Textures assigned to panels, etc.

[brettt777]

Also, could you explain what the "file=" and "texture=" entries are in a VC? Which one are the gauges actualy attatched to, or are they on something completely different? And why do some VCxx have texture but no file, or nothing at all? Again I am sorry for all the questions but I hate not understanding how something works.

[Hagar]

All of the "textures" (they're textures after the model is compiled)(materials in Gmax), in the Texture folder are for the 3D model.

The bitmaps in the panel folder are 2D images for the 2D panel.. they have nothing to do with the VC . The VC is as much a model as the plane itself. It's 3-dimensional and needs to be textured.

So does that mean that the VC will only look at bmp's or dds's in the texture folder and never look at the panel folder at all?

This seems to be getting a tad complicated. I'm assuming the principle is basically the same in FSX as in previous versions of FS.

The VC is part of the 3D visual model & the relevant textures are in the Texture folder. The VC gauges (in what we used to call the DVC) are "projected" onto a transparent screen just in front of the panel texture. The transparent screen is the texture prefixed $ in Panel.cfg. This texture doesn't actually exist although I've seen them included with some aircraft, presumably for reference when placing the VC gauges.

[Brett_Henderson]

So does that mean that the VC will only look at bmp's or dds's in the texture folder and never look at the panel folder at all?

Yes .. none of the bitmaps in the panel folder are used in the VC

They are nothing mmore than 2D background images for the 2D panel..

[Brett_Henderson]

The VC is part of the 3D visual model & the relevant textures are in the Texture folder. The VC gauges (in what we used to call the DVC) are "projected" onto a transparent screen just in front of the panel texture. The transparent screen is the texture prefixed $ in Panel.cfg. This texture doesn't actually exist although I've seen them included with some aircraft, presumably for reference when placing the VC gauges.

It's changed a little.. though it's not a new change because this technique was used in fs9.. in that you don't use a "screen" at the panel. You use individual polygon screens for each gauge. If you use the old "big screen" method.. gauge resolution suffers greatly..

[brettt777]

So does that mean that the VC will only look at bmp's or dds's in the texture folder and never look at the panel folder at all?

Yes .. none of the bitmaps in the panel folder are used in the VC

They are nothing mmore than 2D background images for the 2D panel..

[Brett_Henderson]

Again I am sorry for all the questions but I hate not understanding how something works.

No sorries allowed

[Brett_Henderson]

[quote]So this texture, the $textureA at the bottom of a VC entry,

[brettt777]

Okay, I think I understand. So I can't just pick a particular texture that I know is at a certain place in the VC and assign a gauge to it. It has to be one of these special invisible or non-existent textures, right?

[Brett_Henderson]

Correct...

[brettt777]

Okay then back to the original question. Using one of these mdl viewers, is it possible to see which invisible texture is assigned where?
What is different about these textures other than they are invisible?

[brettt777]

And what does the "file=$texture_A.bmp" do if the texture= line is the one the gauges actualy go to? Some have it and some don't.

[Vcockpit02]
file=$texture_A.bmp    <----what is this line for?
Background_color=0,0,0
size_mm=512,512
visible=0                    <----what does this line mean?
pixel_size=512,512
texture=$texture_A    <----this line determines which invisible texture the gauge goes to...?

[Brett_Henderson]

Okay then back to the original question. Using one of these mdl viewers, is it possible to see which invisible texture is assigned where?
What is different about these textures other than they are invisible?

Depends on the viewer. If it can convert (decompile) the model into its original format (say, Gmax).. yes. You could look at the materials page and see which parts (or polygons) are listed as having the $filename assigned to them. And if you have access to the original $filename (doubtful), you could make sure it was in a format viewable in the modeling program and actually SEE the mapping.

However.. most of these decompilers are pretty rough.. in that they "can" give you access to the model, but they tend to collapse modifier stacks (where you see/edit the mapping), and lose material information.


**they're only invisible, because that's how they're defined in the material editor.. they are quite visible inside of the modeling program (they HAVE to be, for you to manipulate them)

[Brett_Henderson]

[quote]And what does the "file=$texture_A.bmp" do if the texture= line is the one the gauges actualy go to? Some have it and some don't.

[Vcockpit02]
file=$texture_A.bmp

[brettt777]

Okay I have found a viewer that will show me what texture is assigned to what surface, but will it tell me about these special textures that are invisible? What else is special about them besides they are invisible? Do they start out as regular bitmaps or dds files and then made transparent?

[Brett_Henderson]

Okay I have found a viewer that will show me what texture is assigned to what surface, but will it tell me about these special textures that are invisible? What else is special about them besides they are invisible? Do they start out as regular bitmaps or dds files and then made transparent?

The best way to visualize what the $filename is...  is to think of it as a perfectly square, 2D panel.. with all the gauges on it, in no particular order. The only way I've ever created one, is with PanelStudio.. and then literally take a screen shot of the big, square panel... that becomes $filename.bmp (after cropping and resizing to 1024X1024)  ,  because it's a near perfect representaition of the gauge layout (defined in a panel.cfg)

There is nothing special about the $filename.bmp  It's a normal bitmap. The invisibility comes form the material editor,, where you not only set it to transparent by default, but designate it as a VC panel material.  

Then, by UVW mapping specific areas of that material to specific polygons, you get your individual gauges.