Migrating to a new PC...with a clause

[Chatur Chor]

So the time has come for me to move DAZ to new PC.
I have custom made smart content from rendo and other sites ( using content creator /packer ..I can't seem to recall the name of that software :O ). Then I use these custom created IM000 zip files on DIM (DAZ Install manager) and install it in DAZ Library. So the list of such custom content/ products is very large now.
But it helps me to check / remove products I don't need with a simple click.

Now on a new PC I may be able to see smart content if I simply copy all the files from my old PC but the DIM shows no custom created smart content in it's content list ..which makes it difficult to remove that content of which I have no use anymore..
Is there a way of sort to copy the DAZ product files in such a manner that my custom content list still shows up on DIM list and not just the ones I got from DAZ?

I hope it's not very confusing. 😀

[SkippyTheMeh]

Have you tried copying the contents of your old c:\users\{YOUR USER NAME}\AppData\Roaming\DAZ 3D\ to your new PC? That would be the first thing I'd try.

[Chatur Chor]

Thanks for the response. I'll try that and let you know.

[Chatur Chor]

Thank you so much Paul. That worked..and saved a life. 😀

[Amber]

DIM keeps a separate manifest than the Daz CMS, so if you simply copy your Runtime/Support folder and re-import all the metadata, it will work in Daz, but DIM has no idea that this is the case.

If you want DIM to see what it is supposed to have installed, you'll have to copy another folder as well:

C:/Users/Public/Documents/DAZ 3D/InstallManager/ManifestFiles
Be sure to run a repair from DIM as well:
* Open DIM -
* Click the gear icon (top right corner) and click "Advanced Settings..." -
* In the Advanced Settings window, go to the "Installation" tab -
* At the bottom, right click on your DAZ 3D Library path (where it says "Recommended DAZ Studio/Poser Content Folder") and select "Fix Installed File Registry..." -

...wait for the progress bar to complete, and you should be set.

***

Really, if you are simply copy-pasting your runtime instead of doing a fresh install, you should migrate your database to ensure DAZ, DIM and your content all agree with each other:

* Copy ALL libraries you have registered "My Daz 3D Library" & "My Library" to where they belong, and any others that have any content in them (some user metadata can be pigeonholed in some of these "outside" places -
* Copy C:/Users/Public/Documents/DAZ 3D/InstallManager/ManifestFiles to where it belongs -
* Copy the entire database folder C:\Users\<your username>\AppData\Roaming\DAZ 3D\cms to where it belongs
* run the DIM repair outlined above.
After this, when you start Daz, the CMS should be exactly the way you left it on your old machine.

DAZ and DIM settings are in other folders in C:/Users/Public/Documents/DAZ 3D and C:\Users\<your username>\AppData\Roaming\DAZ 3D, they can be copied over as well to preserve custom menus, layouts, etc.

It's always important to have DIM agree with DAZ, otherwise you can't un-install content (since it doesn't know about it!)

*****

Ultimately, the best, most reliable option is to install all your content again through DIM, and restore your metadata from backup.
To backup/restore Smart Content metadata:
* Go to the Smart Content tab, and open the pane menu (that tiny little button with an arrow and horizontal lines) and select "Content DB Maintenance..." -
* Check "Export User Data" and hit "Accept" -
* Copy My Daz 3d Library/Runtime/Support folder to a safe location -
* After you are finished installing everything through DIM, go ahead and copy the files from your saved /Runtime/Support folder to your new "My Daz 3D Library/Runtime Support" folder (or simply merge the folder) - Allow overwrite files, wait for it to finish.
* Now open the Smart Content Pane menu, select "Content DB Maintenance..." again, and this time check "Re-Import Metadata..." and hit "Accept" -
* ensure all items are checked (both User Data and All Products categories), and hit "Accept" - wait for progress bar to finish.

Now DIM knows exactly what it installed, and DAZ CMS is up-to-date with your metadata backup.

[Chatur Chor]

Thank you first for the time to explain everything.
I think I did almost everything you described to achieve what I was after. 😀
I started with installing DIM to the new computer. I carefully allocated the paths to various directories as my old pc. Copied the DAZ library folder. I located the manifest folder from my old PC and copied everything to the new PC. Then installed DAZ and started it and set up the library directories. But no luck!
So here I was looking for some answers..and PAul's suggestions did the trick. The final piece of the puzzle.
For anybody who is going to migrate from old pc ( laptop in my case ) to new your posts are gold. 🙂
Thanks once again!

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