Gauge Bitmaps in Photoshop.. whats the problem???

[Guest]

When I use photoshop to change Gauge Bitmaps they are often messed up once imported into the gauge. If I use Paintshop pro all is well, but I want to use some of the Photoshop filters.I see the main problem in attitude gauges where the moveable backgound becomes corrupt, and is either off to one side, or colors are completely screwed up..Any Ideas?ThanksAl

[badderjet 181]

Yup, check the color depth. Take the picture and load it into ImageTool (somewhere in FS2002GMAXGamePacksFlightsim... dunno the rest), there you can change the color depth. It should be 24 or 8 bit.

[Guest]

Thank you, thank You, Thank you!I will try this when I get home from work. I have been using photoshop to convert the Image to 8 bit, this may be my problem!Al

[barryward12345 0]

Is it ABSOLUTELY neccessary to use Imagetool to change Colour Depth? I must admit to having problems with a Mainpanel.BMP file which I was modifying for my own purposes. After I used the "change Colour Depth" tool in another graphics programme (of which I am more familiar) , I had strange effects.Barry

[Guest]

The Problem still persists. Not sure what the problem is. If I use PSP it works ok, but I can't use the filters in Photoshop.As for the main panel. It really depends on what depth you change the image to, I use Photoshop to change the colors for the Main bitmaps, and have no problems. I will look at my settings, and tell you what I have.Al

[Guest]

Photoshop requires certain color modes for certain filter to work, usually 24bit RGB is required. I have never used Imagetool to convert to 8bit colormode, Photoshop seems to work in "most" cases for me. This apply to gauge graphics at least. Aircraft repaints is slightly different.The one time I really got into trouble was trying to modify a gauge image that contained an "alpha" channel, namely the semitransparent turn coordinator cover graphics. I still haven't been able to make my own graphics for this one. I still haven't been able to figure out what is so darn special about this particular image. Someone mentioned the need to do hexeditor work, but that is beyond me...One thing I make sure of, in Photoshop, is that the background color is "forced" to black. After conversion, I always check my modifying this black index0 color and see if any "blacklike colors slipped through".Do you have an image of what goes wrong?

[Guest]

>The Problem still persists. Not sure what the problem is. If >I use PSP it works ok, but I can't use the filters in >Photoshop. >As for the main panel. It really depends on what depth you >change the image to, I use Photoshop to change the colors >for the Main bitmaps, and have no problems. I will look at >my settings, and tell you what I have. I use Adobe Photoshop all the time for gauge graphics. I create/edit/filter the image in 24bit RGB, then when finished, convert the image to 256k Indexed to save, although the 24bit RGB also works fine as well. I just like the smaller sized .bmp files that Indexed Color produces.I've used the Render/Lens Flare and Render/Lighting to good purpose to create 'backlighted' gauge backgrounds and/or parts. The effects are stunning! :)

[barryward12345 0]

What happened to the 6 posts for this thread-- I can only read 3.Barry

[barryward12345 0]

>One thing I make sure of, in Photoshop, is that the >background color is "forced" to black. After conversion, I >always check my modifying this black index0 color and see if >any "blacklike colors slipped through". YES!-- this is what happened to me. I particularly liked a certain bitmap for a DC3 main panel-- so I decided that I would add my own gauges to it and create my own DC3 panel just for me !! :) So I was merrily adding gauges -- and halfway through this process, I realised that the panel bitmap was in 24 bit full colour - so I decided to reduce it to 256 colours like I see most panels bitmaps are. Anyway, I "saved" it as a 256 colour bitmap -- but then suddenly realised that I could no longer see through the cockpit window !!! And I found that the colour of the cockpit window area in the bitmap was "blacklike" 1,1,1 -- not 0,0,0.Then I spent literally hours trying to erase the 1,1,1 areas and replace them with 0,0,0. This was NOT easy because of the close similarity of the colours -- but the differenece was enough to make my cockpit window completely opaque when running the Sim.Barry

[barryward12345 0]

>I use Adobe Photoshop all the time for gauge graphics. I >create/edit/filter the image in 24bit RGB, then when >finished, convert the image to 256k Indexed to save, >although the 24bit RGB also works fine as well. I just like >the smaller sized .bmp files that Indexed Color produces. >Does the smaller file size equate to better framerates?Barry

[Guest]

HiEvery body has preferences.Photoshop is powerful but need somes hours to become friendly.Paintshop is more simple.A good way is just to use Photoshop filters in PaintshopPro.You just have to setup the link for external modules.If i remember well you have somewhere an option menu where to indicate filters folder path.I work like that with PaintShop pro 5 and Photoshop 4 at home and 7 at work.But like someone say before, the best is to take some time to understand all photoshop modes (rgb,indexed,...).