The purpose of a runtime structure is to allow all items to use the same file paths, regardless of which type of computer they're on or how the user has organized their computer. So everything from the top level Runtime folder on down to sub-folders should stay "as is" so that all file path references will continue to work. If you open a Poser library file with a text editor (I recommend BBEdit for Mac), you'll see that OBJs, image files, and other kinds of files are referenced with a file path that starts with :Runtime: That means Poser doesn't need to know the full root path of the item (like MacintoshHD:Users: etc.), just the path from Runtime on down. I hope that makes sense!

That's not to say that there's no flexibility for organizing your stuff, because there is, but only within the Libraries section. You should not attempt any custom organization of what's in the Textures or Geometries sections of the Runtime b/c then you'll disrupt the file paths for various items in your Library. Consider, for example, adding a prop to your scene. You'd go to your Props library within Poser and double click on a file. If Poser can find all of the elements referenced in that file, it will load. But if you've changed where some of those elements are stored, then Poser can't immediately find them. (It may find them eventually if you have "deep search" enabled, but that's beside the point b/c the elements should never have been moved in the first place!)

In other words, a prop in your Props library is basically just a text file with a bunch of info about the prop, including where on your hard drive Poser can find the prop's OBJ file (in the Geometries folder) and where it can find the prop's textures (in the Textures folder). So you don't want to mess with where those things are, unless you're prepared to do a LOT of text file editing!

When someone prepares a prop (or other item) to deliver for sale or as a freebie, they put all the component parts of the prop into the Runtime structure to make it easy for you to know where the components parts need to go. Whatever top-level folder they put inside the Geometries folder is what you should put into yours. Same with Textures. Often these top-level folders contain the vendor's name, and inside will be another folder with the product name. As you accumulate more stuff, you'll appreciate having things organized this way.

When you're just starting out, you might as well put whatever's in the Libraries folders in the same places the creator put them in as well. But most items for Poser (if done correctly) will not contains path references to elements within the Libraries section of the Runtime, only to the Geometries and Textures sections, so that will give you some flexibility in how you organize your Libraries sub-folders. (You could, for example, create a top-level folder in your Props library folder called KITCHEN STUFF and put all kitchen prop library files you get into that folder, and everything should still work -- provided you put the Geometries and Textures files where they're supposed to go, not into the library folder).

Now, as to the issue of "dragging and dropping" a downloaded Runtime onto your main Runtime: as you've discovered, that won't work on a Mac, at least not the way it's described. That's b/c Macs don't automatically offer the option to "merge" contents, which puts all the new stuff in the right place w/o impacting what's already there. But you CAN get the "Merge" option to appear if you hold down the Option key while dragging one onto the other.

However, I think a better method is to always install from an external disk. I have a HD on my wifi network (connected to another Mac) that is the destination for all Poser items I download, and I unzip them while still on that HD. With the downloaded item's Runtime open, I can then drag and drop onto my main Poser runtime (on my Mac's internal drive) and will always get the option to "Merge". I still have to be careful not to accidentally click the "Replace" option, but at least I don't have to remember to hold down the Option key!

Nevertheless, I still don't use the method of copying an entire Runtime onto another b/c I want more control over the process (esp. where items within the Libraries section are placed). But I do drag the top-level folder under Textures onto my Textures folder and the top-level folder under Geometries onto my Geometries folder, and as I've said, those are the most import parts to keep the same as they were delivered to you in the download.

I hope this explanation has been of at least some use to you! But always feel free to ask more questions, as that's a great way to learn more about Poser (as is searching the forums to see what other questions may have already been answered!)

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TOOLS: MacBook Pro; Poser Pro 11; Cheetah3D; Photoshop CC

FIGURES: S-16 (improved V4 by Karina), M4, K4, Mavka, Toons, and Nursoda's people

GOALS: Stylized and non-photorealistic renders in various fantasy styles