How to install ZIP content?

[garibaldi18]

So I thought I was getting the hang of VaM but this is probably a newbie question:

I am having a hard time installing scenes and looks when they download as ZIP files.

For example, I want to install Nial's scene "Investigate Me". It downloads as a ZIP file. The instructions say to unzip in the root file, which I assume to be the VaM folder where you open the program. When I try to load the scene after doing this, I cannot find it. I also tried manually moving all the subfolders and files to the correct locations. This was a pain and when I load the scene half of the assets and the environment were missing, there was no sound, etc.

I must be doing something really simple wrong. Downloading VAR files is easy, you add it to the AddOnPackages folder and you are set.

Thx

 

[TToby]

I suggest to first open the zip file with your zip tool or windows, or unzip it to a new folder in an other location. Then look at the folder structure of the unziped content. From this point on, you need to learn the different folders of VaM.
If there is a single VAR file in it, you know what to do: copy it to AddOnPackages.
If it contains a folder "Custom" with some subfolders, those subfolders have to go to the VaM "Custom" folder.
If it has a folder with "Save" in it, it has to go to the VaM "Save" folder... and so on. Obvious enough.
This is the best case, if the creator did everything right.

Sometimes the creators doesn't take into account newbe users. For instance: If someone shares some clothes, he may only provide a single folder with some clothes files in the zip file. This holds true especially for some older stuff. It was quite common some time ago. You need to know where those files have to go. In this case you have to copy the included folder to "YourVaMfolder/Custom/Clothes/".
Hair files have to go to "YourVaMfolder/Custom/Hair/"... aso.
Morph files and textures are a bit more challaging. Morphs have to go to "YourVaMfolder/Custom/Atom/Person/Morphs/Female/" and textures to "YourVaMfolder/Custom/Atom/Person/Textures/"

Old VAC files and folders with scenes have to go to the appropriate "Save" folder.
Old look files have to go to the folder "Save/Appearance/" aso ... Preset folders have to go to the approproate preset folders (don't know them from memory).

I suggest to look at the location first before unzipping content directly to your VaM folder. Is ther something missing? Is there a typo? Did the creator included all the neccessary folder structure? Do you understand what he is doing and why?

Scene files and look files (no VAR files!) are a bit special. They are looking for multiple stuff in the same places like on the PC of the creator. If the creator provides additional stuff like sound files, you need to follow his folder structure. There is no special folder for this kind of content and every creator is maybe doing stuff in his own way.

Don't unzip VAR files, except you exactly know what you do. They unzip their stuff on the fly in only temporarily and everything is (should be) in the correct place.

In your special case: Looking at the folder structure inside the zip file can help you to locate the installed stuff. Maybe the creator has chosen a different name than in the description, aso.

Last but not least: All (most) creators are hobbyists like you. Don't expect them to do no mistakes!

 

[Zerg3D]

I suggest to first open the zip file with your zip tool or windows, or unzip it to a new folder in an other location. Then look at the folder structure of the unziped content. From this point on, you need to learn the different folders of VaM.
If there is a single VAR file in it, you know what to do: copy it to AddOnPackages.
If it contains a folder "Custom" with some subfolders, those subfolders have to go to the VaM "Custom" folder.
If it has a folder with "Save" in it, it has to go to the VaM "Save" folder... and so on. Obvious enough.
This is the best case, if the creator did everything right.

Sometimes the creators doesn't take into account newbe users. For instance: If someone shares some clothes, he may only provide a single folder with some clothes files in the zip file. This holds true especially for some older stuff. It was quite common some time ago. You need to know where those files have to go. In this case you have to copy the included folder to "YourVaMfolder/Custom/Clothes/".
Hair files have to go to "YourVaMfolder/Custom/Hair/"... aso.
Morph files and textures are a bit more challaging. Morphs have to go to "YourVaMfolder/Custom/Atom/Person/Morphs/Female/" and textures to "YourVaMfolder/Custom/Atom/Person/Textures/"

Old VAC files and folders with scenes have to go to the appropriate "Save" folder.
Old look files have to go to the folder "Save/Appearance/" aso ... Preset folders have to go to the approproate preset folders (don't know them from memory).

I suggest to look at the location first before unzipping content directly to your VaM folder. Is ther something missing? Is there a typo? Did the creator included all the neccessary folder structure? Do you understand what he is doing and why?

Scene files and look files (no VAR files!) are a bit special. They are looking for multiple stuff in the same places like on the PC of the creator. If the creator provides additional stuff like sound files, you need to follow his folder structure. There is no special folder for this kind of content and every creator is maybe doing stuff in his own way.

Don't unzip VAR files, except you exactly know what you do. They unzip their stuff on the fly in only temporarily and everything is (should be) in the correct place.

In your special case: Looking at the folder structure inside the zip file can help you to locate the installed stuff. Maybe the creator has chosen a different name than in the description, aso.

