Re-installing Windows on an SSD, want to move content directories

Testing6790

I have installed windows on my new SSD, and I am trying to move my content directories off my old HDD so I can reformat it. I don't want to re-download and install all my stuff because not all of it is from DAZ, some from RO, some from random freebie sites, etc.

So I have moved my two content directories (where I keep all my stuff):
C:\DAZ Content
C:\Poser Content

I have moved these two folders onto my new SSD's desktop, where I then open DS on the SSD, select them as folders and open some of my stuff. A bunch of them are missing things that say they should be in user documents, or \data\ folder, but my documents folder has always been empty and my \data\ folder is no where to be found.

Here are two of the many issues I'm getting:

Missing files message:
/data/SAV/EireneHair/EireneHair/EireneHairGenesis.dsf
/data/DAZ 3D/Genesis/Base/Morphs/EdMoSo/Mikaela/Mikaela.dsf

/runtime/libraries/Props/Tough Hair/Tough Hair.pp2

/data/Michelle/Hair/PH Timeless/ValPHTimeless.dsf
/data/auto_adapted/IH1_switch_344/geometry_352cb0aa_49d3_5f95_8ac4_cf5a06a17988/geometry.dsf
/data/auto_adapted/legacy_IH1_hotel_16724/geometry_06c4a714_a353_40c6_8d27_ede820b2f67d/legacy_geometry.dsf
/data/auto_adapted/IH1_socket_416/geometry_517f5f0a_0186_2f8b_bf7f_02ccf6ce6480/geometry.dsf

There are a bunch of those, but I have no idea why that would be.

JimmyC_2009

Are these saved scenes that you are trying to open? It sounds as if your 'data' folder has been moved, or not carried across to the new setup.

The 'data' folder is a vital part of saved scenes in DAZ Studio. It is normally 'written' to the first entry listed in DAZ Studio Formats in the Content Directory Manager, but DS does look in any other paths listed there too for the saved files. What was the first entry for DS Formats on your old setup, if it was C:\DAZ Content, then that is where the data folder would have been written to.

If you don't have the data folder copied over, you may be in a bit of trouble. Try a search for that data folder to see if you can find it (you may have done that already)

The data folder can be repopulated, but it takes a bit of time and effort, and unless the scenes are important to you, it may not be worthwhile. If you can identify what DS is looking for, you simply create a new scene with these items in it, no need to pose or anything, just save it as a dummy scene, and that will populate the data folder for you.

The next time you open the scene, these error messages should be gone, and the scene can load correctly. Once you have established that the scenes work, you can delete the dummy scene as it has done it's work.

Testing6790

Yes, I am opening scenes. I save all my custom characters as independent scenes and just merge them into my current scene when I need them. I copied the whole daz content folder over, so the data folder SHOULD be there. How do you repopulate the data folder? The scenes are very important to me. They represent dozens of hours of work D:

JimmyC_2009

It involves basically duplicating your saved scene as far as items and morphs are concerned, creating a new dummy scene, retrying your scene again to see if anything is still missing etc etc.

If you have the data folder (or if your scene is saved in DUF format) you don't need to worry about that. I can give you full details later if needed.

Testing6790

They are saved as dufs, but I still get missing data warnings

JimmyC_2009

Sorry, yes, if they were originally saved as .DAZ, and then loaded into 4.5/6 and saved as DUF, then they will still rely on the data folder for the geometry files. If you don't have the data folder saved, then take a note of what DS is looking for in the data folder, and load htat into a new scene, that should repopulate the data folder for you, and then the original scene will load.

What items is it looking for exactly, you can check in Help > troubleshooting > View Log File.

Testing6790

Thank you so much, I didn't know about the log file. I'll check that tonight and hopefully post some good news!

Testing6790

So, that didn't work. I still haven't erased my old HDD, and I have access to the complete, working directories. Is there a way to store my characters (perhaps in a non-scene way) that would make them more transferable by copying my content directories?

Takeo.Kensei

when transferring to another computer or rebuilding your OS from scratch there may be a problem with the order or the declared DS folders. I had the problem

You must map all your content directory in the same order as the old ones . Swapping directory orders did the trick for me. I didn't have missing data folders but rather contents.

Testing6790

OK I figured it out. Now I have one last question: Is there an easy way to replace the file references to the exact same layout, just on G:/ not C:/ ? My SSD is my C:/ now and I don't want to keep all of my libraries on it.

Takeo.Kensei

I'm not at home right now so I can't check and I'm not sure about what you're asking but I'll try to answer.

If I understand you right you want to move your library from C to G.

As long as you move the whole library (ex : C:\My library to G:\My Lybrary) there shouldn't be any problem. After you move it, you must edit the path of the library you moved in the content directory manager. That should do the trick for opening scene files as in the DUF files you can see that all references are relative path

The problem you will encounter is with the DS Content management service. You may have to reimport meta datas and cleanup orphan files in order to delete all content pointing to the old place. I never did that so I can't tell you the exact process but the idea is that

info_14dd888877

not really.. choosing a different path the Daz Studio wont load library figures even if they are shown.. it's so crazy install Daz into a different hdd then c:\ .. cannot understand the reson but it is since the beginning far a go

JimmyC_2009

Ignore.