Help: Installing with DIM on drive D
Hi, new to DAZ. Been trying to install on a new PC for days, and mainly getting a mess.
I used DAZ Central on a my laptop, on drive C, but Studio insisted on downloading morphs and everything from my OneDrive all the time. Now I moved to a new desktop, and I attempt to install everything on a different drive D (not C).
After some reading in the forum I thought I'll try Daz Install Manager, since I also have content from Renderosity and others. I understand that I need to tell DIM what folders to use for what, then tell it to Studio in Preferences -> Content. Seems simple enough, and it kinda works, but I still get a mess. In my Content Library I now get all kinds of libraries that I don't think should be there, like a lot of "data" with UVs other files that Content Library doesn't recognize anyway.
Also, many files seems to be installed in the wrong places, like materials of the same asset in different libraries. Should I move them all manually now?
I attach my DIM installation and Studio Content Directory Managers current layouts. Can you tell me how they should be corrected? And is there other things I'm not aware of?
Thanks!
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I don't see the files I tried to attach. Second attempt:
......
It says "Uploading" forever. Any way I can attach the screenshot?
Try using Onedrive/Google Drive/DropBox, then using the link in an image insertion.
I'm not sure this is what you meant but I'll try:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KEWHbBEkKsNVJxpAWeOnV62E6wuCy8E5/view?usp=sharing
You have semi-nested content directories - either DIM should be pointing to the Daz DIM Installation on D folder or DS should be pointing to the Daz D Library folder 9as it is for Poser Formats).
My apologies, I'm new to DAZ and need it more exactly. Can you tell me what should go into each place? I don't know what half of this is doing and why.
Also, should I choose "Install to the currently selected path" or "install to each package respective "installed" path?
Also, I assume I need to uninstall everything now and reinstall with the right folders. Correct?
If you hae already got manually installed cotnent in the top level folder 9the one directly on the D: drive) I would chnage poser formats in DS and the DIM path to that, then select everything in the Installed tab of DIM, righht-click, and choose the option to reinstall using current paths.
This for updates. Usually both will be the same, but if you had mutliple destinations set in DIM and used then for different types of content then you might want the rspecyive paths options, so that the update landed on top of the original.
using the Reisntall option I mentioned above does that in effect, but with fewer clicks.
Richard, DIM has some serious issues when it comes to installing to the correct places, i.e. the places we tell it to.
After installing - aiming for the D drive, found a whole bunch of files had been installed on the C drive into the Public Documents location. So after I finished downloading and installing all what could be done with DIM, I then manually moved the files from the Public Documents location and uninstalled DIM.
If you're talking about C:\Users\Public Documents\DAZ 3D\InstallManager\ManifestFiles - those are the files IM uses to track what has been installed; you can change this location with the Advanced Settings to change Manifest Archive on the Installation tab. You can also change the location of the Thumbnail Archive on the Downloads tab.
Thank you but no, those are not the files I'm talking about. Those went where I wanted them on the D drive. I'm talking about the products themselves were being installed on the C drive even though I had carefully set all the instructions for the D drive.
OK - I don't understand then. I've been using DIM since it came out, with over 16,000 items installed and none of them have ended up on my C drive. My internal drives are all 2 TB SSDs and I currently have products spread over three of them - all just exactly where I wanted them.
So, trying to understand what Richard suggests, I descided to make it as simple as possible, with just one folder under D where all the different boxes/sections in DIM and DS would point to, Would that work?
If not, I really need a more detailed explanation, what to put in each of these many sections.
Anyway, at some point trying the above I got stuck with all kinds of things, so decided to just uninstall DS and start anew. I clicked uninstall on everything under the installed tab in DIM, so now I have nothing there. I even restarted my PC, yet I can still open DS. I just get a warning about no valid PostgreSQL CMS connction. So, is this not a full uninstall? Do I need to uninstall DS using Windows? To Uninstall DIM? Just making sure I start with a clean slate.
Regarding what Catherine and namffuak wrote, this was indeed my experience with my previous laptop using DAZ Central, but I was hoping DIM would solve that. So, do I need to uninstall OneDrive? Can I instead just take exclude from Onedrive certain folders? Which ones?
Thanks again!
Is PostgreSQL installed? What security software are you running? You are not using the default location for the database (the Content Cluster path setting) so there may be an issue with that folder - given that you presumably don't want the old database anyway it may be worth setting a new location for that..
I really don't know if PostgreSQL is installed. At this point I'm just trying to uninstall everything (and not succeeding...)
I'm not sure what the database is doing but I'm ready to install it in any place it will not be misused by OneDrive.
The problem with the Onedrive isn't just room, but that everything I'd do in DS, it would tell me that it's downloading things from OneDrive and taking time. But those aren't isn't an issue with the database, I don't mind.
I've never once had that issue when it's set up properly and been using it since day one. I have five different directories that I install content to and again never once did one install to the wrong location unless I select the wrong directory. There has to be a wrong setting somewhere or you accidentally had the default directory selected. It happens all the time and even to the very experienced user. Once you change the location of the content it goes there with the exception of the manifest files unless you also move that folder.
You can disable OneDrive. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/turn-off-disable-or-uninstall-onedrive-f32a17ce-3336-40fe-9c38-6efb09f944b0?ui=en-us&rs=en-us&ad=us
Thanks, I unlinked Onedrive for the time being. If I choose not to use it, I may be better with just DAZ Central. Or just installing manually (I have stuff from other vendors anyway). Or I might give DIM on D another go. In any case, I would I clean everything now?
