Daz Studio 4.9 Beta Now Available..
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I like the idea, but would it work? This seems a good compromise, but somehow I doubt DAZ Store would go for it.
Last time I used default install locations was in the age of manually downloaded .exe installers. I ended up with unsearchable salad of a content library with stuff all over the place, because, apparently, every PA has its own opinion about what particular item is and where it should be. That is, not even counting mistakes in packaging.
Than came smart content and categories which are somewhat limited since not everything is in there. And again PAs own categorizations and where the stuff should be. So it under Creatures, unless it under Figures-Creatures, unless its human enough to be under People etc. (meaning, again, all over the place) and Im supposed to remember which one is where.
Than theres folders/categories/menus which I have no use for, namely "Artist Name" folders/categories/menus. I really cant remember who made what for thousands of items, so when I go through the library/smart content I prefer something like Props/Sword X/...instead of Props/GT Turbo PA/Sword X/... Or, hey, Props/Sword X_GT Turbo PA/... since it tends to shorten the search by..half.
So, yeah, Im going to do some stuff with folders in a effort that "sword" is in "props" because Im to lazy to go to forum and ask "where on Earth is my installed sword?".
Keep in mind you can do everything you want with the Smart Content! You can create new categories, new "products" (the main page of pieces of a single package like an armor or a scene) and categorize everything in any way you want.
I use it from ages and never regretted, even if I was pretty fantasious making my libraries.
I think it's time to evelove for everyone... And who doesn't evolve dies (metaphorically)
There have been numerous valid use cases shared on this forum of how only manual file management has provided the type of organization needed by a particular user. Either the developers aren't listening, aren't willing to listen, or think the D|S users who would like the features the program has supported for many years are "silly."
In thinking more about it, there is no technical reason user-facing files could not be moved within D|S itself, and tracked by the database. Unlike moving files manually using the OS, this allows an audit trail of where files have gone, and allows all the things needed by your content management system. It is, however, more work for you. The same applies to insisting all Connect files go into a single runtime folder, irrespective of D|S long-standing support for multiple runtimes. Now, *that's* what I call silly.
It's clear there are technical methods to provide both user flexibility, and the underlying management tools Daz needs to lower support costs, enable a transparent DRM, and provide a specifc user experience for certain other users. Whether you chose to pursue these methods is up to you.Yes, it will take some effort to do, but I think Daz will enjoy the fruits of this labor in terms of customer loyalty.
Hmmm.... many PAs here, myself included, don't make products for the latest shiny figure. I always make products which target long-term sales, and continue to sell many years after release. At a rough estimate, 80% of my sales come from my back-catalog.
The idea sounds plausible enough, but unfortunately, with so many different PAs and products, I doubt it would ever be acceptable to everyone. Not to mention DAZ's own originals. There are folks who still buy V4 products, and she died out when....? Well... it was more than 6 months ago.
Do you have any clue how work intensive that is for someone who hasn't done it yet? I've got over 6000 products installed from Daz alone.
It's not a "just" situation for many people.
The question is not if older items still bring most of the money from HONEST customers, that won't change, the question is if they are still highly attractive to crackers and pirates half a year or a year later, and this is what I really doubt in my previous post. You probably know that there is NO chance to stop them sharing if they really want to share, it's all about winning some time and selling few more copies. Even the multi-million-dollar movie industry knows that and DAZ won't be more successful with their limited budget, compared to what the movie companies invest into copy restriction technologies.
Yeah, my point was that pirates are highly motivated by shiny new things, and that the above idea (encryption but only for a while) seems to strike a balance between reasonable protection for vendors and for customers.
In a similar way, you'll note, say, MMOs are usually subscription for a WHILE, because most people jump on for a few months... and then shift to f2p down the road.
I did that work when I decided to use the Smart Content tab, so... Yes, I know how long it can take!
The only difference between me and you it's when the work is done, I did years ago and now it's everyone else turn... Simple!
Or I could save myself a boatload of time that doesn't need to be spent and simply continue using the organizational system I already have in place that allows me to find anything I need quickly in my multiple runtimes set up for use with both Poser and Studio.
I thought I heard there was a Smart Content feature that would import the current Content library structure, so there'd be no need to re-organize files manually.
