I don't think I ever had the sort of issues you are having now.

None the less I am in agreement that the entire runtime/content folder system is far more complex then it needs to be. I actually started using premades long before I used Poser/DAZ content.

If Poser/Daz content were organized in the way most other apps use models there would be no runtime. V4's folder would contain models and a textures, possably in subfolders. V4's clothing folder would contain a folder for each artical of clothing, say V4SKwair6. That folder would have the preload, mesh, and textures. And wouldn't that make all this a lot easyer

Take Vue content for example. It's so wide open and easy to create and store your models however you want....

ie: Vue objects

Cars -- 1920s

        -- 1930s

        -- 1940s

        -- 1950s

        -- 1960s

        -- hot rods & customs

        -- exotics

Trucks -- light duty

           -- heavy duty

Architecture -- barns & sheds

                    -- houses

                    -- castles

                    -- towers

                    -- bridges

City Props  -- traffic lights

                  -- fire hydrants

                  -- phone booths

And NO database headaches or obscure stuff to back up in your operating system.

And I can re-arrange directories as I want without breaking anything....

instead of arranging my cars by year & era I could re-arrange by make.model

Cars -- GM - Chevrolet - Impala

                                    - Corvette

                                    - Pickups

                      Buick - LaSabre

                                Roadmaster

            Nissan - Z cars

                        - Sedans

                       - Pickups

            Ford - Mustang - classic Mustangs

                                     - modern Mustangs

There simply has to be a better way of maintaining Poser and DAZ Studio content and just because that is the way it's been done for over a decade is just a cope out IMHO....

It doesn't have to be this complicated....

I do computer network support for a living and when I get home the last thing I want to do is WORK (as in mainting the silly and archaic runtime directory struture and database admin work). I just want to create art... I do enough computer admin crap 8-4 daily...when I get home I want to relax and play with Vue, Hexagon, 3DCoat,  DAZ Studio, ArtRage, Poser Pro 2012, Photoshop, etc....

And PLEASE don't get me wrong I think DAZ Studio Pro is an amazing piece of software and it's FREE but they are complicating things with this database crap and the old, archaic way of maintaining assets with this directory structure....

But I did agree there are much easyer ways to do it. As in most of my other premades; not to be confused with content, doesn't need a lot of excess orgenizing because every item is in a self contained folder. And if you are of a mind to it is real easy to make a folder cover in windows; and with some effort you can thumb all your studio folders; see above. I am a slave to the thumb

I work in my runtimes. I need them as easy to navigate as possable. I have to go in to the geometries folder to make UVmaps to work with quite often. As well as editing and tweaking textures. The way it is more often then not the name of the item does not match the name on the folder for the items textures or geometry are in. That is why I like the artest name to come before the item name; because that is usually the name on the textures and geometries folders.

But if this was all better orgenized that all would be in the same folder, no hunting all over perdition and back trying to find the texture folder for the item that needs retextureing. But the Poser runtime and Studio my library folder strucktures are so intrenched it would take years to change it; or an ingenious person to write a migration app Now if this all ran with content in self contained folders there would be no more lost textures do to bad addresses. The app wouldn't have to look out side the item folder for the texture, so the address for it wouldn't need to take anything outside the folder in to account.

I am sorry ManleyStanley but I have no idea how you manage your content nor do I undertand what you are suggesting...

Also I am advocating they abandon the runtime structure all together...

Cheers

Quote - I am sorry ManleyStanley but I have no idea how you manage your content nor do I undertand what you are suggesting...

Also I am advocating they abandon the runtime structure all together...

 

Cheers

 

 

That is what I was saying.

Ok...sorry. Not so sure why they are holding onto this legacy method of maintaining assets.

Also another very sore point with me is some assets which are not characters like cars are put in the character folder and others are put in the prop folder.

Not sure why anyone would put a car in a folder named characters. It is not a living thing. It  is a prop.

It would be nice if I could simply create a folder named "cars". And under "cars" I could create subfolders as I mentioned above.

Also another thing that drives me nuts is some "materials" are found in the material structure and some are found in the pose. And vice versa for "poses"...

So IMHO the Poser/DAZ3D structure in reality lacks structure...

Daz3D Studio is a fantastic program. I have no issue with it. It's just the silly way it handles assets.

To simply continue to do things this way because it's the way we've always done it  is so wrong and hinders progress....

Cheers and many thanks for the replies...

Characters and props are identafied by the file type, not item type. A cr2 is a character, a pp2 is a prop. Has nothing to do with what the item is.

I have a vehicals runtime that is just that, just vehicals. Working in Poser's file struckture you can set up a "cars" folder and just have car runtimes in it. Not sure if it can be done in Studio as well, but I don't see why not.

As I said I had to brake down my V4 Poses to mats, morphs, and poses. There shouldn't be poses in Studios materials folder but Studio uses materials to change textures, Poser uses poses. So some items have both. That is the diference in the content download you download. As in if you download for Poser the textures you can apply come in the pose folder, if you select studio the textures come in the materials folder. Studio can use poser poses, but Poser can't use studio materials.

Personally this is one point where I prefer studios way over Posers. I like the materials for an item being a subfolder of the item, rather then burried in the poses folder.

But I have to agree about the file strucktures them selves. I've compared Studios my library to Rube golberg's machines. And why I much prefer to work in the comparativly far more simple Poser runtimes. And yes, both are far more convaluted then need be.

For me Studio is just a tool, I nether stage scenes nor render in it. It's just a suport tool for Carrara as far as I'm concerned. Fun part is I use it mostly to do things DAZ screwed up in carrara. Like autofit, or genesis UVmap selection. And as soon as I build up my confidense I am going to try to conquor the Studio figure tools; I could use them in Studio 3 but the new tools for genesis are a bit confusing.

The "Runtime" structure is a Poser thing and DAZ has no choice but to follow it for older Poser content to work.  CMS is a PoS but neither it nor DIM are Digital Rights spyware.  DIM is the best way to install content from DAZ and can install it anywhere you tell it, even multiple content libraries can be assigned in it.