Nothing shows in "Smart Content"
RLSprouse
Posts: 288
I have not used Studio in a while, but I got the email about the new version so I decided to install it and give it a whirl.
To cut to the chase, I have a huge collection of content, but nothing is showing in the "Smart Content" panel. I know I can access my content through the "Content Library" panel, so I know the content is all there, but why is "Smart Content" not linked to my library? I tried the "Reset Database" and "Re-Import Metadata" options but the Smart Content panel is still empty.
~ Russ
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Can you check to see if CMS is running?
I'm pretty sure it is, I am able to run the DIM, and I even went into my Apps and ran the "DAZContentManagementService.app"
Restarted Studio, and still nothing in the Smart Content panel.
If there is no Smart Content with CMS running then it's likely to be a corrupt database...
try going to Programs/DAZ3D/Daz Content Manager Service and tell it to Start Daz Content Manager Service
I had the same problem and it worked for me.
https://helpdaz.zendesk.com/entries/22523891-Trouble-shooting-the-Smart-Content-Pane is usually the best place to start.
DAZ_Spooky, Thank you so much for the help plug. I didn't know what had happened to my smart content. But I remembered to always use the search in the forum to see if anyone else had the same problem to see if I could get it solved without bugging anyone too much. AND IT WORKED!!! I don't know why my CMS stopped working, but sure enough it was stopped in the task manager. I had to tell it two times to start running, but on the second try it did the do. I tried to start it in the Program File, but that didn't work. Now all of my smart content and my content search engine works just fine. Thanks a lot, I've spent sooo many hours trying to figure out why it wasn't working.
Most cases it stops due to a corrupt database. This means that it has potential to stop again. Please bear that in mind. I hope it gives no further issues though. :)
Don't leave out external forces...like OS updates/permissions, AV/firewall updates and the like...not sure on the numbers...but they are there.
Jaderail is one that has been saying, even though it is supposed to be fine to install content while it is running, that exiting DS/stopping CMS before installing content seems to minimize the risk of database corruption. So that is a possible help in minimizing the chance of the corruption reoccurring.
Hmmm...just had a thought...DAZ_Spooky...has anyone done any testing to see if having Write Caching enabled tends to lead to more database corruption?
Don't leave out external forces...like OS updates/permissions, AV/firewall updates and the like...not sure on the numbers...but they are there.
Jaderail is one that has been saying, even though it is supposed to be fine to install content while it is running, that exiting DS/stopping CMS before installing content seems to minimize the risk of database corruption. So that is a possible help in minimizing the chance of the corruption reoccurring.
Hmmm...just had a thought...DAZ_Spooky...has anyone done any testing to see if having Write Caching enabled tends to lead to more database corruption?
I did say most cases. LOL.
We have been doing lots of testing with the Database, trying different things to get it to corrupt significantly less often. It is something we have been beating our head against the wall for over a year now, though we may finally have a workable solution.
Exit DS before Installing Content appears to help, though how much is debatable. Stopping CMS does not. In fact stopping CMS would prevent installing content from updating the database as it is installed. that means you would have to use DS to insert the new content into your Database, If DS is the only tool you use, then I suppose that is OK, but it is an extra step you have to perform. If, on the other hand, you also use Carrara, then you are adding quite a few steps.
Note exiting DS before installing Plug-ins, especially updates to plug-ins and DS itself is REQUIRED. :)
On my system, the CMS runs 'as needed'...that's just the way it is with WINE, so when I stop DS, it stops too (if I start it manually, so it isn't a 'child' of DS, then it can keep running)...but I haven't had problems with the database updating. I have the 'Show metadata import page' checked in the Startup options and every time I start after I've installed new content with metadata it comes up. (So, I guess that counts as 'using DS to do it'?)
On my system, the CMS runs 'as needed'...that's just the way it is with WINE, so when I stop DS, it stops too (if I start it manually, so it isn't a 'child' of DS, then it can keep running)...but I haven't had problems with the database updating. I have the 'Show metadata import page' checked in the Startup options and every time I start after I've installed new content with metadata it comes up. (So, I guess that counts as 'using DS to do it'?)Yes that is DS doing the database work, as opposed to letting Install Manager do it.
Well, in any case, the only database corruption I've had I can trace to a power outage that shut off my machine mid content install...
Well as soon as I turned on my task manager today, sure enough the CMS had stopped again. Is it supposed to be always running or only when DAZ Studio is running? Anyway, I downloaded the 4.6.2 and it works but the CMS needed to be restarted again. And I had DAZ closed when I did the install. How can I permanently fix this problem?
What you are describing is sounding more like a corrupt database. Quick and dirty way to deal with it, (The article I already linked is the step by step, safest way to deal with it.), IN THIS ORDER ONLY, Stop CMS, make sure DS, Install Manager and Carrara are not running. move the database files out of the folder, start CMS, Fire up DAZ Studio, reimport Metadata (using the Content Library-Smart Content Database maintenance pane.
If that works then you can throw out the database files you moved.
I reviewed the step by step procedure and I can't find the database files in the CMS folder. I know they said something was gonna be invisible, but I can't even find the stop command in the CMS folder. I see the uninstaller. I clicked on that and it had the nerve to say that I need to be an administrator (which I am) to do the uninstall. I'm thinking that I'd rather just keep going to the task manager to restart the CMS then to risk messing it up more.