Having worked with databases most of my life, and being quite at ease with them I don't have any problem with tracking things with a database. I also don't see where it is superior to putting the stuff in an orderly way on your hard drive, and the fact of the matter is mine already is. Running things from a database isn't evolving, it's been done for decades, sometimes it works better, sometimes it doesen't, depends on the application and method of it. The one thing the database would have in it's favor is it can list an item in multiple places without actually having to duplicate the files. That's actually pretty big. I have three problems with a database in this case though (1) It never worked for me in DAZ there were a couple of really bad glitches with it when it started, and I got tired of starting over, and (2) I use DAZ on two machines- a desktop and a laptop. I know how to copy file systems between the two. I'm not sure how to port their database and make it work on both programs. Got a link for me on how to do that? and (3) I don't know how to mark folders as in the database, and this isn't exactly a one day operation. Then, from the Poser side of things, those files are stored pretty randomly and you almost HAVE to move them around to locate things, finding textures to match clothes for example is a bear unless you move the content of the Pose folder into the Character folder with the clothes, along with any stray props that belong with the set.
We're talking about tools artists, and budding artists use; artists are very fussy about their tools and methods.
Telling them they're wrong to use a tool in such a way is not really a good idea; art is about a process, and the tools and how they are used is part of that process. Some will like the influx of new ideas in that process, others much less so.
Finallly you want arrists to evolve, I presume you think artists that use oil and canvas should also involve? Or are some tools different than others?
It is easy to forget that we aren't just talking about technology here.
I'm inclined to agree.
I'm not exactly a happy camper atm. I am however (becuase I like Daz's products, and really appreciate the excellent customer service I receive whenever I contact them) prepared to wait and see.
I have about 2000 and it's downright daunting; it's a hobby, I don't have a lot of free time - which current forum use is gobbling up, not eating into - to spend on my hobby.
Smart minds, etc. I was thinking along these lines myself, last night and this morning. Whether or not it would be feasible is another story. And I see Mac isn't too enthused about the idea. However, it seems to me it would pave the way for unencrypting all the products should DAZ go out of business, (God forbid!)
As for those who want to edit the encrypted files, I think DAZ could come up with a standalone editor for this purpose. It could open the file in a human readable/editable form and then save the file encrypted. A basic editor could be priced for hobbiests, but have copy and paste functions hobbled, say limited to 100 characters or so. A more expensive professional version could come with full copy and paste capabilities. Other features could also be limited or non-existent in the basic version, (not sure what because I don't edit those files anyway,) making the pro version very useful for those who really need something robust.
And before someone takes me to task for the idea,
just remember DAZ Studio is free, and the majority of us don't need to edit those files. DAZ should be compensated for the work necessary to provide a standalone editor for those who like to tinker with the files.
L'Adair: The nice thing about such a system is that it would automatically protect everyone from Daz going out of business, assuming it was automatic. If every product unlocked after 6 months (say), well, Daz goes out of business and within 6 months all the products unlock.
I was think one year, but yeah, that would be nice. However, if there is some way for a file to automatically unlock, don't you think the pirates would figure out how to emulate that? I once bought a laptop with Adobe Master Collection installed, (CS4, I think, when it was the latest version.) It turned out to be pirated,(along with a whole lot of other programs,) and the instructions for getting it to work essentially prevented it from being able to phone home! (I turned him into Adobe and eBay, and got my money back after returning the laptop.)
The point is, if there is a way to circumvent the encryption, the pirates will find it. And a hack to force the automatic unencryption would probably be the easiest.
I was thinking more along the lines of DAZ Connect "updating" the product with unencrypted files after the predetermined time. It would probably be a pain to administer, though. All or nothing is undoubtedly easier to code.
The encryption is already simple to get around. The point Daz said (somewhere above) is to make it harder than simply copying the zip file and uploading it so that it takes more effort to pirate. It won't actually make it impossible. So being able to crack a timed unlock really wouldn't change anything other than making the customers that want it happy (assuming it's technically viable.)
I think if you were going to go that route, it'd be simpler to just put the regular unencrypted files up on DIM or usual channel at a delayed rate (say a year or whatever) but then you get back to whether you trust Daz to do that, but it seems like a simple solution to me.
I just spent over 3 weeks making my own categories for contents on my laptop and PC. There is no EASY to this at all. It took a long time and I am a new user probably only 1500-2000 items to organize.
Okay I have read most of this and am still somewhat confused. As I stated above, I just finished a categories content library that suits me and my workflow. If I move up to the new one, do I lose all of that? Or will it migrate and still be editable in the new program? I don't use the smart content tab at all.
And I don't use the smart conenent tab and just spent weeks organizing my categories under the categories tab. Not going to to do it again because they changed it right when I got finished. I work a day job and spending 4 hours a night for 3 weeks to make it work for me only to be told to do it again because its simple is a ludicrous statement. Not to mention the time and attention I need to give to my family.
The current Categories system will continue to work exactly the same in 4.9, and can also be accessed via the Smart Content tab as is. Content Library is still the same, too. The only thing that changes is that if you WANT to use Daz Connect, it seems to do so via the Smart Content panel. But you don't need to touch it at all.
