Let me ask a stupid question for a smart answer
dennisgray41
Posts: 860
So, I keep trying to get the 3rd party items to work in daz. I keep getting instructios like "unzip the folder but not into daz itself". I just let the folder unzip back into the dowloads file which is default. "check out the file structure" If I knew what the file structure was I think I could do that. " put the files into the "correct" file in daz studio." again, If I knew that I would not be having problems. Is there a tutorial, preferably with pictures for us old guys that didn't learn to read on an I phone, that I can use?
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What I like to do is this:
1) create a folder for 3rd party resources in my DAZ folder,. e.g. documents/DAZ 3D/3rdparty
2) in DAZ, go to your Content Library tab. Right click on DAZ Studio Formats (it will be on the top left). Click on "Add a Base Directory" and go to the directory you created in 1).
3) Unzip your 3rd party items into the folder you created in 1). If it's Rendo stuff it should fit into there easy. Sometimes it will unzip into a "My Library" folder, just take what's under that and put it into the 3rdparty folder you created in 1). Should be folders with names like data, runtime, people, etc.
4) In DAZ, go to your COntent Library tab and RIght click again and select Refresh. Now, your 3rd party stuff should appear under the 3rdparty folder.
This is how I like to do it, there might be better but I like to keep the 3rd party in a separate place.
Ok, when you d/l a zip file from the 3rd party store and open it, you will see folders like the ones to the right of my image. Then you go to where your DAZ files are (mine if the default DIM location, C:\Users\Public\Documents\My DAZ 3D Library) and open that up till you see the same folder names like the one to the left on my image. Then you copy the files over to the corresponding folders, DATA to DATA, PEOPLE to PEOPLE, etc and drill down till you find the files that need to go over the the DS install.
You can create a new library or put it in you default library. Your default library might be a folder called My Library or it might be called My Daz 3D Library and it might be in your documents folder or it might be in the public documents folder. I've seen the Daz installer use both of these as defaults at various times. Go to the Content Library, click on the little box at the top of the tabs and select Content Directory Manager (picture attached). When you get the window look under Daz Studio Formats. If you haven't added anything there should be just one entry which is your default library.
The key directories to look for in the installer are data and Runtime. These should both be put immediatly under the directory that is the library you are installing into. Most of the Rendo stuff I've boughght has these in a directory called My Library, a few things don't. Runtime and data have to be in the right place or the content won't work. Other stuff usually isn't critical.
I also did a tutorial for Content Package Assist which is a product to do files from other locations.
I found this tutorial by Sickleyield to be very helpful.
https://www.deviantart.com/sickleyield/journal/Tutorial-Installing-Content-in-DAZ-Studio-508155677
Eta: This doesn't cover installing older Poser content*. Follow the tutorial. Just set up your main folders under Poser Content in DS.Then install the content there.
*for those not familiar, when you unzip Poser content.you'll see folders labeled Geometries, Libraries ect. Not Data, People, etc.