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[Solved] Install Manager - Recognizing files on hard drive

SaintOfTheDragonsSaintOfTheDragons Posts: 50
edited February 2021 in Daz Studio Discussion

Hello all and apologies if this query has already been posted elsewhere. I couldn't find it just using search terms.

I have all my DAZ Studio content downloaded on a large external hard drive, and I'm using DAZ 3D Install Manager. I want to be able to plug my external hard drive into my second computer and use all the downloaded files directly off of my drive. How can I tell Install Manager to recognize the files on my hard drive, so I don't have to download all 2000 assets all over again?

Post edited by SaintOfTheDragons on

Comments

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,598

    In DIM, go to Settings > Basic Settings , click on the path for "Package Archive", and navigate to the location on the external drive.

  • SaintOfTheDragonsSaintOfTheDragons Posts: 50

    The path for Package Archive is not selectable, but some of the others are.

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  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,598

    Nothing happens if you click on the existing path?

  • SaintOfTheDragonsSaintOfTheDragons Posts: 50

    Nah, nothing. Any of the ones underlined in the screengrab are links I can navigate to, but unfortunately Package Archive isn't one of them.

  • namffuaknamffuak Posts: 4,170

    Fixmypcmike said:

    In DIM, go to Settings > Basic Settings , click on the path for "Package Archive", and navigate to the location on the external drive.

    You can't get there from Basic Settings - use the Advanced Settings and the Downloads tab. and probably Installation Tab.

  • SaintOfTheDragonsSaintOfTheDragons Posts: 50

    I changed the path via Package Archive in Advanced settings. Can I expect to see the products detected and automatically shifted into the "Ready to Install" tab?

  • namffuaknamffuak Posts: 4,170

    SaintOfTheDragons said:

    I changed the path via Package Archive in Advanced settings. Can I expect to see the products detected and automatically shifted into the "Ready to Install" tab?

    I've been doing it that way since DIM came out, so - yes.

  • SaintOfTheDragonsSaintOfTheDragons Posts: 50

    I must be targeting the wrong folder, this is what mine looks like.
    Do you know where the path for the Package Archive is supposed to be set by default?

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  • namffuaknamffuak Posts: 4,170

    SaintOfTheDragons said:

    I must be targeting the wrong folder, this is what mine looks like.
    Do you know where the path for the Package Archive is supposed to be set by default?

    Quite honestly I no longer know - I changed mine to an external drive when I installed DIM right after it came out. Somewhere on the C drive.

    The Package Archive is the directory DIM downloads to; there are no useable Studio files in this directory, just .dsx and .zip files with names that start IM0. DIM reads files from this directory, unzips them, and writes the contents to the Studio content library directory (or directories).

  • MelanieLMelanieL Posts: 7,462
    edited January 2021

    SaintOfTheDragons said:

    I must be targeting the wrong folder, this is what mine looks like.
    Do you know where the path for the Package Archive is supposed to be set by default?

    According to the DIM documentation, this is the default (I don't know for sure that it's still true because I customise all my file locations in DIM and DS. 

    By the way the documentation is here: http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/install_manager/userguide/configure_install_manager/tutorials/settings_for_install_manager/start

     

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    Post edited by MelanieL on
  • SaintOfTheDragonsSaintOfTheDragons Posts: 50

    namffuak said:

    The Package Archive is the directory DIM downloads to; there are no useable Studio files in this directory, just .dsx and .zip files with names that start IM0. DIM reads files from this directory, unzips them, and writes the contents to the Studio content library directory (or directories).

    Got it. So if I want to easily transfer DAZ3DIM it sounds like I need to make a new folder on my hard drive to download the package files. Every time I move to a different machine, just set the Package Archive to that folder.

  • namffuaknamffuak Posts: 4,170

    SaintOfTheDragons said:

    namffuak said:

    The Package Archive is the directory DIM downloads to; there are no useable Studio files in this directory, just .dsx and .zip files with names that start IM0. DIM reads files from this directory, unzips them, and writes the contents to the Studio content library directory (or directories).

    Got it. So if I want to easily transfer DAZ3DIM it sounds like I need to make a new folder on my hard drive to download the package files. Every time I move to a different machine, just set the Package Archive to that folder.

    Back when DIM came out my internet was dial-up and I was downloading to an external drive on my laptop at Starbucks, then bringing it home and installing on the main system. DIM just made the process a lot easier. Download to the external drive, go home, plug the drive into the main system, fire up DIM in off-line mode on that system, and do the installs.

  • SaintOfTheDragonsSaintOfTheDragons Posts: 50

    Thanks namffuak, Fixmypcmike, MelanieL. You've been a tremendous help!

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 102,260

    SaintOfTheDragons said:

    I must be targeting the wrong folder, this is what mine looks like.
    Do you know where the path for the Package Archive is supposed to be set by default?

    If you right-click in the box with the path there is an option to restore the default value, which will then be applied like any other chnage when you click the button.

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