Procedural help requested re: GIMP, (re)saving textures to .BMP

Hi guys. Sincere apologies if I'm beating a horse that looks like a bottle of Elmer's -- if so, please point me in the correct direction.

 

All I'm wanting to do is remove and replace N-numbers from the hulls of certain aircraft that still use the .BMP file format. I know how to manipulate within GIMP to do what I want to do, but no matter what I do (working with dxt2bmp, exporting in GIMP, or 'overwriting' the source image) I seem to run across the same result: The .BMPs I edit show up in FSX garbled, blackened and pixelated like a badly done fractal visualization.

 

What I'm doing so far:

 

Procedure 1 is to right-click->edit the primary file in GIMP. Then load the "clean" version in another window. Copy the clean version onto the work version. Then layer mask inverted, paint the N-numbers out of the work version. Text tool the new N-number. Merge layers, export, re-load aircraft in FSX, :confused:.

 

I've attempted to do the same using dxt2bmp but this did not seem to affect the outcome (aside from adding extra time spent in process).

 

After numerous Google dives and reviewing a number of tutorials I'm to the point now that either I'm (still) doing something wrong or this is a problem with the image editing software -- can anyone verify this or redirect me?

 

Thanks all.

When you say dxt2bmp, do you mean DXTbmp by Martin Wright? DXTbmp is an extended bitmap manipulation tool which enables image files to be saved in different formats & to add alpha channels. The problem you are experiencing could be that the bmp file format is wrong, I usually save bmp's in either dxt1 no alpha, dxt3 or 32bit. Check the original file format by opening the unedited texture in DXTbmp.

I'm very much a beginner with this myself, but here's what I'm thiking:

 

I don't see why you are doing all those steps?

If the file you want to edit is a simple 24 bit bitmap, you should be able to edit straight away.

Just open the file in Gimp,

Ude a brush to paint out the old number,

use text tool to add the new number,

and save again as 24 bit bitmap.

 

I think you could also do these edits in "Paint" if you want.

(at least, I was able to make similar edits to a plane with bitmap textures. (Those bitmaps went on the co-pilot, not the outside of the plane.))

 

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If you work in Gimp with layers, Gimp sometimes tries to save as 32 bit bitmap, and that can mess things up, with garbled colours. I don't know why exactly. But it does.

I tried once and the image went all purple.

 

When exporting from Gimp as bitmap, you get a prompt offering "advanced options"

click that, and make sure 24 bit bitmap image is selected.

When I did that it worked fine.

 

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Do you have an example of one of the (addon) planes you are editing?

Would be easyer to help if we can see what you are working with.

24 bit bitmaps won't work as aircraft textures, 24 bit will only work for panel bitmaps.

 

I have experienced problems using 32 bit bitmaps straight from Gimp in FSX so I always load them into DXTbmp & resave them as 32 bit before putting them in FSX, but as most textures have alpha channels they would be loaded into DXTbmp to have the alpha's added anyway.

Sorry, I made a misake there.

What I edited wasn't a 24 bit bitmap. I checked.

It was a bitmap I edited, but one that did not show a preview in windows.

 

(this instead).

 

What I did was open it in dxtbmp, then saved the image as a separate file without alpha.

That saved file was a 24 bit bitmap. I edited that.

Then I used dxt.bmp to add the alpha again.

 

Sorry for the mixup.

No need to be sorry, we all make mistakes!

 

Happy new year

Same to you, happy new year.:)

Guys,

 

Thanks for jumping in. :)

 

First off, a little explanation on my OP -- it was getting late, I was tired and grouchy at the time and hadn't noticed in DXTBMP (yes, that's the program I was referring to) actually spelled out the file format in the title bar (which I rarely pay attention to -- oops!). Yesterday morning I was able to hit it again with a clearer head and made some more progress while stumbling around.

 

So . . . where I'm at right now:

 

I've been able to edit and save in what seems to be the correct format with visible results -- however I'm not where I want to be and am still missing something as the rendered .BMP comes out with either a cyan overlay (alpha channel missing / not rendered correctly?) or if I flatten or merge layers before saving, the image looks correct but color information doesn't translate correctly (hue seems to be WAY off -- reds look grey and blues look green). Again, I don't know if it's some hokey way the image editing software is doing things or some hokey way I'm doing things, but I really don't want to point fingers unduly yet. I'm going to try doing this with a different imaging seat next (when I have more free time) and I'll see how that goes.

 

Ultimately I guess what I'm trying to do is a lot at once: repaint Carenado series exterior a/c bitmaps (working mostly with their Commander 114 and Bonanza V35 and Mooney 20J right now), reverse-engineer their image assignment schemes and try to pretend to myself I'm actually learning something. ;)

 

I don't have any photographic media yet of what I'm doing but where I'm specifically working on is in simobjects\airplanes\Carenado BONANZA V35B\texture.xxxxx\CARexterior_a.bmp and _b.bmp. For that aircraft it's the port side and starboard side fuselage maps if that helps.

Have you saved the edited textures using DXTbmp in the same bmp format as the originals? Does the original bmp's have an alpha channel & have you added the alpha to the edited bmp's.

 

Also when saving bmp's with DXTbmp, it is advisable not to include mipmaps as this can cause blurries.

Have you saved the edited textures using DXTbmp in the same bmp format as the originals?

