Extracting bitmaps from old gau files

[Guest 2x4]

I used Chuck Dome's old utility Gaugebitmap2 to repaint and recompile a gau. Everything appeared to have run successfully.I then renamed the new gau file, same as the old gau adding "2" on the end.FS9 won't start with this file in the Gauges directory. An error message says there is not enough memory available. If I remove the new gau file, everything is fine.Is this utility known to have problems with FS9, or should I re-trythe whole process?Is there a newer method of extracting and recompiling repainted bitmaps for gau files?

[ddawson 35]

This utility generally works fine with newer gauges. You do need to exercise some caution though... The new bitmap that you are placing in the gauge needs to be the same size and colour depth as the old one you are replacing. Check to make sure the file size is the same before you update the gauge with the new bitmap.Doug

[Guest zip]

I'll go one step further aside from byte size: when compiled, the resource compiler places a BITMAPINFO header in the gauge file that not only includes the dimensions and depth of the bitmap, but also the palette offset (if paletized) and also what kind of palette it happens to be.Generally speaking, this makes it very difficult to change a bitmap unless it is exactly identical down to the palette offset in the file.

[Guest zip]

One more thing - this is why 1.3 of my pushback gauge supports user defined bitmaps on disk, instead of in the gauge for the background. Should be out "soon".

[Guest 2x4]

Doug & Etienne, thanks very much for the tips. I will experiment.I am pretty new to gauges and not a programmer.