Free Daz items from Sharecg... questions

BendinggrassBendinggrass Posts: 1,367
edited December 1969 in The Commons

Hello.
I have obtained a few of these items. When I try to put them in my external Daz or Poser runtime, hothing will show up in the Daz or Poser programs... The item is "there" but there is no content in it.
I looked at these items, and they are various kinds of files. One is a .rar file (which is?), another a png,, an obj.
Anyone have any idea why these are not showing up in my programs.
Thanks.
R

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Comments

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,565
    edited December 1969

    .rar files are compressed archives, similar to .zip files. You would need to uncompress them and then merge them with your content folders. There are many free decompression programs; I use 7zip.

    .png files are images. If they are accompanying other files with the same name but different extensions, they are the thumbnails to be displayed for the item. Otherwise, they may be background images.

    .obj files are the raw geometry files for an object. You can either put them in an "Other format content folder", in which case DS will show them, or use File > Import to import the object, and then save as a .daz scene.

  • cridgitcridgit Posts: 1,757
    edited May 2022

    Redacted

    Post edited by cridgit on
  • SlimerJSpudSlimerJSpud Posts: 1,453
    edited December 1969

    There is a tutorial in the archived forum by Jaderail that should help. The pictures can be viewed by changing the urls so they have "http://forumarchive.daz3d.com/" as a prefix on all the "postimages/origimage" type entries.

    http://forumarchive.daz3d.com/viewtopic.php?t=180932

  • BendinggrassBendinggrass Posts: 1,367
    edited December 1969

    Thanks, folks.
    I will look into what you told me and report back.
    R.

  • lorraineopualorraineopua Posts: 589
    edited December 1969

    .
    You can either put them in an "Other format content folder", in which case DS will show them

    Wow, I never knew that. Every day you learn something new.

  • BendinggrassBendinggrass Posts: 1,367
    edited December 1969

    Hello again.

    I went to the long tutorial, with all the references for pictures that are not there.
    I think it is probably very complete, but I had a lot of trouble with it, and could not understand it.
    The kinds of downloads from Share cg are not installed the "regular" way it seems, and I am still lost.
    Any other suggestions would be welcome and appreciated.
    Thanks.
    R

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,565
    edited December 1969

    Can you give a link to one of the items you're having trouble with?

  • BendinggrassBendinggrass Posts: 1,367
    edited December 1969

    So sorry.
    It is this one. I know a lot of work has gone into it. And I am grateful to him for all his help to so many of us.
    I obviously have holes in my knowledge that I can not really follow or use its guide.


    http://forumarchive.daz3d.com/viewtopic.php?t=180932

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,565
    edited December 1969

    Sorry, I meant one of the ShareCG freebies that you were having trouble installing.

  • JaderailJaderail Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Hello, it's me Jade. I can walk you through Zip and Rar installs. Just point me to one of your files and we will get you into installing free items in no time. Also I need to know your OS, PC type, and content path.

  • BendinggrassBendinggrass Posts: 1,367
    edited December 1969

    Thank you so much, Mike and Jaderail.
    And Jaderail, thank you so much for taking the time with me, just one person, when you have done so much in your tutorial to help all of us. So sorry I couldn't follow you, but I know it is due to the holes in my knowledge, and not you.

    I use Windows XP.
    I installed DAZ 4 Pro onto my external F drive, and the path is simply F:\DAZ Studio 4 Pro.
    Before I installed it I put a file there, with the path F:\DAZ Content and I told D4 when I installed it that that is where the content would be.
    I did this because when I followed the regular installing process that it went to C: drive, and finding things became very confusing and frustrating. Now everything is fairly easy to find.

    I was trying to install two items.
    The first was shaaelia_charlotte for V4, which has 3 zip files.... 63866 is the item number I think
    The second was 3d-pinups_old-cauldron_60752

    I am sorry I cannot give you real links to Share cg for those items.

    Thanks so much.
    Randy

  • BendinggrassBendinggrass Posts: 1,367
    edited December 1969

    And I am using a regular PC, no Mac.

  • JaderailJaderail Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    All I get when I search ShareCG is this file http://www.sharecg.com/v/28521/View/11/Poser/Charlotte-for-Victoria-4.2 is it the correct one?
    Also it has been awhile sense I have used XP, does it have Merge as an option if you combine two folders with the same name?

