I've got some gun props that are a prop with multiple parented props (trigger, slide, magazine, etc...about 19 total)  When I load it, of course the list of props shows up in my "Props" menu. 

Problem is, I need 4 of these in my scene, which makes for 40 props in addition to all the other props in my scene...and they are all named similar, except for 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, etc.

Any way to "hide" or group these so they don't over-clutter the menus. 

You could try making the part invisible!

Are the props parented to one prop, or a number parented together?  You might be able to load them into the library together using Select Subset.  I find when saving multiple props into one library item they tend to loose the connection to what they are parented to - at least in Poser 7 (and earlier versions I think).

Sometimes I save a figure pose and save the grouped items into a subset.  When I want to use the items I dot the figure's pose, load the saved pose, load the items and do the parenting, and then restore the original scene pose using the saved dot ... Does that make sense?

There are various work arounds to whatever limits I find in Poser.  If you don't need all of the various pieces to be separate props, why not combine them into a single prop item?  Either that or make a figure prop with moving parts ...

I guess that's all I can suggest for now.  Best Wishes, Rªnce

If I make the Prop invisible, just the prop turns invisible, not all of the parented props, and of course they are all still in the menu

The props are parented to one prop

I saved them out as a new propr using the subset, but they just load all back in the way they were. 

The main prop has some morphs, so saving them out as a single prop I believe would kill the morphs on the main prop.

I was thinking of making the main prop a figure, then I would hope that they would only show as props if that figure was selected.  That would work, but if that is possible and if so how to go about doing it?

Load the gun.  All "props" will load.

Goto Export => Export obj file.

Export the gun as a single object file. (Use select subset to select all loose props)

Delete all.

Import the exported gun obj file .

Duplicate 3 times and you have 4 guns.

Done.

Quote - Load the gun.  All "props" will load.

Goto Export => Export obj file.

Export the gun as a single object file. (Use select subset to select all loose props)

Delete all.

Import the exported gun obj file .

Duplicate 3 times and you have 4 guns.

Done.

Yea...I just lose the ability to hide the silencer or the flashlight...unless I can maybe do it in materials.  This is the gun, btw, its a nice freebie from FoRender.

I would go with vilters' suggestion, export as an OBJ file.  Reimport the OBJ, then save to the Library as a prop.

No problem.

"Build" the guns as required when you save the new object files?

In select subset, select the parts to be exported or omited from the "builds"?

In the worst case you have to build 4 different guns, that will load as 4 different object files afterwards.

But, in the end, you will only have 4 object files in your props.

Save as :
Complete gun.
Gun with flashlight.
Gun with silencer.
Gun without silencer.
Gun with flashlight and silencer.

You make the 4 gun "builds" and decide what goes in them or not?

In the end, you will have only those new prop/guns/objects to load.

You can build a complete kit like that.

Save gun only.
Silencer only => Make the silencer a smart prop of the gun. with inherit bends checked ON.
Flashlight only => Make the flashlight a smart prop of the gun wit inherit bends checked ON.

Load or remove as required in the scene?
Endless possibilities.

Or, you could turn it into a figure.  This would allow you to hide body parts easily.

Quote - You can build a complete kit like that.

Save gun only.
Silencer only => Make the silencer a smart prop of the gun. with inherit bends checked ON.
Flashlight only => Make the flashlight a smart prop of the gun wit inherit bends checked ON.

Load or remove as required in the scene?
Endless possibilities.

Aha!  Thats true...I'll try that, thanks!

Quote - Or, you could turn it into a figure.  This would allow you to hide body parts easily.

I'm with SamT on this one ;).

Laurie

I went with the OBJ import, because I was not sure how to do the figure thing.  It worked

Good Job.
Happy Posering.
Tony

Quote - Any way to "hide" or group these so they don't over-clutter the menus.

I would suggest this. Load a figure that only contains a BODY actor. If you don't know how to create such a figure, use "MinFig" from my free stuff.

Parent all the props to the BODY of the figure (if the props are already in a parenting chain, just parent the base of the chain to the BODY). Save the figure. Open the resulting cr2 in a text editor. Search & Replace the string "prop " (note the trailing space) with the string "actor " (note the trailing space). Save the cr2.

The collection of props has now been turned into a figure, though in many ways it still functions the same as when it was a collection of props. However, from the perspective of the 'Body Parts' menu, and technically, it is a figure.

The important point in practice is that none of the parts will show up in the Props menu. This fulfils your sated goal of not cluttering the Props drop-down menu. Instead, you access the parts by selecting the figure, then choosing from the  'Body Parts' menu of the figure. As far as the material room is concerned the actors are still props, and treated in exactly the same way as before.

If you used MinFig, and want to distribute the result, you should probably delete the material named "LesBentley", though this is only cosmetic, not compulsory.

The above represents a quick way to turn a bunch of props into a figure, and for your present purposes it is sufficient to the task at hand. However you should realise that in many ways it is not a normal figure. You can of course turn it into a normal figure if you want, but that involves more work.

P.S.

Even if you only parent the props to the BODY actor, without doing any of the other steps from my last post, it still helps with the menus, because when props are parented to a figure, you only see the parented props in the Props menu when that particular figure is selected.

P.S.

Quote - I've got some gun props that are a prop with multiple parented props (trigger, slide, magazine, etc...about 19 total)

I'm thinking that there is no way that you are likely to need 19 moving parts in a gun for Poser. You can probably consolidate many of the parts together, using different material zones where necessary.

For instance. A revolver would probably only need one group for the barrel and handle, one for the cylinder, one for the trigger, one for the hammer, and if you wanted to be really fancy, one for each bullet. A maximum of ten parts. Or if you don't need separate bullets, only four parts.

Thanks, Les.  That is a good option. 

(it was 10 not 19, but I fat-fingered it and then ran out of "edit time" which is one of my Top 3 things I hate about the renderosity forum)