Freebie Batch Installer Script (Windows only)
Allow me to present the freebie batch Daz Content Installer (for Windows): https://github.com/ctmrocks2435/DazContentInstaller/releases/tag/1.1.0
I got tired of trying to detangle file structures while installing freebies or products from places other than DAZ and therefore made my electrical engineer/programmer husband write this program for me when I was mad at him. (It went miles toward gaining my forgiveness.) I have been using the "3D Content Installer" app (written by ahudson and formerly sold on Renderosity) for eons. It's great for batch-installing Poser files, but it fails if there is no runtime folder (which is the case with any DAZ content that doesn't use textures because they don't need a runtime folder.) I therefore asked (forced) my husband to basically mimic the operation of that cherished script, but add functionality for "new" (non-ancient) DS content. His version works on any zip/rar/7z archive that contains a "runtime," "data," or "people" folder. (I had to give him Chex Mix to add the "people" folder when I realized that many pose freebies would have neither "data" nor "runtime" folders.) It is meant to install the huge variety of content gifted to us by generous individuals who donate their creations, but don't necessarily subscribe to any standard file structure.
My husband, by the way, has absolutely no idea WHY I needed such a bizarre program, as his familiarity with DS and Poser only extends to his awareness of my obsession with it. But he wanted to not sleep on the sofa. And he got my Chex Mix as part of the deal. We were all happy.
To use it:
- Download the installer exe and put it in a folder of your choice.
- The first time you run the script, it unpacks everything it needs inside that folder.
- Open the runtime list text file and add the directory path(s) of your DAZ or Poser libraries (Ex: G:\Studio\My Library or C:\Program Files\Smith Micro\Poser 11, etc.) to the text file, then save the file. (It might be important for those names to be case-sensitive. I'm not honestly sure because I just copied mine from the windows file path bar.)
- Drop your content files in zip, rar, or 7z format into the install folder. If you want, uncheck the box that tells it to move your files into "success" or "failed" folders after installing them.
- When you run the script, it will look in the zip for a folder called "data" or "runtime" or "people." As soon as it finds one, it copies the zip contents into your selected library in the right place, relative to those files. (It lines up the structure of the zip with your library structure, regardless of how the zip was packaged.)
- It won't install any files ABOVE the data/runtime/people file path, but I honestly couldn't think of a reason it would need to. You might miss a readme, but content should work without it.
- If the product lacks one of those folders, it will make note of it in the log file and/or move it to the "failed" folder.
- BE AWARE -- Nothing seems to happen when you click the button. I ran out of Chex Mix before I could make him add a status bar, so it just kinda sits there until it's done, at which time it tells you the number of successful or failed installs. If you told the program to move the content to success/failed folders, you can watch them disappear from the install directory, which worked for me.
- Also... I get the "If you can read this, something might be wrong" message every time I run it -- and nothing is wrong.
It isn't foolproof and it won't work if there isn't a "data," "runtime," or "people" file in the zip, but a vast majority of content does have those folders, so this was a lifesaver for me.
Feel free to offer feedback on bugs/feature requests. I can't promise timely updates, but I'm sure he'll end up in the doghouse again and he'd much prefer to do this kind of thing to get back into my good graces than to wash dishes or move things around in the basement for me.
Enjoy!
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Comments
Alot of daz and poser freebies don't have daz only files like data and people. I use https://www.sharecg.com/v/71453/browse/10/Software-and-Tools/Daz-Content-installer-from-Zips and http://www.sharecg.com/v/43320/browse/10/Software-and-Tools/Daz-Studio-Archive-Installer. Thanks for new tool.
Well, sure, but mine has a better story behind it...
Those looked nice, for sure. I saw the "content-installer-from-zips" one, but I didn't know if it handled rar and 7zip files -- my hubby's script unpacks all needed 7zip libraries, so 7zip doesn't even need to be installed on the machine. The other script also looks very multi-functional and solid, but I just get a little nervous about uninstall/deletion options, so I was hesitant to use it. I'm sometimes click-happy, and pretty much never never uninstall things anyway! Both of those scripts must do something similar to ours (align DS directories with the content file structure) so they must use folders as "guideposts." (How else would it "know" where the base directory is?)
I could definitely have my husband add other folders to look for, I just didn't see much of a reason for it. I suppose node-based shader presets (with no maps) wouldn't have data, library, or people folders. But I can't really think of other things that would. Well, except for standalone obj or 3ds files. I don't batch-install those, though, because I almost always customize them before importing into DS.
This was just something I wanted -- simple, brainless, and familiar. I thought I'd share. Feel free to ignore it -- mine's a little different from those above. And, you know, you're welcome?
Oh, and mine comes with virtual Chex Mix...
New stuff is always welcome, and I like chex mix as well.
Is It Possible to add a couple more folders? Like 'Templates' and 'Environments'?
Is It Possible to add a couple more folders? Like 'Templates' and 'Environments'?
I was also thinking of adding "props." I just had surgery, so maybe if I look at him pathetically enough, he'll add them to the script.
I hope you are recovering from your surgery, Karibou. I do wonder, however, if your husband ever actually stops by to read your posts on the forums?
Thanks very much for this! I have so many free- and not-free content items that are painful to manually install!
What, pray, is Chex Mix?
I've been making use of this, and I love it. Thank you! I would personally love to see support for some more of the content folders, but they make up such a small percentage of items that installing those by hand is not a big deal.
Bless you and your husband. This is wonderful.
... now can he write one to clean up and re-sort all the stuff that disappeared on install before he wrote this? :)
WandW, Thank you. Not yet in the UK I don't think.
If Chex breakfast cereal (or equivalent) is availible there, here's the recipie...
https://www.chex.com/recipes/original-chex-mix/
Looks terrible, and we don't have Chex anything. We do have Shreddies, which are allegedly knitted by grandmas, though.
https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=lRuiQrpXpG0
To view, copy and paste then remove space between www..and youtube Not sure of copyright with image presented on posting as link.
Or you can search for Shreddies and grandma
You use the share button
Thanks Chohole, but I was concerned about contravening the copyright of the original copyright holder. If the film os placed by that individual on Youtube, then share is probably okay, but if it is not then I really don't know the situation.
DAZ Install Manager vs Daz Content Installer
I prefer DAZ Install Manager (DIM)
Reasons:
DIM can install from third party zip files also.
DIM has everthing better and more advanced features.
Yes, DAZ Install Manager can install third party content also.
precondition
eg. zip file should have folders Contents, Manifest.dsx, Supplement.dsx
in doubt compare folder structure with already working .zip file
Procedure
for eg: Users\Public\Documents\DAZ 3D\InstallManager\Downloads.
press on 'Ready to Install' tab.
this also automatically creates <package-name>.dsx same name as the .zip file at the Downloads folder.
Evidently you have rarely installed third-party content. The vast majority of third-party content does NOT have the "proper format" required by DIM, thus the need for a third-party solution.
Any ways for uninstalling contents??