    P.S. This might go faster if we worked using PM's instead of the Forums. But It might be good to show others in the Forums again. It will be up to you.

  • BendinggrassBendinggrass Posts: 1,367
    edited December 1969

    Hi Jaderail.

    Thanks for this.
    Strangely, the one you linked to is not the one I downloaded; my download had three 3 zip files and ran into megabytes.
    But the one you pointed out to me, or one you think is better for teaching, is also fine with me.
    Bottom line is am eagar to learn and I appreciate your time and effort.
    Yes, let's do it here so it could help others also.

    Randy

  • JaderailJaderail Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Okay, I have bookmarked this thread for easy access. Let's both start with the file you are wishing to install.
    Go back to ShareCG and find Part one of that file. In your brower Highlight the Address in your browser and do Ctrl C to copy the Address.
    Come back here and do Ctrl V to Paste that Address into a post. I will get it and the other parts. Then we will work together to get you
    Installing Free items. After this you will be a free item nut because all those free items will be ready for you to add and play with
    whenever you download and install them.

  • JaderailJaderail Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Thank you Mustakettu85. I seem to have lost Bendinggrass. Does any other XP users read this thread? I still need to know if XP has Merge. If it does not I have to use a different install method than I would on my PC.

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,565
    edited December 1969

    Yes, XP merges

  • JaderailJaderail Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Thank you Mike. So I'm off to to do a in depth Zip install Tutorial. I will need to remember that the User has a custom Install folder. Not a problem just a different name.

    I would like to know if any other users reading this thread need this info before I get started. It will only take me a couple of hours to do the tutorial. I could just as easily do a normal one for other users at the same time.

    I do not plan to do more than the images tonight, the text will come tomorrow. So I will check this thread tomorrow to see if I should do two versions. Then I will post one or both tomorrow night.

  • BendinggrassBendinggrass Posts: 1,367
    edited December 1969

    Hi Jaderail.

    Here are two items that you could choose from for our exercise. Either one of these should be fine:

    http://www.sharecg.com/v/35524/View/11/Poser/V4-Lingerie

    or

    http://www.sharecg.com/v/49465/View/11/Poser/Dynamic-Egyptian-Dress-for-V4

    Thanks so much.
    R

  • BendinggrassBendinggrass Posts: 1,367
    edited December 1969

    Thanks, Mustakettu85.

    Yes, that seems to be the character I found.
    Jaderail has a good selection to choose from for our exercise.
    I leave it to him to decide which is the best teaching prop... he is the teacher.
    I am looking forward to this,
    R

  • SlimerJSpudSlimerJSpud Posts: 1,453
    edited December 1969

    Hi Jaderail.

    Here are two items that you could choose from for our exercise. Either one of these should be fine:

    http://www.sharecg.com/v/35524/View/11/Poser/V4-Lingerie

    or

    http://www.sharecg.com/v/49465/View/11/Poser/Dynamic-Egyptian-Dress-for-V4

    Thanks so much.
    R


    Be aware that Daz Studio does not support Poser Dynamic items. The Egyptian dress will not work. This is one of the main gotchas with ShareCG freebies. Don't bother with the Dynamic hair and cloth items you find there unless you also happen to own a copy of Poser. The only dynamic clothing I'm aware of that works in DS comes from Optitex.
  • JaderailJaderail Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Due to dialysis treatment today. I'm going to be finishing and posting on Sunday US time.

  • SlimerJSpudSlimerJSpud Posts: 1,453
    edited December 1969

    It's too bad the switchover of the forums clobbered Jaderail's fine tutorial. In the meantime, let's see if I can shed any light on the subject. From your earlier post:


    "I installed DAZ 4 Pro onto my external F drive, and the path is simply F:\DAZ Studio 4 Pro. Before I installed it I put a file there, with the path F:\DAZ Content and I told D4 when I installed it that that is where the content would be."


    So, "F:\DAZ Content" is where you pointed all the Daz installers when you run the Daz exe installers? In your DS Preferences, that folder needs to be declared as both Daz Studio and Poser format for content. The Poser directory structure is quite restrictive. Once you have this folder set up properly, there should be a "F:\DAZ Content\Runtime" folder. Almost all Poser format freebie zip files will have "Runtime" at the top level of the zip file directory structure. The gist of installing the zip file content is, you unzip the file(s) into a temp folder (maybe F:\tmp), and then drag and drop the Runtime folder from F:\tmp to F:\DAZ Content. In principle, it's as simple as that, BUT there are caveats.


