How to change default install path in InstallManager?

Raymand

I am trying to change the default path that Daz InstallManager uses to install content. The online documentation seems a little incomplete. When I bring up the Settings Dialog via the "Gear" icon in InstallManager, there are 4 tabs. The 3rd tab is "Installation". The top section provides the locations for installing 64 bit and 32 bit Software, plus a couple options about shortcuts. Those are all fine.

Next is a very confusing radio toggle "Content Updates" with choices Install to Respective "Installed" Paths and Install to Selected Path. Despite a little information in the tool tip you see when you hover over these choices, I cannot figure out the difference. Can anyone explain which one to choose?

But my real problem is the next section. It is a table with columns Label and Path. There is one line in it, but it seemingly cannot be edited. It's labeled "Recommended DAZ Studio/Poser Content Folder" with the path C:/Users/Public/Documents/My Daz3D Library. This is where all the DIM-installed content on my old PC ended up. But on the new PC, the C: drive is a relatively small SSD, and I have a much bigger SSD on D: where I want this content to go. I cannot edit the path, or use the "..." button to bring up a file chooser.

I do see that at the bottom is a "+" button, and it looks like it would add more lines to this table, with their own labels and paths. But that would not remove the first line. I think I want to change that so it will never pick that location on the C: drive for installing new content.

 

Here's a screenshot in case it helps. I cannot change "C:/Users/Public/Documents/My Daz3D Library" to my preferred location.

Raymand

Update: I may have partially answered one of my questions. I went ahead and hit the + button at the bottom, and entered a new entry with the label "New Location" and the path pointing to my preferred location on my D: drive. Once I added that line, it became possible to delete the first line with the "-" button (although it still could not be edited). And in fact, once I deleted it, the "-" button was disabled for the new line I added. So, it ensures you have at least one entry in the table.

Also, the label for my new entry, "New Location" was still editable. I changed it to "Recommended DAZ Studio/Poser Content Folder", just like the line I deleted. So I hope this behaves exactly as I intended when I originally just wanted to change that path. (I'm not sure if the label plays any significance to the install manager.)

But this raises another question. What does it do when you have 2 or more entries in this table, providing several paths. It can only install to one path. Which one does it pick?

Also, I'm still confused about the Content Updates: Install to Respecive "Install" Paths vs. Install to Selected Path. I would appreciate it if anyone can shed some light on that.

MelanieL

If you have multiple entries (I have 7 or 8 I think) then when you want to install something you need to go into Settings again and will find a drop-down list near the bottom. Click on it and a list will appear, click on the one you want on this occasion and hit "Accept". Then that will be the location used in each install until you change it again.

I use multiples because I have separate locations for Carrara content, Bryce content and Photoshop content, plus I keep my old contents (pre-Genesis) in separate "Legacy" locations and my Shaders and Tools in a separate one (because I prefer to use Content Library for these instead of Smart Content, and they are easier to find if they have their own folders).

Richard Haseltine

You can also switch installation path, once you have mutliple, by enabling the Show Details check box at the bottom of the main window and then picking the directory from the drop-down list.

Raymand

Thanks. That make sense. I should think about dividing my content also. I have a lot of Genesis 8 stuff. But I acquired a bunch of older stuff during "March Madness" Also, while most of my stuff is from Daz and Daz PA, I do have some content from other sites. It might be a good idea to organize it in different folders, even if it's on the same drive.

BTW, I mentioned that I added a "New Content" path. Then I was allowed to delete the "Recommended DAZ Studio/Poser Content Folder" path. After that, I renamed "New Content" to "Recommended DAZ Studio ...". When I did that, it no longer let me edit the path! There must be something special about that name.

As for my other question about the Content Updates, after getting a little sleep the documentation made more sense. It pertains to updates only. But why would you want to choose the second option, which would put the update in a new location, but leave the old version in your content folders at the old location? (Or does it also delete the old version?)

 

Richard Haseltine

I think the issue is that you can't edit the currently active path, so you need two to be able to chnage the first. The same is true of account details.