Hi boudicca36

I have been meaning to ask this but always seems to always slip my mind when I am jumping thru threads. since Daz Studio sort of changed their folder structure which is no longer similar to the Poser folder maybe you can do a short tutorial on how or which is the best way to set up a folder structure if you want to distribute items for Daz Studio would really find it useful and you have such a great way of explaining things clearly.

Thank you in Advance

Lobo3433 posted at 12:59PM Mon, 16 May 2016 - #4269343

Hi boudicca36

I have been meaning to ask this but always seems to always slip my mind when I am jumping thru threads. since Daz Studio sort of changed their folder structure which is no longer similar to the Poser folder maybe you can do a short tutorial on how or which is the best way to set up a folder structure if you want to distribute items for Daz Studio would really find it useful and you have such a great way of explaining things clearly.

Thank you in Advance

Sure I'll put it on the list. I do not support DIM though. Some love it, some hate it, some boycott it.

In a nutshell: First to understand what the Structure is.

The Poser runtime structure part is the same:

Runtime > Geometries > your subfolders

Runtime > Libraries > name of library > your subfolders

Runtime > Textures > your subfolders

Daz Studio stuff is a layer above the Runtime however it is a good idea to put all required texture images still in the Poser Runtime structure BEFORE creating D/S items. The other thing to remember is no, one does not move files around, save them to where they should be in the first place.

Short, eh?! hehehe ... well, we'll see.

Okay Lobo3433, it's in the basket ;-)

There's nothing in the basket

;-) Hard to keep that basket full lol ...

Thank you boudicca36 with the change of how Daz Studio changed to their own sort of folder structure it was bit difficult to determine how to set up the folders. Like with poser if I was working with something I have made it was easy to just create an external runtime and build from there just was not as clear for Daz and at this stage no where near ready enough to experiment with DIM. I know I saw a product at daz a content gather looked interesting but that is for when I might get nerve enough to share something beyond a simple OBJ at the moment

Lobo3433 posted at 8:28PM Tue, 17 May 2016 - #4269507

Thank you boudicca36 with the change of how Daz Studio changed to their own sort of folder structure it was bit difficult to determine how to set up the folders. Like with poser if I was working with something I have made it was easy to just create an external runtime and build from there just was not as clear for Daz and at this stage no where near ready enough to experiment with DIM. I know I saw a product at daz a content gather looked interesting but that is for when I might get nerve enough to share something beyond a simple OBJ at the moment

---

You're quite welcome.

I have never used a "content gatherer" either for Poser or D/S. I like to know exactly what is being shared. IMHO forget DIM. The PAs at the company AFAIK have the company making the files to make DIM work with their products. There are a few folk that know how to make those files.

The main item I've noticed with D/S is to have the textures first in their correct folder under the runtime structure. D/S has a cache and after making a zillion adjustments on the Surface Tabs when polishing off the product, even though one may think they're loading a file then placed in the runtime structure, if it's in the cache, that is where it will load from. If one is use "LIE" it's even more of an adventure. One has to watch that file address on the Surface Tab before saving presets etc., browse to, dig it out [copy it], browse to the proper folder "paste", then select, then save the preset(s). Close D/S, open D/S, reload and check if it all works. If files are not in the My Library and appropriate sub-folders, when saving, D/S will make one of those long address references to your computer for the files.

I know we have to often not approve something if they are not in the proper folder structure when we examine items being submitted to Free Stuff and textures is at the top of the list for both Daz and Poser that seems to be the one item that seems to the number one to be forgotten to be included or not in the correct structure

When using Hexagon for uvmaps there is one "little" frustration at times in that one cannot make a new uvmap for "part" of the model. The entire model gets remapped and then of course the entire map needs to be redone.

Having 3D Coat, educational license, I was of the impression that it could not be used for morphs nor uv sets because one cannot export out the .obj without it being "downsized" by the program. In poking around in the program, I did find an option which DOES permit a new uvset to be created for "part" of the model.

