moving from Mac to Windows - C8.5 - any suggestions?

jrm21

I have been a Mac user for many years. I like the OS and am very comfortable with it. For several reasons, I recently picked up Windows 10 and have installed it on my machine via "Bootcamp." For those unfamiliar, that basically means I can boot my machine directly into windows without emulation software.

I have installed DAZ Studio and Carrara 8.5 on my Windows partition. I have used DIM to install much of my content. It is my belief that Carrara runs better and is more stable under windows. I would like to test that theory out for myself.

Am having trouble finding things. Windows takes a very different approch to file management which I can't seem to wrap my head around.

For example, I have "Mystic Gorge" installed. I see that DIM installed it correctly into the Windows partition. It, however, does not show up in the Carrara browser. Same for several other files. All show up when I am running the Mac version under OS X (those were installed separately using the Mac DIM).

There are folders that I have added to the Mac version browser. They have things like HDR backgrounds. I "add" these folders on the windows version and no files show up in the broswer.

 

Any tips for finding files and installing items under Windows? Too many of the items shown as "installed" are not avaiable. Using the "content" and "smart content" tabs also seem about as messed up in Windows as they did in OS X (empty listings, items not appearing, etc.).

Scarecrow

In my experience not all files like this show up in the Carrara browser in Windows. Just use the "open" command in the file menu and browse to the file you want to open.  

jrm21

Thanks for the suggestion. I was hoping to use the Carrara browser... finding files in Windows seems much more difficult than doing so on a Mac. In a few cases where I have navigated to the files I want (HDR, for example) they are greyed out in the file selector. Having the folder in the browser is also much more convenient than jumping back and forth through various directories.

DIM installs files is various places. On a Mac finding and getting to those places is easier (at least for me). Also, on a Mac there is a search field built into the file selector box - I can type ".hdr" into that box and get a list of every HDR on my system. Just select and go. On Windows it seems I have to drill down through numerous directories to look for files. Not to mention that hitting the space bar will provide a large preview of any graphic file. Essential when you are choosing between ss89.hdr and ss88.hdr. 

This is not a Win vs Mac thing at all. I am hoping to use Windows for a better Carrara experience. Just trying to wrap myself around the differences in using Carrara on the two systems and how the Windows community handles these issues.

Milo

this video has a methodology of doing a more all inclusive for the things stored into the presets folders.  I setup my own for HDR if you install via DIM you can have the software tell you where it and add those directly.  I also setup my own Carrara in my 3dcontents to then have subfolders with the same type things that are in the presets.  The nice thing about this is that anything added to presets (or other standard folders) is all added since they are stuck in there and I don't have to add them individually, the drawback is its ALL there :)  There is another one on configuring the browser thats for individual folders if you prefer that its number 3 I think. 

The issues of consistancy is there of course but it seems to help.  fr windows I use a program called Total Commander that I do all my searches with its a old school file panel manager, I use multiple tabs to keep where my standard directorie are, and book mark things as well.  But the search is fast for just filenames. (funny enough I found similar programs on OSX and use them as well way faster for moving, coping and general file management than using the 'windowed' type of movement at least for me.

jrm21

Milo - thanks for that link The method makes so much sense, its a wonder i never thought of it. Will try out that organization system for C's browser. I have includced "catch all" folders for things on my Mac install, but never thought of deleting everything and starting from scratch.