I have installed Studio 3 Advanced and Poser Pro. I now am going to install content. I have been told the best way to do this is to designate an external drive for this. I assume this needs to be done at the time of the first content installation? Also, any pointers on using and making content available for both Studio and Poser. Is there a way to arrange a universal content library that both will be able to access?

I will follow this since have same question. Thks

 No need for an external drive, just keep the files in a separate folder, away from the application's folder. Poser has the tendency to use a Runtime dir inside the applications dir. Don't do that. 
I have series of dirs under ~/DSContent  that is shared both by DS and Poser. 

For example:
~/DSContent/Morphs
~/DSContent/Clothing
~/DSContent/Textures

and so on. 
In DS use the configure option and add each directory to the the Poser directory list. Just point to the same dirs in Poser as well. Keeping the content separate from the application makes it easy to update the application without losing your content. You don't need a separate drive, just a separate dir.

You can add Content or Runtime directories at any time using the preference pane.

Go to Preferences and Click on the "Directories" tab to add or remove external directories.

Pretty simple - works on PC and Mac

I personally, have 5 external content directories linked to both Poser, D|S 2.x and D|S 3 Advanced. All work without a hitch!

-AniMajik

Hello maybe I can ask something then also. How do you solve that with installers since they follow straight logic with direc>runtime> and then fixed subs like geo or pose or material (and more).?

I hope you understand my question

thks stephan

PS I have been using DS some time so everything is installed to work with DS. Is it still possible to use in a new poser setup then or do I have to re-install everything?

I'm still not clear on creating an external directory for both Studio Advanced and Poser Pro.  I go into Poser Pro and select add an external directory.  Then add Daz Studio directories into that?  Then there is the question of auto content installers too...

stephan..No need to set up the runtime folder..because the readmes, runtime + runtime subfolders are **created during installation if they aren't there already....ie create a folder..name it say Clothes V4..then install to that folder.

** Using an external drive is a personal choice.  I moved my runtime off my main pc because it got too big. Because I use my ext. drive to back up other (non Poser) stuff  I keep everything in a main folder called AllRuns and inside use various categories..ie
!Animals
!Poses
!Characters V4 A4
!Clothes V4 A4 etc**

I  use ! at the beginning to avoid confusion with default DS and Poser folders. If you were creating more than one ext. runtime it's prob. better to start with a number + name.

**

**
**

Quote - I'm still not clear on creating an external directory for both Studio Advanced and Poser Pro.  I go into Poser Pro and select add an external directory.  Then add Daz Studio directories into that?  Then there is the question of auto content installers too...

To get everything to show up in Poser just add your extra runtimes (see my last post),
PLUS the DAZ/Studio/Content folder (ie where DS is installed).

To get everything to show up in DS go to Preferences/Directories then select the drop down for the Content Type and choose:

Poser Format (Import)

and find yr new directories (see my last post) and wherever else you've installed a runtime.

Quote - I'm still not clear on creating an external directory for both Studio Advanced and Poser Pro.  I go into Poser Pro and select add an external directory.  Then add Daz Studio directories into that?  Then there is the question of auto content installers too...

You have to create an new directory, you do that via your file manager. If you're on Mac OS use the finder, I suggest to create a folder in your home folder. If you're under Windows select the equivalent of your home dir and create a subdir in it. Whe you install new content don't select the automatic installation, click on the button to select the dir and then point to the directory that you have created.

*You have to create an new directory, you do that via your file manager. If you're on Mac OS use the finder, I suggest to create a folder in your home folder. If you're under Windows select the equivalent of your home dir and create a subdir in it. Whe you install new content don't select the automatic installation, click on the button to select the dir and then point to the directory that you have created.

*Not to further confuse the issue, Pret-a-3D, but you can install a RUNTIME or CONTENT directory on any valid drive in your system.  Mac OS does not JUST have to be in your home directory, but on any internal or external drive. (I have 3 runtimes on my main drive, both under Aoplications/Poser and Applications/Daz as well as 3 other external drives. I usually put my externlal RUNTIME directories in the root of each external directory for ease of searching, but there is no hard rule as to where you need to put them. It just makes it easier to find content later if you install on the root of those drives.

Most installers from DAZ will allow you to select which drive to install it to in Mac OS or Win. You can also unzip to any direcory as well*.* If the installer does not see a RUNTIME or RUNTIME directory, it will create one for you anyway.  (Both in Win and Mac)

-AniMajik

Sorry if me dumb but total new to poser so. Like said I have content directory setup (shame all 1 big one but ok) for the life of me I dont know how now to activate this content into Poser Pro?

Thks for help

Me forgot something maybe. All content works perfect in DS but I cant find the place to put directory name in poser. Me see download me see from zip but ??? I also see import specific OBJ and stuff

thks

In Poser, you need to point it to the RUNTIME directory (Poser does not understand "CONTENT"). So it doesn't matter where the RUNTIME directory is located, just that you make sure Poser KNOWS where it is.  It's easy to do from the TABs in Poser.

