Backing up DS customisation

Matt_Castle

I'm having enough stability issues on my main computer that I think I have to concede to reinstalling the main OS drive.

My Daz Studio install is on this drive, as are most other programs (although my data/render/scenes libraries are on two other drives) - can someone please provide a comprehensive reminder of what I need to back-up to ensure I don't lose my program customisation/metadata/whatever?

Richard Haseltine

%AppData%/daz 3d/

• the cms folder contains the database by default (make sure nothing is suing it when backing up/restoring)
• the Install manger folder has the user settings for DIM/Daz Central
• The Studio4 folder, and/or Studio4 Public Build, have the UI files for Daz Studio

Although backing up the database should catch everything it is also prudent to run the Export userdata command - Contet Library option menu (the lined/hamburger button, or right-click the tab)>Content DB Maintenance. It gets written to the first Daz Studio Format content directory.

http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/referenceguide/scripting/api_reference/samples/file_io/save_mapped_paths/start can be used to create a script that will restore content paths when run.

nicstt

I save the settings in App Date (see image, called App Data), usually just the Studio4PublicBuild as that is what i almost always use.

... Then:

I also save the Regestry entry (WARNING: mess with the Registry at your peril. It does NOT have a Save Button, a change is saved automatically.) Doing what I have describe involves no risk; but when you are in there and you mess with something accidentally, then it's a different matter.

Windows Key + R to get the Run command popup (1 in image), then enter regedit

> navigate to Daz info (key at 2 in the image)

> Select the Daz App type (public or relase - 3 in the image)

> Export by right clicking on it (4 in image) and save ( i usually do it to desktop then move.)

WARING! When you restore a registry component, Double-Click works, then that can be where another risk comes from - export the wrong thing OR too much, then you're in a world of pain.

Or you're PC is an expensive Paper Weigth that reinstalling might be the only way to fix it.

... But saving those is a minute's work. Restoring about the same.

 

I use DIM to install, and I have the manifest files (as well as everything else I can) away from C drive, making it easier to recover from issues or transfer; they are also backed up to various places too... But that is another story.

jjoyner

Although backing up the database should catch everything it is also prudent to run the Export userdata command - Contet Library option menu (the lined/hamburger button, or right-click the tab)>Content DB Maintenance. It gets written to the first Daz Studio Format content directory.

---

Richard,

• What do you mean by “… the first Daz Studio Format content directory.”?  I executed the Content Database Maintenance – Export User Data command and I believe the data were saved to the ContentCluster folder in my AppData/Roaming/DAZ 3D/cam folder; see the first image below.
   
• I also executed the Export Product Metadata command with Product selected in the Content Library tab.  I was asked for a folder location and then slightly more than 3,000 files named UserData_DAZ_3D_product identifier.dsx or UserData_LOCAL_USER_product identifier.dsx were saved there to a Runtime/Support folder; see the second image below.  Are these files for products for which I have modified (DIM installed) or created (manually installed) product metadata?  How would I use these files in the future if the need arose?  There are no similarly named files in my Runtime/Support folder.

Thanks.

Richard Haseltine

The Content Cluster is the database, not metadata (metadata is read from the database on export and imported to the database on import). The /Runtime/Support folder has the product metadata and the exported userdata. The Userdata_Daz3d_Product name files do seem to be the modified vesions, I wasn't aware that it did that.

frank0314

nicstt said:

I save the settings in App Date (see image, called App Data), usually just the Studio4PublicBuild as that is what i almost always use.

... Then:

I also save the Regestry entry (WARNING: mess with the Registry at your peril. It does NOT have a Save Button, a change is saved automatically.) Doing what I have describe involves no risk; but when you are in there and you mess with something accidentally, then it's a different matter.

Windows Key + R to get the Run command popup (1 in image), then enter regedit

> navigate to Daz info (key at 2 in the image)

> Select the Daz App type (public or relase - 3 in the image)

> Export by right clicking on it (4 in image) and save ( i usually do it to desktop then move.)

WARING! When you restore a registry component, Double-Click works, then that can be where another risk comes from - export the wrong thing OR too much, then you're in a world of pain.

Or you're PC is an expensive Paper Weigth that reinstalling might be the only way to fix it.

... But saving those is a minute's work. Restoring about the same.

 

I use DIM to install, and I have the manifest files (as well as everything else I can) away from C drive, making it easier to recover from issues or transfer; they are also backed up to various places too... But that is another story.

