Saving DSON files.

hypnagogia

Hello,

I create models/props in 3ds max and save them as obj files.. I then import them into daz and set them up correctly with textures and material settings.

What is the best way to save this so that other DS users can open it on their system? I'm not sure what directories I should be using... I usually place the obj and textures into a single folder - Should I then place that folder in a specific location?

I see a lot about runtime/library folders but I'm uncertain of how this works exactly.

I want to package this as a DSON file.

Thanks for any help.

Design Anvil - Razor42

Here is a very basic overview of saving a prop imported and configured in Daz Studio. Textures files should be linked from the folder My Content Library/Runtime/textures/Vendorname/Productname to preserve path names.

1 Save As/Support Asset/Figure/prop assets.
2 Save the prop into either - My Content Library/Props/Vendorname/PropName or Smart Props for specific figures to My Content Library/People/FigureName/Props/Vendorname/Propname.
3 The next dialogue relates to the data content which is basically the objects geometry saved as a native Daz Studio Format. This means the obj file is not required for DS use of the prop.
3a Make sure to put in your vendor name and a unique prop name in the data dialogue as you will need to find and include these data files to share the prop.

And that's pretty much it.

The Runtime is basically a collection of folders that each DS user will have. You want to create a mirror of this with only the folders containing relevant files for your product.
This is what you distribute for other users to install from either merging or dropping directly into their own library.

As far as DSON files go are you looking at this for Poser content?

I have a more detailed tutorial for purchase here : http://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/da-tutorial-daz-prop-distribution/100903

hypnagogia

Thanks Razor 42, that's very helpful. I'll go through it a few times to get my head around it :)

mjc1016

Set up an empty content folder. Call it anything you want (I used your name for this example).

/data/hypnagogia/Product/Writing Desk:
   UV Sets/ Writing Desk.dsf

data/hypnagogia/Product/Writing Desk/UV Sets/hypnagogia/Base:
   default.dsf

/Props/Hypnagogia/Writing Desk:
   Writing Desk.duf
   Writing Desk.duf.png

/Runtime/Geometries/hypnagogia/writingdesk:
   Writing Desk.mtl
   Writing Desk.obj

/Runtime/Textures/hypnagogia:
  Writing_DeskDiffuseMap.png

In that folder create a data folder, a Props (if you are making a prop) and a Runtime folder. In the Runtime folder create a Geomtetries folder (this way you will have a place to load the original geometry files (obj format for Studio) and a Textures folder. In both folders create a folder in your name. In the 'your name' folder in the Geometries folder create a sub folder, in this case Writing desk. Put the obj and mtl file in that one. Then in the 'your name' folder, you can wither separate your textures by item or lump them all together...I prefer creating a folder for each texture.

Then in Studio bring up the Content Directory Manager and map that newly created content folder to the Studio formats.

Now you are ready to import the item into Studio.

Import the item from the Geometries folder you just mapped. Before you do anything else rescale it to the final scale you want it to be at. In the example case, I used your writing desk and rescaled it in Studio to have the top of the desk to be at 29 inches (the height of the desk I'm sitting at). Then export that scaled item, as an obj to the same Geometries folder (it's fine to overwrite the import) AT DAZ STUDIO NATIVE SCALE (that's the important part). After the export, delete the original import from the scene and reimport it. Now, you will probably need to reassign the textures. Do so by going to the Surfaces tab and clicking on the down arrow for Diffuse for each material (if you have bump/displacement/normal/opacity/normal maps you need to repeat this step for each map) and select Browse. Then browse to the Runtime/textures folder you created above.

Now the item should be in the center of the 'world', on the floor and textured (basic). You can position it if you want, at this point. Although for most things that aren't part of a set or intended to be in a hand or worn, it's probably best to just leave them centered.

After any positioning, go to File > Save As > Support Assets > Figure/Prop Asset...

The first item that pops up is a box that is where the Prop will be saved to. Use the navigation features and find the Props folder you created in that blank content folder at the beginning...and I use a subfolder in my name and then a sub of that being the item. This is where the item's Studio file will be saved...the one that loads the prop. When finish and hit Save another box will pop up. This one is going to set the location for the data files and will put them in the data folder, that you created before. There is also an option to create the metadata, here. Fill in the boxes as you see fit.

Then when finished you would zip up the entire contents of the main content folder (if you overwrote the original geometry...if not, remove that unscaled one). You could add a ReadMe file in the first level of that folder or create a ReadMe/Documentation folder there. Or you can place the ReadMe folder along side the content folder and zip both of them together.

Now a couple of things...for Studio, more material zones are better. The Writing Desk has one...the knobs as a separate zone would be the minimum I would do. This way a different shader could be applied to them...like a procedural, metallic or glass one. As a single zone, it's limited to what's on the main texture map. (Yeah, there are ways of creating new zones within Studio, but most users won't.) And larger maps are better...like instead of the tga with all different resolutions, a single png/tiff/jpg of the main texture/UV layout (the bottom left corner of the map for the desk, at 3000 x 3000 is about 'right').

Oh...I forgot. Zip up a copy of the 'blank' structure before you start adding anything to it. That way you won't have to start from scratch, each time you package an item.

hypnagogia

WOW thanks mjc1016

I appreciate the step by step instructions - I need them. And it helps that you've used the writing desk as an example, makes it seem a little more familiar to me.

I've only recently started using DAZ - just so I could test my models in it... but I would like to start distributing some as specific daz props.

3ds max has nowhere near as complicated directory/saving procedures :)

Cheers!

mjc1016

Remember...Max is primarily a modeller with added features. Studio is primarily a scene display/building/render tool...with added features. Like Poser, it needs a pretty rigid asset/content structure to be usable by the widest possible user base (computer skill) with the least amount of fuss and meddling on the end-user's part. Nope, not easy on the content creator's part...making sure all the bits and bobs are in the right place, though.

In some ways, it's a lot like making content for game mods...

hypnagogia

OK Great I think I've got it... its pretty straight forward actually... once you get your head around where the necessary information needs to be saved.

Thanks again for all of your help :)