:D Thanks.

Though I have had feline (Siamese) family members in the past, I've always been the canine type, myself. Growing up, my family had German Shepherds, Wolves, Australian Shepherds and a Norfolk Terrier. My father, now has a Beagle... My mother, several cats. Lacking human children of my own as of yet, I am the proud father of two "Min-Pin" (Miniature Pinscher) sons. One with a champion bloodline and very characteristic of the breed (attentive, alert, protective of his family, thinks he is the size of a Great Dane... and acts the part), and the other that is... well... a little silly. Very un-pinscher like, loves people of any age, loves cats, very curious, very lovable. A long time family friend has a couple Great Danes, beautiful... massive. Another friend, the proud parent of a Boxer pup. The neighbor across the way has a beautiful Golden Retriever pup, that the silly one of mine loves to play with. The neighbor across the street has one that resembles a Weimaraner or Vizsla.

Not that anyone really wanted to know all that, but I thought it would give a little insight as to the breeds I've shown... not that others are not readily attainable.

-Rob

"I have absolutely no doubts of a Millennium Dog showing up..."

Hmm... maybe I should finally update [my] website.

-Rob

You didn't get "crosstalk". What you got, was information intended for a figure named "Figure 1" (with an instance of 1) injected into a figure named "Figure 2" (with instances of 2). Again, the external ERC chunks in the source files indicate that, when injected, the selected figure (regardless of what that figure is named) should listen to "Figure 1" (instance 1) for instructions.

The way around this is to change your approach. Think of the processes as separate steps. First build each character... then build the scene. To do this, use new, blank, scenes to build each character independently... and save them as such into the library. When all of your characters contain all of the morphs you will be using in said character, and have been saved to the library, you can load them into the scene, in Poser5 without a NULL and pose them to your hearts content.

Using the NULL in Poser 5 is pointless, it doesn't serve it's intended purpose.

-Rob

The ERC code chunks for Victoria 3 are contained within external files in the !DAZ directory. The Control Figure entry in each ERC chunk is directed to "Figure 1". As such, when an injection is applied, the figure receiving the information is being told to look for direction from the channels in "Figure 1."

By default, Victoria 3 is named "Figure 1"... which is used for producing predictable results, in code, for ERC, NULLS and the like. Each time you load Victoria 3 into a new, blank, scene... in memory she occupies instance 1 (:1). As I stated above, when an injection is applied, the figure receiving the information is being directed to look to "Figure 1" for instructions; which in this scenario is the correct figure. Saving to the library records all the information in a single, albeit larger than the original, file. Stored as "Figure 1" with instances of 1 (:1) in the library, a NULL can then be used to buffer crosstalk (in Poser4, 5 doesn't need the buffer). The "Millennium NULL" works for any figure that uses the groups (identically named) used in a Millennium figure, or any subset thereof... so yes, it'll work for V3.

Basically, what it boils down to is the way Poser assigns [and stores] name and instance information in memory... and subsequently, files. Remember... ERC is a hack, delta injection is a hack, readScript is a hack, NULLS are hacks; all of which give Poser much more functionality than was intended, considered or available from its creators... but hacks nonetheless.

-Rob

Incorrect assumption, Anton. Infrequent posting is not synonymous with a lack of reading. Some of us read rather frequently. In fact, some, myself included, read several times daily... from the office, from home... on the clock, off the clock. So please, if all possible, avoid making all inclusive blanket statements for the rest of us, especially when those statements are based on assumption, okay? Thanks. And though I disagree that it is the 'only' way, an email direct to the appropriate department at DAZ is a bit more effective than a forum post, yes. Phone calls are also more effective.

For what its worth, the appropriate department was aware of this thread as of the third post, 39 minutes after it was started. Though because resolution is not immediate, involves more than a single person with an empty schedule (with a company of this size... no-one is ever anything shy of swamped), there must be some degree of investigation before a response is even considered, let alone posted.

As for the policy and official position stuff... Though the initial links to an order disappear with a set number of download attempts or after a few days (for security reasons), DAZ policy is to continue to provide every customer access to any single order they have made, at any time, at their request. Entire account histories involve a bit more research, so they are offered for a fee and made available via download or by shipping a CD.

-Rob

Lynn,
Both responses above are correct.

