DOWNLOADABLE PROMO IMAGES, is there a following?
RoLoW
Posts: 345
Once you get interested in 3D, it doesn't take long at all for your collection of items to become overwhelming.
One of the best things DAZ has done is the development and distribution of the DAZ Install Manager (DIM). This is an awesome tool for installing and removing content you have purchased from DAZ3D. (I have over 2,600 items that appear in DIM).
However, for those of us who are "old school", many prefer to have copies of our purchased content downloaded to our own computer's hard drive or perhaps an external storage drive or thumb drive. And if anyone is like myself, that content should include one if not all of the promotional (promo) images so later one I can visually see exactly why I bought it in the first place.
Now here is a thought, is there any interest from users for DAZ having an additional ZIP available for download in the Product Library that contains all the promos applicable to the product you are viewing? Would sure save some time with the old right-click Save As from the product page itself....
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Comments
The zip files are downloaded to your computer and will stay as long as you don't have the "Delete Package Once Installed" box checked on the Ready To Install tab. If you right-click on a selection you have the option to download thumbnails.
And ummm... DIM now supports Thumbnails of all content installed you just have to right click and run the Option, those then can be copied to your storage to go with the Zips.
Opps that part was covered NM.
all my DIM zips are in C:\Users\Public\Documents\DAZ 3D\InstallManager\Downloads
Actually, my focus was not on the DIM and all that it offers. I only mentioned DIM because myself (and probably many others) are using it more and more often. I did try the right-click and Retrieve Thumbnail but heaven only knows where it went as there was no save dialog. Oh, just checked and there it is in the Install Manager Downloads folder (thanks Szark).
My point was leaning more toward the "manual" downloads of products from the Product Library. You can see the difference between the big difference on this comparison of the promo and thumbnail for A Curious Dead End.
Completely understood what you where saying the first time around rolow. ;-)
I've been practicing the same exact old school method of right clicking and saving the promotional images from the website with the product zip files I downloaded via the DIM.. There have been times when it has been an advantage not only to have the product zip files backed up but also the full size promotional images and any and all promotional text and video for later reference, without having to rely on the DAZ website. For example, there have been a few times when I wanted to use an older version of a product, that was no longer available. If it wasn't for my back-ups I would be out of luck. I would no longer have access to the product or any reference as to what the product looked like or did beyond the often limited "read me" file.
Yes, I agree it would be cool to have the promotional images bundled and somehow available for download with the rest of a product's files, but I worry that it may be more trouble then it is worth on DAZ's end of things. I just don't know, but again, from my perspective it would be a very useful option for the customer and their records in my opinion.
Ok I will clarify what I do. I use the DIM, look up the item in question via a search filter and click on the ! sign bringing up the DAZ3D store page for that item. That gives me the info I need.
Yes, but what if you don't have access to the Internet and the product in question is no longer available. It has happened to me more then once. What if you want to keep your own product record/reference/back-up off-line for any number of very useful reasons? ;-)
Although what you describe is indeed useful it doesn't answer the problem or question posed.
Best regards.
7thStone
I see two potential issues with that. First, I am not sure that DAZ has the legal right to share peoples promotional art. Second, is how large the zips would be. I did a test zip on my last set of promos and it was over 7mb. Storage may be cheap these days but that is going to start stacking up at some point.
Well, I have always done this along with the description page. I designed a database I was giving away at one point, 3D Librarian, that I used to store such info. It was designed to navigate like you would the online stores, like the DAZ 3D store, Rendo, etc.
It didn't attract much attention so I pulled it. I also use it to help me create and maintain online directories such as my 3D Celebrity Look-alike Directory.
So, yes, I do keep promos images myself.
As far as DAZ 3D, or any other store, making them available in Zip format I doubt it, it would just be extra work they don't need.
I see two potential issues with that. First, I am not sure that DAZ has the legal right to share peoples promotional art. Second, is how large the zips would be. I did a test zip on my last set of promos and it was over 7mb. Storage may be cheap these days but that is going to start stacking up at some point.
I made copies (CHM format) of all the product pages including zips with promo pictures as well for the products that were vaulted a few years ago, and shared them on one of my sites (they're still available there, AFAIR). There were public links to them in the old forum and no one ever complained about that. OrcaSoul also sold his Content Database scripts which would download promos for all your products, and a vendor here at DAZ also sold a Content Database which required these scripts, no one ever complained about that either. So I don't think anyone mind, as long as you just use the promos as personal product info.
yep totally missed the point 7thStone and still do. I will just slither back in to the shadows.
Yes, but what if you don't have access to the Internet and the product in question is no longer available. It has happened to me more then once. What if you want to keep your own product record/reference/back-up off-line for any number of very useful reasons? ;-)
Although what you describe is indeed useful it doesn't answer the problem or question posed.
Best regards.
7thStone
If you look up the product in the Documentation Center, the main promo should be there, even if the product was removed from the store (not sure if that's true in 100% of cases, but the ones I checked were there). Doesn't help with any additional promo images, but at least you can get the one.
The thumbnails for all products downloaded through DIM can be found in a similar folder, namely:
C:\Users\Public\Public Dcouments\DAZ 3D\InstallManager\Thumbnails
That's where all the thumbnails appear on my Win7 Pro laptop. Not sure what the difference would be for those who are still on WinXP, or have Win8, though I can't believe it's much different. I'm totally clueless as far as where they can be found on a Mac.
As far as rolow's original request, I have been saving the main promo of every product I've bought at all the 3D stores I shop at for more years than I can remember. As long as I have that main promo, I can remember exactly what the product offers. Not sure I really need all the available promos for each product.