I meant to ask, what should I do now to ensure I start clean?
So, I uninstalled DIM through the Win Installed Apps list. This was apparently a mistake. I still have DS, and it still starts, and it does not appear in the Apps list...
Any suggestions?
Sooo... Aparently DS is installed in a DAZ 3D folder directly under my C drive, although I'd swear I never told it to go there.
Actually it's DAZ3D -> Applications ->64 bits ->DAZ 3D ->DAZStudio4, and with it PostgreSQL CMS.
Any suggestions about cleaning this?
Something that might be relevant: I still have DS under C using DAZ Central on my laptop (Win 10).
I attempted to install it on my new desktop (Win 11) using DIM. Could it contact my laptop somehow? Maybe using the Onedrive?
That certainly looks like the relic of a Daz central isntall, you should still be able to unisntall it through DIM however - if not, try copying the content of the manifests folder to the actual manifesst folder you are using - D:Daz DIM Installation on D/Daz Manifest files/ and thens tart DIM.
I already uninstalled DIM, and even before that I tried to use DIM to uninstll DS, and failed. Do you suggest reinstalling DIM now? Or cleaning everything first? My own intuition is to start anew as clean as possible.
In any case, before I give DIM another go, I obviously need to know exactly what folders and structure should I use in drive D. Would you recommend a single folder under D? The database separately? the manifest sparately?
Assuming you want everything on the D drive - my config, adjusted to one drive with meaningful (I hope) names
On the advanced settings Download tab -
Package Archive: D:/dim-download - this is where dim will place the files downloaded from Daz
Thumbnail Archive: D:/dim-thumbnails - where thee thumbnail images will be written (right-click on product, select 'retrieve thumbnail')
On the advanced settings Installation tab -
Manifest Archive: D:/Manifests - this is where dim will write the installaion manifests for installed products
64-bit Software Base: D:/bits-64 - for the 64-bit software versions
32-bit Software Base: D:/bits-32 - for the 32-bit software versions (the 32 and 64 bit versions of studio paths are identical below this)
Content Database Base: D:/CMS - where the Postgres database cluster resides
Content path definition (you'll want two for starters); click the '+' lower left
Label: library Path: D:/library - this is where dim will install your Studio content; click 'accept'
Label: tutorials Path: D:/tutorials - this is for video and pdf tutorials and anything else in the 'general' category - click 'accept'
Now - click on the default path and the '-' lower left to delete it
D:/library needs to be defined to Studio as both a studio format and poser format directory
I don't 'delete packages once installed', nor do I 'install after download' - I'm a control freak. If you select 'show details' on the Install tab you'll have a drop-down for your content path that will allow you to switch between 'library' and 'tutorial'.
Hope this helps.
A couple of additional notes - start by installing and configuring DIM. Then connect DIM to your Daz account, install Studio and then the 64-bit Postgres. DIM will start Postgres after the install ad proceed to populate the database with data from the products as they install.
When you start Studio for the first time you'll need to define D:/libray with the Content Directory Manager as both a Studio and Poser format directory - and from this point on, never connect to Daz from within Studio.
Thanks namffuak! I'll try what you suggest and report.
When you write "and from this point on, never connect to Daz from within Studio", do you mean actively choose Connect -> Work Ofline ? Or just not choose Connect -> Login ? Or something else?
Another thing that might be releveant:
I noticed I have DAZ 3D in my user AppData/Roaming in C. Just to be sure I delete it (had to go into Safe Mode for that), and an hour later I see it back...
I suspect this how DAZ 3D migrated from my laptop to my desktop, although now my OneDrive is unlinked on the desktop. Is this logical?
Do not choose 'connect login'. That will automatically begin updating the CMS database ith the product data as used by the 'connect' content; this has been found to not always match the data provided with the DIM install and leads to problems. The only reason to login is because you intend to NOT use DIM or Central and instead download all content from within Studio. Among other things, using Connect to install content breaks UltraScenery and most of its add-ons.
The best option is to NOT login but click the box 'never show this again'.
Thanks. I've reached the point of installing Studio, but not yet CMS. Should I first open Studio and configure the content folders?
Also, I notice in DIM that the CMS folder reverts to its C location, although I changed it to the D folder several times. After I change and click accept I enter installation again, and it is again in C:/Users/myuser/AppData/Roaming/DAZ 3D/cms. Is there a way to make it stick? I think I don't mind the CMS on C as long as it doesn't take all the rest with it.
I decided I'd better wait for an answer to my last question before I install cms, so I'm off for today. I appreciate the effort!
I'm a bit confused on the Postgres issue.
Start task manager and DIM; check task manager processes - you should have some number of PostgreSQL Server processes running. Select PostgresSQL CMS on the DIM Installed tab and Start Queue. Wait for the uninstall to complete and verify that there are no PostgreSQL processes running.
To be on the safe side, delete the cms directory from your appdata/roaming location. There's a cmscfg.json file there that needs to be re-written; it contains the port and path definition for postgres and the rewrite may be failing on permissions, so make sure its gone.
Change the cms setting in DIM to your desired location (I actually have mine on my C drive; with 16,000+ items installed the size is under 6 GB; I have it defined as C:/Postgres-CMS).
Re-install Postgres with DIM and see if it creates the CMS ContentCluster in the defined location.
I'd wait until Postgres is where you want it before firing up Studio.