Deleting Old Models
Shadowspawn
Posts: 20
My hard drive is filling up and I need to get rid of old models since I don't use them anymore. Is there any safe way to bulk delete/uninstall models? I'm sure this has been asked and answered before, but I couldn't find any forum listings.
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Comments
How did you install them?
DAZ Connect and/or DIM. The really old ones were probably done Manually.
DIM, uninstall from the Installed tab. Connect, assuming that isn't a typo for Daz Central, right-click on the product container in DS and select Uninstall.
Does uninstall remove the model from the drive?
Yes, DIM removes all of the files that it installs from the zip folder.
as long as they were not logged as shared files because there was already a copy present when DIM added its own.
Not always, not going to point any fingers, but with several PAs, many files end up being left behind when you uninstall via the DIM (Daz Install Manager). In some cases, I'm sure that it was accidental or an honest mistake, but with several PA's, it's baked into the cake of otherwise shoddy work. Coincidentally, you'll figure some patterns out. One way to make sure, is to find the model/resource in your Installed Content, and right click on the item, then "show installed files" and then manually uninstall each culprit file/folder indicated in the list of installed files. Once you've done this (takes a few minutes once you get the process down), then click uninstall. Going through a bunch of stuff that is taking up room and I will never use again (poor quality, bad geometry issues, etc), and you will end up leaving gigs of data behind if you do not make sure by doing the manual check. If you uninstall before doing this process, you will not have a list of locations anymore, and you will have to redownload the package and then you can use the compressed file to find the locations - it can still be done this way, but it's a more time consuming process.
The PAs don't build the isntallers, and could not do anything to cause files to be left behind. I suspect this is down either to shared files used in more than one product or in some cases to a glitch causing the product to be reinstalled without being installed, which would cause DIM to see all the files as shared and so protected from removal.
I've just noticed a pattern where certain PA's packages have a tendancy towards leaving files behind after DIM uninstall. Not all PA's, but certain names keep popping up while I am in the process of currating content. Don't know who's responsible, maybe the people in charge of creating the packages and uninstall protocols get lazy when the work with certain artists, but the same names keep popping up consistently. That being said, your reply has nothing to do with the solid advice I've left here for others to follow. Cheers, and I bid you good day sir.
DIM logs what it does and undoes that when unisntalling, it doesn't have a pre-coded list of files to remove. If it isn't removing files then that is either a local issue with the manifest file or there were already copies of the remaining files when that product was installed, or when another product with the same files was installed. This might happen with a DIM install following a manual install, for example, and some PAs do use common files across multiple products (e.g. Out Of Touch have a lot of hairs that use the same blending shader, River Soft Arts has a library of common script files thata re installed by each product to a common location from which they can be read).
Have noticed that with some OOT files but I'm forgiving because the products are great, and yes, I'm aware that several products use a common set of resources in some cases. I actually do go through the filing system to see the way resources are placed for the record. FG is my main problem and AFAIK, I rarely do manual installs, once in a while, I've done manual, but very rarely and now only when using 3rd party where it is required (no DIM provided). As for FG (I tried to not make this a hate post, but whatever, life is short). Geometry issues galore leaving VRAM rekt, and the DIM unistall seemed to leave everything behind when trying to uninstall. Got to the point where I just nuked that PA's folders on all but a few clothing and furniture items that weren't so offensive. There are others, but that one seemed to be the most eggregious one from my perspective.
Again, DIM not uninstalling has nothing to do with the PA and isn't a bug - if no files from a product are being removed then they were already there when DIM did the original installation and it correctly left them when uninstalling. One way to get around this, with caution as it risks removing files that shoul be let, is to temporarily remove the InstallManagerFileRegister.json file from the root of the content directory - or edit to remove references to the files it is leaving - but I would not recommend doing so.