How to move the path of the morph so that it's permanently changed?
Jonstark
Posts: 2,738
I'm sick of how randomly discorganized all my morphs parameters are, and I want to be able to organize them and make it stick. For example, I want all the head morphs to be moved to the 'actor' path so that I don't have to click the head bone to access them.
When I edit the parameter of any particular morph, I can change the path. But even when I save that pathway, the next time I load up my Genesis, the morphs are right back to where they were before. I want to know of a way to change the morph parameter pathway and have it stick so it's changed permanently. Anyone know how to do this?
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You need to edit the dsf file for each morph. Note that if these are installed via DIM or connect, then your edits will be lost if you reinstall the files.
The crucial fields in the dsf file are "region" and "group"
"region" should be set to "Head" for head morphs
"group" will be the path under Head where you want the head morph to appear eg " /People/Real World"
Jonstark,
When you say "But even when I save that pathway", do you mean just pressing the 'Accept' button on the Parameter Dialog (pop-up)?
Or, after you perform part two of the two-part saving process, which is to actually re-save the morph to the Data folder (which does what Havos is saying you can 'hand-do' with the DSF file, but you have to make sure you set all instances of those categories in the file, not just the first one found)?
The reason I ask is because the first part (Parameter Dialog) only changes per Daz Studio session in loaded memory, but the second save actually will rewrite the morph file, and enact the permanent changes wanted.
Also, Jonstark, which figure are you using?
The last time I used a figure that had per body part morph designations was Victoria 4/Michael 4 where I had to select that body part to use morphs for that body part.
That might be a whole other can o-worms for morph selection designation to the 'root' of the figure.
I am curious because, I was thinking of adding V4/M4 support to my DS/Blender morphing bridge script, but I haven't explored the per body part only morphing. les FBM's (Poser style morph creation for gen4 figures), and the needed work-flow switching for working with per body parts as opposed to working on full figures and setting body part designations as with the Genesis line.
When you use Poser content, the morph deltas, the code that tells the mesh how far to move and in which direction, is stored on the bones of the figure as that is where the mesh is located. So with V4 etc you have little choice but select the head bone if you are looking for expressions etc.
With DS native figures there is no mesh located on the bones, the mesh is located in the Root node, the one labeled "Genesis 8 Female" etc in the scene tab, as a result that is also where all of the morph deltas, pose controls etc are located. The problem with this is the Parameters tab, there is a hell of a lot of crap to dig your way through to find what your looking for on it. Which is why we have the Shaping tab for correctly done morphs, and the Posing tab for correctly done pose controls and expressions, neither tab cares what bone you have selected as they only show the dials in the Root node.
What you see when you select the head bone in a DS native figure are "Alias" dials, basically a "dummy" dial that has an ERC link connecting it to the main dial in the Root node. Those are probably what you have been trying to edit, which was rather pointless as they are parented to the bone rather than the figure, which means they wont move from the bone.
The Shaping and Posing panes filter by modifier type - shape or pose respectively - and will navigate by region if theer are regions defined; if not they do use node>property groups for navigation. (The Light and Camera panes filter properties for those derived from DzLight and those Derived from DzCamera that are not derived from DzLights, respectively.
Aliases do not use ERC.
I was referring to saving the 'accept' button on the Parameter Dialog pop up. It will change the pathway in the temporary session with the Genesis I have loaded and made the change to, but I want to change it to my Genesis for every instance that it's loaded, so that it's changed permanently. I also tried after clicking 'accept' to change it in session, I next tried saving the morph asset, but that also didn't stick.
Actually, let me correct myself. It does work, randomly, on a few morphs, but the majority do not change organizational pathways.
I'm using Genesis1, btw. I have hundreds of different character morphs from V3/M3/A3/H3/V4/M4/A4/H4/S4/Genesis1/G2Mvariants/G2Fvariants/G3Mvariants/G3Fvariants. Instead of the byzantine ridiculousness of unfindable morphs that the PAs have set up (not their fault) it makes it very hard to find stuff, and I want to group like with like. For example, I'd prefer to put all the monsters in one place, all the Toons together, all the Final Fantasy-type anime morphs somewhere else. Also I dislike having to click on the head bone to get to the expressions and head shaping morphs. I'd prefer to put everything under Actor, organized simply, so I don't have a million billion subfolders within subfolders making such a time-waster when trying to find various morphs (and forgetting about other morphs because they aren't grouped in an organized fashion). I'm guessing there must be some way to do this.
What Havos mentioned, changing in the DSF file, does that mean open it as a notepad and make manual text edits?
Parameters Tab's options menu > Preferences > Show Hidden Properties
Do that and you will find all the head stuff in the Body where it has always been.
Yes
Jonstark,
This Parameter's pane script by cridgit might help you with what you are trying to accomplish...
PropertyMaster : https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/494141/propertymaster-for-easy-batch-editing-of-properties
I hope this helps.
Thanks, I appreciate it. Sadly it doesn't permanently change all morphs either. Seems random, for example Anubis I have no problem moving and having it stay moved, but Skullcrusher Ogre won't move. Some of RawArt's creatures will move and stay moved; others revert back.
I tried opening the file with notepad to make manual text edits as suggested, but it appears to be encrypted, and opens up a notepad full of gibberish. :(
Sorry that did not help completely, but I can help you with the encripted files...
Daz Studio has a pane that can natively decript the files, so you can read/edit them. Also, you can just use a ZIP program such as 7-Zip to decript them (what I usually do since I am already usually in the file folder where the encripted file resides).
From the Master Rob W (rbtwhiz) circa 2012 :
"
DAZ Studio 4.5 includes a new pane that will batch compress/uncompress *.duf and *.dsf files. It will also batch convert *.ds, *.dsa to *.dsb or *.dse, and *.dsb (non-encrypted) to *.dsa or *.dse. The pane is found by going to Main Menu Bar > Window > Panes (Tabs) > Batch Convert.
-Rob
"
Good luck with your editing. I hope you get it all sorted to your satisfaction.
The file is not encrypted at all, it is just compressed in a zip format. Use any zip/unzip program to open and extract the file and you can then edit it.
Alternatively use the batch process pane inside Daz Studio to compress or uncompress the files.
Yes! It works! Thank you so much Havos and DaremoK3, thanks to your help I was able to batch convert one of the morph files (should I actually call it a batch convert if I only did one file as a test... not sure of the proper grammer, since batch convert is the name of the tool... )
Accordingly I was able to open it up in notepad and read the script, then one tiny edit, save, and done. When I opened up Genesis, the morph had moved, I'm very happy to report :) (for the record, I moved Toon Amy from the /Actor/Female/Sylized path to my own /Toon path instead.
It might be a daunting bit of work to edit each file by hand, and I'm sure it will take me some time, but I can *finally* get my morphs organized the way I want. No more searching endlessly for a morph slider and never finding it, or forgetting the thousands of morphs I have. :)