Upgrade problems from DAZ Studio 4.6.1.39 to latest version
Paula Sanders
Posts: 321
I purchased Dynamic cloth control plugin and needed to upgrade my DAZ Studio so it would recognize it. When I upgraded it, it seemed to wipe out all my categorizations. I have upgraded before and it never touched them. I have three major categories on my machine: default, themes, and one I created called paula. In this category I have categorized all my content. This category and themes (which was there at first install) were eliminated in the updating this time. Fortunately, I make frequent backups with Norton Ghost so I was able to restore my system. I am using Windows 7, 64 bit.
My question is how can I upgrade and keep all the categories in tact?
Thank you.
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Comments
From the Content Library options menu (rectangle with horizontal lines in the upper corner) > Content DB Maintenance > Export User Data
Perhaps my question wasn't clear. Why did this update get rid of my categories when it hasn't in the past? If it happens again, do I just re-import metadata or reset database? Of course this is assuming I exported my User data which I always do periodically. I want my categories to look the same. I did not have a hard drive crash nor am I moving all my stuff to another computer. I am only updating daz studio.
The upgrade shouldn't cause any change to your categories. Do you know if the entries in the Default category were still there? I would suspect database corruption. Do you use either Carrara or Zone Alarm? If not, I would install PostgreSQL CMS when you upgrade but don't install the Valentina to PostgreSQL CMS conversion; instead Re-Import metadata.
While I don't know why it got rid of your categories, you could perhaps sidestep the problem by doing the export (then backing that up) of both the content library and (if needed) your content mappings, then doing the install, then restoring your database and content mappings from your backups.
import metadata imports the database (but not the content mappings) from whatever file you put in the appropriate location, and it appears to ADD to (not replace) the existing database.
Reset database erases your database. (you would typically only want to do this if your database is screwed up and you have a backup to restore from after you have done it. If you want to restore from a backup, you would first want to reset (erase) the existing database so it doesn't attempt to merge the backup with the current bad version.)
Back to your issue, is it possible that your database didn't get erased, but rather the database just didn't start up successfully (thus you couldn't see or use it)? Or is it somehow possible that you specified the wrong custom location, if you do that, thus it didn't see your old one and created a new empty one for you? Or that your database was there, but your content mappings were missing somehow and it didn't know where to look for your content? You may have already verified these aren't the issue, but mentioning just in case.
I'm not familiar with content mapping. Is that the file form c:program data........? I didn't check all the areas you suggested, Sean. I wish I had. I just put in my norton backup of drive c to restore it to what it was previously. Now I'm wanting to update daz studio again without my categories disappearing. I have exported my user data. And saved the file from program data.....on drive c.
I don't believe anything is corrupted.
Fixmypcmike mentioned PostgreSQL CMS. I have seen it, but do not know what it is. Why should it be installed? I do remember reading about it.
I appreciate all your help.
When I say content mapping, I mean: From the Content Library pane, click the menu icon, then select "Content Directory Manager" from the menu. Expand all the '+''s to see a complete list of every mapped content folder that DS should look in to find your content. (Screenshot shows a part of mine, yours will look different.) If you put everything into one runtime, maybe you only have one of each, poser and native DAZ Studio, in which case you don't really have to back it up, you can just write it down and re-enter it (when needed, although I didn't think you should have to do that for the upgrade, just on a fresh OS install or new PC.)
The PostgreSQL is the newer version of the database, that can replace the older Valentina database, and if you can (see fixMyPcMike's comment why you might not be able to), you should use it to avoid a database corruption problem that some people have. If you don't have one of the two databases installed, you won't be able to use your content library or Smart content in DAZ Studio.
If I have the courage, I'll try again tomorrow and install the PostgreSQL as well. I didn't think I should have these issues with an upgrade. Thanks to both of you for your help.
" I would install PostgreSQL CMS when you upgrade but don’t install the Valentina to PostgreSQL CMS conversion; instead Re-Import metadata." Fixmypcmike wrote the previous suggestion. Now I have another question. I was able to update daz studio through the install manager. All my categories are there. Do I need to change the data base topostgreSQL? If so, do I just do that and then check re import metadata from the db manager?
Thanks
If you are asking if it is already installed or not, you can verify that a few ways. If the PostgreSQL database is already running, you should now have start and stop options in the Content Library's menu (they'll be greyed out if PostgreSQL isn't running), there should be something in your log file mentioning PostgreSQL, and you should see multiple processes in the Windows Task Manager with that name on them running.
If your database is already there and works fine, then of course you are done. If your database is missing and completely empty, you would re import metadata, reload or re enter your list of content folders, the scan known folders for content. From The Content Library pane's menu icon, I also select "Content DB Maintenance" > "Consolidate file references" (cannot be combined with checkbox from previous step or it won't work. This is to avoid duplicate content thumbnails that otherwise appear in unassigned.)
If your database is messed up from a previous failed conversion attempt and you are 100% certain you have backed it up somewhere, you would reset (erase) your bad database before importing from your backed-up files so you don't merge your bad one with your backed-up good one.
If you are no longer using the old Valentina CMS, you can uninstall it if you want to avoid potential confusion and reduce clutter.
I didn't install it. Stop and start are greyed out as you said it would be. What I am asking is "do I have to to replace the older one with PostgreSQL if things seem OK?"
You don't have to if the old CMS isn't causing problems, but I find it to be much faster as well as more stable.
Thank you for showing me where the FAQ is for the CMS. It helped a whole lot. All I had before were bits and pieces. Now I know where to go. Thanks again.