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So my options are:
1) Hope that the Readme is up to date, and has the version number
2) cross reference with the User threads
3) Install to a temp directory and compare things, then re-install manually over the existing install if the new one is different
4) Install over the existing install and hope for the best
If I didn't know better, I'd think you actually were trying to force me to rebuild my runtimes. :) If you have the most recent version, and only the most recent version, why do you need to know about intermediate versions? What is the big difference you believe you should be concerned about?
So my options are:
1) Hope that the Readme is up to date, and has the version number
2) cross reference with the User threads
3) Install to a temp directory and compare things, then re-install manually over the existing install if the new one is different
4) Install over the existing install and hope for the best
If I didn't know better, I'd think you actually were trying to force me to rebuild my runtimes. :)
The zips were built with the most recent version.
There's no great way to tell from the files dropped by the current installers what version of the content the installer dropped. You could maybe tell if you know exactly which installer you used. However there were issues with come installers that the version number was not updated when it was suppose to be. These inconsistency and problems with the current installers is one of the reasons why we are moving a way from individual installers.
Not at this time.
Now if you had a different runtime for each of the things you mentioned, and then left the files in place as they were dropped it would work, But otherwise you need to update the things tracking the file manually, so like the metadata file, the manifest, etc etc. Just like you manually moved the files.
You could manually reorganize the zip and the manifest in it, but again I can't guarantee the results if you do.
Hmm, so your saying that if I create the sub folders ahead of time, gather all the male genesis clothing zips and tell DIM to install ... Oh I see because of the data and texture folders it WOULD install but it would put it all in there. Hmmmmmmmmmm... not what I'm after. I'm hoping you guys have a laundry list of things to improve on this like that very thing. It would be something like wild card .duf files (both product and materials but NOT data related duf files) could be pointed to a specific folder. The rest would go where it would go by default.
By the way, why isn't DAZ making more use of the Content>Textures folder these days? Less clicks to get there. It's where I've decided to throw my Bruno texture maps and most things I'm converting from now on, before I redo the surfaces. MUCH easier to browse to. ;-)
Hmm, so your saying that if I create the sub folders ahead of time, gather all the male genesis clothing zips and tell DIM to install ... Oh I see because of the data and texture folders it WOULD install but it would put it all in there. Hmmmmmmmmmm... not what I'm after. I'm hoping you guys have a laundry list of things to improve on this like that very thing. It would be something like wild card .duf files (both product and materials but NOT data related duf files) could be pointed to a specific folder. The rest would go where it would go by default.
By the way, why isn't DAZ making more use of the Content>Textures folder these days? Less clicks to get there. It's where I've decided to throw my Bruno texture maps and most things I'm converting from now on, before I redo the surfaces. MUCH easier to browse to. ;-)
Software is never done. There are always more things to do with it.
The Content>Textures path works for Studio only content, but not so much for Poser users.
So my options are:
1) Hope that the Readme is up to date, and has the version number
2) cross reference with the User threads
3) Install to a temp directory and compare things, then re-install manually over the existing install if the new one is different
4) Install over the existing install and hope for the best
If I didn't know better, I'd think you actually were trying to force me to rebuild my runtimes. :) If you have the most recent version, and only the most recent version, why do you need to know about intermediate versions? What is the big difference you believe you should be concerned about?
That's just it. I don't know if I have the latest versions of everything. In some cases, I know I don't. But I also don't want to just install the new ZIPS over what I have without knowing if its an update or not, since that's potentially a lot of cleanup.
My plan is to download and install, through the DIM, into a Temporary directory, since Chris said that manually deleting the directory through the OS will work. The DIM will still think it's installed everything. Moving forward, I would use the DIM for new products and updates, installing them into my existing runtime structure.
However
If something has been updated, and the version I'm installing is newer than the version I have, I want to update it. But only if it's a newer version. I don't want to install everything in the existing structure, and then spend several days cleaning it all up because of what I've previously moved and changed. I only want to clean up what's been updated, if necessary.
