Rendo downloads
alisa53
Posts: 157
Anybody able to help with downloading Renderosity content to DAZ library? I don't know why I keep doing this to myself, but I spent money again on Renderosity and can't seem to get all the files downloaded. Have had LONG discussions with Rendo staff, but no help. All I am doing is downloading the content, then moving data to data, runtime to runtime and people to people from the downloads directly into My Library. Should be simple. Apparently some things come over but others don't. No idea why. Enormous frustration when I load up a bunch of polygons and get huge messages about what files are missing. Anybody have any ideas?
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If the zips are packet correctly, then you just need to copy all content into your library on top level.
That said, then I would suggest to have a seperate library for that content - it might be easier to manage.
And I can't remember ever having a zip that was wrong.
If you get a file error, you should be able compare where it is looking for files and where they are.
I'm assuming you are manually loading these files?... if you are putting them in the correct places, then it seems like the files are actually missing from the product.
If this is happening sometimes, then it's a little weird, but not unheard of... but if this happens all the time then something really weird is going on.
Unless this is a known bug, the best way for others to figure this out is at least screenshot the message of the missing files so at least if someone has the product, they can compare.
Also is there a pattern to what comes over and what doesn't?... like is it always textures or something very specific?
When you say you "can't seem to get all the files downloaded" I'm assuming you know what files should be in the product and you are checking the product after you download it to your computer and before you move it into the runtime libraries and there is stuff actually missing...
Just trying to clarify, because sometimes a one word misunderstanding makes a huge difference.
When you say data to data and so on, you are merging the one data folder with the other not putting the new one inside the existing one?
Have you previously been successful installing content from Rendo? Are you manually copying each subfolder into your Daz library or are you copying the top level folder to your runtime and letting the OS deal with copying the new content into the various subfolders? If you're willing to spend some money, there's an installer product in the Daz store by Riversoft that works well:
https://www.daz3d.com/content-wizard
Pricey, but you can get it on sale fairly regularly.
That is odd as have had very few issues with downloading and installing content from Renderosity.. If not being unpacked and copied correctly, could be the reason for products to not work properly.. Because the way you have worded your OP makes folks think that you are nesting the data, people, and runtime folders..
Like Richard said above... just dropping a file labeled Data into Data is not gonna work... For example with libraries... Inside of the product's "Libraries" folder there might be a file that is called "Props"... and inside of that a folder named after the product (let's say "Robot Pumpkin") you need to find the "Props" folder and move the "Robot Pumpkin" folder into your Props folder...
The pathway of the files has to match the way the product folders are set up.
I copied this from something I wrote a long time ago when things were more Poser based, but the runtime structure idea is basically the same...
A Brief (yeah, right) explanation of Runtime folder structure:
You just bought your first Non-DAZ model (shame on you repent!!) (naa...) or downloaded a LEGAL freebie (NOT some "free" torrent download-those are not legal and you'll end up in Hell for that... actually it is so bad you'll end up in SUPER HELL which is much worse) and it came in a Zip file instead of an installer. Most of these are for Poser and Poser models can be used in DAZ Studio. All you have to do is just "unzip the file and manually put everything its appropriate Runtime folder".
To paraphrase the great philosopher Arnold Jackson: "Whut you talkin' bout lordvicore?"
Example:
Zip File (Containing 3D model files for - HappyFunTimeKillerRobot)
When you get the zip you'd open(unzip) it and find a bunch of folders like this:
HappyFunTimeKillerRobot(or just "Runtime"if the person was too lazy)-inside of that you should find:
-Runtime(if the first one was not already "Runtime")
-Readme(a text file you should at least take a peek at because it often contains important info you may need to use the model)
After Reading the Readme, open Runtime. In it you would probably find:
-Geometries(not always, it depends on what you purchased, Poses for example,would not need one.)
-libraries
-textures(also not always but more likely)
If you have already installed a bunch of DAZ Studio models it is more than likely that if you were to peek in your runtime folder inside of DAZ Studio you would see that both "Geometries" and "textures" contain folders with the names of the models that were installed by the installers,so inside them you'll probably see both folders with Vendor names and Model names(depends on how someone zipped up their work). If (for example) You had purchased and installed a DAZ model called "StickyToiletSeat" by the Vendor "UncleSalty" who has a bunch of stuff on the market, you might find a folder in(lets say) "Geometries" called "UncleSalty" and if you peeked in there you'd see a folder named "StickyToiletSeat".
