Some help or a tutorial for saving models (a step-by-step would be nice)?
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I'm using DS 4.6. I've been using existing models for quite a while, but I'm now starting to get into constructing my own stuff. I've got a few ideas for using the primitive shapes to construct models. I've tried searching the internet for information on how to save created models, but almost all of the information seems to be about exporting things for Blender, or some other thing that is of no interest to me.
Is there a simple tutorial that will show me, step-by-step, how exactly to save an object I make out of primitive shapes, within DS?
I don't want to save a morph, or pose. I want to build an object out of various primitives, and save it, for later use in DS. I just want to do this to build a few simple objects, not smart-props.
Any help appreciated.
Comments
Build it, Group it, and then do Save As>Support Asset>Figure/Prop Asset. This is for DAZ Studio only and will save to the Folder you pick. It will create the Data Folder from the information you supply on the First save so be sure the Arthur Name is what you wish it to be from that day forward. The Data in that folder will be the DAZ Studio Format Prop you made.
Thanks very much. I'll try that. :)
Opps. What I Meant is it only Asks for the Arthur stuff once so all future things will default to the info you supply the first time. DAZ Studio only Items can be done many ways but this is the fast way for personal use.
What other use is there? I'm not planning on rigging it. Unless I have to.
So, with the method you described, I could, for instance, save an item, and use it later, and possibly send it to a friend and they could load it up in their own DS? I don't own Poser, so I don't think I'd ever need to do that.
The Data Folder will be in your Content Folder in the data folder by the name you used. And the Save icon and loader will be in the Save folder that you save to. Any textures you use should be inside your DAZ Studio Content folder also if you make any, so another user can use them as well. All saves and content in the DAZ Studio folders use relative file paths so they can work in any DAZ Studio 4.5+ content folder. All paths outside the Content folders are called Hard coded and will not work properly on other computers.
I've been ripping out my hair with this all weakened, it's now Tuesday night, lol.
What Jad said is in a nut shell it, aside from finding all that stuff in the Data folder that only belongs to what you made (And not something/someone else).
Make your object, and export it till you get the settings you like. Then save it again to a simple "Product Name" so it is easier to find the needed data folder.
And when you collect the DUF files all together (for what you made) into a copy of that directory tree, with a copy of the Data folders for that item as well (Don't know about textures yet, somewhere in "Runtime"). Then hopefully your friend should be able to load the object, from the complete copy of the folder-tree for just that object.
It's a bit of work in the Operating System Files Manager (MyComputer on Windows), to copy all the needed folder-trees over without getting anything else.
I still don't know if my first attempt worked or not.
This is not as complicated as it sounds but not a easy process to explain either.
There are ways to get around most of the hard parts but it sounds too simple to be true. A Dummy DAZ Studio Content folder built with only the folders you need...
data
Props
Materials
and then list it in your DAZ Studio content Paths as the Top DAZ Studio folder. The First listed DS path folder is the one all data saves too. Once the Prop is built and saved only to that folder (Whatever its name) and the sub folders you remove it from your DAZ Studio paths. That is now a folder ready to be Zipped and Shared.
Doing it this way also means you will need to install it to your real content folder. I do this myself. I get to test my props before others ever see them this way. When you Zip to share it is the Sub folders you want, the top folder will just hold the content.
So this would work
MyFirstProp
..data
..Props
..Materials
Set as a Content folder to save to. And once done remove it from paths and then zip it all and your done.
Thanks. I'll give this a try. :-)
In general you'd put the materials in a sub-folder of the folder with the prop, not in a separate folder.
Materials?
If you have different texture or colour options for your model you'd usually save them as presets to modify the model rather than saving multiple versions of the model.
I was planning on not doing textures for the model. Just saving the object itself. That way I can texture it however I like after I load it, later.
just like my 1940s style machine shop stool. Tho it has a base gray color for the parts, no maps or other settings were used. So Anyone can make them the color or texture they like.
Tho I'm thinking the things may fly off the virtual shelf faster if I can figure out how to save the color presets separately as described. I haven't actually looked into it, yet.
I'm still waiting for someone to say the zip works or I missed something, lol.
That's great. And that stool can be any sort of stool. As long as it's got a round seat, anyway. :lol:
In my example the Materials folder would only be used for png or jpg type texture files for a UV Mapped and Textured prop. Instead of building a Runtime>Textures>Folder for a 100% DAZ Studio prop. The user could save Presets to that folder or as noted above to a sub folder of the Prop itself, most content creators do save the presets to the sub folder of the item.
I personally see no reason to use a Poser Runtime folder set to hold DS only textures, I do use the Materials folder. As they have no User facing files it never lists in my View but the files are called.
The reason to use the /Runtime/Textures/ structure is so the paths to the textures will be relative instead of absolute, this makes it possible to be used by other people with different content library set ups.
I do not know about poser type mat files,and not understand about poser, how work.
but about duf, and daz studio,
there seems no merit to use runtime/texture/each vendor name or productname (without clear rule)
duf can load all texture by relative path from root content directory, I believe.
But I know, daz really need to keep comattiblity with poser user, then suggest to locate all texture in
under runtime directory. and vendor can save time not separate texture for ds and poser user.
but about ds user, we may easy find texture, if all used texture are located under mat preset diretor
of each product, I believe.
(it is just my view as ds only user,, but I have long thought why,, ds need to use runtime still,,)
Yes it seems textures that are in a properly mapped content library will have relative paths now. Despite that I still think sticking to the /Runtime/Textures/ structure is best as that is a hidden location in the Content Library tab.
The reason Textures are kept in Runtime:Textures is so both DS and Poser versions can share them.. Texture files are usually the largest files, so it makes sense not to duplicate them unnecessarily.
I understand , and I try to keep texture in runtime/ when I make some simple assets ^^;
sorry jestmart to said selfish complain as ds only user,,
My thinking is, if each texture files can be categorized as same as ds and poser type files,
or loaded each texture ,which are gathered (tagged) as product ,
I hope to load them from content library >product >textures,,
and apply texture to LIE and shader property,,, I hope so.