Actually, I'm lying about the fun. The profit is probably not true, either :-)

Most of the files used by Poser are in text format; this makes them more enormous than they would be in some other format, but on the positive side they can be hacked if you know what you're doing.

This tutorial will serve as an introduction to the general concepts and methods. We won't try to explain everything that goes on within these files, for the simple reason that I can't explain things that I don't understand myself. :-) We'll deal with some simple procedures that will nevertheless be useful in a lot of different situations:

• Altering the object file called up by a CR2. This is what to do if you want to make a small change to the .OBJ file to create a new figure; you can make use of the original CR2, which saves having to generate a new one.
• Editing the material specification in a CR2. If you have altered the material assignments in your .OBJ file, this will remove the old materials from the CR2 and stop them clogging up the materials list.
• Stripping out unwanted information from a pose file, e.g. to make a pose that only affects one body part.
• Making a master .CR2 file. This is an easy way to get a basis for starting with your own models, or for fixing rogue items such as clothing which crashes Poser 3.
• Fixing material names in an imported 3DS file.

There is a handy program you can buy which will do all this and more, without the possibility of wrecking your files. CR2 Edit by Daniel Wilmes can be obtained from Zenware Online. If you've got CR2 Edit, you probably won't need the rest of this tutorial.

If you prefer to get your hands dirty, you'll need a text editor capable of handling enormous files. Notepad won't do! I use Programmer's File Editor which, although it isn't being developed any more, is more than adequate and is free. Get it from any of the usual download sites, or visit the author's page at http://www.lancs.ac.uk/people/cpaap/pfe/.

If you mess up editing one of these files, the object it controls almost certainly won't work properly, and Poser might crash. So take heed of these basic precautions:

• Always back up the file you're going to work on before you do anything to it. Just take a copy and keep it safe.
• Don't use your newly edited file on any important piece of work until you're sure it's behaving properly. If you save a Poser document with dodgy information in it, you might not be able to open it again.
• Take care that you're looking at the right part of the file. Some items recur in different places.
• Make sure that your brackets are balanced. If you delete something with a left bracket in it, the corresponding right bracket must also go. (If you don't know a bracket from a shelf, you'll see what I mean later on.)

Pick your destination:

• Pointing to a different .OBJ file - basic skill for .OBJ hackers
• Editing the materials list - tidy up your materials
• Stripping a pose file - make it affect only part of the body
• Making a master CR2 - a starting point for your own work
• Importing 3DS Props - keep your materials from changing