I write too much... Still with me?
The libraries folder has a bunch of folders in it like(for example):
-camera
-Character
-Face
-Hair
-light
-Pose
-props
The same concept as before applies here,so if you opened up the "character" folder in your "HappyFunTimeKillerRobot" model (which in this imaginary coincidence also happens to be by "UncleSalty") you would find the folder "UncleSalty" and in it "HappyFunTimeKillerRobot"... Now Wait! What if "UncleSalty" was drinking heavily the day She(yeah,I know) put together the model and you do not find "UncleSalty" only "HappyFunTimeKillerRobot"? Impossible! you say,since everyone knows Published Artists(PAs) never drink heavily... Ok, lets just say that was her style of folder structure... sometimes there are inconsistencies in how 3D artists structure their runtime folders(this is especially true when you get freebies or buy from new Vendors outside DAZ), so as long as it was like that when she made it, it should work fine.... okay what was the point in all this?
You now take all these folders and files and place them in "the appropriate folders" inside of the Runtime folder inside of DAZ Studio's Content folder...
For Example:
Open "HappyFunTimeKillerRobot",open "Runtime", open "Geometries",open "UncleSalty" and grab the folder "HappyFunTimeKillerRobot" and drag it into the "UncleSalty" folder (because you already had one when DAZ installed "StickyToiletSeat"-if you never had a "UncleSalty" folder you'd drag "UncleSalty" instead...but in this case you do,cuz it's my imaginary scenario). you would the equivalent for textures and and of the categories within "libraries".
This is just a long drawn out explanation of Content>Runtime>geometries>UncleSalty>HappyFunTimeKillerRobot.... Which when I was presented with that answer the first time, meant nothing to me... so if you didn't know this already I just saved you a half an hour of you life trying to find out what that all means... you owe me that and someday I will be back to collect....(naa, you keep it)... if you already knew this then you are either fact checking me,really bored or hoping I'll say something stupid like "never put an angry badger in your pants"... good luck on all of that. The badger thing is pure wisdom though... trust me.
=============================================
The pathway to the model or product's actual files has to be exactly as it is set up by the product's creator... otherwise DS won't be able to find it.
(Side note... when you see ">" that mean "This goes in that"... so if you see "Libraries > Props > Robot Pumpkin" that means "Inside of Libraries you should find a folder named Props, and inside that you should find a folder named Robot Pumpkin"... The ">" is meant like an arrow pointing in the direction of the file hierarchy....)
A good Readme should list where everything is supposed to be... at least that is what I was taught, so that means if you see: "Textures > Robot Pumpkin > pumpkin.jpeg, stem1.jpeg, deathray.jpeg" that means you need to move the "Robot Pumpkin" folder into "Textures"... but if you see: "Textures > pumpkin.jpeg, stem1.jpeg, deathray.jpeg" then the dope who made the model is very organized and now you need to dump the "pumpkin.jpeg, stem1.jpeg, deathray.jpeg" files into Textures without a proper folder for that model... it works, but that sorta stuff makes it harder for you to find the files if need to.
Some people are not that great with setting there's things up.
Redacted
Thanks everyone. This stems, I'm sure, from being a person who is far more interested in art and far less interested in tech. I don't have a strong tech background. What I am doing is what I was instructed to do - dragging and dropping from the download file directly into the corresponding file in My Library. This has worked many times, but sometimes just doesn't work at all. I couldn't even begin to tell you what is not coming over - I get a list sometimes 30 or 40 files deep telling me that files are missing. If all I am doing is dragging and dropping from data to data, from runtime to runtime - how are files missing? Why does it happen sometimes and not every time? For example, I bought the automaton photographer from Pamawo and it came over perfectly as above. I just bought the paperboy - same artist, same format - missing tons of files. Just does not make a lot of intuitive sense to me. And sometimes there is definitely a hide-and-seek factor - initially can't find things at all, but then voila they're buried somewhere. But I can try to experiment. The frustration level is where I get hung up. Geesh.
