"Content Package Assist" DAZ Product - User comments?

Steve K

"Have you ever wanted to create Install Manager packages for your content from other stores?"

This sounds appealing.  I am reluctant to buy products for DAZ Studio from other stores because they may be confusing to install without DIM.

So ... any comments?

FrankTheTank

I bought it in 2017, and I have been using it to create DIMs for everything I buy from other stores ever since. It works great especially when you need to uninstall, reinstall for a new PC build, etc. Nothing beats the ease of use of just dumping you DIM .ZIP files into the download folder of Daz Install Manager and reinstalling all your 3rd party content in minutes instead of days. It's a standalone app so it works regardless of what version of Daz Studio Daz / Install Manger you use. One of the best purchases I ever made.

One tip I would share is to use a custom DIM naming structure so you can track where a specific item was purchased from, and also this way the IM prefix is only used for Daz Store items.  So should I need to check for an update or something isn't working right I can remember where I bought it. So for example, anything I buy from Renderhub I start with the prefix RHB, ShareCG = SCG, Renderosity = RS, etc. 

barbult

Yes, I use ot the way FrantTheTank described. The product is old, but still works fine.
As the product page says, it is only for Windows. I run it in Windows 11.

Steve K

Thanks, folks, I'm sold, especially since it's currently 80% off.  

mindsong

Thanks for the feedback! I've had it for a while, and am about to do a wholesale 'DIM'-ization of my non-DAZ-Store products...

Other than the great source-based naming advice, any other tips/tricks/gotchas on the incoming folder structures, DSX files, DIM tricks, etc.?

I assume if I match the current DAZ folder structure (/Content/...) that the DIM installs will merge the files as expected... (right?)

I'm also planning on creating a non-login account in my DIM for each Vendor so I can adjust the source and destination folder/install settings for my collections. Any thoughts?

thanks in advance!

--ms

NorthOf45

I use a separate DIM account (with a dummy email address to satisfy the account requirements) and put all my non-DAZ3D content in there. I also use different prefixes for the various stores with their original SKU so that there is no conflict with another product that might happen to have the same number. Yes, try to match the folder structure as much as possible if using one library. You can use a different Library (you can have more than one) to help organize products by store.

In Studio, you can actually create additional stores with a script (currently Studio only has DAZ3D and LOCAL USER). It can even be configured to show the Product page from the other store. See Add Store Id [Documentation Center]. Note: make sure you get the details right before doing a wholesale assignment. You cannot change the store data, you must remove it then add it in again. When you remove it , any references to it are replaced with DAZ3D (or maybe LOCAL USER). Try a couple to make sure first. Not sure if it works with DS 6.25, though.

I categorize everything into one new set of custom categories so that references are all in the same place (mixing DAZ and Rendo, DSON and Poser content all together in a structure I can actually navigate) so that I don't have to hunt different libraries looking for one thing or another. The only thing it won't do is make metadata files, which you can actually do later in Studio if so inclined, and add them back into the new DIM package for later installation if ever the case comes up.

Steve K

Lots of good advice, thanks all!  I confess I tend to avoid non-DAZ purchases of DAZ Studio content since the DIM works well for me.  I have successfully installed a few, but it seems kind of confusing. Also, I mostly do animations in Carrara using DS iRay renders as backgrounds, and DAZ offers lots of great large scenes for such projects, e.g. Stonemason alone from whom I've purchased dozens of products, mostly at deep discounts on sale.

Hopefully with experience with the Forum headline product I'll get less concerned about non DAZ products for DS.

Richard Haseltine

Yes, I have stores in DS 4 for Renderosity (More information goes to the product page), freebies and non-copmmercial freebies (More Information opens the local readme).

Steve K

Richard Haseltine said:

Yes, I have stores in DS 4 for Renderosity (More information goes to the product page), freebies and non-copmmercial freebies (More Information opens the local readme).

I'm not sure I understand this.  Could you expand?  Thanks.

NorthOf45

In the sample script, just modify the last line to change "My Store" to, say, Renderosity (the name that will show in the store list in the content DB Editor), then change the URL to an appropriate form that shows a product page (again for Renderosity, it is "www.Renderosity.com/marketplace/products". The "@" is a placeholder for the product SKU-ID which must be set in CPA to make the package. Not sure if the .html is required, I can't use the newer script because I created the store with an older script and a different URL, but it still works (can't change it once it is set without deleting it first, and as I said earlier, that removes that store from all that used it.) In a Product view, right-click to get a context menu, then select More Information. That should take you to the Renderosity product page. Other stores might be different. Haven't tried it with local ReadMe's...

Richard Haseltine

NorthOf45 said:

Haven't tried it with local ReadMe's...

Just enter the @, so the placeholder is all, and then paste the path into the token field for each product as I recall (or use the commons starting part of the path ending with the @ and then the token is the relative path).