All I know is that one day I realized all the images I had been downloading in one download folder, were no longer being 'read' until I moved them out into other folders. It was a scary moment lol ...

As to merging Runtimes, rather than copy/paste [which would take forever 'cause you'd have to do it piecemeal], I would try renaming the folders, sliding one folder over to merge with another, that type of thing. Tell the system to 'skip' duplicates 'cause one would have to manually verify those.

Or, if one has most of those products from one location, i.e. Daz3d, then I'd go for renaming the official 'content/mylibrary' collection folder to something else and make an empty one bearing the required name. Delete any metadata from DIM's collection, sign in at Daz3D the store, then run DIM to download and reinstall everything to the one location. It's the fastest way. Keep in mind though that the install location is correct before starting ;-) And of course make sure that said location is large enough to accept it all.

And unless there's some very good reason for downloading/installing 'everything' -- might want to size down the request aiming for the products truly in use or expected use for now and the near future.

I don't know if I'm at the right place to ask that question. I've screened through the thread, which is now 19 pages long, but didn't find what I was looking for.

So the question is about improting an animation from Daz to Blender using Diffeomorphic Daz Importer following this tutorial:  and some other sources including a tutorial from Daz : https://www.google.com/search?client=avast-a-3&q=how+to+apply+aniMate+in+daz+3d&oq=how+to+apply+aniMate+in+daz+3d&aqs=avast..69i57j0.24968j0j4&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_yC2WY7i_H-LY5NoP1cKHyAU_30

Anyway. All went fine until I tried to import the animation with the "Import action" button. I got a message "Daz Importer. Error (1.6..2.1248): The following database needs to be rescanned: Genesis2Female."

I have no idea what rescanning a database means. And obviously, no idea how to do it.

I'm using Daz Studio 4.21, Blender 3.3.0 (which I thought was the latest until I read the previous post) and, as noted in the error message, Diffeomorphic 1.6.2.1248.

The original metadata for this product does not assign every asset to a category, only the DAZ Studio format assets (the materials presets, and a set of 10 poses). 

But you are still logging in to DS, which means the DAZ Connect inside DS is frequently 'updating' your metadata and often makes a mess of it.

Uncheck "Show Login Page" and "Automatically Login With Remembered Credentials" at DS Preferences

I am working with DIM

and my product have meta data as seen in the screenshot above

also another product that I got recently (contrary to V4 above)

It has metadata, and I checked all its items, none is in Lost and Found, but the product is present in Lost and Found

... like 2/3 of my products  

Richard Haseltine said:

sp.creart said:

Richard Haseltine said:

This looks suspicious: Identifier:            com.daz3d.carrara.GoZBrushToDAZStudio.macho.1.0.0.0

 

What can I do?

I am told that that has been there all along and is not playing a part in your issue. You probably need to open a support ticket. In the meantime you can use OBJ export/import (or Morph Loader) to go to and return from ZBrush - the modo preset seems to work.

 

Yes, exporting and importing .Obj files I have no problem, but I can't change the pose of my subject after the modifications on Zbrush in Daz3D ;( .

While why does Zbrush Goz on Photoshop work !?

sp.creart said:

Richard Haseltine said:

This looks suspicious: Identifier:            com.daz3d.carrara.GoZBrushToDAZStudio.macho.1.0.0.0

 

What can I do?

I am told that that has been there all along and is not playing a part in your issue. You probably need to open a support ticket. In the meantime you can use OBJ export/import (or Morph Loader) to go to and return from ZBrush - the modo preset seems to work.

It's impossible to express with words the behavior of ZBrush brushes. You're gonna have to practice ZBrush a bit more to understand how sculpting works.

Only advices I could give :

- Work in ZBrush with 3D Layers when doing morphs. Import Genesis with GoZ, or by importing an obj. As soon as Genesis is imported, create a 3D Layer (name it for example Base Genesis). This way if anything goes wrong, you still have the base mesh. And then add layers for each modification or morph you're working on. Be sure to always check that the 3D Layer you work on is the good one, and is in Record mode.

- Genesis is too small for ZBrush's world scale which makes sculpting uneasy. Create a second Layer (Name it for Example Genesis Scale). Then use the Gizmo 3D (Y) to scale Genesis once until your reach "10" (the maximum scale you can do with that tool). This will give you a better control over the brushes' draw size. Be careful to not move the Gizmo. And be sure of course to slide that scale 3D Layer back to 0 before sending the morph back to Daz.

- Then create a 3rd 3D Layer and work on a morph. A 4th 3D Layer and work on another morph. And so on.

