Thank you hborre for all you help on this.
I am pleased to know that I don't have to use the DSON installer for files other than Genesis & Genesis2...
Your explanations and examples are most helpful as i am beginning to understand now the way Poser will work with these DAZ files. As for the .Ps files it looks like I need to decide which ones to install in Poser - since there are so many. From looking at the list in DIM most appear to be props, hair & scene files. Therefore whenever I choose to install one of these files do I need to locate and install the corresponding base files also or are the base files needed only for the characters? If the base files are required how do I tell when they are and when they are not needed? For example I am a huge Sci-Fi fan and have purchased most of the GIS Link product scene - texture files and would like to use them in Poser. Since the base files are all installed in DAZ do those same base files along with the .Ps files get installed in Poser or just the .Ps files? If so I gather maybe the best way to do it is to locate the products I want to install from my DAZ purchases for GIS Link in this example and directly download both sets of files directly onto my computer, unzip them, and install them into Poser or is there a better and cleaner way to do this since the only files showing in DIM are the remaining .Ps files??

Thanks again.

hborre posted at 8:42PM Thu, 08 October 2015 - #4232324

The zip setup and naming from DAZ3D is exclusively designed for DIM, and only DIM will automatically install content properly into DAZStudio and Poser. Manual installation is fine also provided that you know exactly what you are doing and familiar with the folder hierarchy structures for both programs. You cannot install Renderosity, RuntimeDNA, etc zipped files dedicated for DAZStudio using DIM; usually vendors will provide written instructions in a text file on manual copying folders and files to their final destination.

Your assistance has been most helpful and is much appreciated... However I am still unclear about the CF & now Ps files I am seeing in install manager. Per your recommendation I included in DIM both of the listed Poser programs and now I have over 350 .Ps files listed to be downloaded and installed. I presume these files need to be installed only in Poser. If so where the Download folder or do you suggest a separate runtime folder? Do they require any base folders to be installed also? For example a file named "Aiko 4 Base PoserCF" is now listed in this group and is the only item listed as a PoserCF file. Do I need to install both this and the main Aiko 4 installer file or just this PoserCF file? All the remaining are just .Ps files & the DSON Importer for Poser 64 bit. Does the DSON Importer get installed in the original Poser runtime that installed all the original Poser files or does it get installed elsewhere? Also if you can respond to my prior question about the DAZ CF files... What are they for and do they need to be installed.

Thanks.

hborre posted at 10:25PM Sun, 04 October 2015 - #4232292

DAZ CF should go into My DAZ 3D Library or where your DAZ content is located as you have created it. I know DIM recommends the latter, use that as long as it is not located within Program Files. Only Poser CF go into Poser established runtimes. Keep the app specific core files separate. Once the compressed files are installed into their respective program folders, link the DAZ content folder to Poser and Poser content folder(s) to DAZStudio, just in case you intend to use the DAZStudio app. Don't attempt to duplicate installations in different locations, this will confuse the apps when they search for associated files with loading figures and props. If you only intend to use Poser ATM, just install Poser related files (Poser CF) to Poser and ignore DAZ. Genesis/Genesis 2 are exceptions, you need both DAZ and Poser files for the props and figures to work properly in Poser. That is why I suggest installing and linking as above to prevent problems later when you graduate to Genesis/Genesis 2.

Are all DAZ CF files for DAZ only and if so how do I tell which ones need to be installed in Poser? In other words how do I tell a Poser CF file from a DAZ CF file or do those files only come from sources purchased other than DAZ such as Renderosity and other vendors? If they do come from DAZ should I make an adjustment in DIM to receive those CF files also? If so what is the process?

Thanks again.

Concentrating on using the series 4 products only for now what do I do with the CF files that come with V4, etc? Do they get installed in both DAZ and Poser? If so do I install them in the same runtime as used for the installed series 4 characters? Sorry for so many questions I am just having difficulty understanding where all this content needs to go and from what I can see in the forums there really aren't many places to go for tutorials on installing this stuff... If so please point me to those location(s) and I will try to take it from there. Also one thing I may have missed is do I install both sets of files or just the CF files in Poser? Do I need to link my installed DAZ files to Poser and do i need to go back and install all those CF files in DAZ also? If so what are the DAZ CF files used for in DAZ 3D? Whenever DIM installed them before in DAZ they always showed up as a file with a big Yellow (!) Exclamation Point... Therefore I uninstalled them and then hid the download files in DIM.

Thanks for your help on this so far.

hborre posted at 2:29PM Fri, 02 October 2015 - #4230661

I am going to clarify the first paragraph, everything V4 will go into the external runtime on your "F" drive, do not duplicate any files and divide them between two runtimes. That will only confuse Poser when it conducts searches for associated files and textures. Do not create anything because those files are already present in your zipped. Just install the zipped runtime into it's final destination, or better yet, create a new folder called V4 or Victoria 4 and dump the runtime and other folders at the same level into it. Link the new folder to the Poser Library and you are ready to go. I suggest getting this working first before we proceed to the Genesis/Genesis 2 figures. There is a different procedure for those figures.

And, BTW, only work with the Poser related files first; ATM DAZStudio can wait.

