Changing Default Install Directory for Products
mwokee
Posts: 1,275
in The Commons
Got a new computer, need to reinstall everything. I don't want any Daz stuff on the C: drive. Daz Studio installed as desired but when I add products they are going on the C: drive. What am I doing wrong? Thanks
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Are you installing through Daz Studio itself, or the Install Manager?
If you are using DIM you can set both the download and install directories. Options are in the gear at the upper right hand corner as I recall. I don't have it in front of me at the moment. After you do that, you also have to set DAZ to point to whereever it is you installed the stuff. That's under the Edit menu.
Note that "download and install" — DIM saves the content installers as they're downloaded, and keeps them (unless you change a setting in DIM to "delete after install". If you don't know about this, then eventually as your content collection grows, you'll be wondering why your C: drive is filling up so fast. If you install from inside D|S itself, then you'll have to change that default location setting as well.
There's also the content database, which is stored in yet another C: drive default location, although the database files aren't all that big compared to your content files.
I'm going to need more help. First of all, I want ZERO Daz files on the C: drive. I uninstall and reinstall and Daz installs on the drive I want but there still are files going on C:. When I install the DIM, I change the directories but they still go on the C: drive. When I try uninstalling everything to start over, not all the files go away. Plus when I reinstall, it remembers the defaults from the previous install. There are steps that I am missing, is it possible to get detailed instructions?
How exactly are you trying to change the settings in DIM? It's not really a terribly complicated procedure, but there are a few sneaky gotchas that can trip you up if you miss them.
And don't forget, D|S and DIM don't talk to each other, so you need to change the settings in both programs.
About the re-installing situation — what's happening is that the program settings (including several important folder locations) are stored separately from the program files. They're supposed to be preserved through an uninstall/reinstall.
I can't figure out how to change the directory path highlighted in blue. Which is this path: C:\Users\Public\Documents\My DAZ 3D Library. I can get the Installer to load content where I want but I can't get Daz Studio to recognize the new location.
You need to add a new path, via the + button, and make it the Current path - then you can remove the old one.
I have DS on C:\ which is a small partition for a few programs I like to put there. Then D:\ is the large partition where I have a number of other programs I still want on my hard drive, but not in C:\
But you can have DIM install wherever you want. Just click on those little 3 dots on the bottom right and a window opens and choose wherever you want to put them. Right now, my entire main content library is installing to E:\, which is an 8TB external drive. But if I want, I can change that location any time I want.
I almost never use DIM because I do manual downloads and it's easier for me to put the zips in named folders to organize them and install at a later date.
But this is what my path is like in DIM.
Edit: sorry didn't know someone else posted
I got a new computer one month ago, and did exactly the same. All I can say is: good luck in your efforts, it's major pain!
Problems I ran into:
Your problem (easy to fix, just add another directory and set it to current, as mentioned above. Though you might consider moving your entire user-directory away from the C drive as well. (I forgot how I did that, but the Internet is helpful, no need to download any tools for it).
Next I ran into the problem of Daz Studio not seeing any of the assets I installed.
* Tip here: only install 1 or 2 assets, like Genesis 1 Essentials and 1 outfit for it). Test whether Daz Studio sees these assets, if not: simply uninstall them through DIM, and look within DAZ Studio to update the paths. Rinse and repeat till you figure it out!
The second problem turned into a major pain in the head to me, I really don't know anymore what settings I fiddled with, eventually I even ended up resetting the postgrewhatever database, which did eventually fix it, though probably in combination with some other stuff I accidentally got right along the way.
Simply put: moving Daz Studio and your assets to a new computer with a different file and drive structure is a big hassle, which one probably has to do 3 or 4 times before being able to do it perfectly on yet another system. Blame Daz. Their developers are brilliant at developing software, but intuitive design is not their forte (and sadly, nor is documentation). Every feature requires the users to trial and error their way into the line of thought of the developer to make it work.
This script can be used to update DS to use the path(s) set in DIM. Download (using the link above the script) and frag into the DS Viewport
http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/referenceguide/scripting/api_reference/samples/file_io/install_manager_config_import/start
I'm still not getting it. I can have the DIM install anywhere I want, I can't get DAZ Studio to change to the new location.
