Installing content: .Zip format problems

dramioneinlove

Hello everyone!
I am quite new to Daz 3d, but I love it already: this is going to make absolutely scrumptious images to go with my stories ;)

However I have a problem.

I've tried uploading content from 3rd parties (Evilinnocence, Renderosity...) the download went fine, it's in the computer (Windows 7) and in the correct file (a new file under Runtime), now if I understand well I have to merge the Runtime files, since I should have another Runtime file under my downloaded content.

This is where it gets tricky (for me at least).

The files are formated as .Zip, as they should be. From there on I should be able to open each file, select Runtime and merge with the general Runtime file (at least I think so). However, there is a problem here. The default program to open each file is Adobe Reader (suffice to say it doesn't work) and I can select a default program such as Adobe Photoshop, Daz, etc... I think it should be Adobe as that's the one used for the contents of the software (Clothes, Morphing, Environments etc.)
But now, how can I unzip the file to extract the Runtime file to be able to merge it? Since Adobe's not working to extracct the information content of the file.
I've checked tutos of course, and though it's near impossible to get a good tuto concerning downloading 3rd party content, I have a feeling this doesn't concern most people.

I don't know if you understand well, hope I explained well enough :) may seem quite a silly problem but honestly I've been ripping my hair out for hours on end now.

Please, can you help?
Thanks a lot.
DIL.

Edited to change Uploading to Installing in the topic title

patience55

dramioneinlove said:

Hello everyone!
I am quite new to Daz 3d, but I love it already: this is going to make absolutely scrumptious images to go with my stories ;)

However I have a problem.

I've tried uploading content from 3rd parties (Evilinnocence, Renderosity...) the download went fine, it's in the computer (Windows 7) and in the correct file (a new file under Runtime), now if I understand well I have to merge the Runtime files, since I should have another Runtime file under my downloaded content.

This is where it gets tricky (for me at least).

The files are formated as .Zip, as they should be. From there on I should be able to open each file, select Runtime and merge with the general Runtime file (at least I think so). However, there is a problem here. The default program to open each file is Adobe Reader (suffice to say it doesn't work) and I can select a default program such as Adobe Photoshop, Daz, etc... I think it should be Adobe as that's the one used for the contents of the software (Clothes, Morphing, Environments etc.)
But now, how can I unzip the file to extract the Runtime file to be able to merge it? Since Adobe's not working to extracct the information content of the file.
I've checked tutos of course, and though it's near impossible to get a good tuto concerning downloading 3rd party content, I have a feeling this doesn't concern most people.

I don't know if you understand well, hope I explained well enough :) may seem quite a silly problem but honestly I've been ripping my hair out for hours on end now.

Please, can you help?
Thanks a lot.
DIL.

Well, I'll take a stab.

1. You have "no" .zip folders in your Content/Library/whatever.
2. The .zip folders are unzipped [usually in a download folder or wherever you've downloaded them to]. The actual .zip folders can then be deleted or moved into storage. Normally winzip or 7zip or whatever program you have on your computer on the right-click menu is what we use to unzip .zip or .rar folders. 7zip is a free utility. Winzip is on the Windows computer. Winrar is another favourite of many.
3. Depending upon the skill of the person who packaged up the product ... things may work as expected. Look into the folder ... some get stored one or two deep before the content is shown.
4. Yes, merge the Runtime into the collective "Runtime"; "data" into "data", and so forth.
5. The ONLY file that Adobe Reader should be default for to open would be something called .pdf files ... Adobe Reader reads those.
6. The .png, .jpg, etc image files can be left to open with whichever default image editor you normally had. The only time you'd be opening said files in any such program is to edit and save out a 'copy' of it to make, for example, your own textures.
7. Through the program Daz Studio, in the Content Library, there one will find listed all the stuff in their Content/My Library folders ... if there's an icon to click on, doing so will open it in the loading dock. [what I call the centre stage area].

8. Yes you can render out lots of nice images with this program. Render to .png with background colour of white to get a transparent background image to add to your pages. Or create an entire scene and frame it or whatever. Lots of ways to have fun.

Wilmap

It's best not to anutomatically unzip & install as it can cause problems if item is not packed right.

I have a tutorial that might help.

http://www.sharecg.com/v/69943/browse/3/PDF-Tutorial/How-to-install-zip-files

patience55

wilmap said:

It's best not to anutomatically unzip & install as it can cause problems if item is not packed right.

I have a tutorial that might help.

http://www.sharecg.com/v/69943/browse/3/PDF-Tutorial/How-to-install-zip-files

Good catch, yes. Was a little tired when writing that. I normally would "copy" folders to merge into their counterparts, keeping the original folder to visually check where it is putting content. After awhile one comes to point to download from and trust certain content providers and to thoroughly check and manually edit files OR scrap 'em from others. Sometimes the location problems are because of program changes that have been made over the years. So for eg. if a file is for Poser 4, it's more likely to require some tlc in order to work correctly.

dramioneinlove

OK, thanks a lot everyone! I manage just fine after several tests, so it's good news. Thanks for your help, and Winmap- I just LOVE what you do. Your dresses are gorgeous :)