Question regarding converting files FSX->FS9

[meesterlijk 25]

Hi guys,

Since the best repainters I know are starting to repaint only for FSX I found out that there is a nice converting program from a guy who has a website called "kaese2002". It works very easy.

Now I sometimes come across bad textures in my FS9 that messes up my flightsim and giving met CTD's. I often use the Texture Checker from Erez Werber and now I am starting to wonder what to do with the next thing:I often check my AI-aircraft with that program and some of the converted FSX files are giving me the following message in the Texture Checker: "Texture file of incorrect format detected in:......."

I changed the files from .dds to .bmp but still gives me this message.

What could it be?

Does it do any harm or can I just ignore that message?

Thanks in advance!  

[A32xx 129]

It could be the texture size, FSX textures can be up to 4096x4096 pixels, but FS2004 is limited to 1024x1024 pixels. Also, native FSX textures are flipped vertically but if you're using aircraft ported over to FSX from FS2004 this shouldn't be an issue.

[meesterlijk 25]

33 minutes ago, A32xx said:

It could be the texture size, FSX textures can be up to 4096x4096 pixels, but FS2004 is limited to 1024x1024 pixels. 

Yes, I can see that the converted textures are around 4MB instead of the fs9 textures that are around 1MB.

Is that bad? The converted airplanes are visible and alive within my fs9. Offcourse larger files can do some hurt to my memory but that is not an issue with my system. 

Can these larger files cause CTD's? 

[Bjoern 1,157]

Try Texture Manager.

 

http://stuff4fs.com/newpage.asp?Folder=TM&Docs=TextureManager.pdf

[gaputz 60]

1 hour ago, Bjoern said:

Try Texture Manager. http://stuff4fs.com/newpage.asp?Folder=TM&Docs=TextureManager.pdf

I use this tool and can say without hesitation that it works beautifully.  Don Grovestine deserves our gratitude for all the fine tools he has developed over the years.  

Greg  

[meesterlijk 25]

I have seen that program before but I really didnt understand what it could do. Now it has my interest. 

It looks kind of complicated. Does it have a manual so I can understand it?

And am I right that this program can compress the large (4MB) file to smaller 1 MB textures?

[Bjoern 1,157]

Manual: Included in the download.

Compression: Well yes, as you can pick the texture format and resolution.

[gaputz 60]

20 hours ago, meesterlijk said:

It looks kind of complicated. 

Bert, it is not complicated at all.  Just copy the file address of your target texture folder into the application; select compression/format (ie. DTX3);  then the file type (.bmp if you are converting FSX .dds format files); and,  your resize choice (i.e. 1024 if you are converting FSX 2048 or larger).  That is basically it.  The application even flips the .dds files when you convert to .bmp for FS9.  Don has given us a very valuable tool.   And... the manual is your friend.  

Unfortunately it is necessary for us to manually convert new paints.  It means more work and I suppose we lose a bit of fidelity by lowering the resolution.  It is a little time consuming but I just finished converting three Braathen Avro RJ paints to FS9 and it took me less than 10 minutes.  We will be in real trouble when developers stop making FS9 AI models of new aircraft types. 

Greg

[meesterlijk 25]

4 hours ago, gaputz said:

 

Unfortunately it is necessary for us to manually convert new paints.  It means more work and I suppose we lose a bit of fidelity by lowering the resolution.  It is a little time consuming but I just finished converting three Braathen Avro RJ paints to FS9 and it took me less than 10 minutes.  We will be in real trouble when developers stop making FS9 AI models of new aircraft types. 

Greg

Hi Greg,

thanks for your reply. It really is going to be a big problem if the makers of ai models are ignoring fs9 users. I really start to worry when a maker like FAIB is going to stop with fs9. They make really good models and Boeing and Airbus are coming up with some new small aircraft (Max and Neo).

you said it costs you a lot of time converting. Have you ever seen the converting tool at this site? http://kaese2002.blogspot.nl/p/blog-page.html

It makes it a lot easier. 

[gaputz 60]

7 hours ago, meesterlijk said:

you said it costs you a lot of time converting. Have you ever seen the converting tool at this site? http://kaese2002.blogspot.nl/p/blog-page.html

Hi Bert

What I meant is it will take all of us more time now because we have to convert the textures to FS9 format, which wasn't necessary before.  I don't find Texture Manager itself to be time consuming, just the fact we have to go through this step now to get the latest textures from some of the repainters into the sim.  I have seen the tool you mention but I haven't tried it yet.

As for FAIB, from some commentary over at The Flying Carpet Hub, it would appear we just might get some new models for at least the Airbus Neo series.  

"Good news for fs9 users: these models, same as previous FAIB ones, will be available in both fs9 and fsx/p3d native formats. Obviously, this doesn't mean that all repaints will be readily available for both sims as most painters now focus on fsx/p3d, but since texture conversions are pretty straightforward, all flightsimmers will be able to enjoy these FAIB models, regardless of the version of the sim you use."

You can read more about it by following this link.

Greg

[meesterlijk 25]

Thats great news. Ive seen the screenshots and the A320 Neo looks very sharp. I cant wait to see them flying around in my FS9.

Its still very sad that the big developers stopped making sceneries for FS9. Especially FSDT made very nice sceneries of American airports. So sad that I cant fly to Houston or Memphis to see these airports. 

[starfan69 0]

i know this thread is 4 yrs old but i jut got back into this after about 10 yrs. i have done some research on how to convert FSX to FS9. while some say using dxtbmp is all you need i have tried that and it never works. i follow the instructions and bring the repaint up in dxtdmp, send it to the editor (gimp in my case), save it as a .bmp file then i reload the repaint in dxtbmp and resave it as dxt3 but i can never get in to change from 2048 to 1024 so it never shows up in fs9. did more research and found someone suggested using 'texture manager" and after monkying around with it to figure out how to use it.  i have found that using it in conjunction with dxtbmp solves all the issues but 1. lightmaps. since most fsx repaints use alpha channels and fs9 use _L for its lightmaps it is easy to tell the planes that where converted from fsx as they fly around at nights with no lights. lol

 

Anyone know how to convert an alpha channel from .dds to .bmp? since it is not in the texture folder then texture manager can not convert it.

Edited February 4, 2022 by starfan69
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