Thanks for the clarification. The Series 4 runtimes are installed, linked, and appear to be working. I have tested some of the series 4 characters - Victoria, The Girl, & Stephanie, and all have loaded without problems from the main files that I installed into my separate runtime - !DAZ Files For Poser.
So I guess I am ready for the next step being the Genesis & Gen 2 files. I have installed them into their own placeholder folder for now and within that folder are the folders for both the main files and their companion files. Within those folders are their runtimes. I did this so I would not get them mixed up but do not know where to install them in Poser. Do both sets of these files get put into Poser and if so where? Should those CF files be put into their own runtime? Note: all of my DAZ files were installed using the DAZ Install Manager, however I have not had DIM either download or install any of the DAZ CF Files. Those files I have just hidden in the download list and their are over 600 CF files in all... However I have no intention of using all of these files in Poser only those that I absolutely need to achieve my renders and allow me to use for my Poser content from Renderosity & RTDNA made for these DAZ Figures. BTW how do I know if these 2 vendors content made for V4 will work with other series 4 characters or not? Is it just rial and error?

Thanks.

Kazam561 posted at 12:23AM Fri, 25 September 2015 - #4230401

Also if you are using both Daz Studio and Poser you need to install both installers in the suggested runtime.

For Poser and V4 (and some earlier V and other figures by Daz versions) the morphs are what you find in a folder called !DAZ. Poser can run things from external runtimes. I actually have all my Daz V4 package morphs (and other characters base Daz installs) in my copy of Poser 8. I'm running Poser Pro 2014 and have imported that Runtime as an external runtime. I can run either the character and base morphs with Poser 8 or PP2014 (not at the same time). On many character files (purchased here or there, or elsewhere) I've got another folder just for V4. With earlier versions of Poser Daz had advised storing the base product line packages (original character and the Daz created morph package) in the main runtime. As Poser progressed in versions it became able to run external runtimes across multiple drives. Mind you it can slow Poser down a bit but not too horrible if you are running a relatively modern PC.

Thanks for your response.
So let me see if I am following your lead here. Since my runtimes are located on a separate drive "F" from my original Poser install on "E" the only files that need to go in the "!DAZ" folder, located @ E:Program FilesSmith MicroPoser Pro 2014/Runtime are the V4 morph files and they get copied to the external runtime also. Do they need a folder called !DAZ also and do all the other characters go into my external runtime? What about Aiko 3 files? Since they are older do any of hers go into the !DAZ folder on "E"? I don't understand why this is so difficult for me to follow and why there are no clear instructions in Poser about this...

BTW I do own a fairly powerful computer that my friend just built me that has an I7 Zeon processor with 12 GB of ram and a Radeon R9-200 4 GB video card running on Windows 7-64 Pro. Therefore I do hope this is a good configuration for both DAZ & Poser Pro 2014. Now getting back to the question at hand I am also unclear as to where I need to install the Genesis & Gen2 files. Do you recommend a separate runtime for them and what about the CF files do they need to be in a separate runtime? If not where do they go and does the DAZ DSON file get installed in the "E" drive runtime? Thanks ahead of time for all your help on this. I am recently retired and looking forward to making this my full time hobby & really do appreciate you helping out this Poser newbie...

hborre posted at 12:47PM Wed, 23 September 2015 - #4230282

If your OS is Vista, Win 7, Win 8, Win 8.1, or Win 10, no content or figures should be installed into Poser, especially if it is located within the Program Files folder. Python scripts are exceptions. PCFs can be installed anywhere as long as their runtimes are linked to the Poser Library. My advice for installing DAZ PCFs into Poser, use the DAZ Install Manager (DIM). Those particular files, including the DAZ Core Files, have a different, additional main folder which is stripped out when using DIM. Otherwise, manual installation would require decompressing the file into a temporary folder then moving the content into their appropriate folders.

And BTW, there is no such figure as Genesis 1, just referring to Genesis is enough to get the point across.

Now I am really confused as the main portion of this thread has been addressing the need for a "!DAZ" file to be installed in the main Poser runtime located in its main Program File and then duplicating it in another runtime - see screen caps above created by Kazam561. Am I following this thread correctly or is it only the V4 morphs that get put in that area and all other characters go into wherever ones chosen Content is located - such as mine on my F drive? If so do all morph files get installed in this folder also or is it only for V4? BTW I am using Windows 7 Pro and have all my program files installed on drive "E" as "C" is a small solid state drive used for the Windows install only...

Kazam561 posted at 1:04AM Wed, 23 September 2015 - #4223838

With other content you're installing into poser you can create and run them from an external runtime. Poser also has a runtime in My Documents (shared folders). Ideally you only want to install Daz characters only to your main runtime as the more installed the more Poser can slow down (when you've added say 40 gigs of items) That's why either using the shared folders, or creating an external runtime is usually advised.

Just came across this thread and hope it is still being monitored as I have several questions about the same subject... Does this same process work for all DAZ characters including Genesis 1&2, Aiko 3&4, the Girl etc? I am installing them into Poser Pro 2014 and have a separate drive F for all my content. are there any DAZ characters that should not be installed into Poser? What about the CF files, where do they go, and do the matching main installers that include CF files get installed in Poser also or are they strictly for DAZ? Are there any good tutorials out their that explain where to install all these files? If not someone should surely make one as it would really help us newbies... Thanks for the assist, I look for ward to your response.

You might want to check out Runtime DNA's website.  They have some great utilities for Poser by several software developers that are not expensive - in fact most are on sale right now...  I have purchased a few that use Poser's Scripts and they are great for installing/organizing your content as well as other things.

Hope this helps.