Attached Link: http://www.codeproject.com/com/com_in_c1.asp

As a programmer who is quite familiar with what can be done via ActiveX (I've just started a new tutorial at Code Project about COM/ActiveX you can read at the above URL), it always amuses me when endusers take a cavalier attitude toward hacking. If you surf to a web site that even remotely seems like it has been hacked, or was constructed by a hacker, and you've got your internet security setting on medium (or have the site in your Trusted list, and worse, have given that site your credit card number at any time), and you think you have something to laugh about, then you're truly clueless. You don't even know what's out there, let alone realize that it has you in its sights. If I were an evil guy, what I'd do right now is put up a web page with my own malicious ActiveX component, and put a message here saying that I have a Poser freebie for download. Then when you all visited that page, my component would download its payload, use the WinInet API to search through your browser cache and cookies, and your email, looking for anything related to Poser sites that I personally know require a password and/or take credit card numbers, and email me back the info. I strongly suspect that a hacker could easily compromise the systems of a majority of people posting to this thread. It doesn't sound like many people posting here (aside from Tereesa) even know the first thing about hacking, let alone know how easy it is to do when you've got a target audience that is so cavalier about security. Seems like ripe pickings here. Hmmmmm... Naw, I'm not that evil. But given how well-received RuntimeDNA's joke was, I almost wish I was evil because hacking the computers of some of you would probably be easy and lucrative.

Attached Link: http://acd.ucar.edu/~fredrick/win2k/active_scripting

This was a very misguided "joke". Especially given the recent trend of hackers resorting to rootkits to conceal their malevolent software from anti-virus checkers and spyware cleaners and disabling firewalls, no one can afford to visit any hacked site (unless you have your Security setting for regular internet sites set to "High". But, even with that setting, if you have RuntimeDNA added to your Trusted sites, with a typically lower security setting, as I do, your system could have been badly compromised if this were a real hack).

RuntimeDNA merchants may want to ask some pointed questions to the RuntimeDNA sysadmin. Sounds like he's a kid fresh out of college who thinks he's still in a fraternity that is playing a trick on new pledges. Clearly, this is not a sysadmin who takes security issues seriously.

I recommend that everyone using Internet Explorer read the above URL to see how to best setup your browser for security. Definitely do use your "Trusted sites" feature of Internet Explorer, while disabling active scripting for all other sites. (And don't open those email attachments unless you're absolutely sure you know who is sending you something, and you've confirmed with that person that the email attachment was deliberately sent. Well, if you don't trust that the person knows how to protect his computer, don't open it anyway).

I believe that I'll remove RuntimeDNA from my trusted sites list until such time as the sysadmin can reassure me he has learned a bit more about security. Right now, I have very little faith in him.

Message edited on: 04/01/2006 16:12

Attached Link: http://www.borg.com/~jglatt/poser/poserins.zip

If you're running Windows, try using my free Poser File Installer utility at the above link.

A C++ SDK would then limit people to writing an add-on in C++. With ActiveX, they could write an add-on in Python, Java, Visual BASIC, C++, C, Delphi, .NET, C#, Perl, etc. That's a lot more developers you're targetting. For me, a C++ SDK would be fine since I know C++. But I'll bet most of the would-be plug-in developers would be using Visual Basic, Python, and Java because those languages are geared more for hobbyist programmers (ie, the kind who tend to write plug-ins). What's the use of having a plug-in architecture for both Windows and Mac if you've got very, very few developers writing plug-ins (because they have to know both C++, and Poser's "C++ SDK" which no doubt would have a lot less docs and examples than ActiveX, if Poser's user manual is any indication)?

Yeah, support for ActiveX scripting would be cool. Then a programmer can write an add-on (plug-in -- whatever you want to call it) in the language of his choice.

