What is the proper channel to notify content creators of install path errors?

ainuke

I have several folders in my root My DAZ 3D Library that are obvious mistakes in installation through DIM, and verified through manual download.

The most recent offender is Cherish Poses and Expressions for Rynne 8. All files are located in \My DAZ 3D Library\Raynne 8 and \My DAZ 3D Library\Raynne 8 Expressions, notably not in \My DAZ 3D Library\people\Genesis 8 Female\Poses\ as are other pose sets by lunchlady (creator). Note also that the folders (and all the pose files therein) are misspelled "Raynne" instead of "Rynne". This makes searching for them through DAZ impossible using the relevant name.

I see other erroneous folders in the root library folder from Sickleyield, Merlin, P3DA, Dreamlight, Stonemason, etc. (certainly not amateurs). Only containing one product, where I have installed several others for these creators; these are clearly single product install path mistakes. How do I correct them? I don't want to just move the folders to where I think they should be, given future update problems and not wanting to have dead duplicates strewn around my library; I have ~1TB of content in my library on an SSD, and I'd like as much efficiency as possible. Not to mention that renaming all the above mentioned Raynne files above is likely to break them and their association with their Runtime counterparts.

So, my problem is that I have no easy means of resolving this issue with the Cherish pose set through the forums; I can't post in the Commercial forum, there's no existing forum page for that particular item (or at least it doesn't come up in a search), there's no easy link in either the LunchLady store page or in my Product Library account tab. The only option I appear to have is to open up a support ticket, which involves jumping through more hoops than seems nescessary; and I know from experience that DAZ support staff seems perpetually overwhelmed, which I can understand given the multitude of things that can go wrong with user-generated content.

Is there an easier way to address this? I've already invested 1.5 hours into store, library, forum, and internet searches trying to isolate the problem and figure out what to do to resolve. I'd like to have an easier time of it the next time (and judging by the number of errors in my library, there will be a next time).

Thanks for your time,

Erik

 

Leana

The proper channel is to open a support ticket, Daz is supposed to handle those problems and will contact the creator if needed. Especially if it's a problem with the path in Smart Content as they're often the ones creating the Metadata, not the vendors.

ainuke

Leana said:

The proper channel is to open a support ticket, Daz is supposed to handle those problems and will contact the creator if needed. Especially if it's a problem with the path in Smart Content as they're often the ones creating the Metadata, not the vendors.

Thank you. I guess they're going to be hearing more from me, then. Some of the errors are as simple as "Character" folder instead of "Characters". Ugh. I had hoped I could avoid these kinds of problems by buying through DAZ vs other sites like Renderosity.

I guess I get to devote another whole morning cleaning up my library... :(

Anyway, thanks for the response,

Erik

Mc-Dwyre

I know this is 8 months old. But for those who want to fix such errors themselves, I may have useful information.
I've had similar problems a number of times since the beginning of Poser and Daz3D.
These 2 tools are very practical for this (and freeware).

1. Notepadd ++     (editing the dsx files -> manifest and support)
2. XnView MP         (renaming files as batch processing)

 - there are similar tools, choose the one you prefer.

First step:

Find the files with the wrong name and or wrong path and cut and paste them into an "old_xy" folder. 
( It's helpful to search inside the "InstallManager" folder by using the number of the zipfile  "IM0000####" )

Create an editing folder and inside a new subfolder for your like "new_xy"  (xy = the original folder-name or zipfile-name), 
then unpack the original zipfile into this folder and rename the original to "old_xy.zip" or "original_xy.zip".
Create subfolders within "Content" as they should be in the path.
e.g. "Content -> Genesis 8 Female -> Poses"  and "Content -> Genesis 8 Female -> Expressions"
now drag and drop the folders into the right subfolder.

Second step (rename):

open XnView MP
You see the tree with all your folder in the left window.
Go in this tree to your created "new_xy" folder ... and subfolders, where you've placed the wrong named files.
If you click on the folder in the directory tree, you will see all the files in it in the right window. With Ctrl + A you can mark all files contained therein. (or with mouseclick and shift)
At the top, within the toolbar, there is a kind of folder icon with a drop-down menu (between "Properties" and "Search").  Here the files can be copied, moved and also "renamed".
If you select "Rename batch", a new window opens.
Check the box below for "Replace" ...
Here you have the option of replacing individual words within a file name with another word.
Below you can see a preview for every change, with "Old name, New name and the path".
Press "OK" when it looks the way you want.
(Note: The terms can be different because I use a different language version.)
 

Third step (editing the dsx-files):

When editing it should be noted that you first work with a copy so that you can always fall back on the original if necessary.
2 possibilities -- open Notepadd ++ , then drag n drop the dsx-files into the window - or 
right click with the mouse on the dsx-files (context menu) and "Edit with Notepadd ++ " ... or "open with ...".
The dsx files from the support folder using xml and you will see the syntax automatically,
[ it looks like this: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> ]
for the Manifest.dsx you can chose in Notepadd ++ in the menu "language" XML to get the same highlighting.
The syntax highlighting helps to keep the overview in the text.
In your case you would have to change first the long terms 
<File TARGET="Content" ACTION="Install" VALUE="Content/Raynne 8 Expressions  ....

to
<File TARGET="Content" ACTION="Install" VALUE="Content/People/Genesis 8 Female/Expressions/Rynne 8 Expressions ...

in the menu "search" then copy the exact phrase Content/Raynne 8 Expressions  and replace it with Content/People/Genesis 8 Female/Expressions/Rynne 8 Expressions
after this replacement you have still the poses
<File TARGET="Content" ACTION="Install" VALUE="Content/Raynne 8

to 
<File TARGET="Content" ACTION="Install" VALUE="Content/People/Genesis 8 Female/Poses/Rynne 8
with the same procedure

and last but not least there are the file names left .. simply search for "Raynne"  and replace all with  "Rynne"

Sometimes there were files that I didn't know where they belonged. 
​This is of course bad luck, try to find an assignment using the file name or the preview (.png).
Unfortunately, I don't have a blanket answer to fix that. 
I wish you success. :)

Fourth step (zipping the folder -copy to install Manager):
(you can also place the folder manualy if you like)

Make sure that the ZIP file is renamed as described above. Go inside your "new_xy" folder and
mark the "Content"-folder, the Manifest,dsx and the Supplement.dsx - right click with the mouse -> select “Send To” -> “Compressed (zipped) folder”
The ZIP file is unfortunately named "Content.zip", so you have to copy the name part from the original and rename the ZIP file.
like:  IM000#####_#_CherishPosesandExpressionsforRynne8.zip
Place it into the "Install Manager" - Download Folder and give it a try.

I hope this can fix / solve the issue.

This is my first explanation here (but it has become very detailed and longer than planned)
... and of course I hope that no mistakes have crept in, but you never know.
English is not my mother tongue, so please forgive any linguistic errors.

Greetings, Bernd