Targa Files

I now seem to be getting an odd problem with texturing – when I select faces, the texturing flicks to an odd view of the transparency map applied in cylindrical wrap all over the object. Then it flicks back.

I will try and send you a screenshot of this strange effect Richard, as sometimes it happens slightly more permanently when using the scene navigator.

I am using 5.0.5

JonG

Richard,
This is merely speculation, but there was some issue with TGATOOL2 and TGA files for a while. andnbsp;And it was about the same time I began experiencing problems with my TGA files, that I installed TGATOOL2. andnbsp;I cannot say whether this had some impact on the 3dCP issues I was having with inverted TGA files. andnbsp;Also, is there any chance there may have been some incompatible DLL or other shared files? andnbsp;Like I said, it was about the time I installed TGATOOL2 and downloaded the DLL files that he has available with it.

Since the last 2-3 updates of 3DC there have been absolutely no problems with TGA files.

Mike

Hi all,

A while back some people reported problems with inverted translucency with Targa files. I had some reports that this was resolved with 5.0.

Is anyone still having trouble with loading Targa file? If so, could you send me a sample (<!– e –><a href="mailto:richard@amabilis.com">richard@amabilis.com</a><!– e –>)?

Thanks,

Richard
PS if you are having trouble with TGA files you may have better success with PNG files (which also include translucency information) or by splitting your TGA into a separate non-translucent and translucent BMP and loading them separately.

Thanks Mike.

I haven’t had any reports of problems with TGA files lately, but I do want to cross that issue off of my andquot;listandquot;. Just so I know, what program do you create your TGA files with?

Richard

I was using PSP 6. andnbsp;Updated to PSP 7 about 3 months ago, so not sure which one at the time.

Mike

One thing about PSP. andnbsp;You can save as andquot;compressedandquot; TGA. andnbsp;I don’t know if that could affect things. andnbsp;Especially if you save compressed, then find out and save uncompressed. andnbsp;Also, there is a background option when you open a new file. andnbsp;You can select colors or transparent for background. andnbsp;Any possibility there?

Mike

Gee… I don’t know anything about PSP. I use Corel PhotoPaint.

Hopefully some more people will give their input and if there is a problem we can track down the cause.

Richard

Mike,

I also had problems with inverted .tga transparencies long before I ever even heard of TGATool, so I don’t think that was it. Sorry Richard, I’ve been modelling buildings and other scenery lately, and haven’t needed to use transparency, so I haven’t tried it with the newer versions. andnbsp;Oh, and I use Paint Shop Pro 7.

Can you load them with TGATOOL2? andnbsp;At least you can find out if the files are OK. andnbsp;Occasioanally I try toload a TGA file and it shows static in TGATOOL2 so I go back and resave it from a BMP and it works. andnbsp;Also, if it does load, save as a TGA from TGATOOL2 or save as ACE, then re-load ACE and save as TGA. andnbsp;Worth a shot…

Mike

3DC is installed on the C: drive and I do all my modelling on the drive

Do you have all of your files installed on one drive? If not, can you tell me where 3DC is installed and where your TGA file is?

Are you still having problems with the conversion to Unicode? These two problems could be related since they both require that DOS programs be called from 3DC.

Richard

OK, just tried loading a .png file version of my texture and got the same ‘Failed to Load – File amy be corrupt’ message <!– s:-( –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_sad.gif" alt="" title="Sad" /><!– s:-( –>

I just uninstalled 3DC v5.0.5 and reinstalled v4.24 and I am back in business again.

Pity really, having looked at all those new buttons, and had a wander around the new menus, I can’t wait to try it out, but without .tga files, I won’t be able to do much.

(Windows 98 (4.10.1998)
andnbsp;Athlon 1.4MHz
andnbsp;256Mb Ram
andnbsp;GeForce 2 MX)

Oh, and 4.24 is happy with the compressed .tga files from PSP7, except sometimes the transparency layer is inverted.

I did try TGATOOL2 and it does not like the compressed .tga files from PSP7, so I got it to grab the .ace and then save it to .tga, but 3DC would still not load the file.