Is there something else I can do to fix the metadata?
Quasar
Posts: 650
Recently, I got a new computer, so I installed DIM, DS, plugins and the required features to make it work. However, instead of downloading all my content over again, I transferred it all from the old computer to the new computer (I hope I got it all), and pointed DIM and DS to the new content folders. DIM recognizes all my content, and shows everything that was installed before (even things that I knew weren't like DS and plugins that I removed from DIM to install them). All the content directories are the same as before except the drive letter changed from E on the old PC to D on the new PC. After resetting the DS database, and re-importing all the metadata, I'm still getting errors in the log saying it can't find files that are related to the metadata. I've even uninstalled and reinstalled some of the products it's listing in the log, and it still can't find all the files even though I can go to the directory and see them there. There's a lot it has found, just not all of it. Is there something else I can do to fix the metadata? The log file is attached.
There's another odd thing I've noticed in DIM since the transfer as well. When I've uninstalled some content to reinstall it, I get a notice that there's no uninstaller, and it asks me if I want to continue. Yet, many others have uninstalled without any such warning. Wouldn't all of the uninstallers for each product be in the same directory?
.Your help is appreciated.
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Comments
DIM makes a manifest of the installed products in the Manifest Archive. Make sure that DIM is looking in that folder.
The install manifest contains the full path of where the product was installed, including the drive. I have changed drive letters in the past and DIM had no trouble finding assets after I changed the value of the path in those manifests. Look for <UserInstallPath VALUE="drive:/yourOldLibraryPath"/> and change it to the new drive and path. You can do it with something like Notepad++, Find in Files and a global replace in all .dsx files in the Manifest Archive folder.
The metadata has a relative path, so maybe this will bridge the gap between the logical and the real.
I like arranging by purchase date but unfortunately in the Smart Content tab not all products in my library have that and a bunch I hardly ever use wind up on top. Wish they'd update meta data or whatever so all the Smart Data sorts work as expected.
Thanks for the help @NorthOf45. This has helped me see where there is an issue with my content directory. At some point, a long time ago, I started installing content straight into my library folder but not into the content folder in my library folder. The manifest files are looking for content in the content folder, but now I'm not sure what folders are supposed to be in the content folder and what ones aren't. I might have to download and reinstall all my content over again anyway to fix this. It's strange that metadata works for so much of the content even though its not in the content folder.
The Content folder is just a placeholder in the zip, it should not appear in the isntalled content (unless you make the Content folder your content directory and not the parent folder, but that would break existing installations).
So, you have a library folder, let's say "QuasarLib", with subfolders like "Animals", "Environments", "People", etc. Is one of those folders called "Content" where you installed some earlier products, also with sub-folders called "Animals", "Environments", "People", etc.? It might be a matter of moving the folders under "Content" up one level and modifying some of the install manifests to look one level higher, then CMS will only look in one place for all content. Careful, though, there could be a lot of folder merging that might be impossible to undo if that is not the solution. Try one or two products to see if they behave...
OK, from erything I have checked, I have my install paths set up right (in My DAZ 3D Library), and DS is pointed to the corect libraries. However, nothing I've installed has ever gone into the content folder. Should it have? And if so, why hasn't it? That just seems strange if it's supposed to be one of the folders in the zip files.
As Richard said, the "Content" folder in the zips is a placeholder that represents the actual library folder. How it works internally is a best guess, but DIM and CMS know where Content goes...
I did as suggested and downloaded Notepad++. It was easy to figure out how to make it find the UserInstallPath line and replace it with the proper drive letter in all the files at once. Thanks for that tip. Unfortunately, it hasn't helped DS find the files it needs for the metadata.
I've been studying the errors in the log and noticed a lot of the products with issues are ones with no metadata checkmark in DIM. For others, the program is looking in the right directory but in a different folder than where the manifest says it's installed.
One of the products looking in the wrong folders is "Arrr Pirate Hats Genesis 8 Male & Female", and the only metadata files working for it are the G8M versions of the hats, which were the only parts that looked in the proper folder for it. It can't find the files it needs for the G8F versions and the non parented versions. When I check the log, DS is looking for some of the files, for example, in "People/Genesis 8 Female/Pirate Hats/" but the manifest says those files are installed in "People/Genesis 8 Female/Clothing/Pirate Hats/" (I checked the directory also).
If I edit the support .dsx files for these products and enter with the correct paths, will that update the metadata?
Another issue I'm having is DS showing a lot of the products I own with empty thumbnails and a yellow boarder around them. The thumbnails are even missing in the content library tab under "products" with nothing inside their folders even if their installed. Does anybody know what could be causing that? Could there be an issue with the PostgreSQL CMS? Maybe I should try reinstalling it?`
To be clear, the Manifest Archive .dsx files are created on installation (and have no metadata for Smart Content). DIM uses them to keep track of what was installed by whom, where and when.
The metadata files (.dsa, .dsx, .jpg/.png, if they exist in the product package) are copied into the Runtime/Support folder, or, for those with no metadata, a default metadata .dsx file is created that contains all assets, but not content type or compatibilities, and creates a Product entry in the database. All metadata files must be in a library's Runtime/Support folder to be able to re-import it. The Product icon comes from the metadata graphics file, if it exists and is properly named, otherwise you get the empty picture frame.
There is no option for where the metadata goes, other than which library to use, but you can have more than one Library, each with a Runtime/Support folder. As long as the Libraries are included in the Content Directory Manager, they will be found.
About the Arr Pirate Hats, the package initlally used different base folders. It was updated to move the assets to Clothing, but the metadata is mostly invalid. A big mess. Yes, you can edit the .dsx file to correct the metadata, save it back into the Runtime/Support folder, then re-import it from DIM. I suggest adding it to the product zip so that if you re-install it, you won't have to do it all again, or else keep a copy somewhere safe that you can copy back and re-import after.
The empty asset thumbnails and yellow borders are orphaned references, meaning that the files are not where they were originally installed. The database is displaying them because they were not uninstalled, and can't find them. Once the proper path is established (either by moving the files into place, or changing the library path), the icons should show up again. You might need to refresh the view to see the change.
I appreciate all the helpful info. It's making more sense now. I still have some products that have a jpg in the runtime/support folder that matches the name of the dsx and dsa files and the image still doesn't show in DS. That's stumping me. I also have missing products in the DAZ Connect install tab as well. Some don't have a thumbnail and have a yellow border, and others have a dim, gray thumbnail with a white border and an exclamation mark (even though they are installed with DIM. There's quite a few of both kinds, and DS wouldn't let me install them through Connect even to test it.. Hopefully I can get it all sorted out one of these days.
If you are using the 'traditional' folder structure for your content and DIM/DAZ Central/Manual installation to install your content, do not log in to DS.
Set your startup options as in the attachment.
DAZ Connect within DS uses a completely different location to store the content.