I am putting the new one inside the existing one. Or so I would believe as that seems to be how drag and drop works.
Really out of my league, I'm thinking. Working in Windows 10, where do I put the non-DAZ content library? Is that also in Documents? And how would I find and use that when I'm working in DAZ?
You are doing that wrong... inside of each of those folders are other folders that need to go into their respective folder.
Your files are not missing, the computer can not find them so it thinks they are missing.
That makes sense and I've always figured that was the issue. And thank you for the help. But now I've loaded the data into specific places - finding the person, finding that data file, etc. - and it's still coming up polygons. I kind of believe this is unfortunately above my paygrade and I need to remember not to order from Renderosity. I've spent literally days in the past trying to understand and get it right. Thought I would just give it one more try, as I do like the content.
This video may help you as with anything I find it is a lot easier to learn visually than it is by reading pages of text..
From 8.58 to 10.27 in the video it shows how to install Non Daz3D content..
Its really not that hard, its really just a matter of terminology... I thought it was hard too, but somebody said something right and I had an epiphany...
We will help you work this out, don't give up.
Could you post a screenshot of the message you are seeing...
Also, what do you mean by "It's coming up polygons"... is the model broken in bits or are you just seeing an untextured grey model?
I've always created my own "Renderosity" folder simply because it makes it easier to sort content. Create a folder somewhere (preferably in a root directory, for example C:/Renderosity Content) Then, when you open the zip file from Renderosity just drag all the folders you see (see image) directly into that folder. Every time. If it asks you if you want to replace preexisting files, go ahead and do that (it's most likely the rendo license or readme anyway).
I would suggest going ahead and redoing all your rendo content this way but that's up to you. Once you've done that, open Studio and go to Edit>Preferences, select the Content tab at the top of the dialog box then Content Directory Manager at the bottom of the list. In the popup (see the other image) underneath Content Sets, click DAZ Studio Formats and then on the left under Directory click Add. This will bring up a file explorer window. Select your Renderosity Content folder you created (the whole folder, not the stuff inside), click Select Folder. You should then see it listed under DAZ Studio Formats. Hit Accept, Accept and that folder should now appear in your content directory.
Rendo stuff won't ever show up in Smart Content but if you follow those directions you shouldn't have a problem accesing it via your Content tab.
Peeps... it's clear the OP doesn't understand manual installation yet, don't get too technical until they get their content working... they are all good suggestions, but they need to understand the basic mechanics first.
Anything extra is confusing.
If you are using Windows just drag the folders (Data, Runtime, People etc.) into the content directory (e.g. My Library) that already cotnains the original Data, Runtime etc. folders and you will be asked if you want to merge them - say yes. mac users, unfortunately, need to go deeper as by default the Mac will replace the existing folders with the new.
Great advice. Assume I don't know much of anything.... :)
I bought Content Wizard when it came out and didn't regret it. I had issues with one Rendo content but otherwise works like a charm, even install the products into Smart Content.
If your purchase comes in multiple zip files then it's good to ensure that all of them were downloaded before you start installation. Usually Rendo "dowload all files" options work reliably, but sometimes they don't if the internet connection gets slow or unstable. Then you can end with only few zips downloaded before the consecutive download windows stop opening.
Otherwise, the installation is simple.
Per the latest DAZ installations you should have three content library folders:
My DAZ 3D Library
My Daz Connect Library
My Library
My DAZ Library and My Daz Connect Library is where you should never install anything not from DAZ Store as it's where the official content ends. My Library is where I usually install everything not purchased from Daz, but you can also create new content library directories. As previously explained in this thread.
But let's say all the zips were successfully downloaded:
Now, it's good to unpack the zips somewhere before the installation because PAs might place additional folders inside. You might end with multiple ProductName_<zipnumber> folders even if you use "extract here" option on these zips..
You want to examine if you end with data structure like this:
And only then you drop it all into your custom content directory. A.K.A. My Library. Or the newly created content directory. The place with folders "data" "people" and "runtime" inside.
If you have a separate folder for readmes and UV templates it's good to drop them manually to whatever subfolders are there for readmes and UV templates in your content directory.
