Issues with opening scenes from 3A in 4.0.3.37
kyoto kid
Posts: 41,040
...not sure what is happening here. When I attempt to open a scene created in S3A in 4.0 (32 bit) I get some unusual results.
In one case the set and backdrop and lights opened fine, but the character was missing. Oh she and all her clothing, hair & props were listed in the scene tab, just not visible in the viewport.
On another occasion when I tried to open a scene in 4 to render it, I received an error message that some content couldn't be located. Once again everything appeared in the scene tab just not in the viewport.
Now before someone asks the obvious, yes, I have mapped my runtimes and content folders in 4.0, otherwise I wouldn't be able to see all of my content in the library. So i would expect that the scenes should load correctly since all the paths to the individual content and pose files are still the same. Not sure what, if anything, I am doing wrong.
I'd like to use the updated render engine as it is faster and slightly less crash prone than 3A's version is.
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Comments
For a long time if your scene file had any missing files DS would throw up an error about missing files and your scene wouldn't load, about half way through DS3's life they updated it, you now get placeholders added for any missing files that way your scene will load, so finding things listed in the scene tab with nothing in the viewport means you have missing files as it's the placeholders your seeing in the scene tab.
If these scenes still work in DS3 then you need to add all of the DS native directories you have listed in DS3 to the list in DS4, that way it can find the data folder that holds all of the files for the scene.
...but I thought I did that when I mapped my runtimes to ver4.
I even saved one scene directly to the 4.0 library folder where my other 4.0 scenes were but still received the same error message. Never had this issue with opening Studio 2.3 pr even 1.8 scenes in 3A.
Can you go to your Content Directory Manager in DS3 and DS4 and post screenshots of the DS format and Poser format content folders?
It doesn't matter what content folder you save the scene into, the data files are always saved in the first DS-format content folder.
...I don't have any content manager running in either version.
Unisntalled the CMS after installing 4.0 as it was taking up to 47M of memory. As I am still in 32 bit I need to free up all the resources I can.
:sigh:
Not the CMS, go to Edit > Preferences > Directories > Content Directory Manager, expand the DS format and Poser format sections, and post a screenshot. In DS4 it's Edit > Preferences > Content Library > Content Directory Manager.
Your top Directory in DS3 is the folder DATA for your scene was saved in. If it is not the TOP directory in DS4 it will look for the Data in the folder listed as the Top folder in DS4. Easy to fix. Move your DS3 folder to the TOP in DS4.
The Top DS folder is always the folder the scene Data files are saved into.
I just tested this and it worked. My DS4.5P folder is the TOP DS folder my DS3A folder is Second. It loaded a Scene just fine. I think your DS3A folder must be the second DS folder listed for DS formats
P.S. All my File paths are DEFAULT. I did not move my content on the Drive. If you did that it does not find the PATH to the Data, the Path is in the Data files.
DS4 will READ the other DS-format content folders if it doesn't find the Data files in the first, but it always WRITES to the first.
OK here are the screenshots in order
S3A Daz Content
S3A Poser Content
S3A Other Content
S4 Daz/Poser Content
In your first screenshot the first DS-format content folder is the Shader Mixer scenes folder. That's where the data files are being saved, and that folder is not listed in DS4.
ETA: You also have both DAZ\Studio\Content and DAZ\Studio listed under Poser formats in DS4, which isn't the cause of the data file problem, but it could be causing other problems.
EDIT: MIKE (OPPS, I said richard) is correct. Your data files are in the Shader folder for DS3. Needs listed in DS4 as a DS folder.
All this below no longer matters but IS correct. Re-Name a Folder and TRY.
I'm pretty sure the path has to be the same as when the file was written. At least the base DS part or Relative paths. All data files start with the PATH. All mine are DAZ 3D/Studio3/content. What I'm trying to say is this. If the file path is NOW DAZ Content/ Studio3/content the Path has changed and the load will fail. The Path must match the path written when the data was saved, they must match.
...OK added the folder but still getting the same results.
Here is a SS of the content manager screen.
That's not the directory you have listed in your screenshot of the DS3 content folders. Try going to the Content Library tab, options menu, I can't recall exactly what the option is, something like "Import Mapped Content Folders".
...here is an SS of the Mapped Content Directories.
..OK seems this is the right setup as all the scene elements finally loaded.
However...
Some of the shaders are totally bollixed up.
So it looks like we're kind of "home".
Thank you for the help at least I can finally access scenes creates in 3A. Now all I have to do is figure out this shader mess.
...OK when I got home I restarted S4.0 and reopened the scene, While the harpsichord textures loaded correctly this time, the MATs for Leela did not.
When I originally created the Leela character I used the full figure MAT from Jamminwolf's Tindra Thompson as it gave her the appropriate freckled skin texture I needed. However, for some reason Studio4 apparently doesn't seem to like it, or for that matter, even the default Steph4 MATs as they load incorrectly too.
This isn't good for I thought as long as I am using Gen4 characters instead of Gen4 Body shapes for Genesis, whatever MATs were originally designed for the figures should still work without having to make any adjustments..
I zeroed the MAT, chose a standard V4 texture, and that loaded fine. I then went back and loaded the Tindra MAT, only to have it apply incorrectly again.
...issues like this are not helping to win me over to Studio 4.
I just checked and the Stephanie 4 ELITE uses the same UV as V4.2 so I think the S4 textures should work. I have not checked to see if it came with the Genesis Legacy shape morphs. But I will.
Okay I have a Stephanie 4 Shape in my morphs for genesis, I can load the S4 base mat also. I think the morph came as a EXTRA to the PC members when the Iconic bundle first came out. I can not Find a Stephanie 4 morph shape in the Store for Genesis. My search fu SUX so it might be there and I just can not find it.
EDIT: Found it http://www.daz3d.com/shop/stephanie-4-for-genesis
Can you compare the surface settings and shader used on DS3 and DS4 to see if something is set differently?
...would that be done through the surfaces tab?
...The scene uses the actual Gen4 version of Steph as it was first in S3A, so yes, there should be no compatibility issues. Supposedly Studio4 should have no issues reading any Gen4 MAT when applied to a Gen4 character that is not a Genesis legacy body shape.
I don't even have the Steph4 for Genesis installed yet as I am getting ready to set everything up on the new system.