When Smart Panel Listings Vanished and PostgreSQL Not Found

IceScribe

Not sure what happened. I was trying to make a "path" to an external drive. No matter what I did in the DIM, it refused to change from the default. Eventually, after a half dozen attempts, my Smart Panel listings vanished. Got the missing "PostgreSQL" error messange.  Content still in the Content Library. Tried to find solutions in DAZ forums but not quite my problem. Searching on Google found DAZ forums discussions about this problem. Some very complicated solutions were offered. Too difficult for me, can't afford another computer. I dont' normally touch the "Run" region at all. 

Essentially,  the Smart Panel relates products and other data from metadata so you can find all Generation 8 shoes you installed not knowing actual product names (which is how Content Library is set up). It runs of that PostgreSQL, so that's necessary. Why it was unfindable was strange, but I suspect the Windows updates that took place during this somehow changed the folders and paths. I tried to re-install it about 6 times. Not working. The "start CMS" button disappeared, and greyed out in the tab option.

One very helpful clue was to search for the "AppData/Roamin" file. The suggestion that helped was to go to the Run box, type in %AppData/Roaming%. (really, ,with percent signs!) Voila! I found it. But under a different path name, for some reason in my Desktop folder. I don't know, I install everything with DIM installer. But that seemed odd and, it was not there. I would find it with the Run box, but even though I could copy the file address, I could not use that in the Content Manager Box. Just not available. Until...and here's my tip to whoever has torn their hair out, too.  Have no idea why the User name is not the same as in my menu of Public and Users folders. That really peeves me. 

Do the Run search, find the Explorer search result window, look at the "ribbon of options" and find Hide/Unhide. Click on the UNHIDE option. Voila! There it appears in the New user name folder on "the Desktop" folder!!!!!! Copy the address paste to Note pad just to be handy to remember where it is. 

Thus, I was able to re-install PostgreSQL. Next go to  the Content Mangement tab, select Browse, and there was my AppData/Roaming, which I selected. Went to Content Database management, chose re-import metadata. Closed DAZ down, reopened, and held my breath. In a few seconds, there was my Content Library.  Don't know why it went awry, let's blame Updates, and so happy to have the Smart Panel. I do my own categories for many products I want to associate with each other. Happy sigh! I most sincerely hope this helps other in the same boat.

IceScribe

After all that rigamole, I watched the WP Guru, Jay Versluis, explain how to add another folder or a folder on another drive. He was careful to point out the tiny mysterious buttons with pull down menus menus in the   DAZ and the DIM panels. Just look for where those buttons are before trying to do anything. 

Make a new folder where you want to download by DIM. Call it whatever you remember. I made two folders on my external drive---1 for DAZ Products and 1 for DAZ Poser products on an external drive. Leave there, and in the DIM panel, Click on the Add, do a find (just like save as window) and click on the folder you want DIM to install to. Ok. Bink! You are done. DIM has "memorized "the path" to that folder. 

Also, if you would like to see your folders through the Content Libary, then find that tiny arrow menu, Content Database Manager, You will see an old style "tree" of folders and sub-folders. For Daz stuff, a click the plus sign, find your folder the same way as before through the explorer "save as" type window, click on your Daz folder there (other folder or other drive with folder. For Poser content, do the same thing. Accept. Bink! you are done. 

I don't even know how many confusing instructions I have waded through. It's simple, really: Save my stuff here, and find my stuff here, and load it. Paths? The Install manager actually types- up the "path"  when you point the cursor and click. I copied that and pasted into the Content Database manager. Same path, no typing errors, ready to go. According the DIM panel, up to 4 such separate paths can be made. No wondering about which way the slashes go, or C or E drives, etc. IT DOES IT, Daz makes the "path", you don't have to struggle with that. Now that's User Friendly!

I have had as bad experiences before,  as with those tutorials that "explain" how to load 3rd party products into DAZ. but don't work, too complicated and leave out some important steps.

With my external Poser folder, I can sucessfully manually add 3rd party products, or if Poser from DAZ, use the DIM to add-which I did first so it made all the Poser-necessary folders so when I did a manual install, they were there, and easy to populate. It's like my content was abducted for years! I can now see my 3rd part items in the Content Library panel, or, I can go to the vendor folder, look for the product, and drag and drop it on to my DAZ workspace. I am delighted. My computer ran out of memory with the increasing MB sizes of products, so I have had limited use. This simple "make folder" click process has opened up so much opportunity, I had to share it, and I hope it helps others. Also, I use "Category" to assign my own interest, and can find what I need by file or product, and if I plan to use that product often, I can right click, and add it to the Smart Panel.