Introduction
There are literally thousands of excellent DAZ|Studio and Poser freebies available, but getting them to actually show up in the “Load” section of DAZ|Studio can be daunting to a newcomer. This tutorial will show you how to actually SEE third party downloads in DAZ|Studio's Load screen and access them without importing, even if they lack a readme or premade runtime.
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| If you haven't already done so, create a folder for third party downloads (for example, “Studio Not Yet Installed” on your computer's Desktop) and a folder into which to install your third-party products (for example, “Studio Library” on your computer's Desktop). |
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Step 2 - Create Readme and Runtime Folders
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| Create a “Runtime” folder and a “Readme” folder in your “Studio Library” folder. Create three folders within your “Runtime” folder: “Libraries,” “Geometries,” and “Textures.” Create eight folders within your “Libraries” folder: “Camera,” “Character,” “Face,” “Hair,” “Hands,” “Lights,” “Poses,” and “Props.” |
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Step 3 - Download the Third-Party Freebie
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| Download a third-party freebie, like Amy Aimei's Qipao Version 2 for Amy for Aiko 3 (http://sharecg.com/v/21817/poser/Qipao-version-2-for-Amy-for-Aiko-3). Make sure the file downloads into your “Studio Not Yet Installed” folder. |
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Step 4 - Add Studio Library Runtime to DAZ|Studio Poser Content
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| Open DAZ|Studio. Choose “Edit” “Preferences” “Directories.” A pull-down menu defaults to “DAZ|Studio Content Directories.” Click the arrow to select “Poser Content Directories.” Click “Add...” and select your “Studio Library” folder. This will tell DAZ|Studio to display Poser content within your “Studio Library” folder. |
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Step 5 - Extract the Downloaded File
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| Right click on your third-party download's .zip file and choose “Extract All” from the menu. Allow the third-party download to extract into its default folder (the one it suggests, typically “Studio Not Yet Installed\Freebiesnamehere”). For example, Amy's Qipao unzips into C:\Users\Tim\Desktop\Studio Not Yet Installed\AmyQipao3 unless you specify another folder. |
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Step 6 - Merge the Download's Runtime with your Studio Library Runtime
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| If the third-party download has a “Runtime” folder within its folder (Amy's Qipao does, for example), move its runtime into your “Studio Library” folder. Windows will ask you if you want to merge the newly-unzipped runtime with the existing runtime. Let it. (If you're running a Mac, you'll want to transfer the sub-folders manually). If the download includes a readme file, move it into your “readme” folder. If the runtime's readme is named generically (many of them are called “readme.txt”), rename it to describe the product. |
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Step 7 - Find the Download in DAZ|Studio
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| Open DAZ|Studio. Your new Studio Library runtime will show up next to the default “Content” and “Studio” runtimes in DAZ|Studio's “Load” area, and Aiko's new Qipao dress should be there, right under “Figures.” |
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Step 8 - What if the Freebie Doesn't Include a Runtime?
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| If the download has all of the necessary components (.obj for geometries, .jpg for texture, .png for thumbnails, .pp2, rsr, and/or cr2 for the library), but doesn't have them arranged in a runtime, you can still integrate it into DAZ|Studio. Download (into your “Studio Not Yet Installed” folder) Tentman's “Geta for Freak,” a pair of Japanese-style sandals for DAZ's Freak (available at http://www.sharecg.com/v/11515/poser/Geta-for-Freak). Unzip the download and look at the files. Since tentman's geta includes .obj, .jpg, .png, and .cr2 files, you can make it work (if it included a .pp2 and .rsr file instead of a .cr2, it would also work). |
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Step 9 - Constructing a Runtime for your Download: Libraries
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| Create a folder in your “Studio Library\Runtime\Libraries\Character” folder, and name it something descriptive. You can choose fr_geta, tentman, or (if you don't speak Japanese and worry that you won't remember what “geta” are) “Freak Sandals.” Move the .png thumbnail and the .cr2 file into this folder. |
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Step 10 - Constructing Runtime folders for your Download: Textures and Geometries
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| You will also need to create new folders in your “Studio Library\Runtime\Geometries” and “Studio Library\Runtime\Textures” folders. Most of the time, your download's readme file will tell you what you need to name these new folders. For example, the Geta for Freak readme says to create a \tentman folder in your “Studio Library\Runtime\Geometries” folder, and to place the fr_geta.obj file in that folder. The sub-folder within the “Studio Library\Runtime\Textures” folder can be named anything, according to the readme, and the fr_geta.jpg texture goes into it. |
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Step 11 - What if the Freebie Has Neither a Runtime Nor a Readme?
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| If the readme is absent or doesn't tell you what to name the new Geometries and Textures sub-folders, simply name them anything you want (for this example, call them Freak Sandals), move the appropriate files into them, and then open DAZ|Studio. Your new Studio Library runtime will show up next to the default “Content” and “Studio” runtimes in DAZ|Studio's “Load” area, and the Freak's geta will have joined Aiko's Qipao in the “Figures” section. Click on the Freak's Sandals. DAZ|Studio will attempt to load them, but instead will display an error message such as this one: 'Cannot find a file for “Runtime/Geometries/tentman/fr_geta.obj”.' |
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| Choose “Stop Asking” and shut down DAZ|Studio. Then go into your “Studio Library\Runtime\Geometries” folder and rename your “Freak Sandals” folder to “tentman,” the folder the error message requested. Start DAZ|Studio and attempt to load the Freak's Sandals again. This time they'll load smoothly and flawlessly. |
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