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The best way for organizing materials

Dave McHDave McH Posts: 49
in Daz Studio Discussion
Good day everyone! My materials folder keeps growing and finding anything there becomes just pain in the ass. So i decided to categorize it by creating separate folders. But I don't know what pattern woud work better. Something like "dresses" and "scifi costumes" and etc. I'd like to ask you what ideas you use for that. What ideas work better or not? Thank you

Comments

  • JonnyRayJonnyRay Posts: 1,744

    If you're talking about in the DAZ Studio formats for clothing, I normally keep materials as sub-folders under the outfit they are made for. For example...

    My Daz Library
    --People
    ----Genesis 8 Female
    ------Clothing
    --------Pretty Dress
    ----------Materials

    There are some other alterations I do to the standard folder designs, but that's how I keep my materials aligned with each outfit.

  • srieschsriesch Posts: 4,241

    Agreed, definitely keep the materials by the only objects that they work with or you'll never find them. 

    If i have a small bunch of random items, it's easier to find them when I can see all my options at once in the same folder. 

    If I have a single product with an insanely large number of options like the MFD, I tried grouping them into several categories that allowed me to more quickly weed out the other options and narrow down my search.  For example one category for modern dresses, one for period/fantasy dresses, one for sci-fi, etc. as well as options such as a category with all the various transparency options.

    If I have a single outfit with a few color-coordinated materials sets, I tried to keep each set in its own category so once I pick one I can easily find all the other matching parts.  Same thing works for building sets where there might be a "new" paint job and a "abandoned" paint job for each item in the set.  If they're all mixed together it can be hard to find every part.

    Once you have a large number of categories, you may no longer remember where you left things, so it really helps to arrange them in a way you remember, even if it might not make sense from a pure classification standpoint.

     

  • Dave McHDave McH Posts: 49

    Yeah, once you start to group them and in no time you'll have huge number of groups.

    Another problem where to put some prop, like laser gun, scifi or weapons :)

  • RainbowArtistRainbowArtist Posts: 101

     I prefer grouping things that usually function together as a group, with any needed sub groups, rather than some abstract classification by type. But it all comes down to what works best for YOU with your PERSONAL way of thinking and workflow.

  • nicsttnicstt Posts: 11,715

    I install into various main folders: people, Iray, Lights, Props, Poses - about 30 altogether.

    I have a custom folder I copy Items (Studio facing files) I use often; I clear it out or delete certain ones also as needed.

    ... Make backups of your folders before you starting messing - even if you keep the downloaded files, which I would recommend.

  • JonnyRayJonnyRay Posts: 1,744

    Also be aware that if you're using DIM or Connect to install your content, every time there is an automatic update to your content, you'll have to move the folders again.

    Recently Jen Greenlees did an update to almost all her shaders. So my careful hierarchy of shader presets was a pain to reproduce. It isn't so bad if you just move them. But if you rename them as well ... keep notes on what you did!

  • BendinggrassBendinggrass Posts: 1,371

    I might not understand you fully, but some of the things I do might help. I organize in the Categories section only.:

    As an example, one main category is DAZ people, divided into Michael and Victoria, then eg, under Victoria there are the categories of V3 up to V8. Each then would have their own sets of characters, clothing, poses, hair, etc.

    A clothing set has separate texture sets put with it there too. Makes it all very easy. Updates of content do not alter the categories then either.

    Likewise, under lights I divide that into iray and non-iray.

    Under settings, similar divisions are used, such as SF, Indoor, Outdoor, etc.

    Unless I misunderstood you, this is how I do it.

     

  • JonnyRayJonnyRay Posts: 1,744

    Yeah, just like in the Can I Organize My Files? thread in the New Users forum, Categories is really the better way to go rather than moving things. Especially with the way that product updates are pushed and how metadata is used by Studio, moving files can break a lot more things than it used to.

    Once everything is categorized, you can start using your categories as the way to browse your content rather than the files.

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