For the life of me I can't figure out how they're related to the tex files.

Unless the problem is somehow related to the files included in the CDF's which may be screwing me up.

Thanks

Do you mean the relationship between the *tra.pcx and the *tex.pcx file?

Yes.

In earlier exe's the only link was between .TEX and .TRA files. Now there are other links such as .EEX and .ERA.

My problem is that as for the Mosquito model there seems to be an ERA file which should be linked to the EEX file ( Left wing ) yet it isn't working so the cockpit glass is opaque while there is no GRA file to go with the GEX file ( right wing ) yet the cockpit glass is clear.

Hi Ray,

i dont think there is a EEX and ERA file.

This are the ones we have:
(for the 1st skin)
tex - tra
sex - sra
pex - pra
v - vtr
y - ytr

(for the other up to 15 skins)
tx - tra
mx - mra (why there isnt a sx - sra is a miracle to me)
vx - vtr

Why there isnt a sx - sra(instead of mx - mra), px - pra and yx - ytr for the additional planes, i dont know.

Greetings,

Knegel

Ok, thanks Ralf.

Odd that there's an ERA file with the last Mossie set. Not sure why.

S.3dz / M.3dz far distance models, = SEX. MEX could not be used because it had already been used in HR Models.

P.3dz full prop texture = PEX. This is also useful for twin engine models.

V & Y were existing links but the Y was not used on fighters. I extended these links to fighters for HR models.

So from the normal maximum of 2 tra links, we now have 5 per slot, which is good enough for most HR models,

Just ask me and I'll tell you why.

But so ya'll know, in most of the "HR" models in order to have a non mirrored camo, transparant glass, and, working props, a new .tra is required to link the newly redirected 3.dz and texture panel. This was done with the HE111, Me210, P38, Beaufighter, Mosquito and others.

In Ray's base Mosquito both the right and left forward fuselage and wing panel were directed to the pmostex.pcx and tra by the .3dz files (E + G?, sorry I am away from my skinning machine and have a bad memory). That is great if you want the camo pattern to be correct for only one of the wings and fuselage sides. Since I want a correct camo I redirected one of the 3dzs to the mirrored panel. The newly 3dz needs to have a TRA (GRA, PRA or what ever named to match the tex ture panel hence the ERA,GRA stuff. It is pretty basic but since it is a skinners thing I didn't see the need to explain what I do to the community in general.

Once again, all you have to do is ask me and I'll tell you what I did in a particular skin.

Ok Mr. Grumpy pants, 'splain this:

There's an ERA file which I assume is linked to the EEX file which is the left wing of the Mossie but the cockpit glass is opaque.

OTOH, there's no GRA file which under these rules should be linked to the GEX file, which is for the right wing, yet the cockpit glass is clear.


Something to do with the files packed in the CDF perhaps?

No the file should work. I can't check it now since I am at work. When I get home I'll look and see what is up. They displayed fine when I tested them so I'll have to take another look and see what is wrong.

Yes there are 3 files that show the wings and front fuselage but only 2 of them work for that purpose (E + G I believe) the other is a place holder? The right side g.3dz links to the base mosqtra.pcx. Again I can't give a precise answer until I get home.

Be patient, Grumpy Elf out.

OK now, the ERA is an unnecessary file, the GRA is the file that the left side (PMOSQG.3dz) points to for transparency. So, the ERA can be removed without problem to the skin/model.

If the Mosquito number 1 (plane 00)is copied from the original squadron then it works just fine.









If the MOSQE, F, or, G.edz were changed from the ones in the 605 skin then problems will arise due to the failure of the g.edz to point to either the MOSQGEX.pcx and/or MSOQGRA.pcx.

So this problem had something to do with the multi-skins?

I ask because I have no idea how they work.













Oh and by my calculations the lettering on the fuselage is an inch and a half too high.

and I thought I was a fussy 'rivet counter'

Can't see a pic.

Sky,

You ARE a fussy rivet counter.



Remember the Spitfire rudder incident?

How about the pointy spinner on the P-38?

Or the Typhoon radiator?




Yeah, that's right, I keep a list, just like Santa.









Of course, fussy rivet counters are what makes EAW great.

Getting the facts straight are what it's all about whether it's how the camo is applied or correcting muzzle velocities.

No Ray, this problem is to do with a model that only has one texture for the right and left sides. I redirected the GEX.3dz to point to the GEX.pcx instead to the EEX.pcx. Then added the transparency so the plane could have the correct camo. I sent you a memo with each version of the skin I sent you to remind you. The actual issue is with all of the two motor planes except the 262 that are in HR or semi HR. Old timers eh?

Wait, so then there should be a GRA file to go with the GEX file, right?

I no gots a GRA file.


Plus, the G side is transparent despite not having a GRA file but the E side which DOES have an ERA file isn't.



Keep it up and I'm going to get out my NRA membership card.

Gents.

I wrote the coded links in the exe a couple of years ago. Only the ones listed give you the partial transparency needed for cockpits and props.

S.3dz / M.3dz far distance models, = SEX. MEX could not be used because it had already been used in HR Models.

P.3dz full prop texture = PEX. This is also useful for twin engine models.

V & Y were existing links but the Y was not used on fighters. I extended these links to fighters for HR models.

So from the normal maximum of 2 tra links, we now have 5 per slot, which is good enough for most HR models.

Any other textures not listed will give you a on off effect, as long as you use the 0,0, colour. This is the first Pink in the EAW pallet, or Black on the 24bit bmp's

There are no other effects available.

John,

Forgive me for being dense but I can't see how the extra links help. Wouldn't linking *RA files to all the corresponding *EX files have been a better approach?

( NOT second guess here, just trying to understand for future projects )


Can you give me an example about how the links can be used to advantage?

Picture worth a thousand words, so to speak.




As for the Mossie, I'm at a loss as to why the left side is opaque and the right side is not since from your explanation, it appears that NEITHER side has a valid *RA file linked to the corresponding *EX file. Yet the G side is fine while the E side is not.


Another concern as I understand it, is that new models using these links are not backwards compatible to earlier exe's.

If I'm right then modelers might want to include two different sets of files. One for 1.28 and one for 1.26 where the earlier ones have mirrored textures because both sides of the plane point to the TEX file which has the one available TRA file link.

For instance on the hi-res Whirlwind I mapped both the G and E 3dz's to the TEX file because the cockpit and part of the fuselage are included with the wings. I got around the mirroring problem by adding a couple of panels on the wing of the G side that are mapped to a different portion of the TEX file so that the wing camo has some differences.


Peter, ignore the lettering which is too far back on the fuselage, it's been fixed in the final version thanks to Ade Kelley's astute observation (Damn rivet counters)

The above graphic shows how I was going to break up my HR Mossie. The only difference between your model and mine is the outer wing sections, which I would have skinned on separate textures. thus you would have had more room on the TEX/TRA and PEX/PRA for the cockpit and inner wing section, plus prop, left/right sides.

I've not seen your texture layouts, but for any twin engine model you only need two linked files.

There are still 3 more linked files to use, and those are SEX/SRA, V/VTR, Y/YTR, if you are really stuck.

Now, I agree it would be good to have more links, but we need to be careful we don't overdo it, or we could be back to the days of scrambled cockpit textures.

Perhaps we could change the texture links system to an external text file to load with the model, in each or one slot as required, which would override the fixed links, but to do that would need a new exe.

So if I point the E.3dz to the PEX.TEX file then the PRA file would work and if I point the G.3dz to the SEX file then the SRA file would work?


Isn't the V/VTR file for the gunsight?

Hi Ray.

What is wrong with using tex/tra and pex/pra?

Just because your not using the F.3dz in the traditional way, it does not mean you need to point the F.3dz at a tex/tra. You can still point another 3dz to the same textures and fully use them.

Yeah, I do point the F.3dz to the TEX file just because we've traditionally had it so. It's not necessary as you say since with my method the F.3dz is devoid of elements.

Now that I'm starting to grasp what's going on I could point the E.3dz to the tex file and the G.3dz to the PEX file.




Right now I'm working on a hi-res B-26 that's based on the lo-res original. With this one I decided to leave the props on the wings( E.3dz and G.3dz), not as separate files, thus freeing up the C and P files that I've been using for the props. Since I lose one file with my method it's good to have these two for pieces of the plane rather than the props.

In this case I can point the E to the TEX file and the G to the PEX file. Another advantage is that the cockpit glass can be slightly opaque, not totally clear. Now that I think about it I can point the tail (A.3dz) to the SEX file so the rear turrets are also slightly opaque.




Ok, thanks, I think I get it.

I would hack the outer wing sections and point them to two separate textures, so you have lots of space for the cockpit/engine sections.

Is there any chance you have a Mossie E/G with the props still on?

Actually that is a good idea. I could join the tail sections (A.3dz ) and then use the B.3dz on the outer wing section of one of the wings. Using my "empty F" method it will be pretty easy to do.

I didn't think about leaving the props on the wing 3dz's until I started work on the B-26 so unfortunately the props are NOT on the wings of the Mosquito.

Of course, since the wings are from the original F and G 3dz's the R/S sequence is intact and all the nulled elements could be returned to functionality.

If you want a set to play with let me know.

And thanks for the input.

I'm going to play around with the file sets on the B-26 to see if I can make the transparencies work properly.

Hi Ray.

If you take off the outer wing sections you can hard point them back on using the wing root elements on the E/G.3dz. Then you can treat the outer wings as separate 3dz's mapped to their own textures. To save any RS problems, you can delete all the crap, 255'ed elements and dud nodes, recalc the RS and Normals, which is easy with so few elements.

The tail sections can be joined and cleaned up as with the wings, except you'll need to put in a bulkhead element where the ailerons start.

Doing these little jobs will make a better model, and it will then work in Glide without the problems the Mossie has.