That's something I'll have to risk, but I have kept all my installers since at least last January, since that's when I got my new computer. So if there is any way I can see what version I am installing (even from the Runtime) I can compare that to what I have archived, and adjust the install accordingly depending on that comparison.
That's something I'll have to risk, but I have kept all my installers since at least last January, since that's when I got my new computer. So if there is any way I can see what version I am installing (even from the Runtime) I can compare that to what I have archived, and adjust the install accordingly depending on that comparison.
The most current installers follow the pattern: idx_ShortProductName_x.x_suffix.exe.
The x.x is the version number of that installer. You can compare that with the previous sources you mentioned or with a reset download of that item in the store. The store will not be immediately changing to the zips.
Just a quick note, since there seem to be a whole bunch of dissatisfied people here:
I was really excited when this product was announced. After reading through 20 pages of complaints and explanations, I'm still really excited and look forward to getting the DIM. For this intermediate-level user they are granting a long-held wish.
This sounds like it will be too much of a time suck for me to try to mess with. *Sigh* And I HATE zips.
Same here. This is exactly what I have been waiting for.
Yes.
I am keeping the zip files, I am (at the moment) keeping the exe files.
Is keeping the zip files enough for the DIM to tell me about updates?
*looks hopeful*
Is this a yes or a no??? What does it have to do with keeping zip files and if it does, where do you have to keep them?? I keep all my zip/exe files but not in one folder - will that be necessary?The answer makes a difference as to how Install Manager sees the files.
If you don't have the files either downloaded and in the download directory or installed, by Install Manager, then it will give you a list of files that you don't have installed or downloaded, from your account in "ready to download." It won't show any as updates if you don't have the files in the first place, they are simply ready to download. If you have files downloaded but not installed it will show those in "ready to install." If you download the files but remove the zips, they are no longer ready to Install, so they go back to ready to download. If you have install manager install them, they go into "Installed."
Install manager marks anything that it has installed, which has an update, as having an update in your ready to download list. If there is something that you have downloaded and it is ready to install but there is an update, that product will come out of the ready to install list, and go back into the ready to download list. So while it will tell you there is something new to download, it doesn't actually mark it as an update, because it isn't, as far as Install manager is concerned, an update to what you have installed.
So the answer is yes and no. If you have the zips in the download directory and have downloaded all of them, it will let you know you have new files to download, whether Install manager installed them or not.
THANK YOU!
(I should have gone on reading ...)
That will work for me!
Well, remember that part of the point is that you don't have to do the unzipping. How much of a time suck it is will depend on how interventionist you are - if you leave content where it falls, either because you access it through Smart Content and/or Categories and Products then it's pretty much a case of figuring ut what your bandwidth will take and letting it run, but if you prefer to categorise on disc then it is potentially a lot of work and therefore may be less attractive.
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To those who are tempted by the icea of hand-editing the XML etc. files: I tried hand-editing some of the dsx files to reflect my reorganisation of content and had endless trouble with the CMS. Since deleting the Support folders to make sure there were no custom files and resetting the database it has been behaving (but with far fewer entries, of course) so be very, very qu...careful.
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Yes, we can move files in the Content Library but it has had problems with companion files, and won't allow placing files in the wrong type of folder (DS in Poser or vice versa) for loading via companion file (of course we can use the Create Poser Companion Files with .duf content) so it's not ideal - better file management tools in DS would be nice.
Newbie question..... do i have to go into my account and reset everything so i will have the latest updates? or will the dim just get directed to my account and do it himself lol fingers crossed he will .
The DIM will do it for you - presumably you have to tell it your login details so it can access your account, then it handles getting the file list and downloading the files you want.
If you don't have the files either downloaded and in the download directory or installed, by Install Manager, then it will give you a list of files that you don't have installed or downloaded, from your account in "ready to download." It won't show any as updates if you don't have the files in the first place, they are simply ready to download. If you have files downloaded but not installed it will show those in "ready to install." If you download the files but remove the zips, they are no longer ready to Install, so they go back to ready to download. If you have install manager install them, they go into "Installed."