It will not show in the smart search but that's a minor issue. I don't use smart content at all. Other people do. It's up to the user, really.
You *could*, judging by your screenshots, make a note ( or keep a screenshot) of what it says is missing and where it goes, go back to your zip file and find those things and put them where it's looking for them. (This will most likely result in a mess of files left where they don't belong but at least you'll also have them where you need them).
Thanks - I always install to My Library, always download each separately (not using "download all") and always unpack before installing. And I did not get that data structure. So that's all good.
Well, I just meant you are starting off, it's like parallel parking suggestions when the person is just getting a hang of using the steering wheel... which in itself is a bad example...
But aside from that... so from the looks of the photo, the textures are what the computer can't find...
Is that what is happening with the others too?
This is an easy fix...
The creator (the artist, not the great spaghetti monster in the sky), is placing the relevant textures in a folder named "pama wo"... so you need to find that folder in the content you downloaded and place it in the textures folder....
Now here is the confusing part... (not really)...
If you already have content from that artist, you might already have a "pama wo" folder if that's the artist's name or where they locate the textures for their stuff... it looks like their content textures are in a bunch of folders within folders, so that's probably where the problem is...
The computer is going to look into the folders in the order they are placed into each other... so...
From Runtime the computer looks into Textures, from Textures it looks into "pama wo", from "pama wo" it looks into "geisha bot", and in "geisha bot" it finds the image files "gbhairs_base_colors.png, gbhairs_height.png, gbhairs_normal_opengl.png, gbhairs_roughness.png" and then should load them into the model...
If you already have a "pama wo" folder, then you need to place "geisha bot" into it for the computer to find it... you can't have multiple "pama wo" folders in Textures (or any folder) or the computer gets confused... this is the same with any artist/content folders, you can't have exact duplicate names within a folder.
It seems to me that "pama wo" is the artist and "geisha bot" is the product... so if you have other "pama wo" products you need to put all the other folders named after the content like "geisha bot" into that "pama wo" folder... so say you have "Robo Kangaroo" or "Stabby Doll", you need to take those and put them into one "pama wo" folder and remove the empty "pama wo" folders (god, I'm getting sick of typing "pama wo")...
Since I use Smart Content, CW has helped me get more use out the products I have bought from Rendo, as well.
For those who don't rely on Smart Content, and would like to be able to easily install and uninstall products with DIM, Content Package Assist is another product that works very well for installing third-party products.
I agree with serving, content package assist is awesome, and a great help to nontechy peeps like me. Also, Novica has a good tutorial (in her art thread) on how to use it.
OK, which pane are you using to load the files? Assuming it is the Content Library pane, under Daz Studio Formats, please post screen shot(s) showing all the steps you have to go through from the Daz Studio Formats to the folder that contains the file.
Thank you so much, and I carefully read and did what I think this says to do and I still got a block on the head with missing files. So I'm sure you are correct... I was able to correctly load the first Pamawo character and subsequent ones are failing. Obviously something like what you say is happening, but I honestly believe I am entirely out of my depth here. I often wish I could pay someone to sit with me and physically show me these things, as it is hard to process this kind of detail in forum entries, no matter how thorough. Thanks for all the help, though - I might come back to this in a week or so when I'm a little fresher, but I'm saying uncle for now!
Ok, my 2 cents. I purchase as much from rendo and other stores as I do from DAZ. I have my DIM runtimes and I have a seperate DAZ runtime for all my none DIM content located in my documents (DAZ 3D).
in my experience, there are usually 2 choices for where to extract the files from the ZIP, depending on how the zip is packed and this works 99% of the time
When you open the zip and there is a CONTENT folder. seIect it and then extract to the STUDIO folder (see image) and everything falls into place.
If you open the zip and there is no CONTENT folder and instead you see DATA, RUNTIME, PEOPLE, DOCUMENTATION, etc, then you extract all to the CONTENT folder one layer down from the orginal STUDIO folder
Of course you will have to have that non DIM runtime mapped in DS so you know where to look for your content. I also don't use smart content and rely on the content library to select items.
I hope this helps someone as i always see users that are lost on installing non DAZ content or don't shop anywhere else because they don't know how to install content and it's really very simple.