To expand a bit... channels with an internal name of:

'Blink Left',
'Blink Right',
'BrowArchL',
'BrowArchR',
'BrowDownL',
'BrowDownR',
'BrowFrownL',
'BrowFrownR',
'BrowWorryL',
'BrowWorryR',
'Frown Left',
'Frown Right',
'Frown',
'LBrowUp',
'RBrowUp',
'Mouth A',
'Mouth CH',
'Mouth F',
'Mouth M',
'Mouth O',
'Mouth SH',
'Mouth TH',
'Mouth U',
'Tongue L',
'Tongue T',
'MouthDisgust',
'MouthSing',
'MouthSpeak',
'MouthYell',
'OpenLips',
'OpenLips2',
'OpenMouth',
'PartLips',
'Smile1',
'Smile2',
'SmileLeft',
'SmileOpen',
'SmileRight',
'Snarl',
'SnarlLeft',
'SnarlRight'

...are caught by the expression morph filter in IPB. By default, the option is set and the expression morphs are filtered out. Option dialogs are accessible from the Options menu or by using Hot keys. General [global] options, such as whether to include expression morphs or not, reside in the Options -> Processing dialog (F4). If you would like for this option to not be set by default, open the afore mentioned dialog, uncheck the option, and save your options (Options -> Save Options File). Saved in the options file, will be the state of all options (on | off) at the time you saved... along with the position (on screen) of all of the windows, the size of the main window (height / width) and the state (visible | hidden) of the option dialogs themselves. The saved options will be loaded each subsequent time you launch IPB. If after saving the options file, you ever want to revert to the default settings... you can 1.)Select Options -> Restore Default Options and then save again, or 2.)Simply delete the "IPBOptions.cfg" file located in the root folder of IPB.

-Rob (code monkey)

No problem... Actually, I'm glad the question came up... because it prompted me to look for an anomally in my code for the Mac version with regard to type and creator information (which has now been fixed). -Rob

You must specify "[your name].fc2" (be sure to include the .fc2) in the save dialog and navigate to the Runtimelibrariesface[your catagory] folder when you save the file, in order for it to show up in Poser. Simply selecting "Face File (*.fc2)" from the file types drop-down will not change the extension for you.

Beta feedback has been great, so the update should be posted later today... :)

-Rob

In IPB 1.0, use the option "Strip Zeroed" in the general processing dialog to ignore all of the zeroed channels... When saving into the face library, be sure that you use the fc2 extension in order for it to show up in poser. Poser does not see pz2's in the face library folders.

If it can wait a day or two, IPB is getting an update. One of the additions I've made specifically address this scenario.

Build History (directly from my code comments):

Version 1.1.1.0 (6/02/2003)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Features:

** Hot Keys **

- F1 = Help

- F2 = Toggle Figure Palette

- F3 = Toggle Add-On Palette

- F4 = Toggle General Processing Palette

- F5 = Manual readScript Insertion

- F6 = Re-process Source File

- Ctrl O (Win) | Cmnd O (Mac) = Open File

- Ctrl S (Win) | Cmnd S (Mac) = Save File

- Ctrl Q (Win) | Cmnd Q (Mac) = Quit

- Middle Click (Win) | Option Click (Mac) = File Menu

- Right Click (Win) | Control Click (Mac) = Option Menu

** File IO **

- Compare source for change prior to prompting for save

** General Options **

- Read Options File

- Save Options File

- Default Options Restore

** Options File **

- Record position of main window and option palettes

- Record size of main window; option palettes auto size

- Record option state for option palettes

** Processing **

- Recursive Batch Processing

- Create INJ and REM Pose Simultaneously

- Create REM from INJ Pose

- Record Master Actors Only (BODY/head)

- Record Body Actor Only

- Record Head Actor Only

- Record Expressions Only

- Record | Omit Scale Channel Values

Bug fix:

** General Processing **

- Record | Omit Delta and Visibility Information

- Record | Omit Expression readScript Entries

** Victoria 3 Support **

- Anna-Marie Source Path

##=============================================================

Version 1.0.0.0 (2/25/2003)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Features:

** File IO **

- Parse cr2 | pz2 | fc2

- Create pz2 | fc2

- Append File Contents - At Cursor | After line | At End

- Clear (Display) - Above | Below Text Cursor

** Victoria 3 Support **

- AnnaMarie Goddard Digital Clone

- Morph Expansion Pak 1

- Horn Pak

- Male Morph Pak

** General Processing **

- INJ | REM Pose Creation

- Record | Omit Input readScript & Comments

- readScript for Non-Zero | for All Channels

- Round Thousandths Place (.001)

- Convert Exponential Values to Absolute (Round Thousandths)

- Record | Omit Expression Channels

- Record | Omit Zero Value Channels

- Record | Omit Channel Values

-Rob

Mike,

I hear ya'. It would be nice... if it were that easy (and believe me, I wish it were).