D|S on the other hand understands both "Runtime" and "Content" and can see/use items from both.

I hope that helps a bit?

i know i need runtime directory question is were in poser do i say were to go to runtime directory ? that is my problem i cant find that default setting for my files

thks

In Poser go to "Categories" pane and click on the "Up One Directory Icon":

It looks like this:

   ^
   |
   --------

Now click on the "+" (Plus Sign) in the bottom right of the window (to the right od the Check Mark)
and a window will open asking you to choose a new folder. Navigate to your new runtime directory or folder you want to add.  This will take some time depending on your system and how much content you have.

Repeat for all Runtime folders you want to add.

To change Runtimes, just navigate back in the "Categories" pane and select the Runtime you want to use.

Hope this helps?

-AniMajik

Check out : An All New "Cats Do The Darnedest Things!" on FatCatAlley.com

You are a deram come true. Thank 2.05 metres (my height) ahahahah. Me tried just a test first since you never know but works. Really thks for this and posering me go

I'm glad you understood it because its all Greek to me.  What the heck is a runtime library anyways?  I guess I'm just too much of a beginner because I need step-by-step instructions.  All this library stuff is way over my head.  What is in the library?  I assume more files and directories they need to be there also???  I'm totally lost in all this library file structure and what needs to go where and when etc...

Inocentral, a Poser figure is composed by several files. There is the geometry file which describes the set of vertices and faces that create the base geometry. There are CR2 and PZ2 file which define the joints, bones, materials and poses. All these files are collected inside a pretty well defined directory structure. 
From a "root" directory you will find a sibdir called "Runtime". Underneath you will find directories with names like "Geometries", "Library" etc. 
Those directories define what is referred to as the Poser Runtime. DAZ Studio reads that structure as well. When you install a figure you add files to that repository/library/runtime (all valid names).
Take a look at it with your file manager of choice and read the documentation. It's overwhelming at first but after a bit of frustration it generally starts to make sense :)

No need to understand it, if you are just using Poser (or Daz Studio).

Basically, "Runtime" is the name of the top level directory that holds many (many) sub-directories that in turn hold the Poser files you load into poser.

An example of the directory tree can be as follows:

RUNTIME
   |
   ---- GEOMETRY
   |
  ---- LIBRARY
  |         |
  |         ---- CHARACTERS
  |         ---- PROPS
  |         ---- etc....
  |         |
  |
  ---- TEXTURES
 |
  ---------  etc....

A library, like it's book equivilant, just holds files (content) you use/load in Poser/D|S

Hope this clears up some mud, infocentral.

-AniMajik

Check out : An All New "Cats Do The Darnedest Things!" on FatCatAlley.com

Quote - A library, like it's book equivilant, just holds files (content) you use/load in Poser/D|S

Hope this clears up some mud, infocentral.

That's what I figured.  In order to build an external library for Poser and Studio you will need to assemble all the proper folders and sub-folders.  Where do I go to obtain this information so I can build one?

You do not need to!

When you install any content (okay most content) you purchase or get free, the installer will create all that for you.

An example: Say you download a freebee from Rendo. It's usually a zip file. You simple copy or move that zip file to the ROOT level of that drive (external or otherwise) and extract it there. If it's your :c or :d drive or whatever, (or MacintoshHD or whatever drive name) you put it there.

The unzipping process will create the necessary RUNTIME (and sub-folder/sub-directory) structure for you.  Of course, this is assuming the zip was structured correctly in the first place, luckily, most are.

If you want a quick rundown, look at your Poser installation and see how it'a layed out... it'll be pretty much the same on all your external Runtimes (only the content you put there will be different).

-AniMajik

Check out : An All New "Cats Do The Darnedest Things!" on FatCatAlley.com

Info central dont look for a moment AHAHAHh.

How do you solve when a vendor has a bad zip file? In more then one occasion I bought program and the zip file had wrong structure or vendor used diff paths in his obj files. Normally I then have to manually move or delete stuff. Any pointers on that ?

thks

First off, Tell the vendor the problem. They SHOULD be using the proper structure IMHO.

To deal with it, simply copy the contents into the appropriate directories:

OBJ files go in the /RUNTIME/GEOMETRY directory
Prop files go in the /RUNTIME/LIBRARY/PROPS directory
Charcater files go in the /RUNTIME/LIBRARY/CHARCTERS directory
Texture files go in the /RUNTIME/TEXTURES directory.

etc...

I have to do this for some vendors as well. As I said in my previous post, luckily most zips and installers do it right.  The DAZ installers are the best IMHO, you almost can't miss with them.

-AniMajik

Check out : An All New "Cats Do The Darnedest Things!" on FatCatAlley.com

Managed to locate a couple of good resources on this subject:

How to Set-Up Your Content in Daz Studio for Easy Use

Daz Studio Content Manager Tutorial

Content Manager Database Backup Deluxe

Still looking for something as in depth as these on the Poser side...