What is included in the DUF and what is referenced when creating props?

sebastian.friston_f34eb580c1

Hello,

I am experimenting with creating props but would like some more information about how they are stored.

I can import an object and save it as a Prop/Figure (.DUF), and load it into a scene. If I delete the original Daz will complain about missing textures, but it will load the geometry.

Does Daz embed geometry in the DUFs? Or does it copy the geometry elsewhere when it saves them?

If the latter, how do I find out where the geometry has been sent?

From what I've seen I think Daz embeds geometry (e.g. save an uncompressed DUF and see a very large file) but always references textures but I would like to make sure, as the compressed DUF seems awfully small compared to the complexity of the object I am saving.

Mattymanx

When you save your prop in DUF format, do not compress the file so you can open it in a text editor and change the file path.

Jaderail

Best way to create a item for DAZ3D is to call all files that will be in the finished item from folders you have already added to the Default DAZ3D tree. Example: For DAZ3D only items I have four folders in the DAZ3D Content folders I work in/from.

Props>Jaderail>PropName here.
Materials>Jaderail>PropName here.
Runtime>Geometries>Jaderail>PropName here, and
Runtime>Textures>Jaderail>PropName here.

I then gather all the Files including the DATA folder Data>Jaderail>PropName that is created when I save as DUF format. I load all objects from the Geo folder, all textures from the Tex folder and Save to the Proper DAZ folders. I can then only include the CALLED files in a zip for others to use. A Simple prop with Mat files would be...

data>Jaderail>NAME
Props>Jaderail>NAME
Materials>Jaderail>NAME and
Runtime>Textures>Jaderail>Name. And all sub folders in any of those.

Poser Versions are Best Created Fully in the same way but ALL in the DAZ3D Runtime folder and sub folders of the proper tree order.

sebastian.friston_f34eb580c1

Thank you Mattymanx and Jaderail for your replies!

I was not aware the DUFs could be plaintext. I have looked inside some of the ones I saved and found where the geometries are saved. (Its in /data/[directory consisting of vendor, product name, etc], and they are DSF files).

I also found why some Scene DUFs are very large which was confusing me before - it appears to be when previous gen clothing is adapted for Genesis, an entirely new mesh is created and this is saved in the DUF - not imported geometry.