If using connect - possible to make back ups of bought products?
cosmo71
Posts: 3,609
Is it possible to make back ups of bought products on external HDs if using connect and is it also possible with encrypted products? Can we install DS 4.9 on a new machine and use these products without any problems? Or what do we have to do to use these things on a second or new machine. I plan to buy a new one in the near future I think.
Can we make a back up of installed content if it is encrypted? Can we use it on another machine if we just installed DS4.9 on it without being online? Means if DS4.9 is installed without the content but works and I go offline and install the backed up content, can I use it or do I have to go online to use it? If this is the case all this sucks totally. What happens if DAZ goes to hell someday? Will that mean that we were never able to use such products on new machines?????
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I hope I can answer a few questions (I have been using the beta for a few months). There seem to be a lot of different ways to use 4.9 so it is tricky to generalize so I can only talk about how I use the program. You can save backups of all of your purchases from DIM (download but don't install and save them forever if you like); I also save incremental backups of my computer and drives so if I had a catastrophic crash I could restore from there. I also have another computer which I did a clean install of 4.9 and just installed the assets I needed after authorizing once. In the preferences of Daz Studio, there is a setting, Content Library Mananger, where you can tell Daz Studio what drives you want your content to be on, where you want the Connect data to be on etc... If you have custom organization, do export a copy of your metadata! If Daz goes away, there is apparently a poison pill which decrypts everything but reallistically this is nothing happening soon and we will have bigger things to worry about than that. So far, we haven't seen anything major that is being interfered with: vendors are still making products, people are still altering textures, morphing shapes, making geografts and clones etc... Daz would prefer that you keep your archival backups from the download or DIM sources and save a copy of your metadata while meanwhile keeping that sensible backup of your working computer if that answers your question...
1. Right now I make back ups from the downloaded zip files from the DIM on external HDs.
2. I have made also back ups from all older product installers I have ever bought at DAZ
3. I make back ups from time to time of my installed content folders (public documents and documents) with the original folder name like "My Daz3 Library", "DAZ 3D" which includes studio 3 (back from DS3 times)
so I guess to copy and paste the folders of the installed content back from an external HD to my machine after a crash or something like that should work, right?
everyone is tallking about a back up of metadata , well what do I have to back up for that???
"Export User Data
If you have made your own metadata for content so that it will show up in the Smart Content Pane, you can back it up. Check the box for 'Export User Data' and press 'Accept.' This will save a file on your hard drive with these settings. This is good if you need to change to a different computer setup or if you need to reset and re-import your database. The information will be written here: ...My Library\runtime\Support\UserData_1.dsx. " When people say they are making thir categories, I hope they are doing something like this rather than just making a chopped salad of the actual non-user facing files since even they can't reconstruct that after a crash...
Have had a look at smart content (never used it) there are just the original folders in it, selfmade folders I have done are not, also are some files missing, like some stonemason files I have installed and other things, so smart content is nothing I will use if I have to look elsewhere for some files I can look for all files elsewhere.
Truthfully, if I had a major disaster or wanted to start from scratch, I would and did install Daz studio 4.9, login to Daz Connect, install products as needed, every once in a while install vintage stuff that I forgot about, make art.... My stuff from other stores would be manually reinstalled, and I would use the built-in way to create categories so that the updating system would work. Properly installed, Smart Content works really with new products, it becomes trivial to tell the store when there is a fault in a problem rather than each person digging through the file systen on their own so nothing gets fixed until someone remembers to issue a ticket. I mention very gingerly that one might browse through some of the other Daz software forums to note that there are plans to have Daz's other software play nicely with Daz Studio.
Personally, I am kind of avoiding the forums right now since the intensity of emotion seems to be seems to be producing more heat than light... As always, take a deep breath, proceed calmly, and remember that you have a community who wants to help you enjoy your software.
also render settings on the smart content. there are just the Iray render settings shown, not 3Delight what I use, so smart content I don`t need.
Okay, if I buy a new machine and install DS4.9 on it shall this mean I have to install all stuff new? How many weeks should that last? I have made back ups of my installed content folders "My Daz3D Libraray" (public documents) and DAZ 3D (documents) I use in DS4.8 right now, can I use these backed ups folders? Can I copy these folders from my external HD for example to my new machine? Will DS4.9 will have "My Daz3 Library" and also "DAZ 3D" as content folders so I can copy my backed up folders to these folders?
I suspect that should work fine... I tend to hoard so I use times like this to think about whether I am confusing myself with an abundance of stuff... I think clean installs have their place though... if only to remind that plug-ins get updates..
Has DS 4.9 these folders from scratch? (My DAZ 3D Library and DAZ 3D)
I think it does... I should mention, if you have a computer than never sees the internet, submit a ticket and Daz work with you so that you can use your content.
well right now I have not so much good experience with the DAZ Support I must say. One issue I have mailed them some month ago for the first time and last week or so they answered me, install DS4.9 in this version of DS the problem is fixed. Great. That is also a way to spread out the new software. It was a SubD Algo issue and they have asked me which product SubD Algo "catmull clark - legacy" is. "Catmull clark - legacy" is not a product, it is a SubD Algo option in DS Studio, seems they do not know their own software.
They are being hammered right now since they have launched new figures, a new software, Daz Connect etc... As people calm down and things settle down, they should get caught up... Truthfully, I have had great experiences but this is like driving at rush hour right now.
The thing is I was angry after they have stopped producing products for V4 and M4 and I had my problems with G3F and have written a lot of stuff here at the forums because of the not so accurate mesh desing of G3F (which is fact - mesh and morphs do not corresponding well) and now, after spending an amount of money, I have my G3F character working well and looking good and I was close to spread out big commendations and then DAZ came up with 4.9 and connect and encryption.
BTW, the character in the image below is not a G3F it is a V4
I think the waning sales for V4 and M4 lead to the waning number of products. Other competing stores are starting to make a lot less stuff for the characters too; technology never stands still. Think of thse figures as you think of your computer... a technology that is still evolving. God help us if we are still thinking of what we have as state of the art in five years... It is very hard to freeze a technology... I had an incident at work involving the emailof my boss; she had an IT guy who recommended that she upgrade her OS. I nearl shouted "yes, please" because it would have solved many problems.... embrace change!
No doubt about that, and I was not really angry about the fact they stop selling, I was angry that what ever you try that you will never get a V4 character like "Dixie" on which I have worked real long to a G3F and that the G3F looks the same and that you also can`t use most of the clothing. If it comes to panties for exampe and skirts you can do what you want and use what you want on they will not work accurate. That was the main reason for my anger, that you can`t use a lot of your old content.
I have been around since poserette through Victoria 1, 2, 3 , 4, 5, 6, and 7. I think of the content like children's clothes... you use them for time (months and years) and then you move on... Can Dixie who is a V4 just have friends who are G3F's and G3M's? I have friends who have size 28 and 38 waists and I can't wear their clothes but it is fine that they can?