One thing that might be really obvious is that you can mass add folders of items to categories via right clicking the folder and hitting categorise, and it'll even remember where you last sent something. This is great for mass adding things to your new category system from which you can rename and drag and drop folders much more quickly. When I started using Categories I only knew about adding one thing at a time to a category, which also makes you reopen the entire folder structure from scratch, and that wasn't much fun at all.
Most encryption systems are hacked not by breaking the encryption itself (though that's possible), but by hacking the application that opens it. It's a daunting task to secure all the locks.
As for Daz going out of business and taking all the content with them: that would assume there's no buyer of the assets, and that conclusion is a major leap. Also, I believe I've read that once authenticated, the content may be used indefinitely without further interaction with Daz's servers. So I really don't think this should be a concern.
Now, onto my nit: Will someone tell me how Categories is supposed to work content that is used by both D|S and Poser? Are we to have two sets, one organized in D|S using Categories and the other by hand for Poser? And is this *really* a use case Daz hasn't thought of?
Okay that is good to know. I did figure out the multiple categorize thing about half way through which definitely sped things up. I will have to read a bit more about the new before deciding what I want to do but know that I can keep my organization the way I have it set up is was one of the most important things for me.
First, moving files and not database entries is my prefered method for organisation and I intensely dislike being blocked from doing so. However, even if the developers took time out from actual DS features to polish the file management tools in the Content Library (which do track movements) people would stil move using the OS tools and there's no way DS can track that - perhaps unless you are willing to have Daz implement an always-on tracking tool which would take even more time from content development and, judging by the way people reacted to the always-on (if mostly passive) Valentina CMS, woudl provoke outrage of its own. In order for things like auto-updates to work DS needs to know where files are, and in order for DS to know where files are reliably they need to be treated as unmovable.
Now, my solution recently has been to treat the whole main content directory as a black box and spawn loader scripts which I can then organise as I wish - and that works for the .enc files used in Connect. Daz reps have said they are looking at tools to allow at least a degree of user-arrangement; if that doesn't pan out I will rework the loader script tools I had been working on and release thsoe so that those of us who want a file-based organisation can have one without breaking the tool brought by Connect.
If you do your own categories you can set it up so that both poser and daz files are listed under the same tab. I have dresses that are poser content and textures that are daz for those dresses and I do dresses/ dress name/ mats. So when I load the dress the mats are right there. Hence my concern over losing my custom made categories
At the risk of dragging out a hypothetical situation, (because I'm pretty sure DAZ aren't going to jump enthusiastically on this idea), I have to disagree that pirating only affects shiny new things. Take Stonemason as an example. His products are usually large, and fairly expensive (by comparison with most products). Put a 6-month moratorium on the encryption, and the less-gifted pirates (ie. the ones who can't hack the files immediately), will simply put them up on warez sites after 6 months.
Now I don't know what percentage of Stefan's sales are from his back-catalog, but I'm fairly sure it's quite substantial. Why should he be willing to gift the pirates his stuff after 6 months? Because he'll never sell another copy again? Ha! Hands up how many people have waited until the PA sale to stock up on Stonemason products.
When we talk about piracy, we seem to forget that we're not talking about ourselves - rational customers who don't begrudge content creators being compensated for their time, effort and talent. We talking about a bunch of uncaring, thieving Bs, who only want to fill up their hard drives without spending a cent. And if they have to wait 6 months to do it, I doubt they'll suddenly turn into honest citizens and buy up the store.
mac
PS I made Room Creator 12 years ago, and it still sells every single month without exception. I rest my case.
I would love to be able to just drag-n-drop anything I wanted on the Poser Formats and Daz Studio formats sections to anywhere I want.What would be even better is if I could make one category from the two of them and shuffle my stuff around in that.I don't need to be able to shuffle the actual files/folders around, just the stuff on the Content Library pane.
I should be able to find my way around the directory structure if need be to find the textures and maps when I want to fiddle with them.I normally just open the location thought the surfaces pane anyway,it's faster than going directory diving to find them :)
Yes, but talking about using the Categories content library feature, which is database-based. There's no way Poser can read that database. So if you elect to organize your content using the Categories method, which is the "unsilly" way of doing it, I don't see a way to share that organization with Poser.
There is one other way...but it is not the way to go about it for large amounts of content.
That way is to scan the content folders for changes everytime the program starts. That's basically the way GIMP does brushes and such. One of the most common complaints about that sort of system...glacial slowness. I'm pretty sure that nobody really want's to implement GIMPs system (heck they are working to abolish it in an upcoming release...so there).
But is Gimp trying to find which brush is where, or just notice that there are new brushes? A scan on launch to keep track of moved files would be trying to spot which file had moved where, which would require a way to identify them (probably a huge database of signatures of some kind) and would still almost certainly be broken if users edited the files.