Already did a search of this forum for this problem and only saw reports of Runtimes being trashed in Mac systems and Poser not wanting to fix it. (You have my sympathy.)

Here's a little background info before the main comment of this post is made near the end:

A while back I posted a complaint about Bondware's FORCED update to 11,2 in order to have the license remain valid, which DELETED the libraries of ALL my DAZ and other non-poser supplied content! So, I tried to use the latest DAZ Installer Manager (DIM) to reinstall those assets as I had successfully done before with previous versions of Poser 10 and 11 and it will no longer work. I get the feeling that Bondware is trying to make it difficult to use any DAZ characters or content sold by DAZ in current (and probably future) poser versions -- in an underhanded attempt to force users into using ONLY the inferior native Poser characters. While La Femme has gone through some improvements over the months and more merchant content is being sold now, in my opinion, she still can't directly compete with even the tired, old, V4 in terms of photo-realism. La Femme Pro 1.1 still has unnatural looking round shoulders and a neck base with no apparent collar bones or neck details -- at least not without having to buy some additional character morphs that might have these details. V4 has a more realistic body as-is even before adding a high-res skin or Morphs ++. So Bondware should focus on better models instead of underhanded tactics if they want to compete with a 15 year-old DAZ model.

So on to the main comment: A new problem starting with Poser 11.2, when manually installing DAZ content (because Poser won't play nice with the DIM anymore) all content shows up in the Library as individual folders, EACH named Content. You have to click on that folder to see the content's name one level down. Pretty frustrating when there are over one hundred different items all with the same name! Yes, DAZ content has an extra folder named Content before the Runtime folder, which stuff bought here and every other place I've bought from over the years doesn't have. But previous versions of Poser knew that and correctly listed the item's name in the Library whether it was installed automatically with the DIM or manually as I'm forced to do now. So now I have to go through my entire DAZ collection of well over 100 items and delete the content folder in each one -- while also keeping the original one -- for when I eventually switch to DS that probably needs the content folder for proper installation. I wouldn't at all be surprised if Bondware pulls even more crap with future forced updates (you won't be able to use it unless you update) that totally bans the use of any content they don't approve.

When I first heard that Renderosity was buying Poser from SM I was very happy. I've always liked buying products here and would have bought my DAZ stuff here too if it had been available. Renderosity sure sells plenty of stuff for DAZ characters and the DS app so it makes no sense to me why they would partner with Bondware to essentially drive long-time Poser users away. I hate learning new apps and have so far suffered along with Poser's recent unreasonable changes because it was easier than learning DS. However, I do have DS installed and am slowly learning it because I see that most of the best artists at various digital art forums (like 98%) have been using DS for years. Maybe Bondware bought Poser for a tax write-off as they drive it into the ground, by forcing users to update or you can't use it and essentially forbid the use of DAZ models but offer no native models that can compete. I hope they don't hurt Renderosity in the process...

Rant Mode is now OFF.

How were your non poser content libraries set up? Were they separate runtimes? If so the problem was that when you installed poser 11.2 you didn't select the option of retaining your preferences. The installation of poser 11.2 would not have deleted any runtimes, they would still be on your hard drive, you would just have to get poser to see them using the add library function.

Manually installing DAZ content has always had that problem, it is due to the way DAZ packs their product. You have to install manually by unzipping the package and merging the runtime folder with the runtime folder of the library in which you wish them to appear.

As far as using the DIM, by default this adds the content to a folder called My DAZ 3D library. I rarely use the DIM, but when I do I just let it install to its default and I have this library as a library which I have added to poser.

There is nothing underhand going on with poser 11.2 not allowing you to use DAZ content or making it difficult. Since the update I still use all my DAZ content and install new DAZ content exactly the same as before, I have all my previous libraries and have no problems.

I am going to correct some misconceptions before it becomes gospel. When Daz converted to zip format from executables, they decided to add their files under a primary folder called Content. When extracted with DIM, the content is stripped from the Content folder and placed correctly into the hierarchy that exists in either DS or Poser, depending on the application the Content was intended for. This was by design, not a collusion. To clarify, DIM will install into any folder you create, not just the default but the files must be designed to be extracted with DIM. If you extract Daz files manually, you must extract from within the content level folder, not a brute force extraction. With brute force extraction the content folder will appear in the hierarchy regardless of application which should not exist, you are nesting your content. This has been the case for several years now. Now, if you go deleting content folders, you will delete content, again regardless of the application. Remember Poser did not institute these changes, Daz incorporated them. Any Daz purchase that I make is installed with DIM because of what I described above. And keep in mind, the old repackaged Poser zips created by Daz will have its runtime nested within a Content folder.

It is not just the repackaged zips that have the full poser runtime nested in the content folder. I have found that any poser native content has a poser core installer which is set up thus, the most recent I have bought was introduced about 6 months ago so it is not just old content, and so can be installed into poser manually as I described.

Thanks to each of you for responding to my post!

When I installed 11.2 I DID select the option to retain my preferences. That is why I was so upset when ALL my library content was removed. Glad to hear this didn't happen to everybody.

