Digital Art Zone

Hello DAZ Community!

Is it possible, at all, to install DAZ Studio 4 Pro to a USB Key and run it portably? ie. Move from PC to PC while keeping all of my information in line, and run it on a PC that hasn’t had DAZ installed on it previously? I’ve been getting mixed, and unclear solutions, so I thought I’d just come here and ask.

So. Possible? Yes or No?

Thanks!

I’m pretty sure it’s no.  There are registry and AppData items that are needed.

Do not forget the CMS which needs the Registry and it’s own file area. Besides I think the EULA states just one install per person in a house hold, so it’s okay to have it on all three PC’s you own, but it should be registered for one PC in every house for legal use. Portable would not follow the legal rules of use.

You could however, how your content library on an external drive, and move it between computers as you needed (provided you have DAZ installed on each machine already in a legal manner, which shouldn’t be too hard to do since it is free).

This would cut down on the amount of storage required on each machine, and would mean your content is not accessible to others when your not there with your drive. I assume the new .DUF file format in the latest 4.5 RC would help with that, since you could just plug your external drive in on any computer with DAZ installed, load an existing scene and work on it.

I have DAZ Studio 4.5 installed on a removable hard drive, that I can connect to both my desktop and my laptop (both Mac) and the program runs fine. I used to have the software installed on both computers, and my runtime on a removable drive that I could connect to whichever computer I happened to be using. I installed Studio on the hard drive also, hoping that my content database would move along with the hard drive, so that when I connected it to my laptop, all of the categories I assigned my content to would show up. This doesn’t seem to work.

Is there anyway to have my content categories transfer between computers along with my runtime, etc.? I hate to have to categorize everything twice, once on each computer. I use both computers about the same amount of time due to travel.

jthicks - 11 February 2013 02:41 PM

I have DAZ Studio 4.5 installed on a removable hard drive, that I can connect to both my desktop and my laptop (both Mac) and the program runs fine. I used to have the software installed on both computers, and my runtime on a removable drive that I could connect to whichever computer I happened to be using. I installed Studio on the hard drive also, hoping that my content database would move along with the hard drive, so that when I connected it to my laptop, all of the categories I assigned my content to would show up. This doesn’t seem to work.

Macs don’t have a registry and it lets you have your applications anywhere* so it’s easier to have a set up like you do.
For the rest, I’d guess that there are preference files which store that information in the system library.  (just a guess mind you) In theory, you could copy those preferences from one machine to the other (just one time) and that’ll take care of the issue.

*I think the more severe default security in mountain lion may prevent this, but that can be turned off if you know what you’re doing.

jthicks - 11 February 2013 02:41 PM

I have DAZ Studio 4.5 installed on a removable hard drive, that I can connect to both my desktop and my laptop (both Mac) and the program runs fine. I used to have the software installed on both computers, and my runtime on a removable drive that I could connect to whichever computer I happened to be using. I installed Studio on the hard drive also, hoping that my content database would move along with the hard drive, so that when I connected it to my laptop, all of the categories I assigned my content to would show up. This doesn’t seem to work.

Is there anyway to have my content categories transfer between computers along with my runtime, etc.? I hate to have to categorize everything twice, once on each computer. I use both computers about the same amount of time due to travel.

I would just copy the database files each time you categorize, then copy and paste the new files over the old ones on the second computer. You find these files on a PC by going to your C drive, making sure you can see hidden folders. Then go to your Program Data folder. (I think it’s called that, I’m typing this on a Mac at the moment). Click on that, click on DAZ 3D, then click on content management. Keep on going till you find the 5 files in the content database. Copy and paste to your external drive, then copy and paste into the same place on your second computer.

It may be good to stop content management services when you do this, then restart them when it’s done.

EDIT: And it’s probably a good idea to back up these 5 files on the second computer in a different spot. Just in case for some reason it doesn’t work, then you can restore the original files.

Sikeus,
Thanks for the help. I am a little confused on your directions though. I am doing this on a Mac, so if you could give me the Mac directions I would really appreciate it. Are you referring to Application Support when you say Program Data folder? If so, under Application Support > Daz3d>Studio 4 I see a file called ContentDirectoryManager.dsx. But I don’t see the 5 files. I must be looking in the wrong place.

disregard, I figured it out. I found the folder with the five files you mentioned. When I copied them to my laptop, then started CMS again, I had my database just like on my desktop.
Thank you very much for the help.