Like wowser. So yes one can, for example, make a new uvset for "just the face" of a figure yet keep all the rest of the set intact.

Legal note: one cannot redistribute uv sets which are simply re-arranged sets that somebody else created. Same for the textures.

One can redistribute uv sets that one has created "from scratch" for a figure, same as for textures.

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, just somebody who has read a lot and asked questions.

Does anybody else in here also use 3D Coat?

Just for your info Blender can uv map any part of a model in isolation of the rest.

That's good to know for those that like Blender, thanks keppel.

For those that have 3D Coat ... the tutorial is in the basket ;-) I also have a few notes about saving mat files.

Thanks for contribution but, nothing in the basket

Next one could be awhile. So far horse has 5 legs.

Larger pics are temp. in my DA Gallery if anybody is interested.

Images are done, edited ... just waiting to be glued, for the glue to dry and then proof read a little ;-) Maybe Thursday! The tutorial will not have mesh included. It still needs some work ;-)

Basket is bucking!!!

The next one is at the proof reading stage ... may be released tomorrow. It covers making some furry "socks" for that Tiger figure by RawArt. As in, taking the geometry from Garibaldi into Hexagon. From there eventually to be having it ready in D/S to be made into a parented prop. In such a manner one can have either .obj and/or D/S prop files which can be used by more people and in more programs.

[quote] You currently have pending freestuff items. They will not appear until approved. [/quote]

hmmm ... hehehe ...

"In case" anybody is wondering, yes I do have another set of images ready to start editing for pasting into a tutorial HOWEVER the permissions request on a matter is taking longer than expected for to receive an answer. That's probably not a good sign so eventually may have to scrap it and work on another one HOWEVER we're also getting an early start on some heat waves which means the 'puters will be down quite abit.

Okay ... it's taking too long for a company which claims it will reply within a couple of working days to do so ... so that set of tutorial images has been scrapped.

Heat waves are getting rather extreme so creating more will have to wait until time and weather permits.

As some may or not know, yes I was working on a tutorial for legacy rigging in D/S for a short dress on V4. Apparently the best result end result so far is not going to please very many people. So I have been trying all the ways I know of to make handles for a short skirt and that also is not working out very well in D/S4.6. Not that I ever mastered "handles", but still ... if time is money might want to consider the tutorials sold here for rigging in Poser.

One can stop at the hip bone and make all the poses, shapes required for the skirt as morphs. Rather time consuming but it's possible. One canNOT change the name of the bones on the Figure Setup Tab. One canNOT change the rigging of the thigh bones [what I was using to make handles] except to raise them straight up to the "belt" height [belt = hip]. On the Scene Tab one can rename the thigh bones to be "handles".

Next rock on the road: the "reset pose" feature, resets the figures to poses they do not load at. QuickStart and the BlankV4 have their feet flat. Translation into the clothing means the skirt goes wonky in the usual places. In checking the Parameters "per bone", there are a couple of settings for each "thigh/handle" bone that need to be manually reset to "0" for the clothing to look right. Those options tend to be not there when the item is "fit to" the figure.

So I tried another idea ... to model the dress "adjusted" and that's a no-go too. It then stays in the wrong place. BUT I noticed that the "shortcut" some of us use from time to time in Hexagon to get a unit together without loosing the uvmaps does NOT work with clothing items. The top was okay [chest and abdomen welded in D/S]. But the skirt was not [because the 2 "thighs" are not going to weld to each other as the rigging doesn't work that way]. This can be good news or bad depending upon what type of outfit one is designing. Bad if you're wanting a nice skirt. Good if you're wanting a skirt that will split in half down the middle ... but there is still then the front "V" issue to deal with ... maybe another day ... in the meantime, the fastest way to deal with those is to reload the item.