I am still puzzled why the DIM no longer works for me. (I'm running W7 Pro 64 on an AMD X6 CPU system; maybe that's too old now but I really hate the idea of running W10 with all it's built-in spyware and app-breaking forced updates.) The DIM goes through all the normal stages of installing content from my DAZ account and reporting when each item is installed. But nothing shows up in the Poser library. Don't really need it anymore, though, to make the key DAZ characters work (V4, M4, Morphs++, etc.). As long as they are manually installed in C: Public Documents and I point Poser's Add-to-Library to them they work. All my other content is kept on another HDD and also backed-up on a third HDD to preserve them if one of the HDDs should fail.

Good info on the history of DAZ item folder structure. When the DIM worked correctly for me it ignored the Content folder during installation and the names showed up in the Library. Now that it doesn't work for me, at least I have the workaround now (eliminating the Content folder for each item) and eventually will get everything manually re-listed in the Poser Library. I certainly hope that Bondware doesn't force any more updates under the threat of Poser not working until the update is installed and then eliminating user preferences in the process.

Thanks again for your replies!

I have found my Daz stuff but it still does not work because dson is no longer installed and I seem not to be able to SR3 patch anywhere to fix the problem. in trying to reinstall dson it will not take to poser 11.2 so half of my Daz stuff works and half does not

Installing DSON to Poser 11:

https://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/?thread_id=2940211#msg4371130

You are not the first one to have the problem.

Sorry to hear that.

I think it is quite likely that DAZ are trying to end support of legacy DAZ models (V4/M4, DSON-compatible newer models, and using DIM to install these) in Poser while Bondware are also making it more difficult to use these legacy DAZ products in Poser 11.2 and beyond.

It angers me that Bondware FORCED Poser users to upgrade to 11.2 or lose the licensing to use it anymore. Seems like an illegal move to me. If they pull one more move like that they will lose me as a customer and it is Renderosity who will suffer through lost future sales. It is sad that the best, supposedly photo-realistic, natively-supported Poser model Bondware can muster is La Femme Pro, while a 15 year old DAZ V4/M4 model look more realistic in every way. While La Femme has easier to manipulate facial expressions compared with V4, her neck, shoulders, hips, hands, feet -- and skin textures -- lack realism. She is best for modeling clothing that hide these shortcomings.

Psych2 posted at 2:50PM Sat, 28 December 2019 - #4374763

Sorry to hear that.

I think it is quite likely that DAZ are trying to end support of legacy DAZ models (V4/M4, DSON-compatible newer models, and using DIM to install these) in Poser while Bondware are also making it more difficult to use these legacy DAZ products in Poser 11.2 and beyond.

It angers me that Bondware FORCED Poser users to upgrade to 11.2 or lose the licensing to use it anymore. Seems like an illegal move to me. If they pull one more move like that they will lose me as a customer and it is Renderosity who will suffer through lost future sales. It is sad that the best, supposedly photo-realistic, natively-supported Poser model Bondware can muster is La Femme Pro, while a 15 year old DAZ V4/M4 model look more realistic in every way. While La Femme has easier to manipulate facial expressions compared with V4, her neck, shoulders, hips, hands, feet -- and skin textures -- lack realism. She is best for modeling clothing that hide these shortcomings.

Bondware forced nothing, Smith Micro forced the upgrade by shutting down their licence server. You are free to go back to Smith Micro's version of poser 11, however, since the licence server no longer exists, it will not work.

Locked Out

Thanks for your input. The more reliable info that gets posted on this subject, the better. But here's the view from where myself and probably many other loyal Poser users stood when Poser was sold to Bondware:

First it was announced that Renderosity was taking over. Sounded like a great fit to me as Rendo has the assets and desire to keep Poser going. But next thing I remember is Bondware --not Rendo -- are suddenly saying you must update or lose the use of Poser 11, something that I've never encountered with a software company before EVEN AFTER A TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP. Remember: normally the goal of the new owner is to hang on to as many current users as possible and not piss them off. Bad move by Bondware and by extension Renderosity.

I've had some experiences with budget-priced software licenses expiring 4-plus years after purchase with a poorly disclosed sunset clause buried deep (or sometimes not even existing) in the EULA, but not with an app like Poser which normally retails close to half a grand and usually involves another grand or more invested in models, morphs and accessories. Owners of high priced software need to treat users with much greater care and respect! To blame SM for the license debacle seems ridiculous to me! It wasn't a hostile takeover! Bondware must have a crappy legal team to NOT NEGOTIATE a license transfer that resulted in the original license continuing to be valid for years after the sale. (And in fact the license DID transfer for awhile after the sale -- the forced update didn't occur until later.)

In the decades I've been buying and using computer software, I have never had the license expire after a change of ownership or been forced to update in order to continue using the app -- especially an app that represents an investment of many hundreds of dollars! Updates and upgrades should be optional -- not mandatory! It is up to the user to decide whether an update/upgrade is desirable to them -- NOT the software company!

