bmp files?

[Hern07]

OK, thanks to everybody I now have some good turtorials for repaints and am ready and raring to go but.... I can not consistantly open BMP files. Some very few open but usually I get an invalid file message or something that looks like a colored bar code. I have tried to open them using evey application on the drop down list in "properties --open with." Jpeg's open fine. see next post about gremlims. :toilet:

[demorier]

You need the old Martin Wright graphics program...the "bmp"'s need to be saved in a particular bmp file type. Might need some help out here guys, can't remember the name of it now.I think the prog was called "DTX bmp" ????

[simonu]

Hi Hern, CFS2 uses some special formats for textures. There are several different sorts, they are generaly known as extended bitmaps. They include mip maps which are a collection of lower resolution versions of the main image. For aircraft textures there are also formats that include an alpha channel that CFS2 uses to represent transparency. As well as Martin Wrights DXTBmp you can also use microsofts ImageTool which can do batch processing if you have a lot of images, and will show you the mip maps.
Here's a link to Martins Site (http://www.mnwright.btinternet.co.uk/index.htm). Image tool is included in several of Microsofts SDKs for FS2002/2004 Here's a link (http://files.fsnordic.net/Flight_Simulator/Miscellaneous/SDK/) to a site that hosts all of the MSFS SDKs, many have some relevence to CFS2, get the Terrain SDK for FS2004 to get the latest version of Image tool. The format that is used on CFS2 stock aircraft is DXT1 the damage textures are DXT3. The DXT format uses quite heavy compression that results in pixelation and colour bleeding, Its good for fast loading so its better for AI planes where you will see a lot of planes from a distance. Do not use it for your master images or player planes where you want too see lots of detail.

[Hern07]

Ooops, a little late saying thank you, sorry, but, thank you.