Re-installing Renderosity content

Doc Acme

Wow, a lot of DIM related postings of late.

I'm in the process of re-installing all of my Renderosity products on a new system and some (actually most as they're older I guess) just don't want to Catagorize. I was aware of that issue prior fortunately so doing one at a time, checking, then either Catagorize or in some cases exiting DS & moving things to correct folder. 

Anyway, after I Catagorize, some items instead of showing up in the Smart Content as a product icon, show up as a Local User icon instead.  Exploring that, it takes me to a Product:Local User panel showing icons in correct catagories.

How do I rectify that so they're in the correct Smart Content areas instead?

NorthOf45

I believe that to get a proper Product entry, there needs to be some metadata that declares it. Newer DAZ packages have the Supplement.dsx (with the ProductName key) and a metadata file in the Runtime/Support folder with (usually) all the bits and pieces for smart content (default categories, compatibilities) to tie it all together, something that third party products most likely lack. For those without either, DIM (or maybe CMS) creates a basic metadata set that includes a Product name and contents (in the Lost and Found category). Stuff that is discovered on its own (by manually copying contents) is just assigned to the Local User product.

You can assign contents to a product from the Content Library (right-click a folder or item and select "Create a Product from...") for all the relevant parts. You have to repeat that for each folder or item you want to include in that product. Then, if you want Smart Content, you have to edit the metadata for the product and set the compatibilities for each item in the product. Yes, it is as tedious as it sounds. (Note: if you edit metadata from the Product tree, don't auto-export, it will mark any custom categories it includes as Read-Only all the way to the base. There is no way to undo that, you would have to copy the affected branches and move the rest to a new tree. Very annoying. You can export it later).

You can make DIM-ready packages for other vendors' products with Content Package Assist, which will give you some measure of control (Product name, GUID, supplement, manifest, even a thumbnail), not to mention the ease of installing and uninstalling. No Smart Content, though, that still has to be done manually if it is not provided. (Tip: you can export the metadata you create from the Product section to some folder and include it in the Package so that it is there the next time you need to install it).

One handy trick is to make a test library (or six) separate from the main one and include it (them) with Content Directory Manager. Put a single Poser product in a test library to check it out (re-arrange, and/or package it, if you want) without losing it in all the tangle of the main library. Just wipe the folders clean once you're done and install the sanitized version where you want.

I'm getting tired just thinking about it...

Doc Acme

Tell me about it.  Between this & trying to Find a possibly misplaced W-2 for taxes ... "MY HEAD HURTS!"

Content Package Assist!  Well NOW you tell me!  Might be worth picking up & just tossing into the toolbag though.

I just finished the last Renderosity item.  They're all in Local User so they're at least accessible, and from there I can sort things out to be useable.

Seeing what was where on the Win7 system and just various search & comparison tasks on Win10, I slowly whanged it together.  Some of the zips used the D:\DAZ 3D\Studio structure, others wanted the D:\DAZ 3D\Studio\My Library path. Wonderful.  Nuttin' like adhering to standards I guess. Newer products seemed to get it right or at least closer.

I'll research the Create a Product from... some more.  Think I tried it but didn't take plus not knowing what I'm actually doing with it.

Time for more wine & finally get to play a bit.

Thanks North.