karl said:

Sorry Cenobite, I got lost in your post: totally my fault, I wasn't sure which folders were in DIM, DS, Windows, what I was meant to be copying, and which steps in my procedure need to change to incorporate your suggestion. Were your instructions about manually installing zip files rather than using DIM? Other people advised me to use DIM rather than manually install. Basically I just want a repeatable set of steps that mean if I reinstall Windows or get a new PC, I can reinstall Daz Studio and have it find all my content exactly as before, without needing to download or install it again. But because Daz uses different programs and has settings in each (which can easily conflict) I want to have a simple set of stages as I am trying to create! I'm already having issues when I try to follow my steps, and find extra options in the Settings of DIM where my instructions don't say which of the paths are the ones I need to change to my D:. :-(

I'm just talking about manually installing files so they are basically perm in the daz3d editor, once you have all your usual install paths setup the way you would for your particular computer setup whatever drive that maybe, you would simply install those manual files to the My Daz3d Library folder or its data folder, the assets are listed the My Daz3D library file tree in the content tab.

As for what your saying you would have to copy all your current files with file paths and move them onto another system like a ghost format you would use for windows operating systems in networking. Best thing i can suggest is setting daz3d up on say an external drive then copying it down to whatever drive and make the nessesary file alterations for your setup according to your drives, the updates should recognise what files are in the directory if they are set properly in drive location and won't update files that it detects if they don't require update via the install manager or daz central.

I would install all my files manual then copy the system files in My Daz3D Library, replace them in your new setup & make sure they all follow the same file path would be the easest way i would approch this if i didn't want to download everything via the install manager again, doing this might take you awhile to setup depending how quick you are on the keyboard & mouse but once you had your template you could just copy over the main files into whatever daz3d setup you made on other machines, this doesn't really work in a sense because if your like me you'll be adding content constantly & doing this kind of setup required content manual updates which can be time consuming for large librarys or if your adding lots of new content frequently.

Just remember your in for a wait the more data your moving between hardrives, if your moving 100's of gigs it will still take time to copy from one drive to another no matter what speed you have, i use only SSD which are the quickest and you still need to wait for file transfer which isn't instantanious. In most cases just redownloading your files can take just as long. Try moving 300 or 500 GB you'll be waitng a bit regarless of pc power.

Chumly said:

Thanks for this... it was very helpful
If I am reading it right, what you guys are saying is that I can make changes in Windows Explorer to Anything NOT in Runtime or Data folders?
But if somebody can confirm that, by not using Smart Content, I don't need to worry about the Porducts Folder at all... then I will get to work on cleaning up the Content Library and Merge all the 
Genisis 8 Female
Gennesis  8 Female
Genesis  8 Female
Genesis 8 Females
Genesis 8 Femles 
Genesis 8 Famles 
Into the Proper "Genesis 8 Female" Folder and not look back.

Two things

First...I don't use Smart Content and in fact maually install, as stated. When you install things to MyLibrary there are only 3 folders you can not move or rename, that would be the data folder and everything in it, and the Geomtries and Texture folders in Runtime.

Second...Yes you can merge all those Genesis 8 Female folders into one only, as Gigi stated, if you do not use Daz Central or DIM or Connect.

You use an app to install and you pretty much have to leave things where they are or start figuring out how to get the app and Daz to know where to find them.

MickF said:

MickF said:

Richard Haseltine said:

That sounds as if you copied the settings across from the old machine. Daz Central has only one path setting, and places everything in set sub-folders of that; if you have path settings from a DIM set up on the old machine then Central will give that message as it is not able to adjust the paths independently as DIM can/ Why not use DIM instead? If you want to use separate path settings it will be much easier.

https://www.daz3d.com/get_install_manager/

Did NOT copy any settings across.

Just initially installed DAZ Central only on new PC, NO Ohter DAZ applications, Just DAZ Central.

When I got the DIM message uninstalled Daz Central and tried to install using DIM, DIM will not run at all as it just closes when I try to run it with an error in windows log relating to ssleay32.dll.

Completely removed everything,cleaned registry and retried installation with same results.

Even resorted to resetting new PC to factory settings and tried install. Same results.

DAZ Central pops dialog box stating Install paths are controlled by DIM.

Do not know if this is relevant but Daz Central tries to create installation to C:\DAZ3d rather than C:\Program Files\...

Exact Dialog states

"The path specified in the Package Archive" field on the Downloads page of the settings dialog is currently not available. Make sure that the drive is connected to your computer and that the computer recognizes the drive then try again"

Daz Central DOES NOT have "Package Archive", "Downloads" or a "Settings" page these are related to DIM. Which is not installed on New PC. I thought Daz Central was a stand alone application supposedly to replace

DIM. But if they are tied together then it is totally useless. Secndly I have Daz installed on a laptop with Windows 10 and it only has a single HDD with everything on it with no problems. The laptop haz Daz Central and DIM installed.