Poser (in fact, 3D in general), began as a hobby for me, several years ago, and I'm still a hobbyist at heart to a degree... I still find myself excited over many of the same things I once did. I still strive to find innovative ways to accomplish more that what was intended by those who wrote the program, it is in my nature. Difference is, now that I do this as my profession... I've had a chance to see the practicality of some of the things I've wanted in the past. Do I like it? Can't say I do, but I understand it. And that doesn't mean I won't try and change it... it just means I must consider many more factors (whether I like them or not) before I do something. I just don't like giving false hope is all... and I figure if I can help people understand the considerations, I can also help them apply a certain degree of reality to their wants. Myself included.

I appreciate the acknowledgement, and wish you the same.

-Rob

Mike,

One thing to consider in that regard is the potential to have several IPB-compliant products attempt to occupy the same channels (PBMCC_## or otherwise). I would need to set up conditionals dependant on the combination of products the user has selected at any given time... without making selection cumbersome on the user (on a per channel basis). I already do this with the Anna-Marie Goddard product, as it uses replacement morphs for a few of the standard [1.0] Mimic compatible channels. But, keeping track of which product overrides which other product in whatever condition, for who knows how many products... eeek, that is a headache waiting to happen. Not to mention, if I did do all that work for a prospective brokered product... and then the broker decided they wanted their product in some other store, for whatever reason, and DAZ couldn't recoup any of the cost of having me add support for the broker's product... we'd be back in the same boat, tossing money (that would be better spent on developing something else, like D|S) hand over fist into something that would never 'break even'.

To do the above mentioned, on my own time... I enjoy challenge, not lunacy. I would rather not have to deal with the almost guaranteed complaints of supporting so-n-so's product but not such-n-such's... or not adding support fast enough. Being dictated to, how I should spend my 'free' time as a reward for being a nice guy, I don't want/need the drama. Life is too short... steps off soapbox

On a lighter note, I just finished adding recursive batch processing as a new feature in the upcoming update. Makes for easy mass processing. ;)

-Rob

Mike,

Thanks.

To answer your question... there are things to consider. It isn't an issue of ability, rather one of feasibility. Initially, I wrote the utility as an in-house production tool. With a somewhat limited scope (intentional, to keep development time to a minimum), I wasn't concerned at the time with expanded uses... I wrote much of it as a "pet project" in my off-time (limited as it may be) with the goal of speeding up the in-house production pipeline. After some internal discussion, to help drive the market and provide a way to help honest people stay honest, we decided to release the utility to the public. Needing to recoup some of the cost of me being on the clock to add functionality to it and give it some semblance of a UI, we slapped a dirt cheap price tag on it (mostly to keep it affordable for the average user, but partially because we knew the 3rd party content creator market would use it to speed up their own production process and generate revenue). The question is, does the return for expanding development equal (or become greater than) the cost of development? I'd venture to say no (least not at that price tag)... so I personally don't see DAZ funding development of it beyond what has already been promised (Michael 3 support). It simply wouldn't make business sense, tossing money hand over fist into something that isn't likely to ever "break even". But, that doesn't completely rule it out... because as I said, much of the development came from the limited free time I have at home (I enjoy the challenge). So I guess what I'm saying is, there may be a chance, but given that it is more likely to happen in my free time than on the clock and my workload dictates how much free time I have... with the current workload, it would be a while.

-Rob

FYI, the IPB 1.1 update was sent out to beta testers ealier today. The release of the update is pending feedback from beta testers (who have done an excellent job thus far).

Here is a peek at some of the changes... directly from my code comments.

Version 1.1.0.0 (5/23/2003)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Features:

** Hot Keys **

- F1 = Help

- F2 = Toggle Figure Palette

- F3 = Toggle Add-On Palette

- F4 = Toggle General Processing Palette

- F5 = Manual readScript Insertion

- F6 = Re-process Source File

- Ctrl O (Win) | Cmnd O (Mac) = Open File

- Ctrl S (Win) | Cmnd S (Mac) = Save File

- Ctrl Q (Win) | Cmnd Q (Mac) = Quit

- Middle Click (Win) | Option Click (Mac) = File Menu

- Right Click (Win) | Control Click (Mac) = Option Menu

** File IO **

- Compare source for change prior to prompting for save

** General Options **

- Read Options File

- Save Options File

- Default Options Restore

** Options File **

- Record position of main window and option palettes

- Record size of main window; option palettes auto size

- Record option state for option palettes

** Processing **

- Create INJ and REM Pose Simultaneously

- Create REM from INJ Pose

- Record Master Actors Only (BODY/head)

