Category Refresh question

3dOutlaw

Is there a way to make categories refresh to include new subfolders?  For example, if I make a category of a folder in my content or runtime, and then I add a new character folder in that content or runtime folder...is there a way to refresh the category to pick up the new folder.  (other then the obvious, right-click refresh, which I have found does not work to pick up new subfolders)

Thanks!

ShelLuser

Right click-refresh it is. It works on subfolders too, but these will only show in your smart content pane if those folders actually contain any items. Otherwise they remain hidden, it's simply the way this pane works. If you check using the Content Library you'll get different results.

3dOutlaw

Yea, not for me.  This is not the Smart Content Tab...I am in the Content Library tab, and created a Category with subfolders out of the Studio Content Environments folder...I have since installed/added Terradome3, and I can right-click refresh and it does not show up in the category.

I then created a new subfolder, and added College Dorm Room into it, so it had content, and again, not showing up in refresh.

jestmart

Categories and Products in the Content Library pane are essentially still 'Smart Content' as they use the database.  Refresh does just what it is suppose to do, refresh the folders view.

3dOutlaw

So does some additional process need to be running for the refresh to work.  Just so I am not misunderstanding...attached is a picture of the content library with the stuff, the categories not showing that stuff, and the refresh that I have clicked many times?

 

kitakoredaz

THe Category is virtual (or it exist,  in DB only),   I do not clear folow all your step,

but I  do like that

1. I make new real sub-directory, under the one of my root daz library. name it as TestCategoryDirectory, it is real folda, then you can see it under  root directory  in daz Content lbrary.  

2  I  save (or copy and paste), new subset duf . for primitive , then save it as "testcubesubset.duf" in the  TestCategoryDirectory

3  to show it in Category, I need to assign  category for the "testcubesubset.duf"

4 I assgin new User made Category (name it TestCategory)  for test.duf ,  Under default category.

5  after that, In content library, I can find new Category "TestCategory", and item which assigined to the "TestCategory"

under the "Category" section.

 

to be shortly ,, One is real sub directory.  then you put some file in the real directory (save or , copy and paste, install  etc)

 even tyough you reflesh DB category, it do not show the real sub directory, untill you categorize the file of the directory, as new category.

without it you may only see, new category name without any assets, (it is just record in data base, then we can not see

real category by our folda exploler , even though those two (category, and real sub directory)  have same name, there is no reference.

 

3dOutlaw

Thanks for the reply!  Yes, I can do the same, and create the category when I add a new product.  This works good,

 I was hoping that once a category was made for a folder, that when I added something to that folder (not added to the category)...that when I refreshed the category, it would update with the items that have been added.

In your example, if you add a new DUF or subfolder to the testcategorydirectory...and then refresh the TestCategory, I would expect it would NOT appear.

Be nice to know if it supposed to work (bug), or if this is working as designed.

kitakoredaz

Hi,, I remember and afraid I had seen such problem you mentioned before,,but do not clear remember,

it is same case with you,, as for me,, it happen when I set new product from another product.

anyway, I will test same thing as you mentioned.,,  

 

ah,, I clear see,, it is unfortunately,,  supposed to 

because,, even though you add new item in to the actual sub-directory, 

and one of file  are assgined  to categoryA.

but Category can not assign with Subdirectory. just  each file are assgined to category.

then If you add new item in the sub directory,, the item can not assgin with any category,

untill you set category.  then, you can set individual category, about each asset in same sub directory.

 

I know there is option, you can create category from selected folda,,  but it just auto assgin category for all file in same sub-directory. it not mean,, category assign with folda, and remain the reference to the sub directory. 

3dOutlaw

I submitted a bug report, as it makes no sense to have a "refresh" option that does not refresh the category folder based on the contents of the corresponding folder changing.  (#238052)

Richard Haseltine

As I said in reply to your post to the beta thread, there is no inherent link between folders in an actual content directory on disc and sub-categories in the Content Management System. You can create a category from a folder (or an entire folder tree) via right-click in a folder view, if that isn't the categorisation used in the official metadata.

3dOutlaw

So basically you are saying...that categories based on folders do not update (using refresh) if the content in that folder changes? (since there is no inherit link)  It's a one time shot when you make the category.

I guess that is my point then, why have the "refresh" option at all on a Category?  It does nothing.

Richard Haseltine

Refresh in the folder views refreshes the file list, refresh for CMS views refreshes the metadata (if you are online)

3dOutlaw

So refresh on a Category only works if you are online, and only refreshes metadata information?

Richard Haseltine

3dOutlaw said:

So refresh on a Category only works if you are online, and only refreshes metadata information?

I think so - I think most metadata edits are reflected immediately.

ShelLuser

I'm postive most meta-data edits are immediate. I mean, I spend weeks on categorizing all my 3rd party ("freebie") stuff so that those would become visible in the smart contents pane and every time I made an edit it was instantaneous.

 

3dOutlaw

SOLVED - In case anyone is keeping tabs, I solved this by instead of using Categories, making a new utility to batch-create links to my Poser stuff in my DS content library, which I can run every so often to pick up new additions, as needed.  This way I was able to use the Content Library (versus categories) to sort my stuff, and only wory about a single source/content library anymore (which was my original goal with the Categories, but the refresh never happened...)