Hello, everyone~

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.

I've recently purchased some characters from mortemvetus. I like their work and have bought quite a few of their things. One of the requirements for the character I purchased is M4 morphs ++.  I always install my purchases in specific folders according to category, and have M4 in a folder named !Characters, installed in a seperate runtime on my #2 hard drtive. I try to keep apps on C; and content on D:. Regardless, I am not having any luck installing both the morphs and M4 ethnic faces, which are another requirement. I thought that perhaps it needed to ber installed in Program files because of the limitations of installing content on the C: drive, but this didn't work either. FYI, I had a terrible time installing M4 originally when I transferred everything to my new computer.

I am sure there is some little thing I am overlooking. I am running Win7, 64bit, and installing to Poser Pro 2014. I have been away from things for most of this year due to another interest, but I have slowly been getting back into everything again. Situations like this drive me bonkers!

TIA

C~

 After you installed M4 and the morphs packs, did you initialize M4.  If not you need to run the bat files that are found in the !DAZ folder in the libraries folder of the M4 runtime.  you should have a createExPfiles.exe in there.  The same with V4 only they will be found in the V4 runtime.

To add, the morph package must be installed in the same runtime that contains M4 base.  Otherwise, the morphs will not apply.

I knew they needed to be in the same folder, and I am installing them there. However, they aren't showing up.I also ran the bat files. No joy/ Back to the drawing boards...

C~

You need to stay away from installing content into Program Files under Win 7, otherwise UAC will interfere with any read/write Poser needs to do to see the files.

@hborre - I am aware of that shortcoming in Win7 after seeing it here a million times, but thanks for reminding me anyway.  It doesn't seem to matter where I try to place the content - it doesn't show up and there is no indication of it being anywhere in any of the runtimes.  Something is just not kosher here and I am getting totally frustrated with this. I had not originally installed Morphs ++ for M4 but bought them and attempted to install them at the time I bought the new content from mortemvetus. Actually, I seldom ever use M4 but I have been reading a lot about characters lately that have inspired me to buy the mortemvetus content with some ideas for renders I would like to do. This should be a simple operation and I have had no difficulties before this. I am wondering if I need to replace the Poser ini file? Do you think this might help fix the problem? This tired old man is fresh out of ideas...

TIA

C~

I knew they needed to be in the same folder, and I am installing them there. However, they aren't showing up.I also ran the bat files. No joy/ Back to the drawing boards...

C~

Hi charlie43, can you be more specific about that "they aren't showing up" bit? Do you mean that you don't see the morphs in M4's Parameters pane?

If you see a 'Morphs++' entry, but with no actual morphs underneath it then you haven't injected the morphs? Don't forget that you have to apply the injection pose after loading M4.

I knew they needed to be in the same folder, and I am installing them there. However, they aren't showing up.I also ran the bat files. No joy/ Back to the drawing boards...

C~

Hi charlie43, can you be more specific about that "they aren't showing up" bit? Do you mean that you don't see the morphs in M4's Parameters pane?

If you see a 'Morphs++' entry, but with no actual morphs underneath it then you haven't injected the morphs. Don't forget that you have to apply the injection pose after loading M4 to make the actual morphs appear.

@hborre - I am aware of that shortcoming in Win7 after seeing it here a million times, but thanks for reminding me anyway.  It doesn't seem to matter where I try to place the content - it doesn't show up and there is no indication of it being anywhere in any of the runtimes.  Something is just not kosher here and I am getting totally frustrated with this. I had not originally installed Morphs ++ for M4 but bought them and attempted to install them at the time I bought the new content from mortemvetus. Actually, I seldom ever use M4 but I have been reading a lot about characters lately that have inspired me to buy the mortemvetus content with some ideas for renders I would like to do. This should be a simple operation and I have had no difficulties before this. I am wondering if I need to replace the Poser ini file? Do you think this might help fix the problem? This tired old man is fresh out of ideas...

TIA

C~

Whoops! Just re-read your last post ... and I'd missed the bit in bold. So it sounds like you're simply not seeing any of the injection pose files in your Library pane, correct? So a few thoughts based on that:
Are the files themselves (i.e. the .PP2 injection pose files and corresponding .PNG icon files) actually in the expected location on your D: drive?

You said that you don't use M4 much. Can you confirm that you can load the base M4 in Poser without any problems, and it's purely these additional morph packages that are giving the problems?

Do you just use Poser, or do you also have DAZ Studio? If you have both, then perhaps they somehow got installed to a DAZ Studio content folder which isn't mapped to Poser?

How did you install the morph packages? Did you use the DAZ Install Manager or did you go the manual route (i.e. downloading the ZIP files and simply unzipping to your desired location).

Hi charlie43!

I just went through this when I lost my main runtime HD and had to re-install everything.

I found the easiest way to get these morphs into Poser (I use PP14) was to set up a dummy DS runtime, install there, and move the folders created over to my Poser runtime where I wanted them.

