Quick-loading G8F and (G3F?) when you own half the damn store

BrotherVirgil

OK:

1. I want an installation of G8F (and G3F) that's lightweight enough to load into my scene within a few seconds, rather than the 3-4 minutes it currently takes me. For scenes involving multiple characters and even small crowds, the load times are an agonzing hindrance to my workflow that I'm now trying to eliminate.

2. I own a sizeable collection of G8F/G3F characters and custom morphs from DAZ3D and elsewhere. Hence the absurd wait time as DS tries to load EV. ER. Y. THING for each figure.

3. My current idea is that I should somehow create a separate, dedicated runtime and install only the base figures and a few of the most important morphs there. Then when it's time to make a generic/rando supporting character, I can pull up a base figure, inject what I need from my monstrous library via the Content Library tab, and move on with life.

The trouble is... I don't actually know how, or what the settings for DIM and/or DazCentral should be to make that work without confusing DS or breaking its existing connections with my installed content.

So what are the specific steps for creating a new runtime just for lightweight production figures? Thanks again for all you do.

BV

 

BrotherVirgil

P.S. If my idea at #3. is completely the wrong answer for my problem, please advise. I figure someone with a library my size has worked this out already.

BrotherVirgil

P.P.S.: Just thinking out loud here: Has anyone considered, or already coded, a plugin or setting where you can tell DS: "Look, I know I own 8,012 different characters and morph sets for G8F, but today I just want you to pull up the base figure, all facial expressions, these two full body morphs, these three faces, and these custom leg morphs"? That would be a sweet way to speed up a workflow from a large library, if it could be made to work.

fixmypcmike

In DS in the Content Directory Manager you can make Content Sets that allow you to easily switch which content folders you use.  So you could do something like this:

For figures, you have 2 content folders, called for example Basic and Extended.

In DIM, install only the most important characters and morphs to Basic, and the rest of the characters and morphs to Extended.  (You can install clothes and props, etc., to Basic, or create a separate content folder for them if you find that easier.)

In DS, create 2 content sets.  One has everything, and the other leaves out the Extended content folder.  Use that second content set, and the figures will load more quickly.  If you need something from the Extended content folder you just switch to the other content set (you don't have to close things, the content sets are "hot swappable").  Then you can load the figure that needs the extra morphs.

BrotherVirgil

Fixmypcmike said:

In DS in the Content Directory Manager you can make Content Sets that allow you to easily switch which content folders you use.  So you could do something like this:

For figures, you have 2 content folders, called for example Basic and Extended.

In DIM, install only the most important characters and morphs to Basic, and the rest of the characters and morphs to Extended.  (You can install clothes and props, etc., to Basic, or create a separate content folder for them if you find that easier.)

In DS, create 2 content sets.  One has everything, and the other leaves out the Extended content folder.  Use that second content set, and the figures will load more quickly.  If you need something from the Extended content folder you just switch to the other content set (you don't have to close things, the content sets are "hot swappable").  Then you can load the figure that needs the extra morphs.

OK, I've got the folder for my new runtime where I want it, DS knows it exists, and DIM's installation path is set for it. But that hasn't changed what shows up as downloaded and installed, I'm guessing because DIM is still looking at the same Manifest Archive and CMS Content Database it was looking at before.

Is there a relative Easy Button for selecting the G8F/G3F morphs and base figures I want and installing them to the new folder, or do I need to do this manually?

BrotherVirgil

I'll modify, or add to, the question. Does my new runtime folder need a place for its own new Manifest Archive and CMS Content Database, at least if using DIM to install is going to work?

fixmypcmike

No, you don't need separate manifestfiles or CMS database, just uninstall the products using DIM and reinstall them to the new location.

Seven193

Fixmypcmike said:

If you need something from the Extended content folder you just switch to the other content set (you don't have to close things, the content sets are "hot swappable").

Can you be more specific?  I see no buttons that swap or set the current content set.  I created two content sets, and the second one is never highlighted.

Seven193

http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/artzone/pub/software/dazstudio/reference/dirmanager

Changing to a Different Content Set
To change content sets:
- Click on the radio box next to the content set you want to use.
- Click on the Accept button.

This doesn't work.  I named my second content set so I could see if it changes.  
I click Accept, then open the Content Manager again, and my changes were not saved.

BrotherVirgil

Fixmypcmike said:

No, you don't need separate manifestfiles or CMS database, just uninstall the products using DIM and reinstall them to the new location.

27 seconds!!

*megalomaniacal Mandark laughter*

fixmypcmike

Dave230 said:

http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/artzone/pub/software/dazstudio/reference/dirmanager

Changing to a Different Content Set
To change content sets:
- Click on the radio box next to the content set you want to use.
- Click on the Accept button.

This doesn't work.  I named my second content set so I could see if it changes.  
I click Accept, then open the Content Manager again, and my changes were not saved.

Just tried it and it's not working, I'm reporting it.

nicstt

Well, obviously you still have half to go...

Creating a seperate library for what you need now is good.

I have lots of them and as an experiment I removed the People library from studio, and reduced the loading of a character to about 10 seconds from 30 ish - its a week or so agao since I did it so can't be sure exactly.

... But I don't care; I load it then whilst it's going on, do something else - open photo shop, load files into photoshop - open Blender, go and make a drink

I only tested the difference in load times due to someone else postind similar.

fixmypcmike

Fixmypcmike said:

Dave230 said:

http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/artzone/pub/software/dazstudio/reference/dirmanager

Changing to a Different Content Set
To change content sets:
- Click on the radio box next to the content set you want to use.
- Click on the Accept button.

This doesn't work.  I named my second content set so I could see if it changes.  
I click Accept, then open the Content Manager again, and my changes were not saved.

Just tried it and it's not working, I'm reporting it.

My error, when you change content sets it copies the values to the Current Set.