What are all those Poser File Types?

Overview

Poser uses a number of special file types to build its library files. These files need to be placed in
particular locations in order for the content to work properly.

NOTE: File Type is listed sometimes with two Extensions. In Poser 5 and later, the Files can also
be saved compressed, by selecting the Use File Compression or Save Files Compressed option in
the General Preferences. Versions of Poser that use compressed files can read them without
difficulty, but other applications that make use of Poser files generally can't. Poser includes a
Script to Uncompress Files. If you opt to do this, either Uncompress them in a different location,
or select the option to remove the Compressed Files to avoid duplicates.

Mesh and Textures

OBJ files give figures their structure, Compressed OBJ files have the extension OBZ

JPG/JPG, TIFF, BMP and PICT files serve as image maps, providing high-quality textures for
figures and props. These are fairly common file types, not specific to Poser.

The other Files

CR2 files are character rigging files. These files contain information about the joints and bones of
a figure- where it bends and how much. They also may contain information about morphs that
are built into the figure. CR2 files are found in subfolders within the Characters folder inside the
libraries folder, which is inside the Runtime folder. Compressed CR2 files have the extension CRZ.

PZ2 files are pose files. They contain information about joint angles, body position and morph
values and are applied to figures and props in scenes to control their actions. Poses may contain
sequences of actions of varying lengths. PZ2 files are found in subfolders within the Pose folder
inside the libraries folder. If compressed, they have the P2Z extension.

NOTE: The PZ2 file format has also been used to manage other aspects of Poser scenes. Two
common types of pose file are MAT poses, which apply and change image maps and surface
materials, and injection morph files, which add or remove new morphs to figures in a scene.
These pose files are also found in the Pose directory but typically don't contain pose data.

PP2 files are prop files. They often contain geometry data (although they may only contain a
reference to an OBJ file containing geometry information) and are stored in subfolders within the
Props folder within libraries inside the Runtime. Compressed prop files have the extension PPZ.

MC5 and MC6 files are material files. These contain information used by Poser's render engines
(especially the Firefly engine) and are only accessible from the Library within the Material Room,
unlike MAT poses, which can be used in the Pose Room (but which don't allow the breadth of
effect that material collections provide.) They can be found in subfolders inside the Material
folder in the libraries folder within the Runtime folder. Compressed material files have the
extension MCZ.

HR2 files are hair files. These may be either strand-based or transparency-mapped hair, and can
be found in subfolders inside the Hair folder in the libraries folder within the Runtime folder.
Compressed hair files have the extension HRZ.

LT2 files are light set files. These contain lights- spotlights, distant lights, and (in Poser 6) point
lights or image-based lights as well. They can be found in subfolders inside the Lights folder in
the libraries folder within the Runtime folder. Compressed light files have the extension LTZ.

CM2 files are camera set files. These contain camera positions for the various cameras that Poser
uses. They can be found in the Camera Sets folder in the Camera folder inside the libraries folder
within the Runtime folder. Compressed camera files have the extension CMZ.

FC2 files are face pose files. These contain morph data for facial poses (expressions and
phonemes.) They can be found in subfolders inside the Face folder in the libraries folder within
the Runtime folder. Compressed face files have the extension FCZ.

HD2 files are hand pose files. These contain pose data specific to figures' hands. They can be
found in subfolders inside the Hand folder in the libraries folder within the Runtime folder.
Compressed hand pose files have the extension HDZ.

PZ3 files are Poser Scene Files. This is the File when you save the Poser Scene you are working
on.

Each file of the above type (except PZ3 scene files) may be accompanied in its folder by a second
file with the same name but with a different extension. These files, which have the extensions
RSR and PNG, are preview images, which are what you actually see in Poser's Library palette. If
the preview image is damaged or missing, when you see the appropriate entry in the Library
palette you'll see a little silhouette of a person shrugging- this doesn't necessarily mean that the
prop, pose or figure is missing, just that its preview can't be found.

In addition, some of the above file types may contain references to image-map or texture files
(typically in JPEG or TIFF format) which are stored in subfolders within the textures folder inside
the Runtime folder, and to Wavefront OBJ files (which give objects their 3D geometric form)
stored within subfolders inside the Geometries folder inside the Runtime folder.

Morph Deltas and Poser Morph Data (PMD)

Some content will add other Folders for Morph Data needed for the product. Poser also uses
PMD Files. These generally will be with Scene Files, but can also contains Morph Data for use
with Content.