Problem with converting control panel photos to control panels usable for FS9 aircraft.

[Billf]

Until a few weeks ago I could download a cockpit photo from the internet and using paint, color all windows with the color black and save in bmp format. After creating the panel.cfg I could then use those files in an FS9 aircraft. Now when I complete that process, all I get is black windows - you can't see out of them. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Is it a change in the paint app? I'm using windows 11.

Thanks.

 

[hjwalter]

Bilif,

 

I assume you are (still) using the correct color black and also that you have given the .bmp texture file concerned an alpha channel, before saving it in the DXT3 format, without mips.

Probably needless to say but alpha channels are only actually created when the correct color black has been used.

 

Hans

[jgf]

I just use a standard bmp with pure black (0,0,0) for the transparent area, no alpha needed for the panel.

[Tom Gibson]

Same here, I assume your black was not 0,0,0.

[lmhariano]

Did you solve your issue? Unlike aircraft textures, panel bitmaps must be in either 8-bit or 24-bit .bmp format, with no mips. Clear areas must be in 0,0,0 black. If anything, open your bitmap in GIMP (or Photoshop or whatever similar program you may have) and resave it in the correct format.

 

 

[jgf]

It is all too easy when manipulating the image to shift the colors so you no longer have pure black.  If working directly on your image be sure to double check that before the last save.

 

My procedure is to create a new image, 1920x1080, pure black.  Add a new layer and paste the panel graphic there, then erase all window sections;  you can edit the panel layer, and subsequent layers, to your heart's content without ever affecting the pure black background.  When done, save, copy merged, paste that and save as bmp.