How to Manually Edit a DSF File

It was suggested in the FaceGen forum that the reason that I couldn't get my creations from G3 to G8 was perhaps due to auto_follow not being enabled in the .dsf that FaceGen created and then suggested the following:

"Some previous versions didn't have 'auto_follow' turned on for G3 (in the .DSF file). You can manually edit the .DSF file; search for the text 'auto_follow'."

So my question is how do I manually edit the .dsf file? I can't find anything that references this.

Comments

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001

    Open it in any text editor...if it's compressed, which it can be you'll need to decompress it first, either within Studio or with an archive manager.

  • Well, I opened one of my dsf files in a text editor and the text wasn't exactly what you'd call formatted, it also didn't seem to include auto_follow and I can't say I'd know where to insert it as the text seems random. What archive format is it that I could uncompress it with? Or how in Studio would I accomplish that. 

    It doesn't exactly look like an ini file or code for instance, so how do I get it into an editable format?

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited September 2017

    It's just a simple zip, so 7zip or similar works well.

    In Stuido:  Window > Panes > Batch Convert...there is an option to decompress files.

    Post edited by mjc1016 on
  • I tried using 7zip, wouldn't recognize the dsf. I'll have to try the batch convert and see if that works.

  • I tried using 7zip, wouldn't recognize the dsf. I'll have to try the batch convert and see if that works.

    It might be not recognising the .dsf file because it isn't a .zip file. Try changing the file extension to .zip — that's what I always do, and I don't think I've had a dud extraction yet. If it still doesn't work, it's probably really a binary file, not compressed plaintext.

  • EsemwyEsemwy Posts: 578

    The compression format is 'gzip'. 7zip might work on it. Winzip or the like definitely won't. If your utility requires a meaningful extension to do the right thing, '.gz' is the default.

  • claudiogenclaudiogen Posts: 19

    Try to change the extension to .rar or .zip and then open the archive with WinRar. It works fine. The result is naked file without extension. Just hang on .txt extension to is and there it is. It might not work with Winzip but it's at least worth a try...

  • murgatroyd314murgatroyd314 Posts: 1,538

    Try to change the extension to .rar or .zip and then open the archive with WinRar. It works fine. The result is naked file without extension. Just hang on .txt extension to is and there it is. It might not work with Winzip but it's at least worth a try...

    My usual method is to rename "whatever.dsf" to "whatever.dsf.zip". That way, after unzipping, I get the original file name back.

  • MasterstrokeMasterstroke Posts: 2,032

    I use 7zip and never had a problem opening a dsf file. I also recomand Notepad+ for text editing.

  • AbnerKAbnerK Posts: 718

    This question doesn't seem to be answered, how to open it in a text editor yes, but, I'd really like to know how I edit this file. I mean, are these the duplicate formulas, can I just delete the second one and why is there so many #FBMKwan8....?

     

    {

    "output" : "rEyelidUpperOuter:/data/DAZ%203D/Genesis%208/Male/Genesis8Male.dsf#rEyelidUpperOuter?scale/general",

    "operations" : [

    { "op" : "push", "url" : "Genesis8Male:#FBMKwan8?value" },

    { "op" : "push", "val" : -1.70299e-07 },

    { "op" : "mult" }

    ]

    },

    {

    "output" : "rEyelidUpperOuter:/data/DAZ%203D/Genesis%208/Male/Genesis8Male.dsf#rEyelidUpperOuter?scale/y",

    "operations" : [

    { "op" : "push", "url" : "Genesis8Male:#FBMKwan8?value" },

    { "op" : "push", "val" : -1.70299e-07 },

    { "op" : "mult" }

    ]

    },

     

     

    and if this is the duplicate can I just delete from after the previous '},' to after the next '},'

    I can edit an HTML page but, I've never successfully edited a dsf file. 

     

    By the way the log file is only complaining about the one error now and implies it's at line 7032 which is where '{ "op" : "push", "val" : -1.70299e-07 },' is.

     

    Thanks.

  • AscaniaAscania Posts: 1,855

    AbnerK said:

    This question doesn't seem to be answered, how to open it in a text editor yes, but, I'd really like to know how I edit this file. I mean, are these the duplicate formulas, can I just delete the second one and why is there so many #FBMKwan8....?

    You use an editor. https://www.daz3d.com/dson-editor

  • AbnerKAbnerK Posts: 718
    edited July 2021

    Ascania said:

    AbnerK said:

    This question doesn't seem to be answered, how to open it in a text editor yes, but, I'd really like to know how I edit this file. I mean, are these the duplicate formulas, can I just delete the second one and why is there so many #FBMKwan8....?

    You use an editor. https://www.daz3d.com/dson-editor

    didn't see the link

    Post edited by AbnerK on
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