The Poser files
Lyn Buchanan
Posts: 33
I've gotten a great amount of help here, so I thought I'd ask a question that has been bugging me for a good long while. Is there any place where I can find a manual or something about the file structures of Poser files (.pz2, .cr2, etc.). Through trial and error, I have found ways to create my own textures by changing the programming lines in .pz2 files. But say I have a dress that is designed for say, V4, and I want to adjust it to fit V3. I can do it by adjusting the ytrans, ztrans, etc. settings, but I would like to write a file that would do all that for me. I haven't been able to find anything that tells me how the poser files are designed, how to modify them, what things mean, etc. Is there such a source for that type of information? Thanks in advance.
BTW: If I create files like these for new textures, new "fit to V3" files, etc., I am wondering whether anyone could use them. Would it be a good community thing to put them up (free) on the platinum club forums or just for free for anyone?
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Comments
to see the structure Cr2, I think you can open it in a text editor:
Wordpad
Oops!! PZ3 can also be opened in wordpad!!!!!
If you uncompress the various Poser files, they are all plain text which can be read in a good text editor. Notepad is not the best. EditPad Lite or Textpad are better.
Conforming clothing is rigged with skeleton of the figure for which it is modeled. Simply writing a few lines in the pz2 file will not conform a V3 item to V4 or vice versa. V3 has one rig and V4 has another. That's why you have clothing for V3 and V4. Believe me, if altering a few lines were the trick, Poser users would have done this years ago and many wouldn't be paying $200 or more for the new Pro 2014 with the Fitting Room.
If you have Poser, you can take the dress, convert it to a prop and use it in the cloth room as a dynamic dress. If you P8 or better, you already own Wardrobe Wizard (it's included). The only things you will have to purchase are the add on packs for the figures you want to convert clothing to and from. They are available from PhilC.net.
There is also XDresser by EvilInnocence and Clothing Convertor which is sold here at DAZ. Both will do conversions as well. How well each works varies by many factors.
In essence, there is no way to hack a cr2 or a pz2, change a few lines and have it fit to V3. If you are really interested in how legacy Poser rigging works, I suggest you look for
The Secrets of Figure Creation by BL Render. It's the most comprehensive book available on the original conforming rigging used in Poser.
MOST OF THE REPLIES were to the effect that I can open a file in a text editor. Thanks for the reply, but I've been doing that. What I was really asking is where to find out what the reserved words, format, etc. are. All of this seems to be done by automation, but I want to get into the nuts and bolts of it.
ACTIVE MEMBER WROTE: "In essence, there is no way to hack a cr2 or a pz2, change a few lines and have it fit to V3."
LYN REPLIES: Actually, there is, and I've been doing it for a while, now. I can, by going into the coding, change just about any cr2, pz2 , etc. file to fit any model. I can put Aiko's tutu on a rhino or dinosaur, or turn it into a flower or a tree. I can take the material file for, say, a flower and use the material for any model or human skin. But it's all been learned by trial and error, and - being one of the old line-by-line programmers, I really would like to know what each of the commands and reserved words in the code are and what they do, what parameters they will take, etc..
There are programs out there that can make the changes, and I have a few of them, but they are boring to me. I'm interested in the coding, the keywords, etc. Once you know the coding, you can do things with the models that those programs could never do.
ACTIVE MEMBER CONTINUED: "If you are really interested in how legacy Poser rigging works, I suggest you look for The Secrets of Figure Creation by BL Render. It’s the most comprehensive book available on the original conforming rigging used in Poser.
LYN ANSWERS: Now, that's what I was hoping to find. Thanks very much. I will find and order it. I'm really having fun with the coding, and seeing what can be done with these models. If that book winds up being the one that is useful for this, I'll let everyone know. Thanks again.
BL Render has a book available at amazon, http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Figure-Creation-Poser-5/dp/0240519299,
It is old but it explains the code. The new weight mapping and features after version 5 will need to be learned from other books or as you are doing with trial and error.
Edited: lol, you got your answer above...
Since P9, Poser actually now has 3 rigging systems. There is the legacy conformer, the joint encapsulation rigging added to P8 and the weight mapped rigging of P9.
The book covers Poser versions through P5 but will walk through many of the hacks that are now standard op like mat poses and mor poses and ERC.
Denise Tyler has the Practical Poser series but last version I saw at Amazon only goes through P8. It is a general Poser book taking you from beginner and touching on the various aspects but it doesn't get to the heart of rigging and file hacking.
Ironman13 and Fugazi have a comprehensive set of Video Tutorials for Poser taking it from beginner to advanced. It's not cheap but if you like video tutorials it's as comprehensive as it gets.
PhilC's site PhilC.net has several tutorials for adding body handles and other rigging issues. He also has a rigging tutorial in pdf for sale on his site that is well worth the price.
If you are interested in Python scripting as well, Phil also has comprehensive pdf on Python scripting.
I can't thank you enough for the references. I'll get to them and see what fun I can have from here. I like the 3D art, and have even sold some (one is hanging in NASA). But I enjoy the programming, too. I've printed your answer out and will chase down the leads. Thanks again.
You're welcome.
You might also want to check Nerd3D's tutorials.
http://www.nerd3d.com/
He and several others were among the original Poser file hackers.
BL Render, author of the book is Bloodsong. Her WeeBeasties that you see referenced in the book are sold here. If you have questions, you can PM here or site mail over at Renderosity.
Phil's tuorials
http://www.philc.net/store_Tutorials.php