Richard Haseltine said:

crosswind said:

Well, the setting seems correct ~~

So, I had to try importing the DSX file you sent to me. Now I have to confirm with you 'cause I'm still confused:  Which one is the issue that you have, screenshot 1 or screenshot 2 ?

Please do bear in mind that the Daz metadata is protected by the same license terms as the rest of the product.

.... but these metadata files of this 3rd-party product were generated by CW and/or CPA tools rather then provided by DAZ via IM package or sth... Then users modified the metadata files... We could not exchange them either ?

I saw no such a related terms before in License Agreements for such a case... maybe I had a bad memory...

crosswind said:

Well, the setting seems correct ~~

So, I had to try importing the DSX file you sent to me. Now I have to confirm with you 'cause I'm still confused:  Which one is the issue that you have, screenshot 1 or screenshot 2 ?

Please do bear in mind that the Daz metadata is protected by the same license terms as the rest of the product.

The first screen shot shows the data folder, which does not show in Daz Studio (those are files called upon by othes). The second shows Smart Content, which depends on the metadata for the product having been added to the database. Can you find the files in the Content Library pane under Daz Studio Formats?

My intention is:

1. export Genesis 8 models to the other program
2. create relatively simple animation cycles (people doing looping actions such as waving, gesturing, etc.)
3. import the animation into DAZ for rendering

I have a basic knowledge of a program called Cascadeur, and it theoretically meets all my needs, but unfortunately the option to export the animations is locked behind a $100 annual paywall, and I'm afraid to pay only to later discover possible problems that render my animations useless (interaction of hair and other DAZ products with the animation, that sort of thing)... What do you recommend?

I think Blender is the most obvious option, but I have the impression that it's 'overkill' for my needs to create simple animation cycles, but I'm not sure. If anyone has any opinions that could help me, I'd appreciate it.

I was already very excited for this release, but the mention of "import real world maps" in the bullet points has me over the moon. How does this work? Will it be apparent when I buy and install the product?

Yes of course, you can import livelink and facecap mocaps on any figure with facs morphs, that's G81 G9. The importer has been splitted into mudules in the latest version so you need to get "import_daz" and "retarget_bhv".

https://bitbucket.org/Diffeomorphic/workspace/projects/DIF

steps:

1. import a figure with FACS (import module)
2. import a livelink or facecap animation (retarget module)

 I have a question before trying out things on myself, does this plugin has the ability to import/generate ARKit shape keys for facial mocap??
 

@amjadtbssm

The Daz genesis models 8-9 already have the ARKIT Facial blendshapes( Morphs) for Facial Mocap

which can be accomplished  inside Blender with FREE tools and NO  APPLE IPHONE

Padone said:

Yes I know, the online tutorials and videos around are quite old now and not up to date. Unfortunately not Thomas nor I have time to make videos, so the docs are the only available reference that you can trust. Hopefully as users learn to use the new features they will make new videos or update the old ones.

Thanks for doing the amazing work for the Daz3D and Blender community. I have a question before trying out things on myself, does this plugin has the ability to import/generate ARKit shape keys for facial mocap?? I tried to find relative information but didn't got any that could work for me out of the box.

Thanks.

However, when I re-import your DSX file plus the JPG file with the same name, I got the result in the above screenshot 2... In your DSX file, there's no category definition, so you if you correct the JPG file name, you should've got the same result in screenshot 2...

And that DSA file is useless for re-importing metadata, so it doesn't matter. 

Padone said:

I'm afraid if you want the exact same deformations as daz you have to go with easy import of the exported dbz that's the recommended workflow.

You mean i have to import the posed and morphed figure? That's too bad. That would mean that if i wanted to change something, i would have to start from scratch because the figures usually have custom materials. Also i like to change the pose in DAZ, i feel it's easier, and load them in via "import pose from scene", which is awesome btw. Although usually the biggest problem with the baked workflow isn't changing materials but the fact that you don't have a zero pose to add clothes, shoes and especially hair to the armature easily.
I guess i will have to fix inaccuracies with sculpting shapekeys. Thanks again for your effort!

Importing figures with ERCs, that is, morphing figures as you want to do, is to be considered experimental and not expected to work in all cases. The safer way is to set "ERC by translation" in the global settings then "import BDZ morphs" in advanced setup for the shape you want. The reason is blender doesn't support at all morphing armatures so we use approximations.

https://bitbucket.org/Diffeomorphic/import_daz/wiki/Advanced/Morphs/Import DBZ Morphs

I'm afraid if you want the exact same deformations as daz you have to go with easy import of the exported dbz that's the recommended workflow.

In addition to some products, if you know Blender ~ firstly reduce Scale value of the fingers that you don't need, then export G9 to Blender, give it a couple of brushing of Draw, Smooth and Flatten. Import the morph back to the figure (with Mirror option for both hands...) Then adjust the rigging and ERC Freeze... But sculpting them to non-human hands / fingers will be another topic.

crosswind said:

Pls confirm one thing beforehand : You want to use this decimated Alien as a normal G3M figure in DS ?

1st, Decimator plugin is used for decimate figure and export it to other format for use in non DS application (gaming, movie... etc.). And AFAIK, DS cannot save decimated resolution in any DUF format files and cannot correctly load in LOD mesh. So that's why you saw nothing after dialing it.

