Conversion method to use for material files?

michaeltoo

Hi all,
I have a whole lot of content from the last couple of years, that I'm finally getting around to installing. Its going well but I had some trouble with some of the older content, material files. They do not show in DazStudio 4.6.2.118. So I searched the Daz forums and found that the problem is to do with DazStudio not liking the Poser mt5 files for the materials.

I found a good thread in the Daz forum http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/37154/ and a helpful link from mjc1016 to
http://www.poserpedia.com/index.php?title=Converting_mc6_mt5_files_to_pz2_Tutorial which seems to fix the problem.

The only thing is, I'm not sure which conversion method to use? Do I use "Converting mt5 files to pz2 to mat figures" or the "Converting mc6, mt5 to mat props" method?

In just one of the Material folders there are over 30 odd mt5 files, so there's no way I want to open each file and manually edit them. So I've asked a good friend to make something for me to automate things, but first I need to know which method to use.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Totte

Does the content lack DAZ Studio materials? They are usually are either in Runtime/libraries/pose or in the DS section (usually described in the read-me.

If you have Poser and want to write .ds matfiles I really can recommend the MATWriter plugin for Poser.

/Totte

fixmypcmike

.mc6 files should show in DS4.6, in Content Library > Poser formats > [content library name] > Materials

ETA: sorry it's the .mt5's you're interested in.

maclean

michaeltoo said:

The only thing is, I'm not sure which conversion method to use? Do I use "Converting mt5 files to pz2 to mat figures" or the "Converting mc6, mt5 to mat props" method?

In just one of the Material folders there are over 30 odd mt5 files, so there's no way I want to open each file and manually edit them. So I've asked a good friend to make something for me to automate things, but first I need to know which method to use.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Most new content comes with companion files for Daz Studio which load the correct materials automatically. Depending on how old these products are, they may never have had comapnion files. However, before you start editing, it may be worth checking your account download list for these products to see if there's a DS installer. It's quite possible that you only downloaded the Poser installer, which means you would only get the Poser files. If you can get the DS installer, it will save you the trouble of editing.

As far as editing goes, you have to understand the differences between .mt5/mc6 and figures and props. An .mt5 file is for a single material which can be applied to any selected surace, and an .mc6 is for multiple materials, which are named in the file and will only work on surfaces with those names.

So, say you have an .mt5 file called 'wood'mt5'. If you look at it in notepad, you'll see something like this

{

version
 {
 number 6
 }
actor $CURRENT
 {
 material wood
  {
  KdColor 0 0 0 1 
  KaColor 0 0 0 1 
etc

Note that the material name is 'wood', but if you select a 'skin' surface, the file will still work, (because the 'actor $CURRENT' line allows it to work on whatever's selected).

So, for .mt5s, you should convert them to mat props. (Note that a .pz2 will only work on a prop in Poser if there's a figure in the scene)

If you have an .mc6, it will list specific materials, usually for a figure, but not always. So you should convert them according to what they're meant for - figure or prop. But it's not actually necessary to convert .mc6s because later version of DS can read them anyway.

mac

michaeltoo

Totte said:

Does the content lack DAZ Studio materials? They are usually are either in Runtime/libraries/pose or in the DS section (usually described in the read-me.

If you have Poser and want to write .ds matfiles I really can recommend the MATWriter plugin for Poser.

/Totte

Hi Totte,
I think the content was actually made for poser and I'm able to use everthing apart from the mat files. unfortunately I don't use poser only DazStudio 4.6

michaeltoo

Thanks mike no problems with the .mc6 files just the .mt5 files. :-)

Hi maclean,

Most new content comes with companion files for Daz Studio which load the correct materials automatically. Depending on how old these products are, they may never have had comapnion files. However, before you start editing, it may be worth checking your account download list for these products to see if there’s a DS installer. It’s quite possible that you only downloaded the Poser installer, which means you would only get the Poser files. If you can get the DS installer, it will save you the trouble of editing.

Thanks, no problem with the .mc6 files, I did re-download one of the items (DS format) I was having trouble with and re-installed it but the materials still didn't work. I know that some of the content I have came "as is" so I'll still have to look at doing something for these.

As far as editing goes, you have to understand the differences between .mt5/mc6 and figures and props. An .mt5 file is for a single material which can be applied to any selected surface, and an .mc6 is for multiple materials, which are named in the file and will only work on surfaces with those names.

So, say you have an .mt5 file called ‘wood’mt5’. If you look at it in notepad, you’ll see something like this

{

version
 {
 number 6
 }
actor $CURRENT
 {
 material wood
  {
  KdColor 0 0 0 1 
  KaColor 0 0 0 1 
etc

Note that the material name is ‘wood’, but if you select a ‘skin’ surface, the file will still work, (because the ‘actor $CURRENT’ line allows it to work on whatever’s selected).

So, for .mt5s, you should convert them to mat props. (Note that a .pz2 will only work on a prop in Poser if there’s a figure in the scene)

Heres the example given in poserpedia below for converting the .mt5 files to pz2

Converting mc6, mt5 to mat props

The only way that mats can work in the pose room is that they must be "Smart Prop" to a figure. The smart props are props parented to a certain body part of a figure.
You create the material file of the smart prop and the programing looks like this:

{
 version
      {
        number 5
      }
actor $CURRENT
      {
     material metal

You should change it to this

{
 version
      {
 number 5
      }
 prop table
      {
     material metal

Why "prop table"? "Prop" declares that the mats are for a prop. "table" declares the internal name of the prop you are matting. If your file is named "Blue Table.pp2" and the internal name of the prop is "table" you should declare "prop table" and not "prop Blue Table" or the mats won't work.
Then repeat the step on converting mt5, mc6's to pz2's shown in this document.

Creating mats for standard props. If you are going to create mat files to a standard prop that is not parented to any figure body part, you have to keep your mats in the Material Room. Mats for stand alone props do not work in the pose room.

Would the following work or is the $CURRENT poser only if not how do I find out the internal name of the prop I want to change.

{
version
{
number 4.01
}
prop $CURRENT
{

Then save as a .pz2 file extention rather than .mt5