How to open .bmp files? Seems easy does'nt it?

S

Sid2008

Charter Member
Hi, I do have curious problems. Maybe its my bad aura. Anyhow, I would like to get a few words of assistance here.

I have built a few aircraft in FSDS 3.5 and I am now at the point of texturing them. Since I am a novice at this, I have felt it best to copy parts of texture (.bmp) files available in default FS9 aircraft and other freewares (and I fully intend to give credit where it is due).

However, the prolem is that I am unable to open the silly ".bmp" texture files in GIMP so that can crop parts that I want. It gives me an error that the file type is somehow incompatible. I can't even open the texture files in the Paint program that most Windows machines have.

So, one of you kind folks please tell me how to rectify this so that I can take pieces of the textures to color my aircraft parts.

Thank you.
Sid
 
Its' the multi-layered 32-bit format and/or DXT format at fault here (the 'alpha' layer),
get yourself a copy of DXTBMP (Simviation have it); you can use that to
open then save the files, or export direct to a paint program, in a 'GIMP' compatible format; and then once reworked,you can use it to save back as 32-bit (with Alpha) /DXT (with alpha) format.

Paintshop Pro or similar will open 32 bit files, but not DXT, and will not save / preserve the 'alpha' layer.

The 'Alpha' layer is the one that is responsible for the 'shininess' of the paint ie chrome silver effect


Hope this helps

ttfn

Pete
 
Thank you Motormouse

Thank you.

Please give me a few more pointers.

I do have DXTBMP. So I open a .bmp file in DXTBMP then I save it in what format?

How do I export the file from DXTBMP to GIMP? (Yes, I am ignorant, aren't I!)

In GIMP I cna crop the file to my desire and save it as a .bmp and open it in FSDS to texture it, right?

Thanks Motormouse.

Sid
 
Using dxtbmp

Here is my bit to help you:
First select on the DXTBMP program a suitable editing paint program like PSP12... (I use this one). Then when you open a bmp file on the DXTBMP... use the dropdown menu and select SEND TO EDITOR (don't remember right now the exact name... but it is self-explanatory)... this will open PSP and show the file... You can then crop, copy or whatever manipulation you choose and save it as bmp for further use. Otherwise, you can operate changes in the file... close it...and the dropdown menu will ask whether you want to SAVE... press yes... then the file disappears from the work space... MINIMIZE PSP and the DXTBMP which was still open in the background shows ... at this point you select on IMAGE... to RELOAD AFTER EDIT... and there you have the file as you changed it... just SAVE AS ... and replace the original...
The manipulations you earlier saved in PSP (just a bmp file) can be used to do whatever... like cut and paste on a the texture file you are working on... etc. My email address is: (e-mail address removed by MOD to prevent BOTS and SPAM). (if you write to me, I can direct you to my Warbirds page where you can see aeronautical illustrations I have done over the years) Glad to answer any questions via e-mail and let you share on my experience and expertise."

Sid[/QUOTE]
 
@ Gaucho:
May I recommend you to remove your email addie?
The bots are everywhere...

Further recommendation:
There's a great tutorial on DXTBMP and repainting available here:

http://calclassic.com/repaint.htm

It has lead me through my first steps quite successfully...

Cheers,
Markus.
 
Some side notes on painting FS2004 planes in case you didnt know these tips.

For the Dev;
* For materials that will have shine in them, make sure your textures have a _t in the name, such as 'chrome_t.bmp'. The 'dash-T will signify it is a shine texture with reflective qualities.
* If doing a material with a Dash-t in it, then you must install a basic light map, _L in the name, and you can go with a tiny texture, like 64 X 64 size, pure black, RGB=0,0,0 and place this as the illumination or light in the material. This keeps the plane from going 'transparent' at sunrise and sunset in the simulator.


For Shine, in _t textures, you would add a touch of gray to the Alpha channel, which you install in DXTBmp.exe. Once its setup, you simply double click the Alpha, you go to your preset Graphics program, drop (paint bucket, etc) a gray onto the Alpha, save, Alt-Tab back to DXTBmp, save as DXT-3.

Saving as 32bit, 888-8, is the option for high rez parts that have detail on them. Only do this with high detail parts. Just colors that do not need high rez should always be DXT3. Saves on computer memory, allowing the plane to run much smoother in the sim. (FS2004 coughs on tons of 32bit textures).



Hope that helps. I wish I had known all this when I first started out. :d
 
One further question:
Are there any issues with mixing 32-bit and DXT-3 in the same model, on different parts?
 
Thank you, all

Thanks to everybody who responded to my question. I followed your advice and got it to work well last night.

Thank you.
Sid
 
Hi!
And how do I get a texture that has totally "NO" reflection Effect on a Aircraft? I mean 100% matt.
I there also a letter at the end of the name for that?
Thanks for any help!
 
@ Wing_Z:
Never encountered any issues on DXT3/888-8 mixture...


Isra said:
And how do I get a texture that has totally "NO" reflection Effect on a Aircraft? I mean 100% matt.
I there also a letter at the end of the name for that?
Click to expand...

We have to distinguish between two types of reflection or shine:

One is defined by the texture's alpha channel, as Lionheart already mentioned.

The second one is coded in the model file. The model consists of different parts (or: "material") and each of these parts is assigned to a specific grade of reflectivity. In other words: If the model's creator did a highly specular shining model, you won't get a unshiny, flat ("matt") appearance, even if the alpha is tuned down. There are tools allowing to tweak the model file (I use MDLmat), and that's exactly what I did with the IRIS P-40. The problem of this model tweaking is to respect the author's copyright. Thus, the altered model file must not be released without permission.

I don't know of any special declaration of "shiny / not shiny" texture files. But you'll see the alpha channel and its grade of refelctivity once you open the texture file via DXTBMP.

Cheers,
Markus.
 
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