The final insult is when in my case the FORCED UPDATE totally wipes out my library of hundreds of DAZ items (without harming Poser items of course) EVEN THOUGH I CHECKED THE OPTION TO PRESERVE MY CURRENT LIBRARY!!! And then when trying to rebuild my DAZ library I find the DIM installer no longer works, Poser won't let me organize this content like I used to and I have to MANUALLY delete the content folder in each DAZ asset if I want the asset's name to appear in the library. No one is going to convince me the FORCED UPDATE wasn't all about forcing users to adopt La Femme and make installing DAZ assets more difficult.

Bondwares' antics will cause harm to Rendo's reputation if they keep pulling this crap. If BW pulls ONE MORE move like this, I will be forced to abandon Poser and will never trust Rendo again. I don't think I am the only Poser 11 customer who feels this way...

Well this is very strange since the update did nothing to my DAZ library, or any other content I had installed. Yes the DAZ dim now doesn't work in the way it used to, but I do not believe this has anything to do with Poser, DAZ has changed it. You have never said if you are using Mac or windows or how your DAZ library was set up. You seem to be saying that the poser update deleted it from your hard drive or whatever. The only folders affected in anyway by the poser update were those in the main program folder and the Poser 11 content folder, so unless you had installed your DAZ content into the poser 11 content folder it is difficult to see how it is no longer on your machine, the update did not go around deleting other runtimes.

I had been away from Poser for a few years for personal reasons. Had Poser 7 and decided to upgrade to 11, when I imported everything from 7 to 11 then tried working I was missing all the textures that I had created. They were purchased textures that I had modified and placed back into the original files. Done with photo shop and same file type nothing different but they are gone from the files. Some poses that I had created are also gone and props I had made. Wasn't too happy about that as a lot of time was invested into them.They are also gone from the Poser 7 files. I should have done more research before hand, live and learn I guess. Not to happy with the fact none of the new characters from Daz can be used with Poser and I do not like Daz studio at all, so at this point its stay with M4/V4 age. Bright side is it will save me money no need to purchase anything new.

So you believe somehow that the poser upgrade went into your poser 7 files and deleted them or altered them? Are you sure you didn't file them somewhere else? Have you upgraded your hardware since poser 7 days, and the files weren't elsewhere on your machine and never transferred? You say they are not in poser 7 anymore, this really suggests that poser 11 upgrade has nothing to do with this. If you are talking about basic poser content so for content that was in poser 7 and is still in poser 11, such as Sydney poser may well have installed new versions, but these would be in the poser 11 content folder, and the old ones you installed elsewhere are still likely to be there. For example all my poser 10 content was unaffected.

They were not filed anywhere else, I had used Poser 7 with those textures just a few days before installing 11. Poser 7> Runtime> Textures> File name. Placed back into the original folder after having modified them. Some of them had been modified quite a few years ago and had used them regularly. When I tried using the same characters in Poser 11 it could not locate the textures and I could not manually find them. I went back into Poser 7 and they were gone from there. I did a hard drive search on all the Poser by the textures name and nothing. I am not sure if somehow in Photoshop something had been different when I created them that would cause that, but I did not have any issues when using 7 previously. Searched Poser 7, 11, and Daz Studio manually and search just not there. When I used them in 7 I would add the texture to the character from the Pose file in Poser. Then manually go in material room and change specific body part textures from the files so they were in the correct files, even searched the materials files and they are not there either.

Wow this really is weird. Just to clarify are you saying it was recently you modified the files? They haven't been saved with strange names or files types have they? Which build of poser 11.2 did you install? I know the early builds (279 I think) did delete some files if you already had poser 11 installed, but later builds (I'm using 307 but there are later ones) didn't, but these deletions were in the main poser runtime in programs and the poser 11 content runtime. I'm not a long enough poser user to know about poser 7. Was its content runtime a separate poser 7 content runtime, in a different location from the main poser runtime? But none of this is much help to you, sorry tried to help but baffled!

Poser 7, initially, forced users to install content into the Poser primary runtime folder nested within Windows Program Files. Remember, this is in the Pre-Windows Vista era before UAC started to be a major headache towards Program File access. Jump ahead, Windows 7 through 10 blocks Program Files access thus preventing Poser from accessing or seeing any installed content in the restricted zone. That is why the most current versions of Poser offer an alternative, shared location for content installation. I scrapped my Poser 7 installation a long time ago and moved my entire runtime to a shared folder, linking it manually to my current iterations of Poser (Pro 2014 and 11). Transferring runtime content to a new installation is risky because so many scripts can be broken that way, easier to link than become frustrated from non-working content. Updating went flawlessly, retained my preferences, did not lose any installed content, did not lose any runtime folders (>20), and DSON still works. But I did install over my original Smith Micro install and any script that was manually imported still remains. Now, IIRC, many years ago there were problems with missing content after a Poser upgrade and it was discovered that much of the content was moved into a virtual location, not removed from the hard drive. There were several posts in the forum but for the life of me, I don't remember how long ago this happened not the titles of the posts addressing the solution.

Forum: Poser 11 / Poser Pro 11 OFFICIAL Technical

Subject: DAZ content confuses PP 11.2 when adding to Library