Alpha channel for text-o-matic

[J0hn]

Hi Guys

I wasn't sure where to post this but I'm sure one or other of The Ministers will move it if wrong.


I do repaints of the aircraft that I use in Air Hauler (see sig for a simple example) usually using either FS Repaint 2.2 or Paint Shop Pro 9. I use other progs if I have to - I have PSP5 and Photoshop 6, as well as the indispensible DXTbmp.

My repaints don't normally require alpha channels as such - at least I've never used them. Now I'm repainting some Flight 1 aircraft and find that the text-o-matic utility which adds them to the aircraft installation, requires an alpha channel version (as a bmp).

I've searched via Google, confused myself for ages for very little gain and still haven't managed to find what I need to know.

I've done the company repaint, I 'just' need to save this image in an alpha type format.

Can anyone help with a simple explanation of how to go about it, please?

I can't use DXTbmp, because the templates are very wide and get squashed in it - even when saved. The templates come in a layered psd file format.

It's getting rather frustrating. If all else fails, I'll just put the alpha blank template in the utility and put up with it.

Here's the main paint for the ATR72:



and this is the template alpha channel provided:



TiA
J0hn

[DaveB]

Hi J0hn

I'm not at all sure about this as it's been years (literally) since I used text-o-matic to paint and I can't remember how that worked in any detail. Certainly, it never asked me for an alpha.bmp of any description If it's calling for an alpha, can you not drop that alpha template into the texture folder then perhaps text-o-matic will add it

An alternative would be to reduce the size of the finished template then the alpha.bmp to the same size so that you can work on them in DXTBmp adding the alpha then saving. You can then increase the main template to it's original size.. perhaps. Without knowing the ins and outs of text-o-matic (which I don't).. this might be so much cr@p but it might be worth a try

ATB

DaveB

[Garry Russell]

I'm puzzelled to what the comment about DXT.bmp squashing the image is about??

Never known that

If it's too big then you have to scroll across, but it's all there in proportion

My advice is to add the alpha in DXT.BMP

If it still squashes then usung a blank alpha is the same as none which you are used to anyway.

That alpha looks too shiny for that paint, so if it was me I'd blank it anyway.....depending on the built in shine of the model.

[DaveB]

I'm puzzelled to what the comment about DXT.bmp squashing the image is about??

Me too to be honest. DXTbmp doesn't squash images to the best of my knowledge The main fuse bmp for the CLS Airbus is 2400x1300 and DXTbmp puts in brackets (now 2048x1024) which shows the size of the window. Has it changed the size of the bmp or simply shown the size of the viewing window (which isn't common)

Confused of Berkshire

ATB

DaveB

[Garry Russell]

Difficult one to answer really as I am not quite sure what the qustion is

J0hn

If you want to sent me those textures I can check out the alpha adding here......I think

Sorry to be so vague

[J0hn]

Thanx for the replies.

First, the DXTbmp thing - this is what I mean, by a squashed image after loading:



The alpha template looks the same. If I save or export it - it saves just like it looks in DXTbmp - with the same crazy aspect ratio. Even just sending it to PSP9, it turns up in the editor looking the same.

Flight 1 templates for FSX now have to have an alpha copy as a requirement, else they won't load.

Flight 1 won't accept them on it's site without them - but of course this is for my own use, so that isn't an issue.

I checked the normal textures for the ATR72, and it seems that once these templates are loaded, Text-o-matic cuts them up into various parts as separate texture files, like a normal paint.
I think I'll ditch it (I've only just started using it - so I won't be upset ) and just edit the default textures.

I'd done that once already, but it wasn't as good as one with a clean template such as this, would be.

Just for refernce - this is an alpha from a default paint:



You can see the paint details under the 'alpha' layer.

I did read something about adding alpha layers from Jens, in a read me with a paintkit for one of his models. It helped in the understanding, but not in the implementation.

But it's no biggie, though - I'll put the blank alpha template into Text-o-matic and see if I can see anything drastically wrong - if not, yippe. If there is, well, back to the old-fashioned method!

JD

[Garry Russell]

Never seen that myself....maybe there is somthing in ther that DXT.BMP doesn't like

I distrust any degree of automation

Sorry we haven't sorted you

[J0hn]

No problem - thanks for trying

J.