Okay, resorted to an old trick to figure out a few issues and okay ... on track for "how to" legacy rig a long skirt item for V4 so the tutorial is a WIP :-) There is a free V4 starter dress mesh somewhere over on sharecg.com [not mine] and a great find for those wanting something to paint 3D models ... it's free too. It's called Sculptris. In the walk through project, we start with the dress mesh, take a look at Sculptris and 3D Coat ... Main modeler is of course Hexagon. Rigging being done in D/S4.6.

Finally! Legacy Rigging for V4 [as in clothing for V4, using D/S] is in the proof reading stages. It is not "comprehensive" as there is no way I can cover "all" that could possibly be required to know about in all situations in one little book. Walk through project, making the long skirt coat dress [or whatever you want to call it] as has been displayed elsewhere [DA] in Hexagon. We also take a quick look at 3D Coat and Sculptris for uvmapping and texturing. We start at the modeling stage because that's a good idea if rigging in D/S. The item needs to be "one piece", it will then be grouped in D/S. IF your modeller's groups can be read in D/S properly to make the bones AND stays together in use, then do not worry about that part. Sculptris paints 3D models so there is a little bonus section for that .

"in the basket" :-)

I realize that many people want vendors to make clothing for "all" the figures which is not super practical.

With D/S one CAN make their own. In this tutorial we tackle "handles" :-)

Odd, my tutorial page seems to update faster than the Freestuff page so check here for the tutorial: https://www.renderosity.com/mod/freestuff/?uid=725053

? hellooo .... anybody out there ????

3 days no response and I'll pull.

Thank for the Tutorials - I am in the middle of getting my new system up after the old one died. - lucky I had everything backed up. Not I just need to sort through and decide what I absolutely need and what can be stored for later projects. Leaves a little more room to play with on the drive :) I certainly look forward to going through your tutorials...from the quick read through I have done on two of them, they look great - easy to follow words and the pictures really help make things clear :)

Once again thanks!

You're quite welcome and thank you for the feedback.

Seems to be the season for computer issues ... glad to hear that you had backups though, amazing number of people don't think to do that.

And hopefully whoever is approving freestuff has their computer working.

Finally! It's live, yes! Enjoy, it'll be the last one for awhile as the heat waves continue.

Hello Alberthandsome

I am posting to let you know that it is greatly appreciated that you share your wisdom and knowledge about your own tutorials but please start it as a new thread and post I am going to delete your post since it is not the same or following the current topics in this particular thread. Thank you for understanding just repost your thread as a separate topic with in the forum if you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me

Was working at a workflow for making morphs for a legacy V4 clothing item. Seriously, if one wants to morph the legacy items using Hexagon, one MUST remove the "images", all of 'em - including bump maps, before sending the item over to Hexagon.

There is a way to jump start the morphing by making use of converting the clothing to Genesis, shaping Genesis, sending the clothing over the bridge, bringing it back in to morph the legacy clothing. Remember to morph, the one coming in must be named the same as the receiver. Then one can send the legacy morphed item over the bridge and touch up, bring it back into D/S to load on a FRESH cr2 base so one can then save out the one good morph with it.

Now years back those into making legacy clothing had additional tools for adding in all kinds of morphs. As the world of 3D progressed many of those tools became unavailable and as they were beyond what I was willing to pay in making freeware items, I for one do not have them. My "how to morph" is not intended as a replacement for those professional tools.

Incre save the .cr2 files when making morphs, test them too. Somewhere along the line [apparently] it is easy to "lose the fit to" {I was trying to add in a pose adjustment morph too} ... just going back "one morph" is not a big deal ... it is very easy to delete the extra .cr2 files at the end of play.

Update: the tutorial for V4 legacy clothing, leggings, is at the proof reading stage.

And is now in the Pending Basket :-)

In this tutorial I show how to "group" the object in D/S from one that does not have the Shading Domains match named to the bones as apparently not all modelers can do that.