MickF said:

Richard Haseltine said:

That sounds as if you copied the settings across from the old machine. Daz Central has only one path setting, and places everything in set sub-folders of that; if you have path settings from a DIM set up on the old machine then Central will give that message as it is not able to adjust the paths independently as DIM can/ Why not use DIM instead? If you want to use separate path settings it will be much easier.

https://www.daz3d.com/get_install_manager/

Did NOT copy any settings across.

Including the AppData folder?

Just initially installed DAZ Central only on new PC, NO Ohter DAZ applications, Just DAZ Central.

When I got the DIM message uninstalled Daz Central and tried to install using DIM, DIM will not run at all as it just closes when I try to run it with an error in windows log relating to ssleay32.dll.

Completely removed everything,cleaned registry and retried installation with same results.

Even resorted to resetting new PC to factory settings and tried install. Same results.

DAZ Central pops dialog box stating Install paths are controlled by DIM.

MickF said:

MickF said:

Richard Haseltine said:

That sounds as if you copied the settings across from the old machine. Daz Central has only one path setting, and places everything in set sub-folders of that; if you have path settings from a DIM set up on the old machine then Central will give that message as it is not able to adjust the paths independently as DIM can/ Why not use DIM instead? If you want to use separate path settings it will be much easier.

https://www.daz3d.com/get_install_manager/

Did NOT copy any settings across.

Just initially installed DAZ Central only on new PC, NO Ohter DAZ applications, Just DAZ Central.

When I got the DIM message uninstalled Daz Central and tried to install using DIM, DIM will not run at all as it just closes when I try to run it with an error in windows log relating to ssleay32.dll.

Completely removed everything,cleaned registry and retried installation with same results.

Even resorted to resetting new PC to factory settings and tried install. Same results.

DAZ Central pops dialog box stating Install paths are controlled by DIM.

Do not know if this is relevant but Daz Central tries to create installation to C:\DAZ3d rather than C:\Program Files\...

Yes, that is what I meant by saying it uses a single folder that the user can pick and then puts everything in sub-folders of that.

MickF said:

Richard Haseltine said:

That sounds as if you copied the settings across from the old machine. Daz Central has only one path setting, and places everything in set sub-folders of that; if you have path settings from a DIM set up on the old machine then Central will give that message as it is not able to adjust the paths independently as DIM can/ Why not use DIM instead? If you want to use separate path settings it will be much easier.

https://www.daz3d.com/get_install_manager/

Did NOT copy any settings across.

Just initially installed DAZ Central only on new PC, NO Ohter DAZ applications, Just DAZ Central.

When I got the DIM message uninstalled Daz Central and tried to install using DIM, DIM will not run at all as it just closes when I try to run it with an error in windows log relating to ssleay32.dll.

Completely removed everything,cleaned registry and retried installation with same results.

Even resorted to resetting new PC to factory settings and tried install. Same results.

DAZ Central pops dialog box stating Install paths are controlled by DIM.

Do not know if this is relevant but Daz Central tries to create installation to C:\DAZ3d rather than C:\Program Files\...

Richard Haseltine said:

That sounds as if you copied the settings across from the old machine. Daz Central has only one path setting, and places everything in set sub-folders of that; if you have path settings from a DIM set up on the old machine then Central will give that message as it is not able to adjust the paths independently as DIM can/ Why not use DIM instead? If you want to use separate path settings it will be much easier.

https://www.daz3d.com/get_install_manager/

Did NOT copy any settings across.

Just initially installed DAZ Central only on new PC, NO Ohter DAZ applications, Just DAZ Central.

When I got the DIM message uninstalled Daz Central and tried to install using DIM, DIM will not run at all as it just closes when I try to run it with an error in windows log relating to ssleay32.dll.

Completely removed everything,cleaned registry and retried installation with same results.

Even resorted to resetting new PC to factory settings and tried install. Same results.

DAZ Central pops dialog box stating Install paths are controlled by DIM.

MickF said:

Got a new Dell Alienware PC 11th Gen Intel Porcessor with RTX 3060 12GB card. Installed Daz Central, upon first run logged into my account and got the following

"Base paths are controlled by DIM."

I love using Daz but this is annoying,

I DO NOT HAVE DIM installed on this PC so questionsare as follows.

1. Do I have to manually set all paths in Daz Central on new PC

2. DO I have to remove all Daz products from original PC

3. DO I have to reset all paths on Original PC with default Paths

4. Will Daz simply not work on 11th Gen Intel CPU

PS

I do NOT have any other Instances of PostgreSQL installed

Windows Defender is the only security app running at present.