- Record Body Actor Only

- Record Head Actor Only

- Record Expressions Only

- Record | Omit Scale Channel Values

Bug fix:

** General Processing **

- Record | Omit Delta and Visibility Information

- Record | Omit Expression readScript Entries

** Victoria 3 Support **

- Anna-Marie Source Path

##=============================================================

Version 1.0.0.0 (2/25/2003)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Features:

** File IO **

- Parse cr2 | pz2 | fc2

- Create pz2 | fc2

- Append File Contents - At Cursor | After line | At End

- Clear (Display) - Above | Below Text Cursor

** Victoria 3 Support **

- AnnaMarie Goddard Digital Clone

- Morph Expansion Pak 1

- Horn Pak

- Male Morph Pak

** General Processing **

- INJ | REM Pose Creation

- Record | Omit Input readScript & Comments

- readScript for Non-Zero | for All Channels

- Round Thousandths Place (.001)

- Convert Exponential Values to Absolute (Round Thousandths)

- Record | Omit Expression Channels

- Record | Omit Zero Value Channels

- Record | Omit Channel Values

-Rob

FYI, the IPB 1.1 update was sent out to beta testers ealier today. The release of the update is pending feedback from beta testers (who have done an excellent job thus far).

Here is a peek at some of the changes... directly from my code comments.

Version 1.1.0.0 (5/23/2003)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Features:

** Hot Keys **

- F1 = Help

- F2 = Toggle Figure Palette

- F3 = Toggle Add-On Palette

- F4 = Toggle General Processing Palette

- F5 = Manual readScript Insertion

- F6 = Re-process Source File

- Ctrl O (Win) | Cmnd O (Mac) = Open File

- Ctrl S (Win) | Cmnd S (Mac) = Save File

- Ctrl Q (Win) | Cmnd Q (Mac) = Quit

- Middle Click (Win) | Option Click (Mac) = File Menu

- Right Click (Win) | Control Click (Mac) = Option Menu

** File IO **

- Compare source for change prior to prompting for save

** General Options **

- Read Options File

- Save Options File

- Default Options Restore

** Options File **

- Record position of main window and option palettes

- Record size of main window; option palettes auto size

- Record option state for option palettes

** Processing **

- Create INJ and REM Pose Simultaneously

- Create REM from INJ Pose

- Record Master Actors Only (BODY/head)

- Record Body Actor Only

- Record Head Actor Only

- Record Expressions Only

- Record | Omit Scale Channel Values

Bug fix:

** General Processing **

- Record | Omit Delta and Visibility Information

- Record | Omit Expression readScript Entries

** Victoria 3 Support **

- Anna-Marie Source Path

##=============================================================

Version 1.0.0.0 (2/25/2003)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Features:

** File IO **

- Parse cr2 | pz2 | fc2

- Create pz2 | fc2

- Append File Contents - At Cursor | After line | At End

- Clear (Display) - Above | Below Text Cursor

** Victoria 3 Support **

- AnnaMarie Goddard Digital Clone

- Morph Expansion Pak 1

- Horn Pak

- Male Morph Pak

** General Processing **

- INJ | REM Pose Creation

- Record | Omit Input readScript & Comments

- readScript for Non-Zero | for All Channels

- Round Thousandths Place (.001)

- Convert Exponential Values to Absolute (Round Thousandths)

- Record | Omit Expression Channels

- Record | Omit Zero Value Channels

- Record | Omit Channel Values

-Rob

"Since I'm at the subject of injections, I found it annoying that DAZ forced users to place all their injection files to the Pose root folder. Since i'm an organizing freak, I placed all of them into my own PoseInjectionsV3DAZ folder and then opening up all the files and then modifying the line to its proper path."

DAZ has never required injection files to be placed in the "RuntimelibrariesPose" directory itself. The initial release of Victoria 3 required, solely for the purpose of the "!All ..." INJ/REM poses, files to be located in specific sub-directories of the pose directory you mention.

As of service release 1.1, posted January 31, 2003, based on [legitimate] complaints from customers, only the "!DAZ" directory and subsequent contents need to be in a specific location (Runtimelibraries). Pose files (injection, removal or otherwise), can be placed wherever your heart desires... within the confines of Poser's limitations.

"The disadvantage to this is that you'd have to modify all future injection files to this new path."

To clarify, this may be true of 3rd party developers... but not DAZ created content. As of the change made in sr1.1, DAZ uses only references to the source files located in the "!DAZ" directory. DAZ's production team uses a tool I wrote to ensure my statement is true, InjectionPoseBuilder (which BTW, is about receive an update).

-Rob