- When working on any morph, it's preferable to subdivide the Genesis in ZBrush. 1/ It's a non destructive modifier so no worries, morphs will work in Daz 2/ it'll avoid any unwanted modification of the base wireframe 3/ it'll give you a more precise control when using brushes : the more vertices, the more control you have over your mesh in ZBrush.

The rest really is all about practicing brushes. Your "wrinkles" I guess exist only because they follow Genesis' polyflow around the eyes. So move your brushes following the flow of polygons and you'll avoid creating unwanted details such as this one. The movement of a brush is important when painting, it's also true in 3D sculpting.

Good luck.

Padone said:

I tried easy import with the default settings and works fine here with my test scene. Be sure to update to the latest version 1.7.0.1312 if you have a old version it could get confused with G9. Also be sure to clean install.

https://diffeomorphic.blogspot.com/2022/11/safely-installing-new-version.html

I am using 1.7.0.1310, would that be why? Ill try downloading 1312 later and ill do a fresh install again.

For some reason every time I try to import a Daz file into Blender I get this error:

What does this even mean? Trying to Google for answers just gives me nothing/more confusion. Diffeomorphic worked just fine up until yesterday when I started getting this error.

I have the plugin installed right, I have the default paths loaded, I exported the file to Blender from Daz 4.16 the right way, but nothing. What happened? What went wrong?

Edit: Well... it works now. Not sure what happened. Still, I'd like to know what this error even means so I can avoid it in the future.

I have a simalar issue if I re-import the g9 figure using the plug-in, even if it looks like I've deleted the entire hierarchy. Assume re-importing creates a material name clash but I haven't had time to troubleshoot it yet or lodge a ticket

Fresh blender scene, no problems.

/data/FenixPhoenix/HD Face Staples and Stitches for Genesis 8 Female/FSSF S04 Staples/FSSF_S04_Staples_96.dsf is the dependency

you could see that it is a missing file that daz is asking for

in the attached image

I've never installed this add-on for daz studio nor am I really even interested in it... The face staples that it's asking for... And this is just a new character I'm importing in the scene from the content library.

if  you could help me remove this missing error message that seems to pop up pretty much on every genesis 8 that I import into my scene from content library.... I would appreciate it, you could see the missing error message in the attachment picture to this post

I tried easy import and works fine here with my test scene. Be sure to update to the latest version 1.7.0.1312 if you have a old version it could get confused with G9. Also be sure to clean install.

https://diffeomorphic.blogspot.com/2022/11/safely-installing-new-version.html

Please forgive me for taking so long with this little sweeper. For some reason I had to re-mesh part of the top of the body by hand. A number of the facets weren't playing nicely and you could see distortions in the rendered result. 

I have now modelled all the parts and have Tex mapped them, brought the individual parts into DS and applied materials. This is shown in the two attached renders. Now I have the bits as separate models, I need to combine them into one so I can import back into DS for the rigging.

Too tired today, tomorrow I have a big meeting with a customer and I will be too tired to do anything after getting home. So, I hope to do it Tuesday or Wednesday.

The plan is to have the two dust cups pivot around the wheel shaft, the brush bar has 10 brushes and will rig it to rotate with the wheels. The handle will be rigged to rotate fore and aft, and I'll add a handle length morph.

Regards,

Richard.

Padone said:

Can you import correctly my test scene ? Or can you import correctly the G9 female with the standard textures ? If yes then it may be an issue with a specific figure you can try another figure to check it, then upload a test scene in duf format as simple as possible with the steps to reproduce the issue.

I just tried the test file you sent and im getting the same result. Only thing i changed was the view subd from 2 to 3 in daz. saved the scene, chose "export hd to blender" from the scripts, import to blender with "easy import daz" with default settings and again all material zones are fingernails.

1/ HD Morph

A Published Artist exports as obj the Genesis with some subdivisions. Adds details with Blender or ZBrush without modifying the polygon count. Import that as an HD morph. That's the most basic thing : HD detailing.

2/ Displacement Map

You got that right. A 2D image (displacement or height map) will affect 3D vertices. An image = pixels. 3D = vertices. If pixels are 50% gray, nothing happens. If pixels are black 100%, vertices are pushed down to the max. If pixels are white 100%, pixels are pulled up to the maximum. The more Surface Tab > My_Object > Geometry > SubD Displacement Level is a high number, the more your vertices will look like the pixels.

3/ Normal Map.

In Normal Maps (I answer quickly anyway) each 2D color means a direction in the X,Y,Z environment/space of a 3D model. My Lion has many polygons going in multiple directions. Those directions (aka normal of the polygon) are recorded (baked) onto an image and become colors. And that image, once applied on anything, will have color info about the orientation of all polygons from the sculpted object. Orientation that Iray or any other path/ray tracing engine, or real-time game engine, can use to fake the light hitting on objects... that are not there. Fooling our brains.