No error messages displayed, just the Dialog stating that paths are controlled by DIM, which is not installed and will not run if I try to install it because of ssleay32.dll issues.

That sounds as if you copied the settings across from the old machine. Daz Central has only one path setting, and places everything in set sub-folders of that; if you have path settings from a DIM set up on the old machine then Central will give that message as it is not able to adjust the paths independently as DIM can/ Why not use DIM instead? If you want to use separate path settings it will be much easier.

https://www.daz3d.com/get_install_manager/

Got a new Dell Alienware PC 11th Gen Intel Porcessor with RTX 3060 12GB card. Installed Daz Central, upon first run logged into my account and got the following

Base paths are controlled by DIM.

I love using Daz but this is annoying,

I DO NOT HAVE DIM installed on this PC so questionsare as follows.

1. Do I have to manually set all paths in Daz Central on new PC

2. DO I have to remove all Daz products from original PC

3. DO I have to reset all paths on Original PC with default Paths

4. Will Daz simply not work on 11th Gen Intel CPU

sirgeefive said:

I am looking to apply the supplied UV Map to the base Gen8F character. I am not a seasoned Daz3D user. There is very little documentation for Daz, and most of the available learning resources are for very old versions of Daz. I purchased this and several other products to make characters. There are no instructions for using this product. So, when I use this product, and I get to the "Gens" tab, the top half of the dialog is disabled as the Torso UV Map has not been applied to the character as is implied on the first tab of the Skin Builder 8. So, I have spent several days combing the internet attempting to find out how me, a novice Daz user, can use this Skin Builder 8 that I just purchased to do what it says that it does. So, I am looking for how do I get the Gens tab to be fully functional. Just telling me to select it and copy doesn't work. I am a novice. There is some way to get that Torso UV Map on the base Gen8F character. That is what I am looking for.

I followed your instructions. I selected the Torso with the Surface selection, I opened the Surfaces tab and navigated to what you suggested, and as I stated, there is only one UV Set that can ever be selected, regardless of what I do. The only UV Set that ever appears in that dialog is "Base Female". So, your suggestion of simply selecting the SB8 Torso UV dropdown simply does not work as it never appears there. The Gens tab always remains half-disabled. How do I make this work?

The Anatomical Elements are separate models, included with most Pro Bundles for adult Genesis 8 Females and with most of the themed bundles for adult females since. The options will be different, I think, because they are separate models rather than parts of the base. You can't add detailed genital maps to the base figure using Skin Builder.

There is an option to open a user-guide from within Skin Builder. if that isn't working, and if other aspects are not working, how did you install? Some scripted add-ons like this do not work correctly if installed through Daz Studio itself, they need to be installed through Daz Central or Install Manager.

If this is your first time using them, V4 must have the morph targets initialized before they can be loaded. (This should have been done automatically when installing with DIM or Central, but it will not work with Connect. Long story). If you use the Power Loader (the default action, unless you changed it at some point), you can generated the needed files by selecting "Generate ExP Files" at the bottom of the Advanced -> Parameters tab of the Power Loader: Import dialog and checking those morph packages that you want to use. (Note; this only needs to be done once, you can uncheck the Generate ExP files box the next time).

If you have done all that, you need to load them onto V4. They won't load automatically unless you check the box in the Power Loader before loading, or go to the Poser Formats library -> Pose -> DAZ's Victoria 4 -> Morph Injections and apply INJ Morphs++ V4 after loading a V4 character.

The aren't always at the top level of the hierarchy. For example, all the head morphs are located only on the head, so you must select the head node to see them. Go through the various nodes of the skeleton and you will get a different set of morphs for each.

Your screenshot shows that Daz Studio sees the version that you installed from inside Daz Studio (Daz Connect).Let me jump on the bandwagon here and repeat what has already been said: You must uninstall the bad Daz Connect version of the product before Daz Studio will see the good Daz Install Manager version. If you don't know how to uninstall the product from Daz Connect, just ask and someone here will guide you.

Don't install a product with both Daz Connect and any other method (Daz Install Manager, Daz Central, Manual Installation). It just wastes space on your hard drive, because Daz Studio will never see anything but the Daz Connect version.

genejoke said:

The starship bridges are currently on sale over at rendo...  Am I allowed to say that here? apologies if not.

Also

10 appears hlingon

11 appears romulan

Heh. That's why I was asking. It's a 24 hour flash sale. Ends tonight, midnight central time.

Though they have such frequent sales at Rosity, there's always another chance.

Bridge 12 comes with optional Mirror Universe textures, which is kind of cool.

karl said:

Thanks Richard. So: install DIM on the C: at its default location.

DIM can be installed where you like, but its settings (the account.ini file) will be in the AppData folder so you will need to back up and restore after a Windows reinstall - and generally I would not try to get away without reinstalling software unless it was explcitly stated to be portable.

