DS not finding Poser (V4) files in Runtime/Textures

Hi,

I recently added Victoria 4.2 and downloaded and installed lots of 3rd-party clothes, etc. The textures for these outfits typically get installed into [My Library]/Runtime/Textures. Even though I have added [My Library] through the Content Manager (the path is actually C:/Merged/My DAZ Library) to both my DAZ Studio Formats and Poser Format library locations, those textures are not showing up anywhere in my Content Library. I can't find them manually, and Search (either File or Database) can't, either. Sometimes, when I try to add an item, I get a File Not Found, Locate/Skip? dialog box. When I do, I can navigate to the [Library]/Runtime/Textures... location and apply it manually.

I tried using Content Manager to add the Runtime/Textures directory separately to Poser Formats, but it refused, saying that location was already mapped.

So what's up? Why is DS unable to find stuff in the Runtime/Textures directory? I've Googled this for two days with no relevant results, so I call upon the collected wisdom of the DS community for assistance.

Thanks.

Comments

  • You shouldn't see the Texturs folder in the Content Librarya t all, if that's what you are saying. Being able to do so would indicate an issue with your paths.

  • ExFidoExFido Posts: 17

    Then how do I find and apply different textures to clothes, etc.? They don't seem to show up under Materials, Poses, Figures, Props, or anywhere else I'm looking.

    For example, I have the Babydoll nightie by Pusey Designs. The nightie itself appears under "Poser Formats | My DAZ 3D Library | Figures" (for some reason). There are also a bunch of textures on the hard drive under Runtime/Textures/Pusey Designs, but I can't figure out how to find or apply them in DS.

  • SixDsSixDs Posts: 2,384

    The nightie shows up under Figures because it is a .cr2 file. The fact that it is not a human figure doesn't matter - all .cr2 files are classed as figures no matter what they are.

    As for applying the textures, they are applied using material presets that come with the nightie package. They are in DAZ Studio format (.dsb), so are found there, rather than under Poser formats. Specifically. look for them under DAZ Studio formats > "your library name" > Presets > Materials > Pusey Designs > V4 Babydoll textures

  • ExFidoExFido Posts: 17

    Thank you, SixDs! That was, indeed, its location. Although why it was installed under DAZ Format instead of Poser, where it installed everything else, is beyond me. (As is most of the file management stuff, apparently.)

    However, that was the ONLY thing in the Preset folder. I have many other items whose textures I still can't find. For example, I have a set of clothes called "Schoolgirl Outfit III." There are a number of files under Runtime/Textures/3D Age that would allow me to change the color and designs of the clothes, but damned if I can find them anywhere in the Content Library. Any help here?

    This is horrifyingly confusing for newbies (at least this one). It seems every time I install something new, I have to go digging through the Library looking for it. Sometimes it's where I expect, often not. Or I find the item with no problem, but not the textures. Other times, they show up exactly where I would expect. Sometimes (rarely) Search will find items; other times not, even when I type in the exact file name and search the File system.

    Maybe there is an overarching rhyme/reason to it all, or maybe each vendor does it "their way," but I find it a bit maddening. I've taken to Categorizing everything according to my way of thinking, and it's so much easier. However, I can't categorize something I can't find.
     

  • ExFidoExFido Posts: 17

    Still trying to find an answer to this. I've got a massive Runtime/Textures folder but I can find very, very few of the elements within it in my Content Library.

    I'm still acquiring hair, clothes, props, etc. that are placing textures in that folder, but those textures aren't showing up anywhere (that I can find) in the Content Library. I gotta think it's some kind of Content Managment path issue, but damned if I can figure out what.

    For example, I have Femalehair, by wlosymale, which loads under Poser | Props | femalehair in my Library. In the hard drive directory Runtime/Textures, I find a directory called Femalehair with a set of some dozen textures, including alpha and blond. When I load the hair from the Props section of my Library onto V4, the hair loads properly, using the blond texture. Looking into the femalehair.pp2 file, I see that that it's using the "blond" textureMap and "alpha" transparencyMap located at that location. So where are the other 11 textures? None of them show up in my Content Library. Is there some hidden pane or subfolder or something for textures that I'm not seeing?