The brilliant John Carmak that I had the chance to work for a while ago, revolutionized 3D forever, with Doom 3 around 2003. Since then, Normal Maps are widely used in all 3D games and movies... because it's such an amazingly powerful technique, for skin pores, the weft of a fabric, small rocks on the ground, etc. and tons of other macro and micro detailing of surfaces without the need to add any geometry.

Romans were using the "trompe l'oeil" technique in their walls paintings. 3D artists use Normal Maps. Similar concept, except Normals catch light sources, create ultra believable details that don't exist, and can be seen from any angle. That's pure genius.

I'm gonna stop there. I never know how much people know before answering. My advice kindly is : if you love 3D, forget Daz for a few months. Install Blender and learn the basics of a 3D workflow :

3D blockout > 3D modeling / sculpting > 3D retopology > Defining UV Seams > Unwrapping > Baking > 3D hand painting / procedural texturing.

There are many steps in a 3D modeling workflow nowadays and if you practice them a bit (avoid the terrible f@$%king donut tutorial...) they will make you see Daz on a whole new level. If you don't spend that time learning the behind the scenes of how assets in Daz are made, you're gonna end up drowning in tons of blurred technical info and wrong interpretations. Better to invest time learning, than loose time trying to figure out things without the necessary keys to understand them.

Cheers. I really gotta go back to work ;)

P.S : Polycount Wiki is getting old. But it still has a lot of well explained info about all those technical 3D words.

Can you import correctly my test scene ? Or can you import correctly the G9 female with the standard textures ? If yes then it may be an issue with a specific figure you can try another figure to check it, then upload a test scene in duf format as simple as possible with the steps to reproduce the issue.

These videos may help some.

As using conversion methods for shoes tends to miss the mark, one can export out the shoes as .obj. In a modeller do any resizing work required for the target figure, then import the .obj back into D/S. Rig it for the target figure.

Rigging high heeled shoes :-)

https://youtu.be/Tbhf7cwq9hM

Over the years I have noticed that a number of customers really want their purchases to look like the promos. So this next one is a basic camera 101 tip: Use a camera and set the focal length appropriately.

https://youtu.be/TGAUEwF7Vaw

Rigging with a donor rig:

https://youtu.be/6S-8PAXuRR4

If using the lovely product, UltraSceneryXT, in the Render Settings, the optimization setting must be set to "memory." Long story short, if one sets it to speed one is not likely to get a render.

Richard Haseltine said:

So, to be sure you hae the poses installed correctly go to the Content Library pane>Daz Studio Formats>The Content directory you installed to>People>Genesis 8 Female>Poses>ChestnutP>G8F Hand Bra. If the files are theer you can apply them by double-click as usual

Yep, THAT works just fine.  Glory hallelujah, this has been puzzling me for almost three full days.  Merci.

Why, then, do the files not show up when I use the search bar?  Does this also require adding the files to the database?  Or does it have something to do with what I said above about the file name seemingly not being what is actually being searched?

Content Library option menu, the lined/"hamburger" button in the top corner or right-click the tab, select Content DB Maintenance, and check reimport metadata, then check the iems you want to add in the next dialogue

I got to the Import Metadata menu, but neither this product nor Saxa's one are there.  I painstakingly scrolled thorugh every item available (since they are not in alphabetical order), and they are not there.  Why might that be?  Going by the Daz Studio Formats the files are in the correct place (two of the correct places, in fact).

One odd thing is that although the poses seem to work, when I double click them I get a dialog which I've attached a screenshot of below.  I feel like I'm getting the same result whichever option I pick, and again it doesn't appear to be causing a problem for the poses working properly, so I'm mainly wondering why this is coming up.

Both Smart Content and the Products (and Categories) containers in the Content Library (and also all the Presets tabs in property panes) depend on the files' having been added to the database. The daz installers do that for you, some other content will come with the necessary metadata but it will have to be imported first (Content Library option menu, the lined/"hamburger" button in the top corner or right-click the tab, select Content DB Maintenance, and check reimport metadata, then check the iems you want to add in the next dialogue - this has nothing to do with installing the files, it's for accessing the installed files through the databse). The three ... Formats containers in the Content Library do show the actual files on disc, except for the first entry, Daz Connect, which is for files installed through Daz Studio itself and is dependeent on the database.

So, to be sure you hae the poses installed correctly go to the Content Library pane>Daz Studio Formats>The Content directory you installed to>People>Genesis 8 Female>Poses>ChestnutP>G8F Hand Bra. If the files are theer you can apply them by double-click as usual