DIM Download tab:

"package archive is the zips"

1. So was I right to change Package Archive to D:\image creation\Daz 3D\downloaded content\downloads ? Or should it just be D:\image creation\Daz 3D\downloaded content ?

The exact location doesn't matter, put ti where you like

"thumbnails is for the optional thumbnails on the tooltip that pops up when you hover over an item, you have to right-click to download the thumbnails for the current item or all seelcted items. / package archive is the zips"

2. Are the thumbnails also useful to back up and have on the D: if I want things to work in a future OS install? Or are they like Windows folder thumbs.db, where they just get created on the fly with no resource hit, so can be deleted and will reappear again?
Depending on the answer: in the first case I can just ignore them and leave them at their default C: location, because if I reinstall Windows and wipe them it's fine; in the second case I would need to change the Thumbnail Archive to D:\image creation\Daz 3D\downloaded content\thumbnails

They are not needed, though it is often useful to have them. if you don't know what theya re I suspect you have not been downloading them and have been getting along fine. They wodn't take that much space, though recently some have been downloading grossly oversized.

DIM Installation tab:

"the content databazse is just that - the database used by the Content Management System - the database isn't user-editable, so it shouldn't be in a directly acessible folder, but unless you wish to risk losing any metadata for your own files or edits made to product metadata it should be off the C: drive and included in back ups. This is the same as the ContentCluster path you can set in DS in Edit>Preferences>CMS Settings. to make your desired destination the default select it in the main interface Window after checking Show Details, DIM will then remember the choice"

3. So is that the folder for the actual files that DIM unpacks from downloaded zips and installs, or is that a folder for a database/metadata about them?

It's a database, it is accessed and managed by PostgreSQL and has no DS content in it. DS and DIM update it based on product metadata.

If it is the former, the installed content itself (the equivalent of the Content folder if manually installing) should I set it as D:\image creation\Daz 3D\installed content ? Or D:\image creation\Daz 3D\installed content\cms\ ?

If it is the latter, could I still set it as D:\image creation\Daz 3D\installed content, or would it need to be a subfolder of that?

It should have its own sub-folder.

"manifests is for the files that DS uses to track what it has installed, since both package and manifests contain a .dsx file for each item it is important to keep them separate or one will overwrite the other."

4. So is the manifests useful to back up and have on the D: if I want things to work in a future OS install? If so, should I set it as D:\image creation\Daz 3D\installed content or D:\image creation\Daz 3D\installed content\manifests ?

It needs its own sub-folder

5. Lastly, in terms of setting up DIM: does DIM install Daz Studio by default? As mentioned, I had uninstalled Daz Studio via the instructions at https://helpdaz.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360055963392-How-do-I-uninstall-delete-Daz-Studio- but after installing DIM (which only took seconds) I saw Daz Studio was in my Start menu, and when I clicked on it that loaded it. So I don’t know if that is running from some other location not covered in the Daz uninstall article, or if DIM installed it?
If the former, I presumably need to find and uninstall DS, then reinstall DS through DIM.
If the latter, I assume I can cut out the later steps about installing Daz Studio through DIM, because DIM installs it automatically at the same time as installing itself?

DIM doesn't auto-install anything, but it does (by default) offer up some packages (DS and its content) for instalaltion. DIM will inherit any left-over instalaltion from Central.

6. Just curious: how come DIM isn't just built into DS? It would save setting folders in two different programs, with all the issues that can cause. It would also save different installation methods for the two programs, and having to manually delete DS from a load of folders (some hidden). It would be much simpler for most users. Install DS from an exe, then change folders in the Content Directory Manager (pointing it at existing folders if it is a reinstall).

DIM can handle content for other applications, and general content such as video tutorials. It also needs to be able to install the software itself and plug-ins, which require elevated privileges and so shouldn't be handled by the main application. Daz Studio, using Connect, can install much content.

Okay, I started to do this so I can test out my instructions (and incorporate any notes from Richard at the appropriate points.

STEP 1: PREPARATION

Daz Central claimed Daz Studio wasn't installed (and wanted to install it, offering no uninstall option). So I uninstalled Daz Central via Windows, and manually removed Daz Studio following the instructions athttps://helpdaz.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360055963392-How-do-I-uninstall-delete-Daz-Studio- (which has a few errors in path names)

STEP 2: INSTALL DIM

I downloaded DIM from https://www.daz3d.com/install-manager-info/ and installed it.

[It offered to let me change the path from the default location of C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D\DAZ3DIM1 - I didn't change it, but would setting that as D: help my goals in any way?]

I ran DIM. It didn't let me login as such when I ticked "Work Offline", only enter my email (password box disabled).

