Old(ish) Timer Returning Needing Help with Gen2 Install

SLoTH_XVX

I have been away for a few years and have finally purchase a computer that will render in a reasonable time frame (compared to what I had a few years back) but because of my PC short-comings I have fallen out of touch with the resent addition of Gen and Gen2 and am struggling with getting Gen2 to 'work' properly for me.

When I add Gen2 Male to a scene I only get simple box shapes not the normal figure. I am not one to use the Installation Manager and prefer to install all my content manually, but like I said I am a little behind in the newer technology and am not sure I placed the files where they truly belong.

I unzipped the "IM00016280-03_Genesis2MaleStarterEssentials" file and copied the Content folder into the My Library folder...is this correct? The content shows up in the Studio Library but like I mentioned it does not load the figure 'as expected'.

SpottedKitty

SLoTH_XVX said:

I unzipped the "IM00016280-03_Genesis2MaleStarterEssentials" file and copied the Content folder into the My Library folder...is this correct?

No, you should copy the contents of the zipped Content folder into your My Library folder. What I and many others here do is unzip each installer into a dummy folder on the desktop, then move the required folders, merging them into the live content folder (whatever it's called).

It's confusing, I know — the reason everything in the zips is in a "Content" folder is to make things easier for the DIM installer program. And for various reasons, the zip folder named "Content" is the same as your folder named "My Library". Unpacking the whole zip into your My Library is essentially placing a content folder inside another content folder, which is pretty much guaranteed not to work. You want the contents of the Content folder, not the Content folder itself.

Did I say it was confusing...? :roll:

SLoTH_XVX

I think I am following you 'Kitty'....basically the Content folder in the zip file IS the My Library folder on my hard drive...right?

Edit:
B I N G O ! Got it! Thank you 'Kitty'

Another question...I have my Gen2 male in my scene but does he not come with base morphs like Gen1 did?

One more question...
I have two hard drives on my new PC...Is there anything I should do or be aware of if I want to move the entire My Library to the 'other' drive with more space? Is it as simple as moving it...there must be something I need to do within Studio to direct it to the 'new' location...?

I don't want to move the program just the Content...all the Content.

Jaderail

Just move the Full folder My Library to the new drive. Then In DAZ Studio you will need to Point the Content folder paths to the new location. If you use Smart content you may need extra steps such as resetting the Database file and Re-Importing your metadata.
My content is on my Second drive and works fully so it can be done if done properly.

SLoTH_XVX

Thanks Jade
Would I just move the WHOLE "DAZ 3D" folder and all contents or JUST the "My Library" folder and contents?

The folders are like below in the default install location right now

My Documents > DAZ 3D > Studio > My Library > "Installed files and folders"
and
My Documents > DAZ 3D > Studio > Render Library > EMPTY

SpottedKitty

Yes, that's it, both folders are "your content folder", and D|S very doesn't like it if you have one content folder inside another one. It's all for historical reasons, as usual — "the content folder" actually means "the folder defined in D|S as containing content files", not "the folder named Content", and the name has changed more than once since D|S first came out. (If you weren't confused enough already, it was actually named "Content" for the first couple of D|S versions.)

As for the morphs, I don't think I've ever had Genesis1 installed on its own without any extra morph sets, but both Genesis2 figures do seem to have not quite the same basic morphs. It seems to vary from one generation to the next whether a particular morph is in the base figure or installed as part of a standard character (Victoria, Michael, Stephanie, etc.)

Jaderail

All you need to move is My Library as a folder itself. My way is to do Copy and then Paste. Leaving the original folder in place for now. Then I change the Directory Paths in the DAZ Studio prefs with the menu Edit>Preferences>Content Library>Content Directory Manager and set the Paths to the Copied folder. Below is my current DAZ Studio content folder as set up at this time. As you can see it lives on my D drive and is a single folder. All the sub folders are in it just as in your current My Library folder.

Jaderail

Once it is set up as shown I exit DAZ Studio and then open it again. That tells me if the content is seen properly in DAZ Studio and if I need to create a new Database file for my smart content. I did, but it was not hard to do. All my content loads and works properly with this set up.

SLoTH_XVX

Thanks Jaderail and SpottedKitty for your help, sorry for the delay of response...still not quite clear to focus on Rendering again (can't seem to shake enough time out of real life as I would like).

I think I have set-up correctly...question though...should folders like Data, Read Me's and Runtime be visable and/or selectable in the Content Tree or am I missing something? I don't recall those folders being visible when I was using older version of Studio, I generally used Poser folder tree in the old days. I am trying to focus on Studio and not so much Poser...at least from a folder tree stand point.

Jaderail

No, those folders do not hold any User Facing content files, just files DAZ Studio use. They should not list in your DS but should be in the folder so your content works properly. In DAZ Studio only folders with User files will show in the Content Tabs.

ReadMes are there for your use and often is the folder Tutorials and PDF files will go. For things like The Advanced Ambient Light set by AoA, the PDF Tut should be in your Readme folder if you have that set of lights.

SpottedKitty

SLoTH_XVX said:

I think I have set-up correctly...question though...should folders like Data, Read Me's and Runtime be visable and/or selectable in the Content Tree or am I missing something?

Definitely not right, those folders should all be invisible in the Content Library tab. This is usually caused by having the content folder settings pointing one folder level too high. Another possibility is multiple settings, one pointing inside another — they must point to the folder containing the /data/ and /Runtime/ folders, and never directly to folders many levels deep inside your content location (or, even worse, inside the /Runtime/ folder). Getting this wrong usually means Something Nasty™ will happen, eventually, if not right away. Incidentally, it's likely that your content is properly installed, but D|S can't find it properly because of this content location glitch.

Jaderail

You have a Nested Content Folder There should NOT be a My Library folder inside the My DAZ 3D Libray folder. Both of those are default folders. You need to Open the My Library folder do a Select all Copy, the go up under the My DAZ 3D Library and PASTE with Merge. Then Delete the Now empty My Library folder. All your content should be UNDER My DAZ 3D Library not in a second content folder as it is now.

EDIT you should also remove the Studio folder and move any content it may hold to under My DAZ 3D Library as well.

SLoTH_XVX

Believe it or not I actually stumbled on the solution you mapped out for me without even realizing it. Thanks for confirming that I made the right decision to keep the 'deeper' My Library folder and paste that one into the new location and direct D|S to it.

You both ROCK! Thanks for all the help.

I installed LuxRender and ran a quick test render (never been able to use Lux with my old computer) and I am amazed at the result without making any tweaks. Now I am re-energized like a kid in a candy store again!

Thanks again, to you both for you help and guidance!