Install manager marks anything that it has installed, which has an update, as having an update in your ready to download list. If there is something that you have downloaded and it is ready to install but there is an update, that product will come out of the ready to install list, and go back into the ready to download list. So while it will tell you there is something new to download, it doesn't actually mark it as an update, because it isn't, as far as Install manager is concerned, an update to what you have installed.
So the answer is yes and no. If you have the zips in the download directory and have downloaded all of them, it will let you know you have new files to download, whether Install manager installed them or not.
THANK YOU!
(I should have gone on reading ...)
That will work for me!Chris clarified further later. If Install Manager isn't the one moving files then the manifest file still thinks it has the files, so it doesn't know you got rid of the zips. Note this is not recommended or supported as Install Manager can get confused. :)
I'm trying to figure out how to best use DIM for me, and have a few questions after reading this thread.
1) From what I gather, it's recommended to use DIM to download and reinstall everything to a clean location. I'm theorizing that this has to do with the fact that most people don't have the latest versions/updates of all of their products from DAZ3D. So installing everything to the current (not clean) location could lead to extra files, etc. Is that correct? If I made sure that every product I have is up to date, would it be then okay to reinstall everything over my current DAZ3D Studio location?
2) If I do install everything to a clean location, will I be able to transport over my user data? What I've read suggest yes, as long as files weren't moved around on the OS, etc, before categorization was done. If this doesn't work, then I'll definitely want to figure out a way to reinstall everything into my current DAZ3D Studio location.
3) I've read a little bit in the threads that this install manager will allow us to easily create our own metadata. Is that correct? My main problem with metadata is that I want everything for M4 and V4 to show up when I have Genesis selected, since we can use autofit with Genesis. Will we be able to make that happen with this new metadata? Also, I like to have all of my shoes in one category, etc. Will it be possible to use DIM to make that kind of detailed metadata? (I would be surprised if the answer to that one is yes, but it doesn't hurt to ask. I'd love to have something less time-intensive than creating my own categories, but I do like being able to group things together, like shoes, pants, shirts, etc.)
Thanks.
Just out of curiosity, will the announcement of the availability of the new DIM be made in the Commons or in the Members Only forum?
The key for the user data is the file's relative path and file name--its path relative to the mapped directory. As long as it is still there the user data will load just fine.
Thanks.
DIM is not a metadata tool. It just installs it. Studio however has all the tools necessary to do what you describe.
Not sure what you are answering here Richard.
With Install manager the metadata is written directly to the database as part of the install process. For Carrara users this means no more opening DAZ Studio to populate your Smart Content tab. For DS users that means no more delay on open to process new content.
I tried to follow this thread as good as I can. I understand that there are users who do not use metadata at all.
For me as someone who invested two months to categorize my content with "categories", "file types", "compatibility bases", "scene IDs" and "Tags" it is a huge deal how the DIM now does not seem to give the user the option to choose if metadata is installed or not.
For new products I will want the official DAZ metadata.
And I also appreciate the "mini-metadata" added for old products that do not have proper metadata.
But for many reason when I spent hours to customize the metadata of a product I do not want those customizations just to be overwritten by the DIM without giving me an option to say stop.
I will certainly want to install the updates to the product. But I may not want to install any updates to the product metadata if I allready customized it myself.
Before this could just be done by choosing not to process the metadata added to the queue at startup. How is this done now?
- - -
I have two questions:
Question 1:
Is there in the current version of the DIM really no option at all included to prevent the DIM from writting directly to the database?
Question 2:
If the DIM is writing directly to the database are there still any files placed in /runtime/support?
- - -
Currently I am under the following impression:
The only way to prevent that customizations made to products are kept is to go to the "Product Library" "Content DB Editor" and export the .dsa and .dsx files to /runtime/support and make a backup in another location that needs to be reimported AFTER the DIM has finished installing.