STEP 3: SET UP DIM

Then I followed the instructions already listed. It turns out there were two settings options. Presumably I want Settings>Advanced Settings (not Settings>Basic Settings)

So I went to set locations on my D:, so they will survive Windows reinstalls etc.

However, the Downloads tab doesn't have the single path I was expecting, and which I have seen in other screenshots and help guides. It has two. Again, this differs from screenshots I have seen, so maybe DIM has been updated but not documented.

There is a Package Archive C:/Users/Public/Documents/DAZ 3D/InstallManager/Downloads and a Thumbnail Archive C:/Users/Public/Documents/DAZ 3D/InstallManager/Thumbnails

Should I set them both exactly the same? Or different, as nested subfolders? Do I need to change both, or it one irrelevant to my goals? For now I changed both and set them as parallel nested folders D:\image creation\Daz 3D\downloaded content\downloads and D:\image creation\Daz 3D\downloaded content\thumbnails - is that right?

I left all other settings alone, presumably they are fine.

Next I went to the Installation tab. Again, I'd expected a single path to change for installed content baseed on previous guides and comments, but there were three paths, and it wasn't clear which one is the location to set as the install content location.

There is a Manifest Archive at C:/Users/Public/Documents/DAZ 3D/InstallManager/ManifestFiles

There is a Content Database Base of C:/Users/NA/AppData/Roaming/DAZ 3D/cms

And there is a Recommended folder of C:/Users/Public/Documents/My DAZ 3D Library (which has an ellipsis after it but clicking it does nothing).

Which ones do I set as my chosen location for installed content D:\image creation\Daz 3D\installed content ? What are the others, and do I need to set them as some D: location in order to achieve my goals?

Lastly, in terms of setting up DIM: does DIM install Daz Studio by default? As mentioned, I had uninstalled Daz Studio via the instructions at https://helpdaz.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360055963392-How-do-I-uninstall-delete-Daz-Studio- but after installing DIM (which only took seconds) I saw Daz Studio was in my Start menu, and when I clicked on it that loaded it. So I don’t know if that is running from some other location not covered in the Daz uninstall article, or if DIM installed it? If the latter, I assume I can cut out the later steps about installing Daz Studio through DIM?

Once the items are in your cart, you proceed to checkout and place the order. Since the items are free, no payment information is required.
When you have placed the order, the items will appear in your "My Account -> Product Library" where you can find the download links for manual download and DIM download, or like Richard says they will appear in DAZ Central (Or DIM) as available for installation.

Once they are added to your account they should appear in Daz Central as available for installation, or in most cases if you let Daz Studio Go Online (from the Connect menu) they will appear in Window>Panes(Tabs)>Install

Simply put i just install files too the data area in My DAZ3D Library, they won't show up under the product list in the content tab  or in smart content but will all show up in categories under My Daz3d Library.

So say you have installed DAZ3D to D drive like i have in windows 10 you will have an applications file in your D drive directory you should have Daz3d installed to this location if you click on Data you'll see DAZ3D file there open it up, you'll then see the MY DAZ Library file, open that up i usually install most stuff to the data file in this folder, this is how you manually stuff from daz3d & other sites with content built for DAZ3D.

Extract your files into a seperate file location, check what files are what then copy them into the data file, some installs might just install into the main folder My Daz3D Library and auto place stuff into the data folder, depends what your installing. I do this for my stuff from Render Erotica it's the only way to get them installed.

Note once you install to this location you'll find assets like figures and props under category People or relevant category for that prop then that particular model generation in a drop down menu. So say i have some anatomy installed as a replacer to the standard Daz3D i will find that under the category "People" then Generation 8 or 3 then choose the Anatomy category then all associtated files i have installed will be there with named files no picture icons, just a file tree with names not like the product content list found in content tab that has picture icons associated for products purchased in store you will not find your content loaded there...

The guys above give a pretty good discription of how things are done so i don't need to go into too great detail, but the easest way to install is just copy files into My DAZ3D Library folder and use that category system in the drop down menu to access your assets. You can have mutliple locations you can install too they all use the main file structure to do the same thing. You can have files located on different drives depending on your setup, my files are split over two systems, one online one offline so i always download the manual files and install them manually this way for my offline PC or just sometimes when DAZ3D have forgotten to add in files via the install manager or daz central so i have had to do a manual install to get all files to show up on rare occasions.

karl said:

Thank you everyone for the advice! Okay, I have read everything here and in any old help guides and other forum threads, tried to make sense of a procedure that should work. There are a few questions along the way, but in general have I got this set of instructions right? Any errors? Have I missed anything? I feel like this should be something Daz tells you, rather than having to piece it together from different web pages, forums, wikis and help guides!

