Hi all,

In looking at Acadias response on external runtimes, I noted that at the top of the library menu there is no collections tab. I went from P5 to P7, and P7 has the collections tab (p5 did not), and a collections folder inside runtime (Runtime - Libraries-collections)

So it seems correct to say that using collections begins with Poser 7. If poser 8 or 9 have it, I do not know, but versions before poser 7 seem to not have the collections function.

I like the collections idea better than an external runtime. In collections I can organize the content any way I choose, while a special external runtime must still be in the runtime format or things will not work. It seems to me that the creation of a special say V4 only external runtime will require more time and much more structure to make sure everything is in the right place, and even then I'm still required to work within the click intensive structure of the library. With collections I can put everyt thing in one master folder, and then have simple sub-folders inside of my choosing. Easier to set-up, does not disturb the real runtime, and easier to use.

Now, if we could only make a collections function for the 25 top morph wheels for a character, rather than the, find the character, find the body part, click, click, scroll, click. 

Hi Acadia,

How does one point Poser to an external runtime folder?

Thanks

Hi BendingGrass

In Poser 7, I use a function called "Collections". As the name implies this is a system for doing exactly what you described in your post. If you look in your runtime folder and open Library, you will see the collections folder.

In Poser, the collection system works off of the same tab as your library display (on the right of the screen). If you open say a specific pose, and right click on that pose, the system will ask you to "Add to a Collection" If you select that you can save a copy of that pose in a collection folder.

If you click on the Collections tab at the top, you will see a new library display with you one pose in it. OK it works, how to make it productive?

If you go back to your Poser runtime folder, go into Library, and open the Collection folder, you will see your lone pose. Here you can structure the folders you want. Let's say you create a folder called "V4". Inside that folder you can create other folders, such as V4 Characters, V4 Poses, V4 Clothing, etc., Etc.

Now you'll notice that the single pose you transfered to the collections folder is a short-cut, not the actual file. That's fine, that short-cut is simply pointing the program to go to the regurlar pose folder and use that pose, so in the program you can add figures, clothing, hair, etc from your structured collections folder, and not have to go searching in the regular library for your V4 specific items.

Here's  the catch, for me I like to have all of my poses in my "Collections V4 Poses" folder. However, if you are dealing with dozens and dozens (even hundreds of pose files (or any other type of file; Hair, Clothing, etc.), transfering one file at a time is a pain and very time consuming. However, there is a way to do it in mass right in the runtime folder.

Again, go to your runtime folder, go to your collections folder (with the folder structure described above), Now, open a second explore window and navigate to your runtime, pose folder. Open the group of poses you wish to put into your collections (or other stuff, props, clothing, etc.). Select all of the poses you want to transfer and right click on the selected group and select "Copy"

Now this is VERY IMPORTANT... DO NOT DRAG AND DROP THE FILES TO YOUR COLLECTIONS FOLDERS, YOU MUST PLACE A COPY OF THOSE FILES IN YOUR COLLECTION FOLDERS, BUT LEAVE THE ORIGINAL FILES IN PLACE IN THEIR NORMAL RUNTIME LIBRARY FOLDERS.

So, copy what you want to transfer, and then click over on your collection folder, right click, and paste. Now your collection folder has a copy of your V4 poses in collections.

I know what you're asking; when you transfer a file to collections one at a time inside poser, it sends a short-cut to the collections folder. In this other way of doing it, you are actually sending a real live copy of the file(s) into the collection folders. Doesn't matter, the system works with either, so you can pre-set a folder structure in collections, and them transfer the files you want in mass, rather than one at a time.  Just remember the warning above!

Now you can go into poser, choose collections, and there is your V4 folder, with sub-folders for Charters, Hair, Poses, etc, with out all of the searching through the regular library.

Hope this helps  

Hi,

I'm running Poser 7. I have had two orgainzation problems, one of which (content organization) I have solved (sort of), the other still pending.

The thing about poser that has always bothered me is that there are so many steps clicks) to everything you want to do. The Library is confusing, as sometines clothing ends up in props, or Poses, or figures. And with so much content specific to each character, the steps to add and then dress a character can be very complex and time consuming.

Then I discovered "Collections" where you can organize different types of content into a single set of folders that are specific to a specific character. The only problem here is that inside Poser, transfering each item from the Library (you're not actually transfering them, but rather making a copy in the collections folder) to the collections is a very time consuming process when you dozens or hundreds of items to put into the collection.

However, I found the Collections folder inside the library folder in Runtime, and realized that I could create all my sub folders (figures, hair, poses, etc.) and then copy the items I wanted "in mass" to the collections.

First set-up you folder and subfolder structure in the Collections folder in runtime (using regular windows functions). Go into the folder holding what you want to transfer, select the items, right click and choose COPY (do not drag and drop as this will remove the item from the regular library folder and screw you up BAD!).

Then paste the copied items into the collection subfolders. Now I can open the collections, and everything I need for say V3 is right there.

However, the problem I have yet to solve is that of the Body Part Morph Menus.

Again, using poser involves selecting the character, and then the part of the body you want to work on. This opens the the morphs for that body part. My issue is the click-click-click and scroll and click (etc) required for me to get at and adjust all of the body parts I need. If I am working with two characters and making fine adjustments between the characters, my clicking finger is hurting by the time I'm done. The sad part is that I find that I use say a few dozen morphs, yet with all of the morph injections there are dozens of morph choices I need to go through each time I enter that body part.

Just as with collections, is there a way to create a custom morph menu where I can group specific (multi-body-part) morph wheels that meet my needs???

Any help on this would be appreciated.

Thanks