Last but not least: All (most) creators are hobbyists like you. Don't expect them to do no mistakes!

Hey thanks for the details. I have created content and they are in .var format however, when I try to upload the .var, the upload dialog recognizes it as a folder and not a file. I end up compressing it with my zip program. How are folks uploading .var files to the VAM Hub without compressing them?

 

[Kennethdawkins1968]

I suggest to first open the zip file with your zip tool or windows, or unzip it to a new folder in an other location. Then look at the folder structure of the unziped content. From this point on, you need to learn the different folders of VaM.
If there is a single VAR file in it, you know what to do: copy it to AddOnPackages.
If it contains a folder "Custom" with some subfolders, those subfolders have to go to the VaM "Custom" folder.
If it has a folder with "Save" in it, it has to go to the VaM "Save" folder... and so on. Obvious enough.
This is the best case, if the creator did everything right.

Sometimes the creators doesn't take into account newbe users. For instance: If someone shares some clothes, he may only provide a single folder with some clothes files in the zip file. This holds true especially for some older stuff. It was quite common some time ago. You need to know where those files have to go. In this case you have to copy the included folder to "YourVaMfolder/Custom/Clothes/".
Hair files have to go to "YourVaMfolder/Custom/Hair/"... aso.
Morph files and textures are a bit more challaging. Morphs have to go to "YourVaMfolder/Custom/Atom/Person/Morphs/Female/" and textures to "YourVaMfolder/Custom/Atom/Person/Textures/"

Old VAC files and folders with scenes have to go to the appropriate "Save" folder.
Old look files have to go to the folder "Save/Appearance/" aso ... Preset folders have to go to the approproate preset folders (don't know them from memory).

I suggest to look at the location first before unzipping content directly to your VaM folder. Is ther something missing? Is there a typo? Did the creator included all the neccessary folder structure? Do you understand what he is doing and why?

Scene files and look files (no VAR files!) are a bit special. They are looking for multiple stuff in the same places like on the PC of the creator. If the creator provides additional stuff like sound files, you need to follow his folder structure. There is no special folder for this kind of content and every creator is maybe doing stuff in his own way.

Don't unzip VAR files, except you exactly know what you do. They unzip their stuff on the fly in only temporarily and everything is (should be) in the correct place.

In your special case: Looking at the folder structure inside the zip file can help you to locate the installed stuff. Maybe the creator has chosen a different name than in the description, aso.

Last but not least: All (most) creators are hobbyists like you. Don't expect them to do no mistakes!

I wanted to know the same thing so I searched and found this. Thank you sir for helping us newbies!

 

[Zerg3D]

Hey thanks for the details. I have created content and they are in .var format however, when I try to upload the .var, the upload dialog recognizes it as a folder and not a file. I end up compressing it with my zip program. How are folks uploading .var files to the VAM Hub without compressing them?

I wanted to know the same thing so I searched and found this. Thank you sir for helping us newbies!

I realized I was not getting my .var file from the AddOns directory. Instead I was going to the Build directory. Problem resolved.

 

[garibaldi18]

A very belated thank you to your post, TToby. I thought that I was just doing something wrong. It is a little surprising that such advanced VR software needs to often have scenes and other content installed in such a clunky way. That's why I thought I was making it too difficult. Thanks again.

 

[kyoxb1]

em.....
How to install var content?

 

[booyakshaka]

Hi garibaldi18

If you are talking about files from patreon sites or similar off-hub sites, there is an issue that is affecting some people (myself included) where file Vamstuff.var uploaded by the creator as var becomes Vamstuff.zip when on your PC.

When this happens I have been renaming the downloaded file back to Vamstuff.var and then simply dragging it over to the vam/AddonPackages folder, and this has worked so far. (for kyoxb1 this is all you need to do to install Var)


I would have a look at the file name of what you see in the download link and see if either your zip program or browser is renaming it to zip instead of var when you download it.

there is a discussion here about it: https://hub.virtamate.com/threads/var-downloads-from-patreon-auto-renamed-to-zip.4575/

 

[onfire369]

ive figured out how to install scenes but they dont work/i think i need to install plugins, i cant find a guide for exactly how to do this. ive guessed maybe dragging files into the main directory but that isnt it. can anyone help on this or point me in the right direction? no females have hair....

thanks

 

[craftyg]

what if id like these zipped folder files turn into var package is this possible to do?

 

[DJ]

what if id like these zipped folder files turn into var package is this possible to do?

If they weren't var's to begin with, then no. But take a look inside them. If they weren't var files, they probably come with the directory structure you need. If you see "custom" or "saves" directories, just drag them right to your VaM main folder and everything will go where it's supposed to. Zip files with folder structures were common way of sharing resources back before var's were introduced.

If it's just a bunch of files, you really need to ask the creator how your supposed to use it.