The normal "User Data" is not enough to make sure those changes are not lost. Exporting and Importing needs to be done on a "product" level.
- - -
In any way I spent a lot of thought on the consequences for metadata management with and without the help of the DIM.
To be able to use all the useful functions of the DIM I am currently preparing to reinstall my whole runtime once again.
I would like to do the reinstallation the way DAZ officially suggests and hope DAZ can provide a complete guide how to do that especially for users that allready created a large library of customized metadata that I would like to call "User Product Data".
"User Product Data" is a term I would like to introduce for metadata "products" that were customized by the user and then exported as .dsa and .dsx files to /runtime/support from the "Product Library" using the "Content DB Editor".
The "User Data" as introduced by DAZ is a collection saved in just one file of all changes a user made that are NOT saved in a "product" and exported.
Currently I am very worried that DIM and also the current DAZ metadata management tools are mainly designed towards the users that just use "User Data" as a quick way to customize content.
To make full use of the CMS and all the metadata tools I am strongly convinced one has to be able to make use of the "User Product Data", making backups on a product level ready for export and import as a preparation for updates and complete reinstallation of the whole runtime.
- - -
I am also aware that not all people are interested in metadata.
As there has been said there is not just one way to organize a runtime.
I can understand that it is not easy for DAZ to come up with solutions for all those different needs.
The introduction of the DIM seems a good opportunity to completly reinstall the whole runtime.
I put together some kind of a step by step guide how that process was done before the DIM and now invite those interested to have a look at it and share and discuss how that process could be updated with the new options the DIM introduces:
Metadata Management - complete reinstallation preparation - step by step
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/16216/
I see this step in step guide as a collection of the status quo and work in progress document until DAZ makes an official document available that deals with all those questions a complete reinstallation of all content WITH all metadata brings.
It would be great if those people who worked on the DIM could share their experiences if those steps I came up with are reasonable or if I am missing some importent points that may alter the way metadata reinstallations were done in the past that I have not yet mentioned.
I can understand that you cannot share all information now until the DIM is officially released.
But I would be very happy if you could provide some useful tips and suggestions as soon as the official release is available.
- - -
Thank you for reading.
I apologize if this has been asked and answered. After reading 18 pages, my mind has started getting fuzzy with all the details, answers and speculation - as well as the non-DIM info.
My question/situation is:
I run Studio on 2 different computers, my heftier (?) desktop and my newer laptop. For DIM to work accurately (for updates especially) will I need to download the Zips on both machines, or only once as long as the download location is the same directory?
Ok, I have a new question now. I'd been seriously considering doing a fresh install, but the new video on Youtube shows using the uninstallers to manually uninstall everything. I have 226 installers, and I'm sure other users have a lot more than me. Is there no quicker and easier way? Can't we just wipe those folders and start over?
If your desktop and laptop can access the same folder, then you can download to one place. If not, you could still download to one and then just copy the donwload folder over to the other with an external hard-drive or direct connection.
If you are going to wipe the whole old folder you can just delete it, its only if you are keeping something in that folder that you want to manually run the un-installers. You may wish to back up that folder first, just in case.
If your desktop and laptop can access the same folder, then you can download to one place. If not, you could still download to one and then just copy the donwload folder over to the other with an external hard-drive or direct connection.
I do it with an external hard drive, and I've been very happy with how well DAZStudio's handled it since the duf files came out. Glad to hear it'll still work!
Excellent, thanks. The only thing I really want to save from my old folder are a few genesis and supersuit presets.
But yeah, I'll definitely back up first.
DIM still drops the dsx into /runtime/support so the Re-import metadata in studio still works.
I do it with an external hard drive, and I've been very happy with how well DAZStudio's handled it since the duf files came out. Glad to hear it'll still work!
Thank you for the quick response. That is what I thought, but I am glad to have it confirmed by DAZ.