DAZ 4.6 - New hard drive, new version, no Smart Content

swee0051_129ccb1f26

I've always begun my new creations with Smart Content, but with my new installation, my Smart Content pane is empty.

My hard drive fried on me a few weeks ago. I recently replaced it & reinstalled Windows 7 Pro 64 bit. I downloaded the latest version of DS, and then used the DIM software to download all my content (which is available in the program's Content Library).

However, when I start DS 4.6, it hangs at the point when it says it's connecting with the CMS. If I stop the CMS "service" in Win7, the program will then start up.

But there's nothing in the Smart Content, Surfaces, nor the Shaping panes. What's happening?

Bejaymac

Your firewall is blocking them from "talking", so you need to give both DS and the CMS access through it.

JimmyC_2009

If the CMS is not running, you wont have any Smart Content, or Products, or Categories, they all rely on CMS running to work.

There may be a problem with the CMS, but it can also be caused by a corrupted database file, and CMS is not able to run. Do you have your content Categorised? You can Reset the database, which wipes out all of it's content, including any categorisation that you have done.

If you haven't created categoriess of your own, then you can do that, and then Re-Import the Metadata from the same menu, that should give you back your Smart Content. If not, then you may have to uninstall CMS first, then re-install DS4.6.

swee0051_129ccb1f26

I uninstalled CMS before reinstalling DS 4.6. I did this twice - same problem. Then I uninstalled CMS & DS 4.6 and reinstalled DS 4.5 - same problem. I uninstalled CMS again & reinstalled DS 4.6 twice - same problem.

Is there a separate database you're referring to? How can I let my programs talk through my firewall? (it's whatever comes with Win7.)

I see there are several threads now on this topic. I'll read through some of them to see if these questions are answered there.

Thanks for the help!

swee0051_129ccb1f26

Bejaymac said:

Your firewall is blocking them from "talking", so you need to give both DS and the CMS access through it.

My firewall is supposed to block malicious internet traffic from entering my system. How does that keep the CMS & DS from talking? If that's the problem, how do I resolve it? (My only firewall is the one that comes as part of Win7.)

JimmyC_2009

I use Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), so I have forgotten how the basic firewall works, but there are waays of allowing certain programs to run inside it's options. If you use Google , you should be able to find a help file, or go to the MS site.

What you could try in the meantime to prove or disprove that it is in fact the firewall that is blocking it, get off the internet for safety, stop the firewall from running, then try to run DS with the CMS running. If that works, then it is indeed your firewall that is blocking it as Bejaymac says.

Here is a thread about blocking/unblocking programs using the firewall, there are many more links : http://www.guidingtech.com/11309/block-or-allow-a-program-in-windows-7-firewall/

swee0051_129ccb1f26

I got it working now by disabling those pop-up notifications that ask if it's ok for a program to make changes to my computer. I described my solution on this thread:

http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/22414/

I'm not thrilled with the solution (which I think reduces my security), but DS is working fine now - products, categories, smart content, and searching the product library.