    Could someone please help me figure this out?
     

  • WilmapWilmap Posts: 2,917

    The reason the textures for the babydoll under Daz format is because they are made for Daz. They are not Poser format because I don’t have Poser and couldn’t make the textures in that format at that time.

    sorry if you are confused but that is a very old item.

  • MelanieLMelanieL Posts: 7,148

    With Poser format content you will normally find the means to change textures as "MAT Poses" which will be found under Poser Formats - Pose - [some name or other] <= the name of this folder will depend on the person who created the content. If you are lucky there will be a ReadMe which will tell you exactly where.

    If the content is purely made for Poser then there will just be .pz2 files and you will often need to use the Surfaces Tab in DAZ Studio to adjust the settings to get a good result for rendering.

    If you are lucky then the creator may have created DS settings too. These can be in two places:

    • in the same folder as the .pz2 files (probably called .ds) and DAZ Studio will automatically apply these if you click on that MAT Pose
    • separately (like Wilmap/Pusey Designs and many in-store products) under DAZ Studio Formats - again a ReadMe should tell you where. These may be .ds or .dsb or .duf files but all will do a similar job.
  • SixDsSixDs Posts: 2,384

    There really was a rationale for it all in the beginning, of course. But things were much simpler then. As the amount and types of content increased, the issue of what belongs where also increased, and things sometimes were left up to the content creator. So we find the Poses category being home to a variety of content other than actual poses, as one example. There really is no solution other than gaining familiarity with the vagaries of the system. My failsafe approach whenever I find myself unable to locate a product I'm looking for is to head to my main repository on my file server, find the original .zip archive, open it up and see where things have been placed in the original package. Not something one wants to do all the time, and usually I am able to locate what I'm looking for by going after the usual suspects. Of course some folks have resorted to custom categories to solve the problem, and if you have the time and discipline it is difficult to argue that that is not the way to go. But that is also something that requires a fundamental knowledge of the DAZ and Poser content libraries and their vagaries to begin with.

  • ExFidoExFido Posts: 17

    Thanks for the info. I figured there are a lot of legacy issues involved. I did, in fact, set up categories for virtually everything (a big pain), but things are so much easier now! I wish I could move Categories to the top of the pane, or have it open by default.

    I guess there isn't a good solution for my original problem. I'll have to figure out a way to remember when certain textures have to be manually applied via the Surfaces tab, and where to find them.

    Thanks again.

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    What do you mean move your categories to the top of the pane? I have a huge custom category system and its listed directly under the content library tab. Its at the end of the menu (the fifth item down - mine goes

    Daz Studio Formats

    Poser Formats

    Other Import Formats

    Products

    Categories - this is where my custom categories are. Super easy to find.  Are yours listed differently?

  • ExFidoExFido Posts: 17

    Right, I'd like it to be:

    Categories

    Daz Studio Formats

    Poser Formats

    Other Import Formats

    Products

    No big deal, but often DS opens with one of the others expanded, and I have to scroll to the bottom, click Catagories, then click Default, scroll some more, then click Figures, etc. etc. I'd just prefer to have Catagories at the top. Like I said, though, no biggie.

     

  • The Files tab of Smart Content works (pretty much) like Categories if you uncheck Filter By Context

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548
    ExFido said:

    Right, I'd like it to be:

    Categories

    Daz Studio Formats

    Poser Formats

    Other Import Formats

    Products

    No big deal, but often DS opens with one of the others expanded, and I have to scroll to the bottom, click Catagories, then click Default, scroll some more, then click Figures, etc. etc. I'd just prefer to have Catagories at the top. Like I said, though, no biggie.

     

    That's odd, mine doesn't do that...

  • ExFidoExFido Posts: 17

    I'm guessing it's because that's the configuration I probably had it in when I closed it. I wish I could force Categories in a "sticky open" state! 

    New problem: some things won't Categorize. I hope that doesn't mean I have a corrupted database.

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