The issue for me is that I don't just want to install assets on the D:; I want a fresh install of Daz Studio (e.g. if I reinstall Windows or get a new PC) to be able to find and use those installed assets exactly as before I reinstalled Windows, so I don't have to download and install the assets all over again.

---

STEP 1: PREPARATION

Uninstall all my current stuff so I can start fresh.

Use Daz Central to uninstall Daz Studio and content, then uninstall Daz Central through Windows.

I may still have to do manual cleanup, since it's made overly complex by Daz Studio not having its own installer:
https://helpdaz.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360055963392-How-do-I-uninstall-delete-Daz-Studio-

STEP 2: INSTALL DIM

Download and install DIM from https://www.daz3d.com/install-manager-info/

Run it, login, but tick "Work Offline" (so I can set my preferences).

STEP 3: SET UP DIM

Then follow the instructions at http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/install_manager/userguide/configure_install_manager/tutorials/settings_for_install_manager/start

Downloads info:
"In the top right corner is a small Gear icon. This is where you access your settings."
"Downloads - Allows you to set the location to save your downloaded files"
"The Downloads and Installation pages are where most of your customization will take place. In Downloads, you tell the application where to save the files you download from your store account.
"Download To Where - Click the “ … ” browse button and choose the location you want the application to save any content installers it downloads from your account. This can be on your local drive, or an external location."

So I set this as a location on my D:, so it will survive Windows reinstalls etc. Maybe a folder called Daz Downloads.

Installation info:
"Installation - Allows you to set and add Content (Runtime)install paths"
"Once you have your location added, switch over to the Installation Page… "
"If you use one program and have a single location set for content installation, you will see “Recommended Folder”."
"To change the Recommended Folder location, click the “…” browse button next to the path in the list. Browse to the new location."
"Any added locations will now be available in the Install To: drop-down selection above."

Again, I set this as a location on my D:, so it will survive Windows reinstalls etc. Maybe a folder called Daz Content.

[Question 1: I will have pointed DIM at the content, do I then have to do something similar in Daz Studio? e.g. one comment said "If you go to the Content Library and right-click "DAZ Studio Formats", you can add a folder on your hard drive alongside your main content library. I presume you can also use this to switch your main content library, but I've never done it that way. I'm not sure if there's some special handling required for the default content folder."]

You can use right-click to add or remove locations, you can't actually edit them. Edit>Preferences>Content tab>Content Directory Manager is the better choice if you are wanting to edit paths, or to handle mutliple settings at once.

You can also download this script (using the link above the code) and drag it itno the Daz Studio Viewport to copy the path from Install Manager into DS (that won't remove other paths, though). http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/referenceguide/scripting/api_reference/samples/file_io/install_manager_config_import/start

STEP 4: DOWNLOAD CONTENT

Make sure I am now “Working Online”. [Find some option to go back online now it is set up.]

The “Ready to Download” tab should be populated with everything I bought on the Daz Store, plus Daz Studio and some freebie starter content.

Daz Central had only let me download items one at a time (if I tried to download multiple items it cancelled previous ones and only downloaded the last one I ckicked on) but DIM should let me select and download multiple items, or even just set everything off at once.

I should untick "Install after Download" (or it will bog my PC down doing too much at once, better to break the task up.)

DIM should then download and keep everything in the D: location I set above, Daz Downloads.

STEP 5: INSTALL DAZ STUDIO AND BASICS

Open the “Ready to Install” tab once I have downloaded everything (or a batch I then want to install, with the rest to be downloaded and installed later).

There will be a list of downloaded but not installed items.

In the drop-down at the bottom of the window choose the D: location I set up earlier for installs, Daz Content.

[Question 2: "Install Product Updates to their respective “Installed To” path(s) - When checked, will install updates to their currently installed location." Do I tick this, or not?]

Generally yes, you would uncheck it if you wanted to keep the updated files in a new content directory. However, I don't think the option would matter in most situations.

"Checking the “Delete Installer Once Installed” will do exactly that. When you install a file, its Zip file will immediately be deleted from your computer. Be sure to Uncheck this box if you want to keep a copy of your Zips! "
Since I'm not 100% sure yet (having not tested it) that the installed content will carry over if I reinstall Windows or get a new PC, for now leave this unticked. The downside is that all content takes up twice the HDD space - once for the downloaded zip, once for the installed version in a different folder. But, if I reinstall Windows and Daz can't find the installed content, I could hopefully get DIM to see the doanloaded zips and install them. It would take some time, but be quicker than also having to download them. And, if I later found that this process worked perfectly without ever needing to use the zips again, then from then on I could delete them after installing content.

Then install Daz Studio this way. (I wish DS just had its own installer; and all the DIM stuff was just built in to Daz Studio, so there was only one piece of software to deal with!)