    You should have:
    F:\DAZ Content\Runtime
    F:\DAZ Content\Runtime\libraries\...


    You should NOT have any of the following:
    F:\DAZ Content\content
    F:\DAZ Content\Runtime\content
    F:\DAZ Content\Runtime\Runtime


    Nested Runtime or content folders will drive you right 'round the bend. Your "F:\DAZ Content" folder should be the equivalent of the "My Library" folder everyone is talking about. Nothing wrong with where you installed it, you just have to be consistent about installing things.


    F:\DAZ Content == My Library == content


    "content" was the DS3 top level folder for content, and some freebie zip files will have "content" as the top level folder. If you get a "content" folder when you unzip something, go into the "content" folder, and drag and drop all the items in there into F:\DAZ Content. Items that are actually in Daz Studio format will have folders directly under "content" (like Lights, etc.) and these belong under F:\DAZ Content, not under a Runtime folder.

  • JaderailJaderail Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Thank you Slimer. I'm just too fuzzy in the head to do one today. I keep typing the wrong info on the wrong image. Maybe I will be able to think properly tomorrow.

  • BendinggrassBendinggrass Posts: 1,367
    edited December 1969

    Thanks Jaderail and thanks Spud.

    I will experiment with the instructions you gave me. I may be a while getting back to make a comment as it is a hectic day here.

    Jaderail, thanks for all your effort too.
    I know dialysis can be a difficult process. I had a friend who was doing it for years until he got a kidney transplant.
    I will keep a prayer going for you.

    R.

  • BendinggrassBendinggrass Posts: 1,367
    edited December 1969

    Hello Slimmer.

    I followed your instructions.

    I just unzipped the V4 Lingerie file (Mentioned in a post on this thread) into a temp folder.
    Then I took the resulting file called "Runtime" and coppied and pasted it into F:\DAZ Content
    I opened D4 then but I can't find the installed item at all. What do you think I did wrong?
    I think I was careful in following your instructions.... ?

    I also have to ask you, how do I install such a file into Poser (PP2012 in this case?)
    I use an external runtime for the poser content and it is constructed like this; It contains the following:
    3D Objects
    Runtime
    PZ3 Scenes
    Templates
    Read Me's
    Poser.exe


    Thanks.
    R

  • SlimerJSpudSlimerJSpud Posts: 1,453
    edited December 1969

    You can have multiple external runtimes, but each folder that contains a "Runtime" must be declared as a Poser format library in the Daz Studio preferences. Also, you will not find any of the Poser format items under Smart Content. Perhaps if you posted a screenshot (800x800, unfortunately) of your folder structure, and one the Daz Studio preferences page where the folders are listed. Otherwise it's going to be hard to figure out what went wrong. I install a ton of freebies from ShareCG and Rendo, and I never have a problem, unless something is not packaged right. That happens too.

  • BendinggrassBendinggrass Posts: 1,367
    edited December 1969

    Hi Slimer.
    Here is a shot of my DAZ Content, my external Poser Files, and my sample Poser File. Info for the sample Poser File came from Renderosity Forum. When I put an item into the sample Poser File, I then rename it for that item of course. The file is accepted by Poser 2012, and Daz 4.

    ScreenHunter_04_Jun._25_21_.01_.png
    633 x 214 - 15K
    ScreenHunter_03_Jun._25_20_.59_.png
    256 x 521 - 10K
    ScreenHunter_02_Jun._25_20_.58_.png
    175 x 448 - 10K
  • SlimerJSpudSlimerJSpud Posts: 1,453
    edited December 1969

    OK, I think the only thing we're missing is a screenshot of the Daz Studio preferences screen where it lists the content folders it knows about. I don't use Poser, but I think Poser is better about having a whole bunch of separate runtimes. Daz Studio probably works better with a small number of runtime folders. For example, if you go to that "Poser Runtimes\A3 Base" folder, what is inside that, and is it listed in the Daz Studio folder preferences?

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