I am on a PC and I am curious as to what is the difference in the files on a MAC computer a PC has obj rsr/png thumbnails cr2-character file pp2-prop file hr2-hair file pz2-pose file cm2-camera file fc2-face file hd2-hand file lt2-light file is it the same set up on the MAC?

For Poser 4 and Mac OS 9, it's pretty much the same except that Mac's don't use the .rsr or .png files. The thumbnails are stored in a different way. The freeware MacConverter utility is great for transferring files from one format to the other. Macs need that in order to recognize the Poser files as belonging to Poser, since Macs don't rely on extensions. This may be different under OS X, as that does make use of file extensions.

Mac's dont' use file extentions????? How does the computer knwo which to open with which, its all imbedded in the file itself? So in order for my free items to be used on a mac then I have to run them through the Mac converter...is that all is there ever any problems (I would be unable to test them) I would like ot make my free stuff Mac Friendly, because according to my webstat counter over 600 Mac users have visited my site (granted thats only about 7% of traffic, btu 600+ people is 600+ people)

Mac files use a hidden four-character code to identify the file type and creator. Some of them still have extensions, like Poser .cr2 files, but the extensions aren't really used by the OS. This is true in OS 9 and earlier. OS X is Unix-based, so it may work a little differently. In any case I've never had any trouble with Mac Converter. Even though I'm a Mac person myself, I package all of my commercial and free products in PC-format .zip archives, since most people use PCs. Mac users just need to drag and drop the entire folder after unzipping on MacConverter and it will handle the rest. You can also use Mac Converter to change Mac Poser files to PC format. I do that myself before zipping them.

Thanks for the infomation, I will start doing that today :)

You don't have to bother converting, the mac users can do it, it only takes a few seconds! I haven't found a freebie yet that gave me any problems as far as converting files is concerned. Just avoid .exe files, as far as I know it's the only thing mac users can't open! And yes, when Maconverter converts the files the rsr is embedded in the CR2 or whatever. Macs use resource forks instead of file extensions, and no, I've no idea what that means either :o) Oh and if you need people to test your stuff on Macs then drop in to the Macintosh forum, you'll be crushed in the rush! Oh and I'll be happy to test anything in Poser3! Baz

Traditional Mac files (HFS & HFS+ filesystems) have TWO 4-byte codes identifying the CREATOR and the TYPE of the file. By default an OPEN FILE dialog will show files with compatible TYPE, but double-clicking a file will open the CREATOR. For example, you can have a JPG file that when double-clicked will open in Photoshop, another that will open in the QuickTime PictureViewer, and a third that will open in Internet Explorer. But they'll all appear in a dialog looking for JPG files. The Mac also has a File Exchange facility that knows how to map file types for PC files into CREATOR and TYPE codes, for files transported from other systems like PCs. But there aren't many file types set up by default, and most people don't bother. A PZ3 file moved to a Mac from a PC, for example, won't automatically open in Poser when double-clicked... but you can either use a utility to set the TYPE & CREATOR codes, or you should be able to set up the File Exchange control panel so that it knows a .pz3 file maps to Poser. (I'm not sure that'd help for a .cr2 file, though, since Poser searches them out directly. In fact, I've never tried to put a PC .cr2 file into the Poser runtime hierarchy to see whether Poser's search finds it without the CREATOR/TYPE data... perhaps it would, but MacConverter makes that irrelevant.) HFS/HFS+ files have two parts, a DATA fork and a RESOURCE fork. Control ("metadata") information about the file, including the CREATOR and TYPE, live in the RESOURCE fork. Applications can store arbitrary information in there, and Poser stores the preview image (.rsr on PCs) in there. Which means that even if Poser would find a "raw" PC .cr2, you'd get the generic non-preview without MacConverter. I don't know whether the Mac ProPack supports separate PNG data files for previews or whether it still requires the resource; but again, with MacConverter it really doesn't matter. Mac OS X is a bit different; while there's still HFS+ "under the covers", the system treats it as a UNIX UFS file system. But that's more relevant for Poser 5 than Poser 4; Poser 4 (and MacConverter) run only in Classic mode, which is a hosted Mac OS 9.2.2 running on top of Mac OS X... and it still uses the HFS+ filesystem with resource forks. I don't know what Poser 5 will use. It'd be nice if it uses a common file format across both platforms. But then, there are advantages to using OS-specific formats, too, and if there's any need I'm sure MacConverter will be there. So the only thing to watch for when trying to make Mac-friendly Poser downloads is to avoid those annoying and pointless PC .EXE installer packages. If you've just put the Poser files in a ZIP, you'll have no trouble.

That and watch the file name length for Mac users still running System 9 - they need to be less than 31 characters total and that includes the .XXX extension whatever it may be.

I believe Poser started life on the Mac, and got ported to the PC. This is why the .rsr is external to the cr2, hr2, etc.. there was no other logical way to port the mac's resource forks to a windows system without making the datafiles themselves incompatible between platforms. In other words, the whole .rsr thing is an afterthought, a hack that we just have to live with. Not nearly as bad as it could be, mostly thanks to Martin. -Adam

Personally, I'm hoping Curious Labs has addressed this issue in P5. Mac users have been asking for a simple "Import PC files to Library..." feature since before P4. Martin's converter is great, but I don't know if he's planning to make it X-native also, and it would just be that much handier to have it built into Poser. I'm hoping the CL mac team felt this way too ;-) -Adam

odeathoflife, If you are making items for FreeStuff or the Marketplace, and you want them to be useable by Mac owners as well as PC people, you are in luck. It is so easy that it is almost automatic (by and large, the Mac community takes care of itself, thanks to MartinC's utility). But there are a few things to keep in mind, to make the experience totally seamless for everyone. Check out the Macintosh forum (see the link in the bar on the right of this forum), and near the top there should be a link to Mac compatibility issues. That is a short topic that has everything discovered to date. Follow the advice you get there, and your Mac users will be happy, too. - JimX

debutenhof, Gads that reminds me of the days before Martin's MacConverer-having to ADD resource forks and such, and editing Cr2's , filetypes and creators. Yikes! Thank you Martin for MacConverter!!!!!! Eric Walters

Double {hugs} for Martin!!

I have to agree with JimX and BazC-- Mac users not only can, but are well used to taking care of ourselves where compatibility issues are concerned. I download PC-only stuff all the time without a worry in the world. Except for .exe files, as Baz has pointed out, MartinC's utilities have us sorted. I would like to underline Daio's point about the length of file names, though-- that's the only issue that has ever troubled me, when a file has referenced a texture with some tremendously long name which I had to rename before it could be recognised as a .jpg file so subsequently Poser couldn't find it and I had to... well. So yeah, I wouldn't worry about it. Just keep making great stuff!