Thanks for your help guys, really.

But the question still remains.. How do I package this? 

I just don't understand the process. I have my DUF and textures as I have mentioned and you have told me they are good... 

Ok great, so I have them in the right folders.. But how do I package this in a zip file?

I'm sorry if I appear dumb but it seems all these replies are great but each time they seem to miss what I'm actually asking lol. 

Thanks again.

Ok so further experimentation has led me to this point... 

I currently have my DUF file in 'C:---users-public---documents---My DAZ3D Library---Runtime---libraries---Props---books'

(i cant use a back-slash it seems it always disappears for some reason I take it thats because it's 'code?' Anyway you get my point)

and my textures in C:**---**users---public---documents---My DAZ3D Library---Runtime---Textures---books---texture_name

So when I 'save' this will the DUF file not point to these EXACT paths? 

If thats true what about people who, like myself, would organise this differently?

The similarity I see here is 'RUNTIME' and it seems sensible to somehow package my product in a 'RUNTIME' folder?? Yet the product will STILL look at the pathname above wont it?

I am still very foggy on this whole deal. But I AM trying! lol.

Please help! 

Kutter

Hi.. Just to let the DS community know that I am working on this, every day :(

I have hit another stumbling block that I can't seem to get answered and I invite other DS users to see if they can help out. 

The thread is here: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=2870929

Thanks for all the help I have already received in this thread. 

Kutter

Hey again guys, 

I don't need to tell you I'm sure that I couldn't be any more confused. 

As a non DS user and after downloading 'lots' of different free stuff items I am no wiser than when I started asking this question.

I have downloaded at least 8 products, and not one of them is the same as the last.

Some of them have Docs & Settings and My Library folders, with HYPER complex paths in each!

Some just have Runtime folder with libraries and pose following in the path names

and yet others are just in their own named folder (such as 'books') with textures outside. 

I am not only confused about the pathing structure, but how does one actually put this together for a zip file?

Do I literally make blank folders (starting with for instance Runtime) then 'make the structure' inside that folder with empty folders?

Then in turn fill those folders with my product? Then zip THAT and post it?

I am so confused right now, and I have absolutely ZERO confidence that I could package this product and make it work for other DS or even Poser users?

And that's ANOTHER thing.. whats this about Poser? Is that different again?

I really need some clarity folks, else I'm just going to have to leave this product as it is as OBJ/MTL.

So far... I have created a DUF file that lines the books up nice and neat in DS, so that a user loading them in will have them in a convinient set up. But thats as far as I can go without some clarity. 

Thanks,

Kutter

Ok, so as long as I have my textures re-applied from the -runtime-textures-myfolder, when I create the DUF it will use relative paths?

So when a customer unzips the file they will just be able to slot textures into THEIR runtime-textures-myfolder and then Daz will know to look for them there?

Thanks again, 

Kutter

Thanks a lot Medzinatar,  I can do that. 

So tell me:

A daz user would be used to receiving a zip file that includes a DUF file and a runtime folder (with "textures-my_name" in it) that contains those textures.

IE:

ZIP-

Myname.duf
"runtime-textures-My_name" <---- Where this folder contains all the textures.

This would make sense to a Daz user? 

This all makes sense to me... However, I still don't understand how the DUF file will not point to MY hard drive? 

My Daz for example is installed on my D: drive... my customers may well have thiers on C:?

Would my pathname still not be "D:Daz3d-runtimes-textures-My_name ?"

Thanks for elaborating, I just want to make sure I get this right. 

Kutter

Hi again all... I have half answered this myself. 

I now know the DUF file does not hold the textures (as it's too small) but the duf file does indeed still point to the location of textures on MY hard drive. 

I can't edit the DUF file, so I am stuck.. Anyone?

Thanks

Kutter

Watch this space Vienastoks, I am away for a couple of days but I intend to do exactly that on wednesday. :)

I will make it as a scene subset, and upload that as an alternative download for Daz and Poser users. 

I can't thank everyone enough, I am very impressed with the responce I got from here

Kutter.

Thats actually encouraging, thanks Sriesch! Also well worth thinking about. My books have done fairly well, and I have only had 2 customers who weren't able to use them and that was 'exactly' for the reason you stated (and both Daz users).. 

Hence why I'm here looking for options. 

I think to offer my models as a scene subset seems like a great idea, and thank you for your input.

Kutter

Hmm, thats a fair point, worth considering. 

Kutter

Please remember though Gloomy, that my product is OBJ/MTL and as such for 'any' 3D app, not just Daz. 

What I wanted from you folks here was just an idea of how 'else' I could package this item... .duf seeming to be the most usefull file type

What I intend to do, is restructure the OBJ/MTL file in DAZ myself, and then save it out as .duf and I will upload this 'version' of it for the DAZ community specifically. You will have a choice of OBJ/MTL or Daz .duf essentially. 

What I don't know, is how to actually set up the books within the .duf file. Is it better for example for me to line them all up (as if they were on a bookshelf - making it easy to simply slot them into one.) or to leave the .duf file the same as the OBJ/MTL version which comes as shown in the main promo shot. 

I ask for these specifics simply because moving 50 books around by hand is tedious, and modelling them is tedious, which is why I did this product in the first place because I saw it would help a lot of people out. 

The last thing I want, is for someone to load or merge my file into their scene and have to re-arrange 50 individual items.

So although it's really 'opinion' that I'm asking for, I feel it will help enourmously. 

Thanks so much by the way, it has helped no end already just chatting with Daz users. 

All the best,

Kutter

Thanks for the help folks, it's greatly appreciated. 

I think I will take a few of the suggestions here and update my file. I will indeed hack the MTL file and change the things that are wrong with it for Daz... Just hope it doesn't mess it up for everyone else.

One further question... 

In presenting something such as my product here on Renderosity (the books) How would it be best to 'present' that to a Daz user?

I mean I take it you could use the books as background props, or the magazines for a coffee table.. But how would it benefit you 'most' 

Lined up neatly? Or scattered about? Or simply as it's already packaged?

Please don't think I'm shamelessly promoting my product, I'm not.. I just want to make it the best it can be for all users.

Thanks

Kutter

Well thats the thing you see.. I already am selling my product, and it's doing rather well.. But it's an 'obj/mtl' object. 

This is causing problems with Daz folks, and I have to confess I know absolutely zero about Daz and it's file types but I want all my customers to be able to use it easily.

So native.. What is that? When I go to save as, I see about 40 different options :) 

And I'd love to see those tutorials, where can I find them? 

Thanks for your help, appreciated.

Kutter

Wow, hey Wabe! Nice to see a name such as yours pop up from the past!

It has been a while for sure, I been meaning to get back and up to date with Vue for years now, and I finally made the plunge.

Would love to speak soon!

Oh, and thanks for the post, looks like i'm still good at finding bugs in Vue! :)

Kutter.

Ask them to export as 3ds Jilly, this will be more than adequate for your needs, I have been doing it this way for some time, and have found that even UVW UNwrapped models will import properly into Vue. The only thing you need to take into acount, something thats VERY IMPORTANT, is to reset the Xform on the entire model/models before exporting. If you dont, Vue has a habit of breaking apart the model and scatering random pieces about the scene. It took me forever to figure out how to solve this. Reset Xform is a simple task achievable by the click of one button, so there is no hardship :P Hope this helps, Kutter.