 

Paul, after hammering away at it some more I have a good answer for you. It took some doing, a lot of trial and error, but I was finally able to figure out what exactly I was doing wrong in that department.

 

First off, I had a eureka moment after reading about this Aussie's plight: it turns out there seems to have been an issue between GIMP, DXTBMP and an argument with my OS (Windows 7). Not sure if this was an issue with needing to run either elevated but that does definitely explain my confusion and issues a couple nights ago with getting the same result over and over again.

 

Does the original bmp's have an alpha channel & have you added the alpha to the edited bmp's.

 

Again, after hammering away with it I came up with a kludge procedure: I took the time to export the alpha channels for the A and B skins to a safe directory. I exported the BMP to the desktop in GIMP as a 24-bit (R8 G8 B8) WITHOUT flattening or merging the visible layers. This saw the images actually showing up correctly in DXTBMP; I then resaved them in DXT5 after importing the saved alpha channels and moving the finished product into the appropriate directory.

 

The result:

 

 

I'm 10,000 steps closer to where I want to be with this one. I pulled the N number off of the original and came away with a good test product that actually shows up properly. :D

 

I may have taken this, like the Fellowship, the long way 'round the Misty Mountains. This is after a lot of stubborn banging around . . . but it seems to work. Again, Paul, thanks for hammering at me about the correct file format -- much appreciated!

At that very moment he heard a sharp crack behind him. There on the grey stone in the grass was an enormous thrush, nearly coal black, it's pale yellow breast freckled with dark spots. Crack! It had caught a snail and was knocking it on the stone. Crack! Crack!

Suddenly Bilbo understood.:)

 

Well done!

At that very moment he heard a sharp crack behind him. There on the grey stone in the grass was an enormous thrush, nearly coal black, it's pale yellow breast freckled with dark spots. Crack! It had caught a snail and was knocking it on the stone. Crack! Crack!

Suddenly Bilbo understood.:)

 

Well done!

 

Haha! Indeed, and then some, good sir! Mae govannen, mellon uin aphadrim!

 

Here's the yield of tonight's work; imaginary aircraft, Bonanza 251 Tango Bravo. She's not perfect but a damn sight airworthy, I think:

 

Mae govannen, mellon uin aphadrim!

I didn't know you spoke Elvish! Learn something new evrery day, if I am not VERY careful!

Very nice looking paint!

Pat☺

Elo!

Lle ume quell.:)

Saesa omentien lle. Vanya salie!

il.:cool:

I didn't know you spoke Elvish! Learn something new evrery day, if I am not VERY careful!

Very nice looking paint!

Pat☺

 

Thanks Pat! :)

 

Actually I don't speak Elvish -- more of a hastily conjured pig-Elvish scrabbled from a google search. It's enough to confuse bystanders and invoke either irritation or ill-invited coddling from any Elf who hears it. ;) I'm embarrassing in German as well, and I know when to keep my mouth shut and let the adults talk in Russian. English has always been my go-to language.

 

I can already tell this aircraft had some history and maybe spent a lot of time out in the sun. Arizona / New Mexico aircraft, maybe?

 

 

Oh well. Nothing somebody with deep pockets can't fix . . .

 

(This was before I reminded myself I can mitigate bleed-through by selecting by color and not needing to feather five pixels when doing hue alteration . . .)

 

Elo!

Lle ume quell.:)

Saesa omentien lle. Vanya salie!

il.:cool:

 

And you know what this Dwarf says to that?! ;)

 

(heh . . . couldn't resist. Just don't tell the elf!)

Well done! glad I was of some help.

I recognised it as Elvish, and knew the word mellon and govannen are kind words, but that's as far as my knowledge went. Had to Google it for an hour to get the meaning and cobble up a reply.

I'll add a translation:

Elo!

(exclamation of amazement and awe!)

Lle ume quele.:)

(You did well.:) )

Saesa omentien lle,

(Pleasure meeting you,)

Vanya salie,

(fair winds,)

 

 

You should spend some time in Rivendel, my dear multilingual Dwarf. For now, I wish you a good journey.

May your beard grow even longer and your gold ever increase.

May your beard grow even longer and your gold ever increase.

 

Hey, you're alright! :)

 

Well done! glad I was of some help.

 

Thankya! :)

 

I did some cleanup on this aircraft and I'm VERY happy with the end result. This is SO choice:

 

 

This aircraft just went through its annual and some paintwork was redone to the primer and base coat. The entire aircraft was cleaned up and a topcoat was re-applied. Luckily skin and interior structural corrosion was nonexistent (the previous owner kept it hangared in northern Arizona when rain only happens once every few planetary conjunctions and the total operations didn't bend the current owner over too badly*).

 

I decided that while I liked the black wing leading edge and Osborne (or are those D'Shannon?) tanks, I felt that this was too striking to the eye. So I went with the sky blue that you see in the fuselage scheme. Seems more of a calmer, subtle statement here.

 

 

This old broad just screams class, I think. :)

 

 

And here's an obligatory 'GoPro craftily clamped to the V-Tail' shot.

 

Now . . . to flip a coin to determine whether I'm going to banjax a Mooney next, or a Commander. . .

 

* Just to be clear -- I'm not referring to, or texturing after, any actual aircraft or owner or former owner or anybody or anything in particular, in existence. I checked the Registry and picked a de/unregistered N-number on purpose and anything outside of that is entirely fictitious and intended for entertainment, blah blah blah.