Meta Data Problems

Trake118

After installing stuff that has meta data in it, I'm finding it near impossible to categorize stuff to where it can be used. It seems like a lot of stuff is not showing up under default->unassigned and instead scattered around in a lot of places and under names that make it virtually impossible to get my categories under control again. Is there a way to undo all of the metadata files that have already been applied so that all of the stuff that I haven't categorized by hand is put in unassigned? Also, is there a way to permanently block all meta data files from messing with my categories so that all future content will show up in unassigned so that it can be easily categorized? I don't think I can work with all of the content being scattered all over the place as it is with metadata.

fixmypcmike

I assume you are installing using DIM? I think the easiest way is to stop the Content Management Service while installing with DIM, then restarting it before launching DS.

To get rid of the metadata that's already there, assuming you've got things you categorized yourself:
1) Content Library, options menu (the rectangle with horizontal lines in the upper corner), Content DB Maintenance > Export User Data. That will export your custom categorization. If you have a lot, it can take a while -- mine takes about half an hour, and people with huge amounts of content say it can take several hours.
2) When it finishes, Content DB Maintenance > Reset Database to empty the database
3) Content DB Maintenance > Re-Import Metadata, keep "User Data" checked and uncheck "Products" (which is all the DAZ 3D-supplied metadata). That will import just your own categorization.

Trake118

Thanks for the help. It works. Is there any way to permanently disable meta data files from installing? I keep on infecting my runtime with meta data files and having to run through that long process again.

Herald of Fire

Trake118 said:

Thanks for the help. It works. Is there any way to permanently disable meta data files from installing? I keep on infecting my runtime with meta data files and having to run through that long process again.

First time I've heard it called an infection. One thing to know is that if you were to prevent metadata from installing, then new products would not be added to the smart content. Metadata is what tells Daz how to categorize everything, so without this you'd have to enter every new item manually.

New metadata shouldn't affect any other product categorization you may have done, and can be more easily edited afterwards to change the category if you choose to.