There is no need to "slither back into the shadows" just because you missed the point. ;-P
Good grief... I've done it myself on occasion. Missed the point that is. :red:
Edit: I don't slither myself. I fly... Fly into walls that is. Like a Looney Toon I fear. But then... One of my heroes is Daffy Duck.
LOL yeah but I like it back there.
I get it now after reading it all over again.
I agree that all of the promos would not be as practical, even though I save all the promos which has come in handy when the online version changes along with the promos.
If anything at all, it would be nice if when using the Product Library that the image displayed (350x455) was link to the full size main promo (1538x2000). Then it would be as simple as click, click, click the download buttons and then right-click save as on the image above. That little bit would probably suffice for most folks like me.
HA! I thought *I* was the only 'Promo Image Freak' out here! I use FireShot (Free version, not Pro. Pro has problems) in my browser to grab the entire first store page and then 'right click and save as' to get just the images. I'm almost embarrassed to say that until recently I was clicking on the store promos and screenshotting the popups - until I figured out on accident that you can right click on the thumbnail and 'open in new tab' and see an often much larger (read: more beautiful!) image that can then be right mouse clicked and saved. Is it a PITA? Heck Yeah! And God forbid you fall behind on this. I am very strict with myself about harvesting promos as I purchase things. (March Madness was very stressful in that regard! Buying a bundle can be rough too!) Storing all these images is trivial for me with 3TB drives aplenty. I do this for all the 3D stores I shop at. I keep a separate subfolder called 'Promo Screenshots' and periodically I will use a file manager to peruse through those images and get inspired all over again! I am even considering creating keyword searchability using Adobe Bridge but that would require manually entering keywords for each and every promo image. Still, it just might be worth it....
But it is all very much worth doing as I get inspiration from those promos every time I peruse them. Sometimes I look them up for technical info found in the images. Also a memory jogger - "Oh wow! I forgot I picked that up!" (or it came tucked away in a bundle) and find myself eager to render again after viewing these folders of promo images.
Do I feel like DAZ, or any other store, should provide these to me? I wouldn't complain if they provided them, but probably wouldn't pay extra for that Bonus and can imagine the potential nightmares for DAZ in providing them. They'd have to be optional though - not everyone would want them (lack of interest, limited bandwidth or storage, etc.).
Glad to know I'm not the only person out here doing this!
The promo images are not part of the product and are not covered by the EULA, they are as suggested above copyright images owned by the artist (or by DAZ) and cannot be shared without permission.
No generally they cannot be shared (though there are exceptions under "fair use" but this is a rather grey area), but it's legal to download any publicly accessible image if it's for personal use only. I.e. downloading promo pics to identify your products is OK.
I am fully versed on copyright law since 1980 and have several registered copyrighted works (not just the slapped on (c) and all used by most artists), and understand the points being made. So as not to impede my fellow promo enthusiasts, I will reserve any further comments regarding copyright law.
I would however suggest that those interested in the copyright issue take a peek at: http://www.copyright.gov/title17/
Whoops - I just recall that I actually wrote a class for the Account Manager for downloading info from DAZ product pages, including promo pics. It's not finished yet though, and the data is meant for being imported into a different project (Content Database) I'm also working on so it's in a special format which may change, depending on how things develop. Currently it creates a folder for each product with an info file and the promo pics, like this:
--
I am grabbing Promo pictures too - unfortunately only the first one (space considerations)
In one case of a discontinued product here that has led to confusion what IS included and what not.
confusing myself ...
I've experimentally added offline viewing of product images to the Account Manager. If anyone wants to give it a test run it can be downloaded here (tested clean for virus at virustotal.com):
http://taosoft.dk/software/accm-daz/updates/accm-daz-a0514a.zip
info about installation etc. can be found here:
http://taosoft.dk/software/accm-daz/
After installation:
1. Select Tools > Set Browser Compatibility
2. Click the "Download History Data" button to download your history.
3. Select Tools > Manage Product Data
4. Click the "Download" button - it will download data for the first 100 products listed in the left panel (alpha sort). If you cancel before it's finished, it will start where it left next time you download.
5. Close the "Manage Product Data" window when finished.
6. IMPORTANT: whenever you have downloaded new product data you must click the "Update Data" button in the right bottom corner before doing anything else, otherwise it may crash (will be fixed later).
7. Click any of the items in the left panel (alpha sort) to see the product images. you can also scroll with the up-Down arrows.
Well, the new site breaks the ability to easy dl the promo images. :(
Click on the promo, copy the image's URL, insert as URL, save to your computer. Piece of cake.
I said "easily". Previously, I could select all the thumbnails, option click, and dl them all at once in a nice easy way to make a catalog of what I have. Doesn't work now :(
[delete]
Forgot I had already added my two cents here previously.
I know that the right-click Save As for Internet Explorer still works but is slower.
***** GOOD NEWS *****
However, I just tested and with all three of the latest versions for browsers IE, Firefox, and Chrome, you can still use my preferred method of opening a product page and simply left-click-drag each image from the popup viewer into a folder. Not exactly the all at once approach, but I can get all the promos in about 2-3 seconds each. Not too bad since most products have less than 10.
If you're on Windows you can download promo pictures and product info for all your products automatically with a few clicks, with this one:
http://taosoft.dk/software/accm-daz/
Currently though it's being updated to work with the new store layout as it broke several features. Hope to have an update ready in within a couple of days.
Another option: Clear your browser cache, then view each promo image, then go into your browser cache and move the images (they are easy to spot and separate from the cruft) to another folder on your drive. No one can accuse you of infringement, since they are all automatically downloaded to your browser cache whether you want them or not (along with hundreds of megs of ads and other junk).