I created a folder with the following structure:

RuntimeDS>Content>Runtime

I created a blank text file named poser.exe and put it in that top folder (under RuntimeDS) and everything finally installed.

I ran the installers, ran the batch files, then moved all the folder over to my Poser runtime and everything works perfectly.

Then, I did the same thing with the next figure and morphs.

The DS installers are a royal PITA, but you have to play with their rules or you'll never get these morphs installed.

There's no reason to be using the installers as the morphs are now in zips - the only catch is that they contain a Content folder before you get to the vital folders, all you want to merge with your Poser library are the folders inside the Content folder.

There's no reason to be using the installers as the morphs are now in zips - the only catch is that they contain a Content folder before you get to the vital folders, all you want to merge with your Poser library are the folders inside the Content folder.

For those of us who have backup copies of our files, we ARE still using those installers, so this is universally true only if the packages have been re-downloaded from DAZ since the switchover.  I have backups of all my original files and have no reason to re-download.

@Glitterati3D - your method works best for me as I can visually see the content in the folders when I place them side by side. I had noticed the Content folder but didn't give it a lot of thought. Hopefully I can work this out.

@3dcheapskate - M4 does load okay, but originally I had a very hard time getting him installed. It took several attempts, and M4 still has problems with different textures which are darker on his thighs and lower legs. One thing I am seeing now which I did not see before. The ,png files are not showing in the library, and I am instead getting the broken image icon. Now poser is telling me that the morph ++ file is not a valid poser file. Just for a cheap thrill I copied/pasted a copy of the Inj Morph ++ All file in to the folder as a copy. It has the image of the shrugging man and I am told that this is also not a valid poser file. I am at a loss here. I am getting pretty frustrated with the whole mess, and wishing I still had my old Win XP machine and Poser 7! Ah, but we must move forward...

I can understand why you're getting frustrated! But stay calm and persevere - I'm sure that you'll get there.  :)

I've just rechecked the default installation locations for the M4 Morphs++ package:  All the files it adds are under either /Runtime/Libraries/!DAZ/ or /Runtime/Libraries/Pose/ . That reminded me of a couple of mistakes I made ages ago (and there's a very slight chance you might have done the same) -

1 - you shouldn't move any of the files that are under /Runtime/Libraries/!DAZ/ . You don't access these PZ2 files directly - the pose files under  /Runtime/Libraries/Pose/ call them. If you move them those pose files can't find them.

2 - you can modify the subfolder structure under /Runtime/Libraries/Pose/ to your hearts content - but the PZ2 files must remain somewhere under /Runtime/Libraries/Pose/ - if you put them under /Runtime/Libraries/Character/ for example, then they won't show up at all in the library pane.

P.S. Re your latest comments. The shrugging man is to be expected if you only copied the PZ2 file (and not the associated PNG). The broken image icons indicate that the PNGs are indeed corrupt. And a corrupt/bad Poser file will sometimes give you that "not a valid Poser file" message (but not always!). (I deliberately corrupted some copies of my files and got exactly what you described.

Corrupt files are going to make it even more 'fun' to get to the bottom of this!  ...

I can understand the frustration as well, it really should not be this difficult yet it clearly is as this question comes up in the forum on a regular basis.

I would second the advice to 'stick with it' though.  It clearly can and does work and, once working, it tends to stay that way. 

1 - you shouldn't move any of the files that are under /Runtime/Libraries/!DAZ/ . You don't access these PZ2 files directly - the pose files under  /Runtime/Libraries/Pose/ call them. If you move them those pose files can't find them.

2 - you can modify the subfolder structure under /Runtime/Libraries/Pose/ to your hearts content - but the PZ2 files must remain somewhere under /Runtime/Libraries/Pose/ - if you put them under /Runtime/Libraries/Character/ for example, then they won't show up at all in the library pane.

Sorry, but the OP is using PP14 and neither of these are true in that case (not true since Poser 8, in fact).

The !DAZ folder must be named the same, but it can (and should) be move from the DAZ>Content>Runtime folder into his Poser runtime folder.

As for moving the PZ2s, nothing remains in my Pose folder.  Not a thing.  I put poses into my custom runtimes under the figures they are poses for.  I put material poses in their associated clothing folder.

In PP14, the only things that MUST remain where they are placed are the Geometries and Textures folders and their associated content.

The best way to get around these issues is to use the free Daz Install Manager, which will download the latest version (there have been several updates to M4 since it was released) install it and initialize M4 automagically......

http://www.daz3d.com/install-manager-info

You learn something new every day!  :) 

I still use Poser 6 as well as later versions (8/9/PPP2014) and all my runtimes have to work with P6 too - so apologies for the incorrect advice on that! (We all make mistakes... but I tend to make more than most!  ;o) Regarding  the !DAZ folder - I obviously didn't put what I was thinking into words correctly (another thing I tend to do a lot!  :) What I meant was that files under /Runtime/Libraries/!DAZ shouldn't be moved into say /Runtime/Libraries/Pose/!DAZ or /Runtime/Libraries/Character/!DAZ ... and I guess that still applies in P8+ ? I may be wrong there too...

