Moving Content to new hard drive help!
Hello.
I was hoping to move my content (all the stuff, figures, props, etc) to an exterior and portable hard-drive so I can save space on my laptop.
Is it a good idea? Is it safe? And how can this be done?
I supose it is not as simple as changing the content directory path. And I surely do not want to loose all my stuf.
Currently I am already copying all the MyLibrary content (Runtime and other stuf in there) to the said hard-drive so I have a back.up.
I use Daz3d 64bit Windows 7.
If there is already an answer to this questions please just post the link and I'm sorry if I repeat the question.
Thanks in advance!
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Comments
You can move your content to another drive, yes, and it is usually as simple as telling DAZ Studio what the new path is in the Content Directory Manager.
Move the entire 'My Library' folder intact to the new drive, and change the paths inside DS for both DS and Poser content, and you should be OK.
If you are using a folder called My Library, it looks like you are not using DIM (DAZ Install Manager), but I will ask anyway, are you using DIM?
Do you use Smart Content, if so, then you may need to reimport metadata once you have the Content Library set up.
~Thanks for the fast reply.
I do not use DIM no. And I use 90% Poser content. I only use to install in the Poser content.
What about the .duf files I have. When I load them will they automathically get the content in the new path I made? Should I not worry about that?
The DUF files use relative addressing like Poser does as far as I remember, so there should be no problem there. The DUF file will look for content in the same library as the DUF file itself is in, in other words
The thing is my .duf files are not in the same folder as My Library is. But I suposse if I change the My Library folder's path the .duf files will look into the new folder right?
Do the saved DUF files open correctly now? If so, there shouldn't be a problem I don't think, most of the textures for DAZ 3D models in DUF format are kept inside the Runtime/Textures folder
Where do you have the DUF files saved to? The best thing to do, would be to try this out before you remove the content from the original drive, and see if any problems crop up.
Previously both Poser and Daz content was mapped in C:/Users/me/Documents/DAZ 3D/Studio/My Library and I changed both to F:/DAZ 3D/Studio/My Library, the new hard-drive I meant earlier.
With that back-up, and another in my D: drive, I deleted the C:/Users/me/Documents/DAZ 3D/Studio/My Library folder confidently.
When I started DAZ all the content is now missing, with a yellow "!", indicating that it cannot open the file because not located in C:/Users/me/Documents/DAZ 3D/Studio/My Library/etc..
Waht have I missed? What can I do?
That must be the Smart Content pane that you are looking at, I did mention that earlier?
Can you see your content in the Content Library pane, and did you change the paths in the Content directory Manager?
If so, if you use the drop-down menu at the top right of the Content Library pane, then select 'Content DB Maintenance', and then 'Re-import MetaData' that may bring it back.
Silly me! I was checking in the Categories instead of the Daz or Poser Formats...
Everything seems fine in those 2 Formats folders, and I managed to load 2 .duf files successfully (wich I have saved in a folder on my desktop).
The issue seems to be with the Categories only (which is less dramatic) and it makes kinda sense.
But is there any easy and fast way to reconfigure the Categories paths (that lead to the previous mapped directory) or do I need to recategorize everything again?
Before you finally delete the files from your C drive, you should run DAZ Studio, and use the drop-down menu in the Content Library pane, select 'Content DB Maintenance' and then tick the box marked 'Export User Data'
This exports a file for you, that saves any Categories that you created yourself, and it can be loaded again when you have moved your content so that the information will not be lost. The default Categories (ones that you did NOT create) will be populated using the Metadata as usual.
It is getting late here now, and I have to go, but there will be others along shortly who may know a lot more about this whole moving drives thing than I do. If you don't get this sorted out by the morning, I will see what I can do to help more.
Thanks for your hints, that helped surely!
Sorry again, but after I clicked "Export User Data" a window appeared with saving progress but it didn't told me where the file went. Where do I load it from?
If you go to the Content DB Maintenance menu, and select Re-Import Metadata, User Data is the very first option on the screen that appears. You can uncheck All Products if you don't need that.
I am not sure where the file itself is stored nowadays, but reimport metadata knows where it is.
Just tried that. Didn't work out.
I figured that if I do "edit base path" for each model individually it works but that is a lot of configuration ahead...
I haven't forgotten about you, and I am trying to get someone else to help.
Hang on there for a short while.
Thank you for your help and efforts!
Just so I'm clear, it's categories you created yourself that are the problem, not ones from store products? If you right-click on one of the items that shows a yellow triangle, there should be an option to correct the base path to your new location and apply it to everything that had the old path.
That's exactly that. I tried that "All files using this base path" and nothing happened. I'm currently doing it for each item individually which is horribily time consuming...
If you add the old paths back in Content Directory Manager (and copy back so it's in both locations, if it's no longer in the old path), then you should be able to Export User Data. Then remove the old paths and re-import metadata.
Are you sure that the content is in the same relative location within the content directory? if not the bit after the base path will be different, and so updating the base path won't help.
I tried this and it did not go as smoothly as I expected. I changed the path in the DIM and I uninstalled from my hard drive and reinstalled my library onto a large flashdrive to save space. I have not deleted anything yet. Daz is not showing my content. I'm guessing I need to re-link it but could not figure out how. Can someone show me the way?
You need to go to Edit > Preferences > Content Library > Content Directory Manager, and enter the new paths there for BOTH Poser and DAZ Studio Formats. You may need to reimport metadata as well if Smart Content doesn't work, but changing the paths should allow DAZ Studio to see the items in the Content Library pane.
Thank you, it worked!