Digital Art Zone

Not sure what has happened.  I have been using the new Daz for a week or so now and everything was fine, but this morning suddenly, when I try to categorize my usual new products, it’s simply not happening.  It let’s me follow the usual process but the items are not showing up in the new categories.  Any idea what could cause this sudden change?

I’ve run into this issue before.  Ultimately it boils down to a database corruption but don’t get too worried.  It’s recoverable. 

Here’s what I did.

Process 1: Data Security aka backup the databases.
Close DAZ Studio.
Stop the DAZ Content Management Service
Backup your databases folder. (Just copy the whole folder to a new location).
Restart the DAZ Content Management Service.

Process 2: Exporting User Data
Start DAZ Studio.
On the Content tab go to the context menu at the top corner and select Content DB Maintenance.
Check the next to last checkbox “Export User Data”.
Wait patiently.  This process can take a LONG time.  (it took my system almost 2 hours) and DAZ Studio can appear as if it is “not responding”.  Just leave it alone until it finishes.
Exit DAZ Studio

Process 3: Scary time!
Make sure DAZ Studio isn’t running.
Stop the DAZ Content Management Service
Delete the contents of the databases folder.  @_@  Yes, that’s right.  Nuke it from orbit.  kaput!  Delete, gone. ^_^
Start the DAZ Content Management Service. (You’ll note that it recreates several files in the databases folder).
Start DAZ Studio.
It will prompt you to import metadata and you’ll note it will also mention “User Files” in the list.  Make sure those are checked.
Let the import process run (it’ll run about as long as it took the export to run, maybe a little longer).
Breathe a sigh of relief as you note that almost everything appears normal.
Scan Known Directories for Files.
Breathe a sigh of frustration as you realize that, yes, some stuff didn’t make it.  This is the stuff where the corruption was (for me it was an entire tree of stuff).
Recategorize and go. 

Process 4:
Make regular backups of your DAZ CMS databases.

Thank you so much.  Scarey stuff but assuming it’s all very doable. 

Yup, just have to be patient and careful.

Export User Data only took 22 seconds for me. Does that mean I don’t have much content, or I did something wrong? It also didn’t tell me anything about where that user data export is stored. Do you know, Adam?

Ok one thing, umm where is the database folder?

User data file: If you check the log file after export it says exporting to Runtime/Support/User_Data_1.DSX

Database folder: C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D\Content Management Services\databases

Thank you Cridgit

Hmm except I go to that folder.. and it’s under it I do not see database under content management service

Found it but was in a strange place… Think Program Data rather than Program Files?  Anyway, proceeding with export now.  Is indeed going to take some time.  Thanks all. 

Ok things went mostly well except for when it got to the user files themselves.  Then the program hung up and became unresponsive.  Could the user files themselves be corrupted.  I noticed a goodly portion of my categories are missing?  Is there a way to just import in the user data files?  Thanks again for the help

All fixed, patience was the key Thank you so much. 

Re: 22 seconds: You may not have much in the way of custom data.  My custom data was spread across 3 user files totaling 66.5MB in size. ^_^;;

Re: Where it puts userdata: It puts it in the runtime\support folder of the first listed DAZ Studio Content library.  For most people that’ll be ~\My Library\Runtime\Support\  The files will be named “UserData_#.dsx” where # = 1,2,3, etc.  Each UserData_#.dsx file will fill to approximately 30MB in size if it’s full (650k lines long) before thee next UserData_#.dsx file is generated.

Re: Location: %ProgramData%\DAZ 3D\Content Management Service\databases\  will be the default location for the databases folder on a Windows Vista/Windows 7 machine. 
On OSX: it’s going to be /Users/<your username>/Documents/DAZ 3D/CMS/databases/

Re: Unresponsive.  I tried to warn ya.

LOl true, luckily remembering that saved my tush.  Thank you so much

adamr001 - 19 September 2012 07:50 AM

Re: 22 seconds: You may not have much in the way of custom data.  My custom data was spread across 3 user files totaling 66.5MB in size. ^_^;;

Re: Where it puts userdata: It puts it in the runtime\support folder of the first listed DAZ Studio Content library.  For most people that’ll be ~\My Library\Runtime\Support\  The files will be named “UserData_#.dsx” where # = 1,2,3, etc.  Each UserData_#.dsx file will fill to approximately 30MB in size if it’s full (650k lines long) before thee next UserData_#.dsx file is generated.

Re: Location: %ProgramData%\DAZ 3D\Content Management Service\databases\  will be the default location for the databases folder on a Windows Vista/Windows 7 machine. 
On OSX: it’s going to be /Users/<your username>/Documents/DAZ 3D/CMS/databases/

Re: Unresponsive.  I tried to warn ya.

Thanks. My UserData is a single file less that 2 MB. It seems like I’ve created/modified a lot of metadata, but I guess that is all relative! I don’t have lots of content yet. I’ve only been at this for a few months.

adamr001 - 18 September 2012 11:25 AM

Process 4:
Make regular backups of your DAZ CMS databases.

Having just run into problems with the cms myself(unfortunately your process didn’t help as I couldn’t get the cms to restart) and finally just gotten it working again…it strikes me that we need a thread in the beginners forum that details for new users the housekeeping they should be doing in order to not lose their database like I just did. Maybe a simple thread outlining what they should be backing up regularly and how…

cheers

Pen