#TGA file problems
7 messages in this thread
Hey guys-
I have some .TGA files that were created by a client to help with an
ongoing project, and 3DStudio is giving me some problems reading the file. The
files will be sent out to tape VIA a utility I use in conjunction with 3DS –
SoftVTR (Moonlight Software). I can view the files with the GETTGA utility that
cam with my Targa board, but for some reason 3DS can't seem to deal with them.
They were created with another animation software, Animation Master (formerly
Playmation).
Right now I'm more intersted in a 'fix' rather than an explanation,
since, as usual, my time is getting short. I can upload a sample from the
Animation Master demo that gives me the same problem. Can anyone (Autodesk or
otherwise) help?
Thanks! -Rob Williams 72260,1630
If you don't hear anything, upload one of those TGA files to this forum and I
will take a look at it (leave me a note if, and when you do it).
Hi Gus, fish15.tga in the 3DS file area… -R
Thought I'd take a look at the file but couldn't find it. ???
Rob:
There are so many types of Targa files, and 3DS does not read in all of the
odd-ball ones. One thing you could do is run a program like Image Alchemy in
batch mode to just convert them all to a standard compressed format (mode 11)
that are recognizable to 3DS.
Greg Pyros
Ok, I got the file and looked at it. It's a "New TGA" type and has some
"footer" info but it is bogus. Software that disregard the footer info will
have no problem reading it. The file also uses an illegal line length. No block
in a compressed TGA file should wrap around a scan line. 3D Studio, however,
should not have any problem with it as it does the same mistake when it
generates compressed Targas.
To solve this problem, 3D Studio could just ignore the "Extension" data if it
find bogus, but by doing so, it would perpetuate these bad files. If nobody
supported these errors, everyone would have to create a file to spec (which
isn't asking too much from this people, specially when Truevision will send you
a truck load of spec sheets if you ask).
You will have to "convert" the Targa file using something else. Very few
programs know about this "new" TGA type and will certainly read the image as if
it was an older one. The difference between the old and new format is that in
the new, Gamma, Aspect Ratio, and many other aspects are saved with the file.
This stuff is added to the end of the file so if the software doesn't know
about them, it doesn't even see it.
Ok, you already got the "fix" from JKJ, this is the "explanation"! <g>
Thanks Gus. I'll pass this on to the Playmation folks, hopefully they'll take
it to heart. 🙂 -R