Can't figure out how to download proxies

[jsnpldng]

I'm attempting to download a target proxy from the repo. I initially assumed that the links in posts were download links, but they simply take me to a webpage with all of the data contained within the file, i.e. a ".thumb" link will just open up the thumbnail image in a new tab, and ".obj" links open up a wall of text in a new tab. Am I missing something? None of the FAQs detail how to download from the repo; They assume that you just know how to. My laptop can't handle 1.2.0 due to a graphics card issue, so I'm stuck with 1.1.1; This means the "community assets tab" plugin won't work for me.

I'm using google chrome on windows 10, so I don't believe the problem is due to browser issues (an FAQ (http://www.makehumancommunity.org/wiki/FAQ:I_can%27t_download_from_the_user_repos,_all_files_are_saved_as_HTML) mentioned that chrome and firefox didn't present issues like some other browsers, so I figured they might also be affecting me in a different way than is detailed, but this has proven not to be the case; Nothing's being downloaded period).

Any help would be appreciated.

[Ricardo2020]

Greetings.

The method of asset additions to MakeHuman is the same regardless of OS or browser. The destination paths within the various operating systems will be different, however. There is a common pattern for all of them, though.

MakeHuman has two places where files live. One is in the user space. The other is in the system space. We generally do not mess with the system files. The user files are open game. This is where downloaded stuff goes. The process of putting them in there can be done two ways.

The first method is to use the asset downloader, a community plugin that has been integrated into the latest stable builds of MakeHuman from 1.2.0 going forward.

The second method is to manually download the files using a browser. Let's cover the browser method because the asset downloader is well documented on this site.

Open your browser and point it at the page containing the desired asset. This page will list several files, typically these:

MHCLO - the clothing file

MHMAT - the material file

OBJ - the object file

Optional textures, thumbnail and illustration. These files give the asset its color and texture, and provide the program with an icon in the asset pane of MakeHuman. There are also other file types you will encounter such as proxies and such.

The way to get the asset files onto your machine goes like this:

Look at the asset page and start at the top of the file list. For each item, right click and select save link as. It will want to go to your download folder by default. Let it go there. Grab all the files using this method for each one. Note that the thumbnail file is actually a PNG, so when you go to save it, change the DOS extension from PNG to THUMB. Sometimes the thumb and diffuse texture will both have the same name. Failure to change the thumbnail extension from PNG to THUMB will overwrite the texture and cause the asset to be corrupt. Be sure to observe this while downloading and put the proper DOS extension on the thumbnail as you save it.

Once you have all the files for your desired asset within the download folder, you need to gather them up inside a common folder. This is how that works:

Look for the MHCLO file. Right click it and select rename. Copy the highlit text. Create a new folder in your downloads. It will be wanting a name. Right click this new folder and select paste. It will be given the name of the MHCLO file. Now select the first asset file in your downloaded asset list. Hold shift and select the last file. They all become highlit. Right click the bunch and select cut. Right click your new folder and select paste. Your files will go into the folder. Now right click the folder and select cut. Navigate to the clothing folder where your user files for MakeHuman live. Right click the folder and select paste. Your new folder will go in there. The files will be moved out of the downloads and into the clothes.

This process works for all MakeHuman assets, not just clothes. In short, your new folder will have the name of its key asset file, minus the DOS extension. When all is well, your new files will show up in the selection pane within MakeHuman under the Geometries tab.

I know this is a lot to take in, but after you do it a few times, it becomes easy. It's all about basic file management and knowing your paths. It is also about the proper use of the clipboard while working in your browser and local file structure.

Of note is this: I use Linux Mint Cinnamon hosting the Firefox browser. It does not share my work with social media or use the cloud. My stuff is local and private. This has two advantages, security and speed. Firefox can block ads and other harmful scripts. Chrome is not so good at this, and the social media welding plus cloud linkage in the OS make things worse.

I hope this helps. Let us know how it goes...

[jsnpldng]

Greetings.

The method of asset additions to MakeHuman is the same regardless of OS or browser. The destination paths within the various operating systems will be different, however. There is a common pattern for all of them, though...

Thank you so much for this! I would've never guessed to use "Save link as" -- lo and behold, it worked perfectly. Much appreciated

[Ricardo2020]

Always glad to be of service.

The mouse right click is one of the most misunderstood and underused features of the modern PC OS. Think of it as the choice function. You get to choose what happens next. Then the left click makes that happen. The left click can select and execute functions. It can select files. It can drag over and select text. But the right click is what gives the PC an edge over phones and tablets. Folks who tell you how they do all their work on a phone have never figured out how much more powerful a PC is.

Then there are two ways we can work with PCs. One is local. The other is in the cloud. The local method keeps the files you create on your machine and they stay private unless you open a share to another machine on the LAN or in the cloud. The cloud is somebody else's computer and the stuff you put there is open game to social media, advertisers, hackers and AI bots. This is the main reason I stay local. The cloud is really scary, and if your stuff is no longer hosted there, it is gone unless you retain a local copy.

Linux Mint is mostly a local OS. You can do cloudy stuff with it, but most people run Linux to stay off the cloud as much as possible since they are well aware of the risks. Windows, Android and Apple all use the cloud to such an extent that it is hard to avoid the shares. All the payware running on these platforms also shares your work by default. And so, to keep your stuff yours, avoid the cloud and the social media encrusted software when possible. It gets harder every day, but for those who know how, the cloud can still be kept at bay.

A word about Chrome: It is a Google product. Google is an advertiser. Its how they got so rich and powerful. They steal and sell, just like all ad based crapware. What's worse, any browser extensions you now use to block ads and other harmful or annoying content will mostly stop working after Manifest 3 comes out in 2024. Thus, Chrome and all its forks such as Opera, Vivaldi, and such, will not be good for those who value privacy and ad free webbing. After all, Chrome is a marketing tool.

As for the Mozilla camp, your extensions will still work. And when they stop, new ones will replace them. Most folks who run Firefox and its forks are keen on keeping the spyware out. If you get used to the ad free web and try to surf without the extensions, the internet becomes very painful if not impossible to safely use. This is why mobile devices are so dangerous. There is no controlling them since they are loss leaders by design and the cost of using them is you since you are the product being stolen and sold.

By the way, welcome to the community. Happy human making...