PostgreSQL CMS problem - error on opening DS

mikethe3dguy

Opened DS just now and got the message shown in the screenshot. Content seems to be there, but my custom content directory is gone. That's taken a LOT of time to set up (and curate, over months). I'm running 4.20.0.17, which was installed via DIM. Do I need to reinstall DS and do a Content DB Maintenance -> Database Reset? Or is there something else to try?

Not sure why this happened now. Didn't do anything unusual I can think of between now and the last time I used DAZ, which was just a couple days ago.

Thanks

Richard Haseltine

Don't rset the database, that will wipe your own categories. However, I'm not sure what you mean by custom content directoriy - custom directories are not related to the Content Management System. If the issue is a missing content directory (location on disc that appears un Daz Studio Formats etc.) and a problem with the database then were both stored on the same device or in the same folder tree, separate from your default content that is still showing?

mikethe3dguy

Richard Haseltine said:

Don't rset the database, that will wipe your own categories. However, I'm not sure what you mean by custom content directoriy - custom directories are not related to the Content Management System. If the issue is a missing content directory (location on disc that appears un Daz Studio Formats etc.) and a problem with the database then were both stored on the same device or in the same folder tree, separate from your default content that is still showing?

Yeah I'm sure I'm using the wrong word! It was under "Categories" in the content library. I just re-sorted my content into custom categories to streamline my workflow. Those no longer appear, but the original DS default categories and content are all still there. As it turns out it's possible that I did cause this. I was trying to install some Github software the other day and something didn't "take" so the recommended fix was to add a Path variable in User Variables at:

Control Panel -> System and Security -> System -> Advanced System Settings -> Environment Variables

Turned out not to work so I gave up on it, but I may have overwritten an existing Path variable and like an idiot didn't copy down what was there (didn't realize it would overwrite). Maybe that caused the problem?

Richard Haseltine

Perhaps. Go to Edit>Preferences (Daz Studio>Preferences for a Mac) and look at the CMS settings tab - are the values set, and do their settings match what you recall (if you had ever looked at them before)?

mikethe3dguy

Richard Haseltine said:

Perhaps. Go to Edit>Preferences (Daz Studio>Preferences for a Mac) and look at the CMS settings tab - are the values set, and do their settings match what you recall (if you had ever looked at them before)?

Here is what I see (screenshot). That directory is the correct location for my library.

mikethe3dguy

This may be related. I found a thread where someone who had created custom categories moved their DS to a new PC and needed to know how to move them across too. You told her that in her case custom categories would be in "UserData.dsx file (or files, with numeric suffixes) in the /Runtime/Support folder - those are the custom categorisations". All I find there like that is a file named UserData_PublicBuild_1.dsx with a last modified date in 2018. I definitely created the custom categories well after that - more like early 2022 or possibly late 2021. And when I open it in Wordpad it's clear my custom categories are not there.

https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/254746/moved-to-new-pc-custom-category-file-location

PerttiA

mikethe3dguy said:

Richard Haseltine said:

Perhaps. Go to Edit>Preferences (Daz Studio>Preferences for a Mac) and look at the CMS settings tab - are the values set, and do their settings match what you recall (if you had ever looked at them before)?

Here is what I see (screenshot). That directory is the correct location for my library.

You should have the location of the database there, not the content library 

Here's mine, with another one showing what's in that folder

mikethe3dguy

 

You should have the location of the database there, not the content library 

Here's mine, with another one showing what's in that folder

Thanks! Not sure why/how that would have changed. Doing a search for that .json file right now.

mikethe3dguy

 

You should have the location of the database there, not the content library 

Here's mine, with another one showing what's in that folder

Well, mine was in the same spot. I updated the Cluster Directory path, accepted and restarted DS, but still get the same error, still missing categories.

mikethe3dguy

I'm pretty sure now that my problem was caused by this Path environment variable debacle, and I'm doing my best to restore it. But I need to know what is added to the variable by DS. Can anyone with DAZ Studio installed on a Windows machine PLEASE go into their User Variables and send me a screenshot of what's included in your Path variable?

Here's where to go: Control Panel > System and Security > System > Advanced system settings > Environment Variables. Then select the Path variable in the upper window for "User variables for [your name]" Click the Edit button, then take a screenshot and close everything out (making sure NOT to edit the variable!). Please send me that screenshot - I need to add any DAZ related variables to mine.

Thank you!

mikethe3dguy

I have a DS problem where my PostgreSQL CMS connection (Win 10 machine) isn't happening and I'm pretty sure this started when I (like an idiot) accidentally deleted my "Path" environment variable.  I'm doing my best to restore it, but I need to know what is added to the variable by DAZ Studio. Can anyone with DAZ Studio installed on a Windows machine PLEASE go into their User Variables and send me a screenshot of what's included in your Path variable?

Here's where to go: Control Panel > System and Security > System > Advanced system settings > Environment Variables. Then select the Path variable in the upper window for "User variables for [your name]" Click the Edit button, then take a screenshot and close everything out (making sure NOT to edit the variable!). Please send me that screenshot - I need to add any DAZ related variables to mine.

Thank you!

IceCrMn

I really don't think it's PATHing issue, more likely a firewall/antivirus problem,,anyway here's mine

Everything works as it should for me.

As you can see , no environment PATH set for the DB.

mikethe3dguy

IceCrMn said:

I really don't think it's PATHing issue, more likely a firewall/antivirus problem,,anyway here's mine

Everything works as it should for me.

As you can see , no environment PATH set for the DB.

Thanks, but I've already shut off my firewall and antivirus and tested - no dice. What you sent me doesn't specify the Path USER variable that I think I need. Can you please click the Path variable in the upper window (User Variables) and then click Edit to see all paths in that statement? It's possible what's shown is the entirety but it's hard to tell. I'm no expert so I could be wrong but that's what I think I need.

mikethe3dguy

IceCrMn said:

I really don't think it's PATHing issue, more likely a firewall/antivirus problem,,anyway here's mine

Everything works as it should for me.

As you can see , no environment PATH set for the DB.

Oh no, I see the way it formats on mine. You did send me everything. Rats, that's not it then.

IceCrMn

That one is actually to let the OS know where my Windows store apps are installed.

but here it is, USER_PATH pic below.

SYSTEM_PATH doesn't have anything in there either.

 

BTW, not the first time this has come up.Usually works out that it was the security software.Good luck.

 

Richard Haseltine

The default for Windows is

%appdata%/daz 3d/cms/

which, if you paste it into a file browser, will expand to point to your AppData folder. The actual database would be in the ContentCluster subfolder.