Attached Link: http://www.borg.com/~jglatt/poser/poserins.zip

This is a loaded question. What if someone is doing gay art? How would he "keep his content straight", and would he even need to do that? Oh wait. You mean organization. Nevermind. When Poser was originally written, the programmers obviously never thought much about a user having to manage a large, varied assortment of characters, each with his own, perhaps incompatible props (clothes), poses, faces, etc. If they did, they would have come up with a standardized way for content providers to ship content, and a standardized way for users to install, organize, and uninstall that content from within Poser itself. They didn't. I think that content should be organized mostly by character. This means either: 1). Creating multiple Runtimes, where each runtime contains all the stuff for a particular character. So, inside of your Poser install directory (ie, C:Program FilesCurious LabsPoser 6), you'd have to create a folder for each character, and then add that folder to Poser's library. And in order to get to a character's stuff, you'd have to navigate Poser's library up to the topmost level, where you'd have the "Poser 6" and "Downloads" folders, and then a folder for each character. 2). Create a sub-folder within each one of Poser's library tabs (ie, Figures, Poses, Faces, etc) for each character. In other words, for Mike3, you'd have a Mike3 sub-folder under Figures, and also a Mike3 sub-folder under Poses, etc. For Veronica3, you'd also have a Veronica3 sub-folder under Figures, a Veronica3 sub-folder under Poses, etc. Because this is such a hassle, and because content providers often ship stuff in a ZIP file that isn't organized this way (so you can't just unzip it to your poser install dir -- you have do some manual copying), and because content providers even sometimes zip up CR2, PZ2 and other files that reference other poser files in a dir that doesn't even exist on your system, I developed a utility to install poser content. It's free, and you can get it at the URL above. It strips out a ZIP's internal organization, and lets you instead decide where you want the content to go. Then it installs the content and modifies files so that they correctly reference where you've decided to install the files. (It even keeps a record of what is installed, so you can use the utility to easily uninstall content too). By default, the utility assumes #2 organization above. You tell the utility what name you want to use for your folder. For example, say you've got a ZIP file containing a character named "Joe". You run my utility and tell it you want to use a folder named Joe. The utility will create a Joe folder under "Figures" and put all Joe's figure content in that folder. It will create a Joe folder under Poses, and put all Joe's poses there. It will create a Joe folder under Faces and put all Joe's faces under there. Etc. Of course, if there aren't any faces for the character, no Joe folder will be created under Faces. And so on. But you can alternately use the utility to organize with method #1. Before you install Joe, manually create a Joe folder in your Poser install directory. Then use my utility's "Preferences -> Set Poser Runtime Folder" menu item to select that folder. Now the content will be installed there. You can then add this Joe folder to Poser's library (via the Library "+" button in Poser). As an added bonus, the utility can also install content in Poser 6's compressed format to save disk space, if you want that. Try it. Should be simple to use, and may be helpful.

I like simple/efficient user interfaces. Maybe I'll create two separate utilities -- one to install, and a second to uninstall so there's no "tabs".

I suppose that's possible. I just thought that most people are accustomed to uninstalling items via Add/Remove Programs (or an "Uninstall" item in the Start menu), rather than explicitly starting up a program that uninstalls items.

It asks where the file is so that you can be sure to pick up the correct file, in case you have two files, in different folders, with the same name. Otherwise, the program would have to guess which one you really wanted. I suppose I could retool it to do that, but I'm not entirely sure that's what it should do. But if that's what you prefer, I could look into that.

The idea is that, you only fix your files once. After they're fixed, Poser will no longer display error messages when you go to use those files. (So that's how it's different than working with unfixed files). If you need to use this sort of utility every other week, you're messing around with manually moving things around often. In that case, you're probably better off with some utility that lets you organize/move entire characters, poses, props, etc -- sort of an explorer type thing especially written to work on Poser files. (I'm not sure if there's such a utility).

As far as the crash goes, you can email me at the above address for further correspondance. Particular questions to answer are -- Have to tried it on a small freebie prop to see if it crashes? And what does it show for your Poser installation folder when the program starts? Try clicking on "Find Poser Folder" and setting it to Poser 6's folder. I never tested it with an earlier version of Poser, and I think it's probably working on your Poser 4 folder by default.

Message edited on: 03/13/2006 19:46

P.S. I forgot to mention that this utility is for Windows only. Don't even dare ask about a Mac version. (Ptooie). Linux? What's that?

Just try it out, and if something doesn't work, stick your head out the window and scream "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!" like Howard Beal from the movie "Network". Then email me about the problem at jglatt@borg.com And do read the license section of the help book. It was meant to entertain, as well as inform.