You learn something new every day!  :) 

I still use Poser 6 as well as later versions (8/9/PPP2014) and all my runtimes have to work with P6 too - so apologies for the incorrect advice on that! (We all make mistakes... but I tend to make more than most!  ;o) Regarding  the !DAZ folder - I obviously didn't put what I was thinking into words correctly (another thing I tend to do a lot!  :) What I meant was that files under /Runtime/Libraries/!DAZ shouldn't be moved into say /Runtime/Libraries/Pose/!DAZ or /Runtime/Libraries/Character/!DAZ ... and I guess that still applies in P8+ ? I may be wrong there too...

Yes, the !DAZ folder should be in the same place as installed.  I believe it's Runtime>Libraries>!DAZ but I can be copied/moved to a different runtime along with the other folders.  Just move it to that location......./Runtime/Libraries/!DAZ I recently went through all this because I lost the HD with my biggest Runtime on it and had to re-install all the Gen4 stuff.

I appreciate all the advice. I am working diligently to apply the suggestions. My concern right now is the fact that there are broken images in my runtime which 3dcheapskate reports as corrupted files. I could use a little input on THAT advice! It isn't any wonder that they may be corrupted. I have tried about everything my poor little pea brain can imagine to remedy this situation.

@**WandW ** your suggestion about using the DAZ Install Manager is a good one. However, it will not work for me because of the multiple runtimes I have and the way they are organized. If the manager would let you choose install path, then your suggestion would have great merit.

So I am back to square one. I am working on this and i won't give up until I get the answers I need. If I am anything, it is tenacious...

TIA

C~

DAZ Install manager will install anywhere you instruct it, you need to set the path under preferences. Of course, if the original runtime is divided among several runtimes, then your best alternative is to place everything into a temporatry file and manually separate the individual folders.

Reinstalling M4, M4 Morphs++, and M4 Elite Ethnic Faces from scratch seems a sensible idea. But Dave Allen's (the Irish comedian) advice springs to mind here - "If I were you I wouldn't start from here!"... In this case 'Here' is with M4, M4 Morphs++, and M4 Elite Ethnic Faces already installed in one of your runtimes, but not working correctly.

An approach that might completely side-step the corrupt files problem is to delete them, but NOT manually - instead use the appropriate DAZ UNinstallers. Then you can do a clean reinstall of M4.

N.B.  I've never used the DAZ UNinstallers myself, so what follows really needs confirmation from somebody who has...

Provided certain conditions are met you may simply be able to uninstall the problematic products which should get you back to a clean starting part. The conditions (I think) are:
If (a) you originally used the DAZ installers, and (b) during installation you selected the option to include an uninstaller (I think the 'default' option does that too), and (c) you didn't manually move any files after installation, then you should be able to get rid of the not-working M4, M4 Morphs++, and M4 Elite Ethnic Faces files by simply running those uninstallers. But as already stated I've never tried that myself - can somebody else confirm whether that's a sensible suggestion?

However, if you manually moved or renamed any of the files after installation then the uninstallers may not work at all, or they may do part of the job but require you to manually remove what's left - once again can somebody else give advice on that?

Regarding the file corruption - if it's restricted to the M4 Morphs++ related files I'd keep my fingers crossed, consider it as simply bad luck, and try to side-step the problem as noted above. But if you start seeing corruption in other Poser files, and/or non-Poser files, and/or inexplicable problems with other software then it might be something else.

I've just spotted this - the broken image icons for Poser thumbnails is a completely separate issue, already covered in this thread "where do my poser thumbnails go after latest update"

It seems to be linked to a specific PP2014 update...

The problem with the update situation, it isn't affecting everyone, only isolated cases.  Could this be Internet Explorer 11 browser which cropped up earlier this year?  All my update installs work perfectly fine, however, this is within an older WinXP environment.  I will be migrating everything to a new PC system very soon and hope that I won't encounter any such issues.

As for morph packages, the uninstallers work perfectly fine if nothing has changed after the initial installations.  IIRC, even after moving files around, the uninstallers will run but will not flag any errors in finding files.  It just won't remove anything.  But if you re-install the packages, you must run the updater after each one individually,  Don't install all the morphs at once then run the updater.  There are existing issues that will occur.

hborre - I should have said that the missing thumbnails problem that charlie43 reported is quite possibly (not definitely, as I stated!) related to this. Yes, I think it's the same "Poser library code requiring a specific version of Adobe Flash/Air" problem that seemed to be the root cause of those earlier IE11 problems - if you have the correct versions (which most people probably have) you don't see any problems.

Any news from charlie43 about how things are going?