STEP 6: INSTALL OTHER CONTENT - ASSETS

Then install any assets I want, possibly in batches, similar to the procedutre in STEP 5.

[Question 3: What does DIM do when it finds files that will over-write others on installation? Does it keep one (which? biggest, newest?), or both? If I install zips manually this issue seems to occur quite often, with files with the same name and path in different products.]

It keeps track of pre-installed files, so that unisntalling a product doesn't break whichever pre-existing product placed the file. It does, however, update the file as far as I know - theer can be only one file with a given name and location.

"Once you have installed your products you will see them in the “Installed” pane. You can also check this pane to see if the product installed Metadata. If so, there will be a checkmark underneath the “Smart” column, letting you know it will show under “Smart Content” in DAZ Studio 4 and higher."

[Question 4: So, presumably, some items but not all will appear in the Smart Content pane in Daz Studio; for others I'll need to look in some other area of Daz Studio to find the content?]

Most items will have metadata, but some may not have user-facing files (e.g. morph sets may add new sliders to the figure without haing any presets to click). If there are properly installed products which don't have the data to appear in database-driven views but which do have user-facing files you should still be able to find them in the Content Library pane under daz Studio formats (or Poser formats) and then the content directory name.

At the end I should have my assets installed on the D: (Daz Content), and a second path with the downloaded pre-install backup zips of the assets on the D: too (Daz Downloads).

STEP 7: TEST CONTENT IN DAZ STUDIO

Maybe do this after installing a few items at a time. Check I can find them in Daz Studio, that they show up as Smart Content if applicable, that they load and work okay, that there are no problems that might require a refund.

STEP 8: REGULAR BACKUPS

I do a full backup of my D: regularly. So this would mean I am also backing up the downloaded asset zip files in one folder (Daz Downloads), and the installed Daz assets in another (Daz Content) - doubling the storage requirements but meaning I am covered for a few potential scenarios.

[Question 5: since I want to be able to reinstall Windows/get a new PC, do fresh installs of DIM and Daz Studio, then point them at the already downloaded and installed content, is there anything else I need to back up? i.e. Do DIM and Daz Studio use some kind of metadata/profiles.ini/database/settings file(s) that need backing up too (to be restored on the fresh Windows)? I worry that I could point the fresh Daz Studio and DIM installs at the existing folders and it still not work, and the programs are unable to use the content because it turns out there was some other file that told it what was installed, and without that it can't "see" the installed content. That worry comes from DIM Wiki notes such as:
"Install Manager will not 'see' files saved in locations not mapped within the application, nor will it see files downloaded via other applications or manually."
"Since Install Manager can only track products it has managed (downloaded), you will not be able to see any files that may have been saved to the same location. For example, saving zip files from a store other than DAZ3D. "
So, is there anything else I need to back up if DIM and Daz Studio are installed on my C:?]

(In an ideal world any metadata/profiles.ini/database/settings file(s) required so the software can "see" content in subfolders, would be stored in the actual root folder of the content, so you could back them all up together, and pointing a fresh install at that folder would work perfectly.)

Install Manager uses the manifests folder to store details of what it installs. The database is in the folder listed in Edit>Preferences>CMS Settings (and should be copied/backed up only when DS, DIM, and other applications using it are all closed and there are no PostgreSQL processes running). For products there is also metadata in /Runtime/Support/ that can be reimported, but that will not include things like new flags and will not include data for your own files unless you first export the user data from the Content DB maintenance dialogue, accessed through the Content Library option menu - the lined button in the top corner or right-click the tab)

[Question 6: I am assuming this comment is related to Question 5 above, but I am not sure how to build it into which steps, where/what the Content Cluster is, and whether this is referring to DIM, Daz Studio, or Windows Explorer:
"If the content is not installed to the C: drive then it would survive a reinstall of Windows. If you move the ContentCluster folder out of the C: drive (Edit>Preferences>CMD Settings, makes sure Daz Studio, Install Manager, and any other applicatrions or tools that use the content management system are closed before copying/moving the folder itself) then even the database would survive, though you would have to reset its location in preferences."
So if that could be built into the appropriate place in my instructions I would appreciate it!]

[Question 7: the DIM Installation tab is apparently where "Applications - Lists the location (paths) of your supported applications" and
"The Applications tab simply shows a list of paths where recognized software is located". So I could set Daz Studio (like my content) to install itself on my D: rather than the C:. Would that be beneficial? I assume that would be slower (my D: is HDD and C: is SSD). But maybe all metadata would be there on the D: too, so if I reinstalled Windows (then DIM and DS on D: in the same place) there is more chance of DIM and DS seeing and using the content correctly? Or would it make no difference because if I reinstall Windows and then go through these steps again, Daz Studio would just get freshly installed on the D: and overwite any existing profiles/metadata, and lose that connection anyway? Or it may be irrelevant because DIM has some kind of settings that need backing up, and DIM itself can only be installed to C: anyway? If so, it might make more sense to just back up the relevant profiles/metadata from the C:. See Question 5, above.]

