I first came across Daz 3D Studio about 5-7 years ago - when Genesis 2 was the new model everyone was making content for... (Now, we are on Genesis 8 - though they did skip 4-7 to bring it into line with their Victoria/Michael models.)

Seeing all the free content out there, I got a little download-happy and quickly had a real mess in my Runtime folders. Even now, the stuff I downloaded three years ago is a bit of a mess because I couldn't see how to organize it.

It wasn't until this year that I finally figured out the solution... have multiple Runtime folders!

So, I'm going to take you on a quick tutorial to show you how I've organized my Runtime folders to make finding what I want a much simpler task (and to make sure I don't install anything that doesn't work!)

Organize your Daz folder first

(This image is located in: Computer / E (my extra hard drive) / Daz Documents.)

The circled one is where all the official Daz content goes. (BTW, you can always tell the Daz Install Manager to put your installation files onto whichever drive you prefer. As my C drive was filling up too fast, I told it to put it on my extra drive (E).) In general, Daz does an excellent job of organizing its own content.

It's when you start adding "third-party content" that things get to be a mess.

(Ignore my crossed-out folders, those were failed previous attempts to organize my content.)

The rest of the folders are what I'm doing now.

I have a folder for each of my main different characters.

Genesis 1 & 2 share a folder because most things for one also work on the other, though not always. Sometimes other Genesis models can share clothing, but most of the time, it can't. If it's truly universal, then it can go in the "multi" - though so far I've only put one NSFW item in that one. ;-)

Similarly, I have my Aiko and Victoria characters sharing a folder and Michael and Hiro models will share because each "generation" is (mostly) able to share. But Victoria 3 and Victoria 6 cannot share clothing most of the time.

I also have Runtime folders for Holiday items, Poses (something I'm always having to dig for), Set Props (personal props go with the model it's designed for) and even Babies and Lighting.

Most interesting are the extra folders I've added.
zzTest (z's to force it to alphabetize to the end) is where I test all third-party content that I download. This is where I make sure it works before I add it to any of my good Runtime folders. zzzDrop is where I stick all my fresh downloads. I even added a 00_textures folder when I realized I had a product that didn't work, but had eye maps that might work on a different model later.

Add Base Directories to Daz 3D

So, I've right-clicked on DAZ Studio Formats and then clicked on Add a Base Directory. Then you browse to your folders (probably Computer / C / Daz Documents) and choose the one you want. (See my first picture where I was selecting my Gen3 folder.)

If you want them alphabetical, you need to do it to begin with because you can't drag and drop the base directories once they're added. (Though you can delete them from Daz and add them again.)

This is what my directory list looks like right now (I forgot to add the "Babies" one, so that will be out of order...) I included the zzTests folder, but none of the other z folders - nor the 00 one at the beginning (which I'll only access from the surfaces tab anyway at a later time.)

This is how I've started organzing all my third-party content.
Next time, I am going to show you how I test every piece of content before it gets added to any of my "good" Runtime folders.

All work done by myself on: Photoscape, Gimp, Krita, and/or Daz 3D Studio
Cross-posted on: Steem, Whaleshares, WeKu

Past tutorials:

Map Development for Alacantis (on GIMP), part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4
Cover image for Acting the Part
Cover image for Brighid's Blood (part of the update).
Cover image for Birth of the Neví, part 1, part 2
Map Development for Velantia, part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4
Map Development for Kranisis, part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4
Cover Image for Name of the Neví, part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6
Beginning with Daz 3D Studio - my cover image for Mind of the Neví: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, changes
Cover image for Game of the Neví, part 1, part 2, part 3
Cover image for Pawn of the Neví, part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5
Cover image for Freyja's Fire, part 1 , part 2 , part 3 , part 4 , part 5

Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
find me on Twitter
blogging on: Steem, Whaleshares, WeKu

How to Organize Daz 3D Studio - Viking Visual Art Tutorial

Organize your Daz folder first

Add Base Directories to Daz 3D

Past tutorials:

Photo salvages:

Coloring Tutorials & Mini-tutorials:

Halloween Artwork:

Miscellaneous Artwork: