resizing tga files - help needed

I

ingha

Member
I have always resized or edited tga files with Paintshop Pro 3 (PSP3), in Windows 7. This still works fine with any tga file on my old W7 computer. In Windows 8.1 and now 10, PSP3 is not campatible and I've had to convert to PSP7. Many recent steam engine tga's are huge and will not show any detail in PSP7. They open but show complete tranparency and if resized and saved they require merging which turns the image white and useless. They open as a raster layer, whereas past tga's opened as background layers.

I am no expert (obviously) on image software, so if anyone could suggest a way of resizing and saving these tga's I would be very grateful. Am I missing something in the PSP7 settings, or do I need a more appropriate programme?

Ingha
 
If I may, I would also like to vouch for the excellent Paint.NET programme and I would also like to mention that it is definitely compatible with Windows 8 and 10. :D

Kieran.
 
Thank you for your responses. I have tried Paint.NET and it still opens these particular tga's as transparent with no image at all. If I try and resize in a similar or different format the layer has to be flattened and it comes out plain white as with PSP7. Most tga's open ok with full image detail. It seems to be only a few of the recent very large ones, 2048 x 2048 and 16 mb, that have these characteristics.

Ingha
 
I use PSP7 in Win7 and it works properly.

Check that your save settings have TGA compression turned off.

The settings are part of the image save dialogue, which pops up after you select the file type to save as....
 
Paintshop Pro doesn't handle alpha channels in a way that suits Trainz content creators so I avoid adding one until the final stages of texture creation. For example, I've never found a way of disabling or even viewing the alpha channel in PSP yet its effects are visible on the main image. Probably in the way you described. Resizing an image with an alpha channel also distorts the alpha channel. That was for PSP7 and below. I now have X8 but haven't used it much.

Consequently I often separate the alpha channel into its own file using a combination of PEV's Images2TGA program and PSP.

I tried Paint.net but didn't like the interface. GIMP is also a bit tricky to use but layer control, including alpha channels, is quite powerful.

So, in summary, what I suggest is:

1. Get Images2TGA and set the external editor in the settings to PSP.
2. Open your TGA file in Images2TGA.
3. Right click on the alpha channel and select Edit. This will send the alpha channel as an image to PSP.
4. In PSP save the alpha channel image to some file. Note that Images2TGA creates a temporary bmp file as part of the edit process but ignore that.
5. Back in Images2TGA delete the alpha channel by right clicking and selecting Remove Alpha Channel.
6. In Images2TGA save the TGA file. Images2TGA sometimes thinks the file doesn't need saving so you may need to "save as" and overwrite the original.
7. You should now be able to resize both the TGA diffuse image and the alpha channel image in PSP. The diffuse image should also look more natural.
8. When you have done that, open the revised TGA file in Images2TGA.
9. In File select Merge Alpha Image and import your saved and resized alpha channel image.
10. Save the combined image.
 
ingha said:
It seems to be only a few of the recent very large ones, 2048 x 2048 and 16 mb, that have these characteristics.
Click to expand...

Paint.Net can deal with this sort of faulty TGA. Under Adjustments you will find the Transparency option. Adjust that until the image appears. Then save the file. Be sure to save as uncompressed 32-bit (once you have selected it, then the setting should remain for all TGA files).
 
Quick and dirty method to split the alpha is use irfanview, you can display the alpha channel save it, then saving the original image removes the Alpha and can resize them at the same time as well, then use PSP to do whatever and use Images2TGA to embed the alpha again. PSP X4 here and that doesn't handle embedded alphas either, I did complain to Coral when I bought it, never got a response though! Shan't bother upgrading if they still haven't fixed it!
 
Once again thank you for all your very detailed replies. How helpful this forum is. As with Robert the Bruce's spider, I shall try, try and try again and mark any failure down to my own incompetence.

Ingha
 
Resizing a tga which has a masked alpha channel (black and white only) will usually result in an alpha channel which is blended (contains multiple shades of grey) This can radically alter the way that the texture works in trainz.

AssetX includes all the tools you need to handle resizing tgas for trainz textures - resize the image, add or remove alpha channel, convert alpha from masked to blended and vice versa.
 
ingha said:
...I shall try, try and try again and mark any failure down to my own incompetence.

Ingha
Click to expand...
Remember that most of the advice is given based on the scars of our own experience. :)

Blender is a very powerful tool and more than a few Trainz users have agreed we only use 5-10% of its capability. It's always fun trying to squeeze a few more percent out of it.

And, to add to Andi's comments, AssetX is a very powerful tool that will aid the development of new projects. It can fix broken assets but I like it as an asset project management tool.
 
BuilderBob said:
Paint.Net can deal with this sort of faulty TGA. Under Adjustments you will find the Transparency option. Adjust that until the image appears. Then save the file. Be sure to save as uncompressed 32-bit (once you have selected it, then the setting should remain for all TGA files).
Click to expand...

BuilderBob, in my free version of Paint.NET (4.0.6) there is the 'adjustments' option but no 'Transparency' option. Am I looking in the wrong place?

Ingha
 
Why not try freeware programs like GIMP and Irfanview that are both fantastic paint program editors.
The software is user friendly with detailed instructions that can easily modify and resize custom TGA files for the Trainz simulator.
 
PEV said:
I use PSP7 in Win7 and it works properly.
Click to expand...

I only noticed the problem with a few large tga's when I moved to Windows 8.1 and now 10. My PSP3 still works on all tga's in Windows 7 and I'm interested to hear that your PSP7 works there too. The problem must have come with some change within the updated operating system. I am trying Asset x as suggested and have had some success along with your excellent software pckages. I need to read the instructions though. Ever a last resort.

With thanks again to everyone who has suggested software. I have tried Paint.NET; Gimp; IrfanView (may well come back to you in beautiful Anglesea, cascaderailroad) and Paul's helpful instructions for using Images2TGA along with PSP7 (similar to what Asset x does automatically I suspect). It is all learning, and I shall be the better for it and my locomotives slimmer.

Ingha
 
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