Need To Download Everything
bdell_53_4baf2b3d9b
Posts: 277
in The Commons
I am sure this has been asked in the past, so sorry for that.
I just built a new PC and now I need to put all my content on my new pc, Is there a way to put all my purchases into the DIM at one time, or do I have to add one item at a time to DIM?
I have to download daz again so the only thing in DIM right now is the starter pack. None of the stuff that I purchased in the past.
Thanks
Comments
DIM should show all the content you own even if you don't have Studio installed yet. Make sure you sign into DIM with the account you purchased your content with. If you are downloading a bunch of content at once, DIM lets you mark everything you want to install before starting the download. Once you are done marking everything with a check mark, you can start the download process. It will begin downloading in groups, like four files at a time but the number of simultaneous downloads can be adjusted before you start. I've never changed from the default 4 at a time, but I assume your bandwidth will be a limitation as well.
Migration procs. - (The fastest way... and you don't need to re-download / re-install anything via DIM)
A0. Backup 'C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D'
A1. Backup 'C:\Users\Public\Documents\DAZ 3D\InstallManager' from you old PC
A2. Backup '%AppData%\DAZ 3D\Studio4\' and '%appdata%\DAZ 3D\Studio4 Public Build\' (DS Layouts)
A3. Export User Data... in Content Database Maintenance.
B. Backup your current Daz Library or Libraries into a hard disk or SSD. (if you have already done so, just plug them into your new PC)
C. Install all necesary software (PostgreSQL, DS, DIM...etc.) in your new PC. Restore A0, A1 and A2 to your new PC.
D. Configure DIM first then configure the paths to your Daz Libraries in DS - F2 - Content Directory Manager
E. Re-import Product metadata + User Data
PS: The safest and even much faster way is to backup / restore cms database but it requires more DBA skills...
Download or Install? If you kept the zips and want to reinstall you can just copy them across from the old DIM Downloads folder to the new, then install them. Of course you can also just copy the content across, and the DIM Manifests, but if the isntall location is not the same you will need to update the mainfests (batch edit, working on copies, or reinstall using current paths in the right-click menu in the Installed tab).
I just downloaded all my products with dim not too long ago so I had a local backup of all products. I Changed the download directory in DIM to where I wanted them to go, then did the select all checkmark (PRODUCTS on the top line), unchecked install after download, and let it download. It took awhile, but it got all of them ... you can download 6 at a time.
If so, it seems that you're using Daz Connect by log gon to Daz server in DS. However, nowadays we strongly recommend using DIM rather than Daz Connect 'cause the latter might bring you more troublesome issues... Pls stick to using DIM.
As someone with a cap on how much my flatmate and I can use of the internet (1.2Tb/month) and a lot more Daz content than that, plus other sources, I have learned to budget my downloads over the month by priority. What is absolutely needed for using Daz Studio, what I love, what is nice to have, what is occasionally used and what I never use anymore (maybe load later). And download zip files this time. Two computers have zip files now, Win 10 and Mac OS so I don't have to go through that again.
Daz Connect would be a help there, as updates need download only the chnaged files instead of the whole package.
"We"?
Oh...no, Chinglish... I should've said: a group of people who ever suffered from using Connect and then love DIM only.
I only use DIM and do not log in with Daz Studio at all. So far its keeping everything running well. The updates show up in DIM anyway.
Using Daz Connect or DIM is a matter of prference - Connect makes it easy to swap items in and out via right-click menu, and DS will actually ask if you want to install missing content when you load a scene, but of coruse it works only for (most) content from the daz Store, and many script tools do haev trouble because of the way the products each get their own sub-folder (though I do think the latter makes troubleshooting misplaced or misnamed files easier than having to wade througha consolidated folder tree). DIM doesn't have issues for scripts, is more robust in the sense that database corruption can lead to DS not seeing the files at all (requiring a back up or going through the motions of reinstaling) and keeps a flat folder structure, instead of having files in /data/cloud/1_SKU folders). use whichever works for you.
When I go into DIM there are a bunch of filters in the text box ,when I delete all of the filters then all my purchased content shows up.
As a couple people have said to move content from my old PC to my new PC, The problem is, Ummmm, I am one of those people who thinks "I don't need to backup anything, my PC dieing and losing everything on my harddrive will never happen to me". Yeah, lesson learned the hard way, I will be backing up everything all the time now.
Thanks Everyone.
Okay, A0 and A1 were easy, they were right where they belong.
But A2... Where is '%AppData%\DAZ 3D\Studio4\' and '%appdata%\DAZ 3D\Studio4 Public Build\'? I've searched my computer (Not fast with 26TB of HDD storage) and can't find them anywhere.
Can you spell out what the necessary software is? "etc" is a bit vague.
And where do I find E?
Apparently I don't know all of the terms that you do.
Thanks.
%AppData% is an Environment Variable set by the OS. You can just copy/paste the whole string in a file explorer address bar and it will go there (typically C:\Users\[your account]\AppData\Roaming\ for Windows). If you really want to know, open a command prompt and type SET. The environment variables are listed alphabetically.
Necessary S/W are all the programs you need to successfully run Studio, DIM, database engine (there might be more, but I can't recall). If you use DIM, open the Default Install Sets popup (Configuration Settings) to get an idea. You'll find out what's missing soon enough. DIM is the only part that is installed standalone, other than maybe Studio if you do it that way, but everything else will be available through DIM.
Exporting and Importing metadata is done with the Content DB Maintenance suite of utilities, part of Studio. Right-click Content Library tab or Smart Content tab. Export User Data to save your content customization before anything. When re-importing metadata, do the products first, then the User Data after. I have had some extreme adventures trying to do all at once.
You also need to have "show hidden files" selected in the folder options to be able to see the app data folder.
Just as NorthOf45 and frank0314 mentioned above..