New version of model texture maker FixMip

[Guest R_Driscoll]

I have uploaded a new version of FixMip, a program which converts GIF graphics image files into MIP files, the graphics format used by FU3. This version now supports:NIGHT LIGHTING: Create a picture of the object at night in your favourite paint program, then use FixMip to make the MIP version which is installed with the model (BIN) file into your GENLITEMAPS subfolder.EXACT MATCH: a new algorithm for matching colours, which gives a better final MIP colour balance. This option can be switched on or off - try it!CORRECTED MIP TRANSFER Seattle/San Francisco: FixMip 3.0 had a bug which prevented taking a texture from Seattle and converting it to SanFran's colour palette. This has been fixed.COLOUR BIAS: pictures can now be hued, brightened or darkened with slider colour controls.SIMPLIFIED INTERFACE: the program is easier to use with hints, context-sensitive instructions, simplified steps and clearer interface. The manual also has specific instructions, for example on making night lit pictures.I hope that some of you will find this a useful help in making scenery objects for FU3, and I am doing the best I can to develop this side of the Sim, which has been poorly supported for some years. Of course you can contact me or post to AVSIM for help, and I have tried to make this version bug-free but if there are problems, let me know quickly so that I can fix the problem. I have used this version to redo all of the textures for the English airports without problems (except the night textures - that was done using an earlier version), so am confident this will work!RobD

[Guest jonpoint]

Hey Rob!You've been a busy boy then ;) Thanks for this, I'm looking forward to using it with my new UK models! The night lighting feature is great, I can't wait to try it - should save the trial and (mostly) error method I use now (my night lighting has your previous Stanstead problem - too bright!). Hey, now I'll put running lights on my semi-trailer (using Modlight makes it look like it's got headlights all over...)!!If only we could have a separate night palette for aircraft ;)Thanks again for contributing immensly to our favourite sim :-beerchugJon Point*************************(effyouthree@hotmail.com)*************************

[Guest Ansgar]

Hello Rob,you can be sure that this is a helpful tool and I appreciate it very much to develop and support such things!In general I

[Guest Ansgar]

Hello Robert,I just tested the new Fixmap a bit to view some gif-textures only.So far I found a small mistake:The Fixmap.ini file seems to be modified/overwritten from your program. First I edited the fixmap.ini file to "key in" my home+work directories.Then I started Fixmap and viewed the gif file correct (preview only). But after closing Fixmap.exe and restarting it the work directory in Fixmap.ini was set back to C: which was wrong and different from that what I keyed in before.Also a attribute setting of fixmap.ini to "read only" doesn

[Guest glidernut]

Hello Rob,you can be sure that this is very much appreciate by me for all the wunderfal models it and you hav given us all.A big thankyou Rob.glidernut.:-wave

[Guest R_Driscoll]

Ansgar, the new version does modify the INI file - you are correct. This is deliberate. The WORK directory is modified to the last location where you accessed a graphics file. This should help! You should not have to retype anything. Just restart the program and when you load a graphics file, you should be in the same directory as your last graphics file was read.If this doesn't happen, then some possibilities are: Maybe you are using a version of Windows where my GETDIR command doesn't work.Maybe you did not complete a GIF to MIP operation successfully.I can't think of anything else! Try again - let the program rewrite, complete a GIF to MIP operation, exit the program, restart, then try to laod a graphics file. What directory are you in? Let me know what happens.If there is a bug, then my sincere apologies and of course it will be fixed as soon as I can.RobD.

[Guest R_Driscoll]

One other point I have just remembered - the program doesn't work properly if the main program is in a different directory to the HOME directory - i.e. check that HOME points to the correct installation directory. But I think you did that already.Anyone else had problems?

[Guest Ansgar]

Hello Robert,hmmmm, as you described above thats the way it should be also IMO.So I tested it again a bit more detailed now (OS: Win2000/SP3) and the result may a little bit interesting for you, so I better give you the detailed results:This is my fixmap.ini content before starting fixmap:(fixmap.exe and fixmap.ini together with the rest of your needed files are in the HOME path, and only my gif files are in the WORK path)HOME E:GamesFlightFlight3toolsMIPtoolsWORK E:GamesFlightFlight3toolsMIPtoolsmodelsVERSION 4.01. Direct after starting fixmap I select "seattle palette" and "gif image to mip texture" -> after this fixmap.ini is the same than above2. I choose now my gif file and directly could open it in the right directory (so fixmap starts the "open" in the right directory). Direct after clicking and loading my gif file in teh above models path fixmap modifies the WORK path in the ini file and changed it to C:!It also doesn

[Guest R_Driscoll]

That makes sense! OK, I will try and fix this.I'm glad that you have a solution, but I will try and fix this problem anyway.RobD.