Batch metadata creation for installed content?
Karibou
Posts: 1,325
I've recently developed a growing appreciation for SmartContent -- though it's a love/hate thing at present. I am admittedly not wise in the ways of metadata and only managed to migrate all my SmartContent from my old computer to my new one by keeping all drive paths the same and then manually copying all of the database and application data from the old PC to the new one. (Didn't matter how many times I wiped the database, re-downloaded metadata through DS or through DIM -- everything remained gray until I manually copied and pasted all old database files.) It's all working now, but I am frustrated with how cumbersome the process was.
And so here is my biggest problem... I have a LOT of old content and non-Daz content that lacks metadata/SmartContent entries. I've found many tutorials and the Content Package Assist program (https://www.daz3d.com/content-package-assist) by DoctorJellybean, but I still feel like creating SmartContent by either of these methods will take forever. And, in the case of the Content Package Assist script, I don't have zip files for all of my content anymore (there's just too much of it.) According to my comprehensive RRRR database, I have over 4,000 non-Daz pieces of content, plus all the Daz content that predates metadata. I don't need SmartContent entries for ALL of this, but even if I just wanted 1/10th of it, that would be FOUR HUNDRED pieces of content that require metadata creation.
Is there a (non-ridiculously-time-consuming) way to batch-generate metadata for products that lack it, or should I just give up? Please remember... I am admittedly not wise in the ways of metadata, so be kind with your suggestions and explanations. Assume I know nothing -- I probably know nothing! I wish there was a script that could walk through set of un-zipped directories and generate metadata/dump all content into a single content folder to be sorted later. It sounds like the Content Package Assist program might do this with zip installers, so it would be useful going forward, but offers me absolutely no hope for creating metadata/Smart Content for items that are already installed.
Ugh.
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Comments
That is a resounding NO. There is no tools for that or I would have bought them. Daz the company may have some tool to make this happen for their products but these are their own tools. This is somthing desperatly needed to be built into Daz Studio. Just hunting down where something is a chore if you have a huge library. I use a searchable written database, you can create your own using a computer database of your choosing. The problem for me is that most of our 3D collection is bloated with sexy fluff. I am not trying to insult the creators of this stuff but sex sells. Consequently, too much of the stuff in our collections are sexy this, or sexy that, and very few useful items and enviroments. Most of the time I have to modify or make my own if I need something. Then I add to my ever growing database broken down by figure and gender and setting and time period ect. I would like to see enhanced tools for creating metadata for secondary stuff added to daz library as smart content and a way back up easy via usb pen drive.
*sigh* I was afraid of that. I sure wish someone would develop a tool to help that. It's the only thing that literally drives me crazy in DS.
And amen to the always-sifting-through-skimpwear-fluff issue. I have thankfully ALWAYS been anal about installing content so that I can find it when I'm doing it myself, plus I also maintain my own searchable database. I have separate runtimes for each of my Gen4 characters and within them, I have always immediately relocated library files to organized folders (like "pose/fighting/fantasy weapons") after install. This helps with old content that is in Poser directories and lacks metadata or SmartContent. I do the same for all Poser-format environments/settings/props. As for Studio libraries, Daz itself does a decent job of maintaining basic conventions in their library structure (e.g., My Library/People/Genesis 3 Female/Clothing) but any content sold outside the Daz marketplace is erratic. And I NEVER know where to find scenery/buildings/props in the Studio libraries -- their location varies widely. A sword might be in the clothing set it was sold with as a wearable, it might be in the poses that came with that sword, or it might just be in the My Library/Props folder. SmartContent makes all that sooooo much easier... when it exists.
Given the inconsistencies we find in the metadata - I don't think DAZ has any automation for this at all, just the same clumsy multi-step process built into Studio that we get to use. I've got umpty-gazillion things I'd like much better data definitions for, but doing one item at a time stinks to the point I don't even want to start.
^^^^ That. ^^^^
Is it wrong that I've considered trying to find a poor college student I could pay to do this for me, lol??
I think you may be aiming too high - I've been thinking about finding a high-school student who has a high tolerance for a really boring process with persnickety accuracy requirements. Probably couldn't afford the charges after the kid sees what it involves.
Ha ha ha>>>This is horrible, and I should know because this thought has crossed my mind too many times. You would think that this would be something that would be on someone's todo list for our scripter's and programmers. I believe that this should be the most sought after update to the new version of Daz studio if they add new freatures. I don't believe anyone out there would complain about easy to use tools for working and saving metadata in studio.