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FSDS won't let me texture buildings (newbie)

J

jan_eddh

Messages
1
Hi all!

I am completely new to modelling, but wanted to give it a try, when I discovered FSGW and found out that there are no german sceneries for this FS9 Modification.
I made my first model using FSDS and compiled it "naked" to FSGW (FS9) and there it was.That was easy, I thought.
When I wanted to apply the textures, i ran into some problems. When I wanted to compile the textured building, I got the following putput:

Running model

Start! (_temp.x)
Loading X _temp.x...
ERROR: Invalid X file: _temp.x.
Error!
Error!

I tried to export my own x_file, but this didn't help either. I also tried several locations of the texture files (i copied them into every texture folder i could find in FS9) I also tried to use generic FS9 Textures (just to avoid using invalid texture files). After doing this I created a simple cube, textured it with simple MS Textures. Still the same result. Tried to compile into a mdl, instead of a bgl, still the same result. What strikes me is the fact that I can compile "naked" models by themselves, but no textures. I must admit that I'm a bit helpless now. Maybe anyone can give me a clue.

greetings from EDDH,

Jan :confused:
 
texture

Is your FSDS in preferences pointing to the fs sdk folder? Also Do you have it pointing to bglc_9 something like that.

wow! This is a good one! Seems like yoiu covered the bases I was going to mention. Sometimes when I scale down something very samll FSDS doesn't like the size and I get the screen - about c++ and abort-retry-ignore. Most of the time I hit ignore and it still works.

Always try to use mdl and make your own library with IS's library maker or EZ scenery mgr.

i have FSDS pointing to a folder I made in addon scenery called object files with a scenery folder inside that. It is not activated in the game so there is no problem. This is where all teh xml and mdl files i made with fsds reside. easy to find. ez scenery mgr points to that as well. quick and easy... snicker snack. Bob
 
Hi Jan,

Where you put the textures does not matter at all when compiling the MDL. At that point the actual texture files are not yet used (only their names). So that can not be your problem.

Given that you can compile untextured objects, the compiler itself has been found on your system and is working. So I guess it must be something in the modelling process when adding the textures. But I am not a FSDS user myself, so I have no real idea where that could go wrong.
 
Jan,

Abacus uses an updated set of Martin Wright's Graphics dll's. If you have recently installed an older version of DXTbmp by Mr. Wright, you may have a mixed bag of .dll's.

The FSDS support site had an update to correct this as I recall. You may want to use the customer support contact there.

JimD
 
Hi Jan, I wonder how you are getting on? I have been through this problem many times before but can't remember why it happened. I tried many things and in the end this is what I do now.
1. Although FS9 accepts many different formats for textures, I like my world simple. So any texture I use is now 32bit. I have over 4,000 textures in my fs9 texture folder and I changed them all! Why? I didn't have to do it but it makes life simplier. I never get any errors.
2. Abacus told me to always make sure that the axis is placed in the centre of the object although this is not really necessary as I now use it where I want. It helps when you have multiple objects near one another. They don't get displaced.
3. When you are applying the texture to the object, never copy and paste from one side to the other (i.e. never copy from the front to the top). Always click the Select Button for each side of the object in the Parts texture Assignments.
You need to get the Image Tool program from the Terrain SDK from Microsoft. There is a link I think on the site to get the SDK's - download them all -you never know when you may need them.
This small program will tell you exactly what format the texture is and you can change it to whatever you want. I always create the mipmaps first, then change the format to 32bit then apply any aplha channel if necessary.
Since I started using this program to convert the textures I have, I never get any errors.
FS does not like 24bit textures - it will not show them and some of the lower bit textures sometimes give problems.
The DXTBmp program also is good to convert textures and I use it a lot to check the alpha channel is what I want it to be.
BTW, I always compile to MDL and place the object with EZ-Scenery. Ther is also the Instant Scenery Program that does a simliar job but I prefer EZ-Scenery.
You must search the forums for information. There is so much that it will take you days even weeks to assimilate it all. There are a lot of experts using this forum like Arno who will help where they can. Just keep asking and searching.
Well I hope that this helps you.
 
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