Renderotica

COULD SOME GENIUS PROVIDE US mortals A GOOD UNINSTALLER FOR DAZSTUDIO PRODUCTS ?

Preferably a standalone program, not a script, I already have too many scripts !

I'm trying to make a bit of cleaning in my content.

Doing it via the windows search option is extremely tedious and prone to errors.

The worst case would be to erase all and reinstall only what's really used. This time with separate libraries ... Poser was so much simpler to organize....

Many thanks !

 

The only way I can see that this would be possible would be to have a full install/deinstall program (like DAZ DIM). In order to uninstall content the 'program' would need to know where the content was originally put, drive. Library folder etc (the Supplement and Manifest files in DIM).

Firstly it would need to know which hard drive the files are installed to and which Library (I have 3). As non DAZ DIM compatible files can have different file structures (some put the files in a top line 'Content' folder, other's don't), as wurger said. So you would need all files to have a standard file structure. Having a smart enough program to 'know' which data and texture files come with those that you see in the library would either entail reading ALL the dufs of a product and working it out or reading the contents of the original zip/rar and getting a list that way.

Not saying that it is impossible but probably a big job and would probably not turn out to be fool proof in the first place. The only fool proof way right now is to open the zip/rar, look at the folder contents and manually delete those folders from the DAZ Library.

 

PS. As a long time Poser user how was/is that simpler? You still have to manually delete the Geometries, Textures and Contents folders.

Edited by user Wednesday, January 24, 2024 8:16:01 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Clarification

The only "clean" way I found to install and uninstall stuff that comes in zips is a bit cumbersome but works.
Here's how:

1- Get a good idea of where the product must go. To make things a bit easier, define a runtime folder.
Say your product is "Swanky Bob Hair for G8.1F". Think within that structure: "It's female, G8.1F, it's
hair. Based on that, have a "LADIES/HAIR/G81F" path in your library.

2- Somewhere else on your PC, have a "PROCESSING" folder ready. You will mirror the "LADIES..."
structure in there.

3- Extract your product in that processing folder. Careful! You only want the Data, Runtime, People folders
and so forth. You must not have a higher folder than that except "PROCESSING".

4- Start Advanced Installer. That piece of software allows you to create an installer package from a folder.
What you want to do with it is create that installer, using the content of the PROCESSING folder. You will
have to look into the details, but if I could do it, trust me, you really can.

5- Once you have your installer package created, launch it. Point the installation to inside the LADIES folder.
The product will be installed there and if you check your windows Control Panel/Programs and Functionalities
section or its W10/W11 counterpart, you will find your product installation listed there.

Your product should now work. It can be uninstalled like any Windows product. The installer you created can
be kept for reuse, providing you keep you keep the runtime folders in your library organized as they are.

What I do is test a product first in a dummy runtime folder and, if I found it satisfactory, I give it the treatment
I described in here. I will only leave in my library things that I know work as in tended and are useful to me.
With this method, any daz product can be installed and uninstalled in a clean manner, even if it's a little work.

I hope someone will find this useful.

Seven, don't feel sorry about it, I did the "this is a horrible mess, I'll have to start over" thing myself. That's precisely
what got me to organize my stuff in proper runtimes and use Advanced Installer. It's a lesson one usually learns in a
painful manner...

Yes, you have a point there. I was lucky to obtain it through a business I worked with, in the past. Supposedly
they have a free version too... some other programs could work too. I looked around a bit and here is a line-up
of some. There are free alternatives in the lot, you might want to give them a go. You don't need anything fancy
but there is something you need anyway: the program must allow you to create installs for large products.

 

https://helpdeskgeek.com/free-tools-review/4-tools-to-create-windows-installer-packages/

@yakitoo

Thanks, I'll give it a try.
I was so fed up that I deleted everything DazStudio related.
I'm now trying to organize my backup files : lots of dupes since Poser 3 !!
Then I will reinstall just what I really use.

I use this one : FastDuplicateFileFinder, the free version, not perfect but usable.
I bought their VisualSimilarityDuplicateImageFinder, which is really powerful, with a lot of options.