I had started this in the Common forum but maybe this should go in Technical Help. I have a new computer and installed Daz Studio and DIM. I used all the defaults. I need to put the product files on the D: drive because I don't have enough room on C:. In the DIM I made only one change, the directory in the image highlighted in blue. I added a new directory and deleted the old one. When I install files with DIM, they install as they should in the new folder on D:. When I go into DAZ Studio, the product is listed but the thumbnails are blank and trying to select a product gets an error the files are missing. I am missing something. Really need help with this. Thanks
So did you remember to change the directory or directories that you want to point to in DAZ Studio. To check you click on the Content Library and then click on the box with an arrow and 4 lines. Select Content Directory Manage. When it opens There should be a listing under Current Directories. One for DAZ Connect Data, DAZ Studio Formats, Poser Formats and Other Import Formats. Expand at least the DAZ Studio Formats and Poser Formats and add the new directories. You may have to delete the old references as well, since they are no longer exsist.
To add a new directory select the DAZ Studio Formats or Poser Formats line. To the left of the box you see the "Add..." button become active. Click on the button and browse to the directory that has your content on the D: drive. Just make sure you select the directory just above the actual content. As you can see my first directory is for DAZ Studio 3 content, where the content is actually below a subdirectory called content and my second directory is DAZ Studio 4 content, which does not have the subdirectory.
Wow! Thanks! It's getting late here but this appears to be the answer. I will need to continue verifying tomorrow. As far as I know there is no manual for these kinds of details so it's tough sometimes.
@mwokee, You many need to uninstall Daz Studio first, to get it off your C-Drive.
There are some files that will go in your Users folders on your C-Drive. As far as I know, there is nothing you can do about that. However, you set the location in DIM for all the archived files, and you can tell DIM where to install programs. Here's an image to help you out with the latter:
In the DIM Setting, Installation tab, click on the button I've highlighted with yellow and browse to the folder on your secondary drive where you want Daz Studio to be installed. (You should also change the path for the 32-bit software, just in case.)
And while you're in the settings, you should click on the Applications tab. it will list all of the programs it has installed and the install path. If it shows DAZ Studio 4.5+, click on it to highlight, and at the bottom, click on the little "-" button to remove it. In fact, I recommend removing anything in there that you want installed to the secondary drive, (if there's anything else in there.)
Now click on Accept and try installing Daz Studio.
My advice, take the time to get used to custom directories; set some up; try them out; change them. It will be worth-while as you'll be able to add others as they make sense.
Make sure products from other places are not included in the directories that DIM has access to. (I can't recommend Smart Content, but some love it).
Merged threads, you can edit the first post if you want to move the thread to a different section of the forum.
How do you change install directory in Daz Central. Install manager is no longer operational.
DIM is still available and usable. In Daz Central, BEFORE you go online change the base path. Daz Central installs everything to one base path, software, content, downloads.
I didn't know this before. Could this be connected to the frequently reported problem of Central insisting on re-installing D|S, and destroying existing non-default DIM content location setups? It would explain a lot, although it begs the question of why Central can't detect an existing installation — especially since Central is supposed to be a training-wheels version of DIM.
Daz Central is supposed to pick up existing DIM settings. AFAIK the problem of screwing up existing paths has been fixed. As for insisting that DS isn't installed, I think that's because it treats DS and all the plugins that come with it as a single item, so if GoZ or the Photoshop bridge isn't installed it treats it as "DS isn't installed". I could be wrong about that -- my General Release is still DS4.8, so of course Central wants to install the latest version.
If you use Content Manager, it is under EDIT - Perferences - Content
(Don't mess with CMS)
This is a great post so I have to resuscitate it. I've read through the comments and I'm not sure if my question has been answered in a round about way. I have virtually all of my content installed (through DAZ itself, and yes, it's on the C: drive, which is now full). I changed the download directory in DIM to D and my new content is going into a folder there. So now I have content in two locations.
For the time being, is it possible to tell DAZ on a product by product basis, that some things are in the D: drive now without change to one directory? I thought this would be possible by right-clicking on the product in the Content Manager and choosing either "Browse to Folder Location," or "Create Links to Assets." Neither of these options seem to lead to the desired effect.
If this is not possible, can anything in C; be deleted now that it's installed, without removing needed files? I'm sorry my expertise with DAZ is pretty limited as I only use it sporadically.