Looking for a simple bmp to dds converter

[Bjoern]

...

You've got me beat. I'm converting my AI traffic's textures back to .bmp. :|

Definately better than hand-editing every single model file with a hex editor.

As for user aircraft, it's definately better to work with uncompressed bitmaps (since they can be opened in Windows' image viewer on the fly) when developing.
Okay, you still can edit the .x output file but that's another extra step in the workflow. :/

Except gmax rejects dds files, I just checked. So we can't fix it using gmax. Should we hex-edit the mdl file then, replacing .bmp/.psd by .dds? Of course FSDS users might tweak the xfiles ...

You can tweak every exported .x file with Notepad and derivates and the tweak itself would consist of a simple "Find and Replace" operation on "BMP".
Notepad2 at least is capable of that.

I've just tried it on an exported .x file and XToMDL didn't complain. A look at the compiled .mdl reveals the success as well.
Couldn't test it in FSX yet since Imagetool is still batch converting nearly 10000 texture files.

(I'm working with Max 9 by the way.)

Just for the record I use HxD which is a free Hex editor and it literally only takes seconds to open a model file with the editor and then batch replace all the references from .bmp to .dds.

Thanks for the heads up. All the hex editors I'm using aren't capable of that.

 

[mjahn]

You can tweak every exported .x file with Notepad and derivates and the tweak itself would consist of a simple "Find and Replace" operation on "BMP".
...
(I'm working with Max 9 by the way.)

Sure, provided your program lets you get at the .x file. Unfortunately, Gmax doesn't.

If you get the .x file via Max or FSDS then Dave Nunez' FSDSTweak is the answer to all tweakers' prayers.

 

[BASys]

Hi Folks

You've got me beat.

Bjoern -
Not me, its an MS O/S thang.

I'm converting my AI traffic's textures back to .bmp. :|

As its a file-naming I/O issue,
and not a file-contents issue,

You could try an alternative approach -
Just rename your already converted files from .dds to .bmp
so they match the file calls.

N.B. I've not investigated whether there'll be any impact.

Definately better than hand-editing every single model file with a hex editor.

Definitely.



HTH
ATB
Paul

 

[raptor19]

You've got me beat. I'm converting my AI traffic's textures back to .bmp. :|

Definately better than hand-editing every single model file with a hex editor.

As for user aircraft, it's definately better to work with uncompressed bitmaps (since they can be opened in Windows' image viewer on the fly) when developing.
Okay, you still can edit the .x output file but that's another extra step in the workflow. :/

You can tweak every exported .x file with Notepad and derivates and the tweak itself would consist of a simple "Find and Replace" operation on "BMP".
Notepad2 at least is capable of that.

I've just tried it on an exported .x file and XToMDL didn't complain. A look at the compiled .mdl reveals the success as well.
Couldn't test it in FSX yet since Imagetool is still batch converting nearly 10000 texture files.

(I'm working with Max 9 by the way.)





Thanks for the heads up. All the hex editors I'm using aren't capable of that.

Bjoern,

Changing .bmp references in the model file is simple with HxD Hex editor. The editing process is a "batch" one so that with one click you can change all the texture references within the model file. The procedure is to open the relevant model file with HxD then select "Search". From the dropdown that appears. Then select "Replace" and make the appropriate entries to change from .bmp to .dds. Then make sure that you select "Replace All" and the process of conversion is instant. I have tried to illustrate this on the attached screenshot. If you have not got HxD then it can be obtained from http://download.cnet.com/HxD-Hex-Editor/3000-2352_4-10891068.html . HxD also backs up the original model file just in case it isneeded again.

Regards,

John N

 

[mjahn]

As for user aircraft, it's definately better to work with uncompressed bitmaps (since they can be opened in Windows' image viewer on the fly)

I increasingly often work with jpg's because (1) when set at 100 % quality (an option few users know about) there is little if any difference between paint program original and compressed jpg version, and (2) because file size can have an impact on gmax RAM usage. Naturally, the jpg image isn't my original source file.

Don't take my word for it. Compare these two versions of Rob's DC-2 nose as per paintkit:

Which is the original bmp and which the compressed jpg here?

Solution: Right-click on the pic, try to save it, and check the extension of the proposed filename.

The difference is, the bmp weighs in @ 41,576 bytes, the bmp @ 217,398.

In a 2048 texture the difference is 12 MB vs. 2.1 MB.

Think about it.

You could try an alternative approach -
Just rename your already converted files from .dds to .bmp
so they match the file calls.

I'll stick my neck out and say it's highly unlikely to work. For one thing dds isn't bmp, for another dds is interpreted as upside down.

 

[Crusader]

I,m leaving everything alone

I certainly thank everyone for their responses here even though I don't comprehend 95% of it . LOL
I think I'll leave everything as is and not change anything . Actually with my aged and abused eyes I really don't see any visual changes and my ATI 4870--1 gig handles most textures very well . When I fly in the PNW scenery I actually bump the TEXTURE_MAX_LOAD to 4096 and it doesn't drag it down that much .

 

[BASys]

Hi Folks

I'll stick my neck out and say it's highly unlikely to work.

ISTR, albeit was a long time ago,
that converting filetypes
and then renaming to match the model did work.

You'd have to test for yourselves,
as I'm a bit tied up with something ATM.

For one thing dds isn't bmp,
for another dds is interpreted as upside down.

IIRC -
The file extension
was only important for the disk seek,
i.e. the O/S aspect.

When FSX itself
was deciding what to do with the file,
FSX read the internal file header,
and displayed the texture accordingly.



Please have a play, and feedback here.



HTH
ATB
Paul

 

[mjahn]

IIRC -
The file extension
was only important for the disk seek,
i.e. the O/S aspect.
When FSX itself
was deciding what to do with the file,
FSX read the internal file header,
and displayed the texture accordingly.
Please have a play, and feedback here.

Did so, and must concede that what you say seems to be correct. Man, I would have bet quite a sum against it. Live and learn ...

 

[Bjoern]

Sure, provided your program lets you get at the .x file. Unfortunately, Gmax doesn't.

What about the ModelConverter X route? Load your model into the tool and export it as .x. Then tweak and recompile with XToMDL.

Just rename your already converted files from .dds to .bmp
so they match the file calls.

"Imagetool -batch -nogui -nomip -dxt3 -bmp -nodither -r *.dds" was quick enough. :d


By the way, I've nothiced an increase in responsiveness in FSX when AI aircraft are involved...

...

Okay, so JPG works too.

But the big advantage of a 32bit .bmp is that it can be read by both *Max and FSX, so it's perfect for the lazier basterds among us, like me. :d

(And my PC is powerful enough to handle FSX, Gimp, 3ds Max and Firefox at the same time.)