PowerPose is fundamentally broken

Faux2D

I am trying to create a custom PowerPose set. Here are the issues I've encountered

- "Edit Template" option does not work. Any input placed in the fields do not get saved, nor do they affect anything within the current session of the program.

- Changing the background image does not work. Though this is because the "Edit Template" option does not work. Replacing the files within the installation folder for Daz for the background will cause them to change. This is a workaround, not a fix.

- "Delete a Template" does not work. There are 3 basic templates: Body, Head, Hands. If you add a third, let's say "Face" and then wish to remove it using the "Delete a Template" option it does not work because it only shows the basic 3: Body, Head, Hands. The 3 can indeed be deleted but any extra template cannot be gotten rid of.

- "Delete Point" does not work. If you right click on a node point, either existing or newly created, it deletes it. But if you then click at all within the PowerPose tab the whole program crashes. If you use the "Delete Point" command, then change tabs and use the program as usual it works just fine. Only if you return to the PowerPose tab and click within its panel does the program crash.

- "New Set" does not work. I don't know how to accurately explain it, but it acted differently after any change. Sometimes the new Set would appear. Sometimes it would not. Sometimes the background images don't change. Sometimes it would reference files that are non-existent. Sometimes it will override a non-existent file with another blank non-existent file. Sometimes it would tease me and run as it should. Sometimes it would run as it should but take a really long time between switching the Body/Head/Hands templates. Sometimes it asks me if I want to overwrite a non existent file from within a non-existent folder, from within a non-existent folder from withing a non-existent folder (and it keeps going like this, I kid you not).

- editing the "Base (Generic)" Template Set does not work. If modified then use the "Save As" command, then use the Type as "Base" (not "Add-On") it does not modify the base files from Daz's installation folder but it does save it in my Documents\DAZ 3D\Studio\My Library\Tools\PowerPose folder. So far so good, I edit the template, I hit "Save As", I hit overwrite on all the dialog boxes, I exit Daz, I restart Daz, I go to the PowerPose tab and see that my changes have indeed been saved. I kept adding nodes but at some point when I retarted Daz some nodes disappeared. If I enter "Edit Mode" the nodes reappear. I checked the .DSX file and saw that the nodes are indeed present there, I just don't see them when not in "Edit Mode". The I see that the disappearing nodes within Daz are blank. They reference no node on the figure and it won't even let me edit their properties. I check the .DSX file again and I see the PowerPose nodes are referencing the appropiate nodes on the figure.

 

I tried looking for some resources on PowerPose but to no avail. What I found was sparse and of no help. This tells me that nobody uses this featre much which is why they didn't bother fixing the bugs. It's a shame because it's an excellent feature.

Faux2D

Update.

 

I deleted all files including the TEMP folder and started from scratch. It does appear to have solved the issues I was having, though I did encounter some new ones along the way.

From what I was able to deduce the PowerPose needs two folders to function: 

C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D\DAZStudio4\plugins\PowerPose ---- here are the basic files with the dll itself, including the dsx files

C:\Documents\DAZ 3D\Studio\My Library\Tools\PowerPose ----- here is where Daz references for the modified dsx files.

Both folder have the following files: genHead.dsx, genHands.dsx, genBody.dsx, Templates.dsx, bipedDynamics.dsx, plus the background image files but those aren't really that important. Though they are named the same these files do not have the same structure and both are needed for PowerPose to work properly. 

So whatever you do do not mess with the "C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D\DAZStudio4\plugins\PowerPose" folder. Leave it as is.

When modifying a tempalte within Daz hit "Save As" then save it in "C:\Documents\DAZ 3D\Studio\My Library\Tools\PowerPose". Do not save it as "Add-On", save it as "Base" when the dialog pops up in Daz. If there is no "C:\Documents\DAZ 3D\Studio\My Library\Tools\PowerPose" folder just save it in "C:\Documents\DAZ 3D\Studio\My Library\Tools\" and Daz will create the necessary folder itself. Do not start creating folder by yourself in Explorer, let Daz do it otherwise you'll get some trippy errors.

When deleting a node do not do it within Daz, open a text editor (I recommend Notepad++) and open the appropriate template like genBody.dsx. Search for the node you want deleted then just erase everything between the lines of code <node_data> (...) </node_data>, including the lines themselves.

Catherine3678ab

Fundamentally broken, well when trying to move limbs with it that is the impression I get too.

Years back there were a few of us who did a lot of work hashing out new templates and whatnot. With the newer figures the twist bone presented challenges which these newer templates presumably address. Years back, yes one did have to make changes in the program's folder so it wouldn't surprize me that still one might have to depending upon what you're trying to do. It will be replaced though everytime one updates their program so backing up work is rather important.

Concept is one has Figures A-Z each calling for a particular template. If a different template is required for Figure E, then extra template for E is made plus the caller for E is adjusted to point it to the relevant template. We never messed with the drivers! Also there were not 2 special folders before so me just waiting awhile before trying to remake Horse templates etc.

Placing, naming, etc. nodes ... hopefully they've improved this ... if too close together on the template there would be overlap issues when trying to use them. Bones had to be [logical] in order placed. If missing a bone crashes are going to happen. If connecting the wrong bones together, ditto.

And of course there were a few other minor work a-round issues to cope with the operating system guarding stuff.

Curious, what's the custom PowerPose set for?

Faux2D

Catherine3678ab said:

 

Curious, what's the custom PowerPose set for?

I created a custom figure and want to add puppetry control to it like one would do in Maya.

From what you're saying PowerPose does seem to have improved somewhat. So far the workarounds do seem to make it work properly.

Catherine3678ab

fuzzums_wuzzums_b2d044dcdb said:

Catherine3678ab said:

 

Curious, what's the custom PowerPose set for?

I created a custom figure and want to add puppetry control to it like one would do in Maya.

From what you're saying PowerPose does seem to have improved somewhat. So far the workarounds do seem to make it work properly.

Oh okay, that makes sense. Working properly, that's the aim of the game! :-)

Those Things

For what it's worth, I loooooooooove Power Pose. I use it constantly. 

hookflash

Those Things said:

For what it's worth, I loooooooooove Power Pose. I use it constantly. 

Same here! I always assumed it was just a gimmick, but when I started messing around with it I realized it drastically speeds up certain aspects of posing (e.g., getting a smooth curve through the spine & neck, etc.)

nicstt

Works great for me.