Metadata. We need a better way.

bshugs@hotmail.com

Having read through the instructions listed at http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/userguide/creating_content/packaging/tutorials/adding_metadata/start , and tried it a few times, I think we need something more straight forward. I'm suggesting a Metadata Creation Wizard. A Tool that would take us through the steps of creating Metadata for a collection of files, without having to open several different tabs, load the file into Daz Studio, and retype Product Name, etc. exactly. Perhaps not even a tool that will handle everything, but most common items: Clothing with materials, Characters, Poses, Smart Props.

On one screen, you should be able to select the files, create the Product, assign Types to the files, etc. with as few dialogs as possible. I realize that Metadata is complicated, but that's why we need to automate it. Retyping the Product name for the files in "/Runtime/Character", "Runtime/Poses", and maybe "/People/Genesis" is error prone. Having to go through each part of an outfit and specify mutlitple times that this is a "Wardrobe/Pant" up to three times is tedious. Having to scroll through every Daz Product you have (including "Michael 1"!) to tell the DB Editor that it's the product you've got loaded is just silly.

I had not inteded this as a rant, and I apoligize that it comes off as such, but we need something better if the Smart Content tab is going to work in the long run. Only supporting new Daz products is not enough. I doubt anyone uses only those items, and as the amount of good content increases, we need a better way.

I welcome comments, critisizms, and even flames on this subject. If anyone has found an easier way to create metadata, please, share it.

Capsces

Having just fought through some metadata creation, I understand your pain. I have not created metadata for clothing items, so am not sure about the steps there, but I have found that creating metadata is easier for some things and the linked instructions can seem over complicated, because they describe alternative ways to do things that can be done in one place. For the most part, I've only created metadata for poses. To do so, I right click the folder with my poses and select Create Product and give the product a name. I then select my product folder in the Products library and enter the Content Database Editor, where I can add the support files and create all the other metadata required for poses. For me, the Database Editor seems to be the place to do it all (though I do not know if that is the case for everything). However, I would be happy if things didn't get weird. For example, after creating my product, the files did not show up in the Products library, and I had to reset the database. It is disconcerting when things do not work the way you expect them to. ;)