Application location and settings location are not the same. In addition to the folders already mentioned, some settings (e.g. UI layout) are in

%AppData%/daz 3d/Studio4/

and others are in the registry, which cannot be backed up easily.

STEP 9: REINSTALLING WINDOWS / GETTING A NEW PC

Instructions for the situation where I reinstall Windows, or get a new computer (where I'd copy my D: backup contents to the new PC's D:).

I would perform steps 2-5 above, choosing the same paths (so they actually now point to installed content on the D:).
STEP 2: INSTALL DIM; STEP 3: SET UP DIM; STEP 4: DOWNLOAD CONTENT; STEP 5: INSTALL DAZ STUDIO AND BASICS

Hopefully DIM and Daz Studio then find all my existing installed D: assets, and use them as before, so Smart Content etc in Daz Studio works.

[Question 8: but how would STEP 4: DOWNLOAD CONTENT work? If things went to plan, wouldn't DIM see all the downloaded content on the D: without needing to download it again, making STEP 4 redundant? If DIM showed content waiting to be downloaded, that would mean something has gone wrong?]

Yes

[Question 9: related to Q8, shouldn't STEP 6: INSTALL OTHER CONTENT - ASSETS be redundant now, because DIM could see all the installed  content on the D: without needing to install it again? If DIM showed content waiting to be installed, that would mean something has gone wrong?]

DIM doesn't see content that wasn't installed through DIM or central, but yes a proper back-up/compartmentalised isntallation should not require reinstallation

[Question 10: were there any settings to change in DS? e.g. "If you go to the Content Library and right-click "DAZ Studio Formats", you can add a folder on your hard drive alongside your main content library. I presume you can also use this to switch your main content library, but I've never done it that way. I'm not sure if there's some special handling required for the default content folder."]

The main folder is the first in the list, that's all

[Question 11: related to Question 5, would there be some metadata/profiles.ini/database/settings file(s) that I need to restore first (to DIM or Daz Central) so that it can "see" the installed content as before? Presumably after installing DIM and Daz Studio, but before installing any newly bought assets (so that the backed-up settings exactly match the paths and content of those on my D:).]

Worst case scenario is that I reinstall Windows then all the Daz software, as above, but DIM and Daz Studio don't "see" the previously-installed Daz assets; or DS sees them but treats them as manually installed content, so Smart Content doesn't work in Daz Studio. In that case, as long as DIM can see the downloaded zip files, I can manually delete the installed assets from my D: Daz Content, leaving that folder empty; then point DIM at Daz Downloads and reinstall everything from the downloaded zip files. (Which at least saves downloading everything again.)
Evidence:
"If you have the zips Install manager will use them, as long as they are in its downloads folder (the location of which you can set)."
"If you saved the zips that DIM installs from then no, you don't have to download again. All you have to do is put the zips in whatever location you set as your default download folder. Once the zips are in there then they will show in ready to install within DIM."

[Question 12: is this something I need to build in to my steps, or can I ignore it?
"My understanding is that scene files contain links to the files where the content actually lives - I really don't want to be bombarded with millions of "can't find this file" dialogs when I open an existing scene after I've moved the underlying content."
"If the content is in mapped content directories then DS (and the Content Management Service) keep only the relative path, the location within the content directory. Moving the files into a new content directory, which you have told DS to use, will not cause issues. Only Install Manager has to keep the absolute path, and you can reinstall everything from the Installed tab (as long as you kept the zip) by right-click menu or just tell DIM to use the new installation path for updates in itss ettings (the risk there is an old file being left over after an update when it should have been deleted)."]

Scenes and presets store only relative locations (sub-folder of the content directory) not the absolute location, so they will work as long as the content is in the right place. Only the DIM manifests have absolute paths.

---

I do apologise for how complex this is and the time I am taking up. I have no problems backing up all my emails and Thunderbird profile and pointing a fresh install at all the content seamlessly, as with other programs I use a lot (browser, office suites, GIMP with plugins etc) but Daz seems to make it way more complex. I generally prefer to get hands on in backing up and restoring content and profiles,  trying out different OSs etc (I dual boot with Linux) so the fact that much of how Daz works seems to not be covered in help guides for situations like the one I list in my first post makes it a lot harder. And, because it isn't intuitive (the main program has no installer, and is installed by another program from a choice of two, without it being clear how it works in terms of profiles and DB settings) I feel like I'm on a steep learning curve! But I'd like to get a rock-solid procedure ready now so that I don't waste time in the long run. Cheers!