Digital Art Zone

Hi, I am having trouble loading Zipfiles into my DAZ3D 4 Pro version studio. The instructions say to load the Zipfile and then extract all files to a location. Usually the same location that you first loaded the Zipfile. I have done that with out any problems. Next it says to drag all of the content from the new folder into MY LIbrary. This is where the problem starts. It says the default location for My Library should be: 
c:/Users/my name/Documents/Studio/MY LIbrary. The properties for my library do not show this as the folder location. How do I change the properties of MY LIbrary folder to show the correct location so that my content will show up in my studio. Am I missing something about this process. I think MY Library default location got changed somehow? But I am not sure. I hope I am explaining myself correctly. Thanks I really could use someones expertise on this matter.

Do you have access to any of your content? Does the default content show up in DS when you run it?

If you have a folder called ‘My Library’, it doesn’t really matter where it is, as long as it is not in the Program Files area.

You will have to go into Edit > Preferences > Content Library > Content Directory Manager, and enter the path tothe My Library folder in both the DAZ Studio Formats and Poser Formats.

That should allow you to see your content inside DS4P

In Windows , You can select the Zip archive file, Right click on it,. and choose “Extract files” from the menu.
You can then select the folder where you want to extract the files to.
usually (My Documents / Daz3D / My Library.

It can also be useful to extract Zip files to a folder on your desktop, (just to check the folder structure it creates). then you can copy /paste those into your Library, ..or extract from the Zip,

3DAGE - 28 June 2012 07:00 AM

It can also be useful to extract Zip files to a folder on your desktop, (just to check the folder structure it creates). Then you can copy /paste those into your Library

This is what I usually do as it allows me to move things around in the Libraries folder to correspond to my workflow.

Hey Jaderail, No,  I have no problem loading, viewing and using DAZ studio content that is in an exe file. Only those that are in a zipfile. After I load the Zipfile and extract all the files, then move them to MY Library they do show up in My Library on my hard drive, but they don’t show up in my studio. The readme file even says that I should be able to view the content in my Poser props section, but when I go there nothing shows. The one that I am currently having problems with is Stone Henge and Ruins as well as Tower City. When I try to open up the file, my studio does open, but I get a message that says: “Unknown file format, No importer for the file can be found”. Do these need to be loaded in a special way because they are older content? I know this should be easy but I just can’t figure it out. I have Windows Vista Home premium 32 bit. Thanks for the help!!!!! (I have to tell you, I do not have a lot of experience with computers and downloading files of this type.):P

When you moved the files were they in one Runtime folder? In your My Library folder you should have a Runtime folder. Must of the time all you do is unzip your file take the runtime inside it and merge it with the runtime inside your My Library folder. Is that what you did?

HI spmwc

After I load the Zipfile and extract all the files, then move them to MY Library they do show up in My Library on my hard drive, but they don’t show up in my studio.

Q: Where is your default content folder for Daz Studio ?
it should be: My Documents / Daz3D / My Library

If you extract the Zip files directly to there, it may say that there’s already a “Runtime” folder, and ask if you’re sure you want to add these to it,..Say yes. and it’ll add these files. they should then appear in your Daz Studio program.

Q: Is this where you’re placing these files ?

I’m Running Poser, not DS, and am using a PC running XP.  I just purchased the Ainsley character as a Fastgrab, and this is the first one I’ve encountered to come with a Daz Zip file. I have read the ‘Using Zipfiles’  PDF and it says I can use a ‘merge’ function.  I do not seem to have a ‘merge’ function as far as I can tell, only an ‘extract all.’
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Does this mean that now with Daz purchases I have to manually unzip the file and then go down the Runtime tree folder by folder copying the items to their proper locations?  [I just purchased close to 50 items at .99. If each has 4 folders to copy….. you get the picture
(fortunately these still seem to be the *.exe’s, but you get the drift on future purchases)].
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With Renderosity zip files, RDNA zip files, Content Paradise zip files, and Poser files from most other companies I just extract to the runtime I want to use, an extremely simple and efficient operation. But Daz packs the Runtime folder several layers down (DazStudio4\My Content\Runtime)  creating this problem for me where otherwise there would be none.
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Why Doesn’t Daz just put the Runtime at the top layer?? It wouldn’t harm DS4 users and it would make it simpler for most others, I would think.
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I feel it is almost as if Daz is TRYING to make a point that you should be using DS4 if you are buying at Daz.
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Daz Corporate types, (and Daz vendors), pay attention. You may get your wish. But keep in mind I am not going to switch from Poser to DS anytime soon. Not that there is anything wrong with DS, it’s just I only have so much time and plan to keep the 3D program I am familiar with.
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If I have to manually start moving files one-by-one to their proper position in a tree this is going to drive me nuts. Unless there is a way to seamlessly unzip files to their proper location, such as the zipfiles at Renderosity, this may be the final deal breaker for how much I purchase at Daz and whether I cancel my platinum membership.
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Sorry for the attitude here. Just showing frustration.
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Please, someone, tell me I am missing something. Tell me that I CAN extract these to one of my custom Runtimes (I have several, oddly almost exactly mirroring what Daz has just done on their front page: Runtime_Hair, Runtime_Vehicles, Runtime_Animals, Runtime_People, Etc except that I created them well before Daz).
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Maybe someone knows of an MSFT update to the extraction routine that I don’t have?
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Thank you.
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3DAGE - 28 June 2012 07:00 AM

It can also be useful to extract Zip files to a folder on your desktop, (just to check the folder structure it creates).

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The nice thing about zip files is you can view the structure without extracting anything and you and view the readmes, too, by double clicking on them or using the ‘Explore’ function in the extraction routine.  The biggest advantage, normally, is that they will place things correctly in a tree given the correct top folder, adding to the tree folders not replacing them.
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All you have to do in XP is open the zip, copy the Runtime folder, the go to the folder containing your Poser Runtime folder and paste.  Windows XP will automatically do a merge.  Just make sure you don’t paste the Runtime folder INSIDE your existing Runtime folder.  If you accidentally do that, just cut and paste it up one level.