Basically...you may THINK you are the admin...but your permissions are not correct. Namely you don't have the permission to mess with files in that particular folder...which is probably the root of your problems. What folder is the CMS installed to?
It is installed to Program Files. Then Daz 3D. I think some files are missing in there cause I don't see a stop running file and the only start running is the exe. And of course like I said before, I don't see the database files to remove.
If you are using Windows, go to Start > All Programs > DAZ 3D > Content Management Service, and you can stop it from there, that is the only place to stop it.
The databases are in C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D\Content Management Service\databases
These are 'hidden' files in Windows, so you need to unhide them first.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/show-hidden-files#show-hidden-files=windows-7
I just took the whole CMS file out and threw it in the trash, then downloaded the manual 4.6.2 DAZ and installed it. It uninstalled everything and reinstalled it. So I got a new CMS and right after I use the search in DAZ content, the CMS stops working. Even when I go to task manager to restart it, inside DAZ doesn't acknowledge it til I close it and reopen it.
After your reinstall, just before you did a 'search' in the Content Library, was any content showing up? If so, you did NOT remove the database files.
DAZ_Spooky gave you a link to here https://helpdaz.zendesk.com/entries/22523891-Trouble-shooting-the-Smart-Content-Pane and it goes through the whole procedure for you.
You must STOP CMS (from the Start menu as previously explained) , then uninstall it completely using the uninstaller, remove the five database files from the CMS folder. DO NOT just delete the CMS folder, that is what is causing your problem I think.
Then reinstall DAZ Studio, the installer will install a new version of CMS. Restart DAZ Studio, then you have to go to the drop down menu in the Content Library pane, and reimport the Metdata.
I had already done the whole thing that DAZ_Spooky's link had told me, only I can't do the remove database part. I unhind the file folders, but the database is still not showing. I'm about to try the %programdata% thing. It worked!!! I can now see the databases. I did the way you said earlier and thought it was the same as doing the %programdata% trick. Okay, I'm gonna try to do the rest now.
Well long story short, It WORKED!!! Thanks JimmyC_2009, DAZ_Spooky and mjc1016. I don't really know the difference in just throwing the whole CMS folder in the trash then reinstalling it as opposed to Pulling out the Database folder then reinstalling it, but it worked. At first it did the quick Re-Import thing (which I thought was normal) but then I went to check and the task manager hadn't restarted CMS yet. So I did that and then did the Re-import. That's when I realized it was working cause it was actually taking its time. I probably didn't do it right the last time when I did the reinstall. I just went back to DAZ and the whole Smart Content Tab is missing again. It seems even worse cause now the task manager says CMS is running.
I had to stop the CMS and then restart it and then re-import for it to start working again.
Everytime I close DAZ Studios and reopen it, I lose the Smart content tab and the search ability
If CMS is not running, you wont have the search function OR Smart Content.
After you reinstalled DS, did you go to the Content Library drop down menu, Content DB Maintenance > Reimport Metadata?
Load DS, and check in the Task Manager if CMS is running, if it is not running, you wont have any Smart Content, but the pane should still be there. CMS should run as a process (and it is listed in Services too) when you boot up your PC. It does not start and stop along with DS.
Do you have AV applications running, because they may stop CMS. If you are using any Anti Virus programs, you will need to tell them to allow CMS to run as a safe process.
The task manager says CMS is running yet only when I tell it to stop then start then go into DAZ and reimport Metadata will it show in the Smart content pane. Before the CMS would just stop running in the task manager, but now it continues to run, but acts like it isn't til I do the stop and start trick. AV in down right now. I am wondering if a file i received could be corrupted and so everytime I reimport it, it recorrupts CMS.
I just did the whole process over. This time though, I went to the control panel and uninstalled CMS. Remember it wouldn't let me do that in the folder cause it said I wasn't the administrator (even though I am). Upon the reinstall, I did note that this time it actually mentioned that it was installing CMS. Before it just did it without even asking me where I wanted it installed to. This time it did ask me. I did the reimport trick and it worked. I closed DAZ and reopened it and everything is working great. Finally I can get back to doing Animation. Just redid it like five times and it still works. Thanks guys. In truth, if I could have just done what DAZ_Spooky's tip had said, I would have been up and running over a day ago. I still don't know why it wouldn't see me as the administrator.
You have to right click on the EXE file, and then choose Run as Administrator from the menu options, even if you are logged in as Admin.
Do that with the DAZ Studio icon on the Desktop as well, and it will always ask before running it. That makes sure that DS can write to the proper folder for saving layouts etc.
Glad it's working now, have fun :)
I just installed the Update to Daz Studio 4.6 on my Win7 64bit system, and the smart content went completely away. So I shut down Daz Studio went to the Daz3D Program folder where the short cut to shut down Content Manager was and shut it down. Then I restarted the CMS program and restarted Daz Studio I then checked the Smart Content and the pane showed some of my content but some of it was; I kid you not (blinking) so I just left everything alone for about 10min and went to get some snacks when I came back the smart content tab was full again with no blinking. I suspect the problem is that the programers have changed something in the way CMS accesses the Smart content database and the program needs time to sort itself out. Just my observations.