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What is the best proper tool for easy editing DUF and DSF material files?

wargiswargis Posts: 146
in The Commons

A little question about Dimension3D and other possible DUF\DSF editors. Is there any tool, suitable for lazy persons like me :-) to edit DUF and DSF files easy and fast - I mean if I need to replace 3-4 links to texture maps in, say, Genesis material preset files. And the same problem with references in any morph and character DSFs.  Yes, I know, it might be done in a plain text editor, but when the file is large and look entangled, I often make a heap of mistakes when doing Find\Replace and miss many important details. For example, I converted G3F texture maps to G2F (had such a strange idea) and need to convert G3F material preset to G2F now and their surfaces differ very much - G3F's Eye socket (Face Map) correspond to G2F Lacrimals  (Eyes Map) and Arms\Legs need to be replaced with a single map for Limbs and all links to the maps must be replaced too. I tested a straightforward way - to apply G3F preset on her and replace links within DAZ Studio, but it won't work on G2F. The file when opened in a text editor look very long and complicated and contain important shader information, so I hate to spoil it accidentally (made it several times) and have to scrutinize it for long. So far results of such manual editing are not very nice for me.
I feel I need a tool like Dimension 3D, but there are a bunch of tools (never used them before) - do I need DSON Editor of File Reference editor, are they capable of such a task? Generally speaking, it should be a well-known problem already - people learned how to convert texures, but material and shader presets must be converted too.

Comments

  • SzarkSzark Posts: 10,634

    You tried Notepad ++ https://notepad-plus-plus.org/

  • wargiswargis Posts: 146

    Thanks, but I look for something more visual, I tried many text editors and stopped now at Bred3, but contents of DSF files look pretty much the same in all text editors. As far as I can judge by Dimension3D screencaps, his tools are more handy, but I don't know what to buy for my specific needs.

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 108,329

    If you want a visual editor for material (or shader) presets why not just use the Surfaces pane in DS itself, then save a new file?

  • wargiswargis Posts: 146

    I used Surfaces Panel recently for my first converted G3M texture set, but with such mismatched textures it will take rather long  to replace manually all eye textures, all faces with make-up, bodies with tattoos etc. and do it carefully to keep all shader info. So far I tested Blender conversion on one base G3M texture set and one custom character set and can say that remaking DUFs can be even more wearisome than even manual editing textures in Photoshop. So I'm looking now for semi-automatic faster solution. Text editors help too, but for simpler MATs like eyelashes and torso.

  • FistyFisty Posts: 3,416

    2nd recomendation for notepad++, you can search and replace all at once in as many files as it can open at a time, I've only done about 40 at a time but it's only really limited by how large the files are and how beefy your computer is.

  • Cris PalominoCris Palomino Posts: 12,538

    If anyone comes into the thread and is on Mac, I wholeheartedly recommend BareBones BBEdit.

  • LorraineLorraine Posts: 900

    3rd recommendation for Notepad ++. I'm not experienced with editing but I've managed to edit a few duf files in it...and they worked afterward! Was most chuffed. 

  • Midnight_storiesMidnight_stories Posts: 4,112

    Notepad ++     +1

  • RenomistaRenomista Posts: 921

    As alternative to Notepad++ (very good Program) I would recommend UltraEdit (Even Better Program)

  • Kendall SearsKendall Sears Posts: 2,995
    use 'vim'. There isn't anything that can't be done in there with respect to working with file internals. :D Kendall
  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 18,762

    Oh, I'll download vi for Windows. Forgot it existed.

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001

    If Vi/vim can't do it...it can't be done.

  • Midnight_storiesMidnight_stories Posts: 4,112

    Vim is ok but prefer Notepad++ interface a bit more modern !

  • kitakoredazkitakoredaz Posts: 3,526

    Json editor,,, I usulaly use it,, but,, sometimes,, if you edit value with Trees view much,, I feel the order somehow change. then I can  not guarantee,, .

    without test it.

    http://tomeko.net/software/JSONedit/

    and,, the programmer of this tool is really cooperative,, then if you find some problem with dson files,, send report,, he appreciate it,

    (and if you like it,, send mail thanks,  with discribe you are daz studio user,,,  then use this tool for DSON  ^^; )

    as you see,, he often up-grade this tool,, I really hope to support this tool.. (I seldom find good json editor,, not offered as online web aprication)

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 18,762

    Well now I have a 1/2 dozen text editors to try... laugh

  • RenomistaRenomista Posts: 921
    Midnight_stories said:

    Vim is ok but prefer Notepad++ interface a bit more modern !

    Blasphemy! Burn the Witch! ;-)

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