I would save a restore point before even entering the registry, just in case. Things can get deleted on accident very easily then the user is in for a lot of possible issues.

jjoyner

Richard,

• The Content Cluster is the database, …

OK.  Weekly, I backup my AppData/Roaming/DAZ 3D folder which contains the cms folder in which the ContentCluster folder is located.

• … not metadata (metadata is read from the database on export and imported to the database on import).

Does metadata export/import have to be done manually (and if so, where does one start the process?) or is it done automatically upon opening and closing Daz Studio (and if so, where is it stored?)?

• The /Runtime/Support folder has the product metadata and the exported userdata. The Userdata_Daz3d_Product name files do seem to be the modified vesions, I wasn't aware that it did that.

My Daz Studio Runtime/Support folder has product metadata files but it does not contain any exported user data files.

For example, my Daz Studio Runtime/Support folder contains the three expected files for Victoria 8 (see first image) whereas my exported user data contains one file for Victoria 8 (see second image).

The dsx files from the Daz Studio Runtime/Support folder contain different information than the much smaller dsx file from the exported user data.  Many of the exported user data dsx files contain almost no information whereas the corresponding file in the Daz Studio Runtime/Support folder contains all of the expected information.  Some of the larger exported user data dsx files contain more information but it’s different than what is in the corresponding dsx file in the Daz Studio Runtime/Support folder.  An exported user data dsx file is always smaller in size than its corresponding dsx file in the Daz Studio Runtime/Support folder.  Attached are the dsx files for Victoria 8 which was installed via DIM.

Should I export UserData periodically and copy the files to the Daz Studio Runtime/Support folder?

Richard Haseltine

Other than product creation, which should save automatically, metadata requires a deliberate export option.

The export you are doing is, I think, separate and contain only your changes (categorisations, for example) - but the one in the Content DB Maintenance dialogue does go to Runtime/Support/ in the first content directory listed in Content Directory Manager (Edit>Preferences>Content tab) and as far as I know so do changes made in the Edit Metadata dialogue.

jjoyner

Richard Haseltine said:

Other than product creation, which should save automatically, metadata requires a deliberate export option.

The export you are doing is, I think, separate and contain only your changes (categorisations, for example) - but the one in the Content DB Maintenance dialogue does go to Runtime/Support/ in the first content directory listed in Content Directory Manager (Edit>Preferences>Content tab) and as far as I know so do changes made in the Edit Metadata dialogue.

My head hurts from this.  I'm going to let it go for now and return to it at another time.  Thanks

Richard Haseltine

Richard Haseltine said:

The Content Cluster is the database, not metadata (metadata is read from the database on export and imported to the database on import). The /Runtime/Support folder has the product metadata and the exported userdata. The Userdata_Daz3d_Product name files do seem to be the modified vesions, I wasn't aware that it did that.

 This is a not-very-new behaviour that I had missed/misunderstood - http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/change_log_4_9_2_70#4_9_2_53 . Holding down ctrl/cmd while selecting the export option gives more control.

nicstt

frank0314 said:

nicstt said:

I save the settings in App Date (see image, called App Data), usually just the Studio4PublicBuild as that is what i almost always use.

... Then:

I also save the Regestry entry (WARNING: mess with the Registry at your peril. It does NOT have a Save Button, a change is saved automatically.) Doing what I have describe involves no risk; but when you are in there and you mess with something accidentally, then it's a different matter.

Windows Key + R to get the Run command popup (1 in image), then enter regedit

> navigate to Daz info (key at 2 in the image)

> Select the Daz App type (public or relase - 3 in the image)

> Export by right clicking on it (4 in image) and save ( i usually do it to desktop then move.)

WARING! When you restore a registry component, Double-Click works, then that can be where another risk comes from - export the wrong thing OR too much, then you're in a world of pain.

Or you're PC is an expensive Paper Weigth that reinstalling might be the only way to fix it.

... But saving those is a minute's work. Restoring about the same.

 

I use DIM to install, and I have the manifest files (as well as everything else I can) away from C drive, making it easier to recover from issues or transfer; they are also backed up to various places too... But that is another story.

I would save a restore point before even entering the registry, just in case. Things can get deleted on accident very easily then the user is in for a lot of possible issues.

good point

I've been known to forget to do it too.

I've not yet managed to mess up the registry, but then if im trying anyting other than copying, I test in an install on a VM first.

Plus, it's worth having a look at the file you've backed up.

Take the image, I've uploaded, none of the paths should start with anyting other than: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\DAZ

If they do, I wouldn't restore em.

If you want to look at them, use something like notepad ++ (or microsoft visual studio or code), but notepad++ is exellent for things like this.