2nd, if the answer to the above question is Yes.( Though I vaguely see less benefit that you may get from it... ). You cannot make it in the above way. Instead, you can :
- Import Alien30% OBJ into the scene,  rig it on the original Alien with the settings in ss1.  Unfit it.
- Import Alien30% OBJ again onto the rigged Alien with MLP (Reverse + Delta Only). Dial the morph and Lock it.
- Adjust Rigging to Shape and ERC Freeze the fixing morph. Now you can use this decimated Alien as a G3M ~

The cons is that you might have to make some necessary corrective morphs on this Alien30%, for the purpose of posing it correctly ~~

Yes, that is what I was trying to do - decimate the G3M Alien as a normal G3M figure in DS.  I was trying to replicate what Jay was showing in his February 2023 video on YouTube - Decimating your Characters and combining textures with Daz Studio (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU5FTHs-MDg) starting at time 7:54.  He was using Daz Studio 4.21 Pro Public Build.  I don’t know if I was misunderstanding what he was demonstrating or if something changed in Daz Studio 4.22 that makes what Jay was demonstrating no longer possible.  I also sent a message about this to Jay in Patreon.

I’ll take a look at your steps to see if I can achieve what I am trying to do.  I’m just a dabbler so nothing that I do in DS (Poser, etc.) is urgent or crucial.  Perhaps I’ll take the next step of trying to get started with Blender which I also have installed.

Though I've not bought it but from the File List in here - http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/read_me/index/99128/file_list

DAZ_3D_99128Z_Lifting_and_Carrying_Boxes_Utility_Pose_Mega_Set_for_Genesis_9_and_8_Female.dsa
DAZ_3D_99128Z_Lifting_and_Carrying_Boxes_Utility_Pose_Mega_Set_for_Genesis_9_and_8_Female.dsx
DAZ_3D_99128__Z_Lifting_and_Carrying_Boxes_Utility_Pose_Mega_Set_for_Genesis_9_and_8_Female.jpg

The metadata file names are obviously messed up. So if there were wrong file names defined in manifest.dsx in IM package, as well as the wrong files names in Runtime\support folder, there would be no metadata imported into Smart Content...

It can easily fixed, but .... ho ~ I really wonder why such issues repetitively and repetitively incur on Daz side...

And I fixed a version base on your DSX file. You extract 3 files to your runtime\support folder, then re-import. See what happened ~

After some further uprading I could fix the issues of Import a little further that was causing a model having exploding parts especially concerning complicated rigged models like the one shown bellow. So now it is also possible Importing high complex riggings into DS, that have doubble layered weights on some parts to create certain effects. Like the case of this creature with the effect of wounded belly. 

Before the fix This type model showed exactly the issue pulling the poligons of Chest belly right down to the floor 

Thank you, i did not know that existed, but it does not seem to fix my problem. From what i understand that would be useful if i imported Nina9 without bakes and wanted to add them afterwards? However i want to import a basic G9 and then add morphs to it. I could add them manually i assume (they are in the same folder as the other Nina morphs, see first image) with import custom morphs?
This does not affect the thigh problem though. I tried with importing a baked nina and the problem persists.
I think it has to do with the erc yet again. If you recall, the erc morph messed up the eye position when set to Armature all. It worked when i set the erc to Translation but now the bending seems to only work somewhat correctly when set to Armature all (second image), even with a baked import.

That's not an issue as metadata do not rely on absolute path other than relative path. As long as you correctly configure all your Daz Library paths in: F2 - Content - Content Directory Manager, there should be no problem...

But I'm lost ~~ I don't know if there're any other issues on your side, so :
- firstly, post a screenshot of your Content Directory Manager, let's confirm if there're correct settings.
- secondly, right click on a product with no thumbnail in Smart Content - Edit Metadata, follow the steps in the attached screenshots ~~

Pls confirm one thing beforehand : You want to use this decimated Alien as a normal G3M figure in DS ?

1st, Decimator plugin is used for decimate figure and export it to other format for use in non DS application (gaming, movie... etc.). And AFAIK, DS cannot save decimated resolution in any DUF format files and cannot correctly load in LOD mesh. So that's why you saw nothing after dialing it.

2nd, if the answer to the above question is Yes.( Though I vaguely see less benefit that you may get from it... ). You cannot make it in the above way. Instead, you can :
- Import Alien30% OBJ into the scene,  rig it on the original Alien with the settings in ss1.  Unfit it.
- Import Alien30% OBJ again onto the rigged Alien with MLP (Reverse + Delta Only). Dial the morph and Lock it.
- Adjust Rigging to Shape and ERC Freeze the fixing morph. Now you can use this decimated Alien as a G3M ~

The cons is that you might have to make some necessary corrective morphs on this Alien30%, for the purpose of posing it correctly ~~

In XML, it uses slash not backslash ~~ No worry.

And you better attach the dsx file in here that I can check. At the same time, I give you the metadata files of the same product of mine. You extract 3 files in the zip to your rumtime\support folder, and re-import DSX file with that Script.

There maybe no RE store in you database, but it should work to put into LOCAL USER ...