Working with Poser 8 on Win8, 64bit. Nuked the machine with all its library and file issues, and have reloaded Poser fresh and uncluttered. I would like to load things into the Poser library so that when I click on something it finds it, instead of the program thowing it back at me with "go find it yourself".

My understanding was that downloads went in the "Downloads" folders. Is that true? Is it true for some things and not others?

Example: M4, M4 morphs++

C:>Program Files (x86)>Smith Micro>Poser 8>Downloads>runtime>libraries>character

I put Michael in Downloads and opened Poser. There he is. But when I click on him I get "Please locate "blMilMan_m4b.obj"".

Could someone please fill me in on what I'm supposed to do?

Obviously you do not understand the issues involved with Vista, Win7 and Win8, do not install any content into Programs Files under any circumstance.  UAC is an interfering feature of Windows which prevents access to files within that particular folder.

You are better off installing content into external runtimes away from Program Files folder and link those runtimes to Poser.

That's IT!! You've finally figured me out!  Really, I'm an artist, not a computer programmer. Once I finally get over this technical stuff and can get back to the ART part of it, we'll be just hunky-dory. I do truly thank you for your enduring patience thru this.

I will now see what I figure out about "linking" this stuff now.

Thank you! 

The biggest huddle many users encountered with the latest iteration of Poser and Vista/Win7/Win8 is the installation options Poser provides.  Unlike WinXP, where content downloads could be placed in Poser's core runtime within the OS's Program Files folder, the latest Windows OS write protect any files within aforementioned folder.  This means any content installed there will be denied full access.  P8, PP2010, P9 and PP2012 will give you the option, upon installation, to separately create a content runtime in a share folder under Documents, away from Windows secured areas.  Also, by selecting this option, the newly created external runtime is automatically linked to the Poser Library. 

In your situation, if you haven't gotten ahead of yourself reinstalling content, you can reinstall Poser again and select the correct option to address the external runtime, or create individual categorized external runtimes and manually link them to Poser.

Now, IIRC, V4 and M4 installers will search for the Poser.exe file unless you manage to obtain zipped format files from DAZ.  (I honestly don't know if they have fully converted their PC installers to zips yet.  If the installers insist to be installed into the Program Files folder, you can offset the problem by placing a dummy Poser.exe into the folder containing the external runtime, not the runtime itself.  By doing this, you force the DAZ installers to prompt you for an installation path which you redirect from Program Files to the folder of your choice.

No, I haven't reinstalled anything else yet. I really want to get this figured out first. I think it's starting to click (unless that's just a loose cog rattling up there).

Installation is confusing. Two of the options are for multi-user machines, leaving Poser Directory and Other. Since I usually find it safer to let software run their default courses rather than set it up myself, Poser Directory looks best. However, I see now that "Other" is what you are referring to.

I have also found some info for loading DAZ stuff into Poser using a "dummy" folder. https://support.smithmicro.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2257/~/installing-daz-content-into-poser-for-windows

If there was a sticky up there about this sort of thing, I missed it. New Poser users need to know ahead of time that this installation method is no longer an "option", but a requirement. A step-by-step instruction written in basic and specific terms could be a help to others.

Until next time...

Thank you!

Never, ever assume the defaults are correct.  Computers and software are only as smart as the people using them.

As far as content is concern I have found external runtimes to be the easiest as when you upgrade or re-install Poser all you do is point the library at the runtimes.  Also makes back easier.  In my case all of my content is on a seperate drive (drive E) in a folder called Poser Content.  In that folder I have sub folders for V4, M4, Weapons Transport and so on.  How you arrange it is really up to you but external runtimes appears to be the way to go.

One very minor point, my folder used to be called Poser 6 runtimes, because I created the folder when I was using Poser 6.  This has never given me a problem whenever I have upgraded Poser.  Recently I started using Reality 3 and having a folder with 'runtime' in the name and with 'runtime' in the sub folders gives it issues.  Easliy sorted by changing the name but if you are starting from scratch and think you might use Reality, it might be worth keeping in mind.

These "minor" things could save me a great deal of frustration later on. Thank you.

The instruction from the Smith Micro site says to create a Content folder, and in it, a Runtime folder. In the RT folder create folders for Geometries, Libraries, and Textures. Where I directed Poser to set up its content it has created a folder called Poser 8 Content that contains folders "Downloads" and "Runtimes". The RT folder has the 3 folder specified, as well as others (LipSync, Python, etc). Do I use this RT folder in this Content folder, or create another Content folder with a RT folder, or ...

I know sound like an idiot here, and in the way of technical stuff I guess I am. I just want to get this right this time and move on. Thank you...

Given your situation, if the Poser 8 RT folder was create away from the Programs File folder, then yes, you can use it.  However, if you want to organize your content into categories, then create your own.

Now here is a little tip to save you time and aggravation, at the upper right hand corner of your P8 Library is a folder button with the Poser running man and a + sign.  That button adds more RT folders to your Library.  But you can also create RT folders and Poser will automatically create the necessary internal folders for you.  Click the button and in the resulting hierarchy panel select where you want to situate your new folder, click Create New Folder button at the bottom, and name your new folder.  Click Ok and a new external RT folder is created and added to your Poser Library.

This is working now. The DAZ installer complicated things a bit, but I got thru it. Many, many thanks for your help and patience!!