...................

tip for those trying to Morph their Horse 2 with 6 legs, after sending the creation over to Hexagon, shaping the morph, in D/S "remove the additional legs", THEN send the morph over and it should take. The mismatch that otherwise happens is because the "hidden" geometry is hidden in D/S, not in Hexagon ;-)

Hopefully this will work. I put together a "starter.pz2" file for people to edit. The idea being one can create a .pz2 file using a text editor to swap in the desired images, adjust the colours ... and have a .pz2 file that should work in several programs such as Poser, Daz Studio and Carrara. It's "very" basic, some coding instructions included. It's in the Pending Basket ;-)

Hmmm ... pending basket is empty! Will have to do something about that hehehe ...

I was going to post this in the Hexagon forum BUT the thread I'm sure I had started over there seems to be awol and there seems to be no way for us to find our posts?!

So here's a tip for those using Hexagon ... once in awhile to clear out the temp folder ;-)

This is what I've been working on atm. Have yet to make all the mats. The Defiant for Genesis was a PC item [i.e. most have it esp. of the clan ;-) ]

The textures are in the Pending Basket. There are several extras too. Decided to forego a tutorial on "how to" ... basically made use of Shader Baker to get nice islands to texture with. People can use the black and white textures as "templates" if they want to.

... wow that was FAST! They are now "in the wilds", enjoy :-)

https://www.renderosity.com/mod/freestuff/basic-colours-for-defiant-tunic-for-genesis/76520

And now in the Pending Basket is a Coffee Pot. The Coffee Pot is a D/S item. [shaders not included]

WIP - a tutorial introduction to Texturing Genesis. Just a few basics focusing on the eyes ;-) It's at the proof reading stage.

... and now in the Pending Basket ;-)

It's now "in the wilds" ;-)

Okay, while working on the next section covering the lips ... thought a time saver would be appropriate so I made one. The .psd file is in the Pending Basket.

And it's now "in the wilds" :-)

I will be including some more information on using this in the next tutorial. It's not a perfect solution for all skin shaders - some are rather complex and like hay, this was tested on a basic shader, nothing fancy. I would think the more advanced users would know how to make the necessary adjustments for use with fancy skin shaders but that is beyond the scope of my beginner tutorials. The tutorial will also include some information about the use of L.I.E. Again it's not a perfect solution for all texturing matters either, but can be very helpful.

Texturing Genesis [part two] - The Lips :-)

The third [and last] part of this mini-series is in the Editing Basket. It focuses on the mouth however all the 3 make for enough information to complete a set, at least at a beginner level. Obviously the more work and better resources one might use would make for better end products, however for learning it's important to keep it fun and successful within attainable goals. The 3rd part does cover some information on using merchant resources.

One important factor in making skin textures these days for redistributing, is to include "no brows" as well as "with brows" as many do use fiber mesh for hair. Either a clone or smudge brush can help with that if using "merchant resources" that do not otherwise provide one.

And I will say this, my most favourite skin texture merchant resource IS sold here at Renderosity BUT it's useless as such 'cause we can't share it ['cause all I make is free] :-( Makes a beautiful ST fanart character known as a "Deltan".

Texturing Genesis - the mouth, etc.

A brief 3rd part to conclude this mini-series. Illustrates some use of texture resources as well as matching those "extra" sections for "pro" character sets.

I've noticed some skin resources being sold in the store here BUT no mention made concerning redistribution [free or sale] of characters made using them, so be careful ;-) Resource items come with many licenses same as any other product, do not make assumptions.

Response to a request was too slow for my pace so tutorial shelved, hmmm ... well folks, technically one can make use of resource images to make brushes and/or picture tubes for ones own use - as well as skins. Busy week lined up ... next month should be rather hectic or extremely peaceful ;-)

Whipped up a short quick tutorial on Making One Morph Dial in Two. I have quite a number of character morphs for Genesis which for whatever reasons do not dial in their support morphs [such as V4 for eg.] ... so decided to learn how and it worked so well ... a truly beginner's tutorial lol ... offered "as is" ...

Thanks for all your wonderful tuts!