How uncompress a targa file?

I am using Abacus' "Train Sim Modeler" and, when attempting to apply PSP 8 textures onto my model, I get the error message: "Images must be truecolor, 24 or 32 bit, uncompressed files."My texture file is a targa type. I know it is 24 bit and 16 million colors. Can anyone advise how to uncompress the file? (Remember, it's a .tga file, not JPG or GIF).Thanks very much.Bill

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RE: How uncompress a targa file?, Mark_Blum, Jun-02-03, 09:01 PM, (1) RE: How uncompress a targa file?, wecline, Jun-03-03, 09:45 AM, (2) RE: How uncompress a targa file?, CMO, Jun-05-03, 06:36 PM, (4) RE: How uncompress a targa file?, baldwin, Jun-04-03, 04:36 PM, (3) RE: How uncompress a targa file?, wecline, Jun-06-03, 12:45 PM, (5) RE: How uncompress a targa file?, baldwin, Jun-06-03, 04:12 PM, (6) RE: How uncompress a targa file?, wecline, Jun-06-03, 05:00 PM, (7) RE: How uncompress a targa file?, jtsdadinaz, Jun-06-03, 06:22 PM, (8) RE: How uncompress a targa file?, baldwin, Jun-07-03, 08:16 AM, (9) RE: How uncompress a targa file?, wecline, Jun-07-03, 08:54 AM, (10) RE: How uncompress a targa file?, baldwin, Jun-08-03, 05:51 PM, (11)

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Hi Bill:Load your file into Paintshop Pro, and then when you go to save it as a tga file, you should see a box for options. Click on the options button to open it, and you'll see where you have a choice to save the file "compressed" or "uncompressed".That should do it.Mark
A Southern Railway Fan

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Mark,Thanks very much for the quick response. Another problem, though:The tga file in question was originally made with PSP version 7.0. When I try to bring the texture onto the model in TSM, it is the solid blue, as if it didn't have any texture applied to the targa file. I must still be doing something wrong, I suppose. I would think, however, that a PSP7 file should automatically work if loaded into PSP8 and then converted to targa before trying it in TSM. Any ideas?Bill

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LAST EDITED ON Jun-05-03 AT 06:37 PM (EDT)

solid blue sounds to me like TSM can not find the texture you created, and is substituting a blank.ace file.
Make sure your tga file or whatever is 512 x 512, cause 513 won't work.

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I have not used tga files in TSM, preferring to work with the basic bmp type and use tgatool to create an alpha channel and edit it later on after completing the model build.However on looking in the help files, it is stated that for textures with transparencies a 32 bit tga is required.mervyn@madasafish.com

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How do I make a texture a 32 bit targa? Highest option in PSP is 24 bit.Bill

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LAST EDITED ON Jun-06-03 AT 04:13 PM (EDT)

I think my previous seems to be untrue. I have just been experimenting with the files from the samples folder and those work ok, running in 24 bit. It is just the compression TSM doesnt like. To uncompress your tga file, load it into PSP and select the save as option, then using the options sub menu save it as 24 bit uncompressed. I know that works because I have just done it, using one of my TSM projects as the guinea pig for texture application.mervyn@madasafish.com

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Well, I have optioned and saved the texture.tga file at 24 bit and uncompressed but it still shows up in TSM as all blue. I have no idea why TSM will not recognize my texture file. I have repainted this darn caboose 6 times and whenever I return and bring up my model in TSM, all my work is down the drain again. There must be an easy solution somewhere!

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Have you tried to re-open with tgatool2? I have seen at times where PSP does something weird ,especially if converting from a bmp to a tga and the image becomes unreadable by tgatool. The image will be 32bits, 24 for the file and 8 for the mask.

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I am still using psp7. I have just taken a BMP and converted it to TGA 24bit uncompressed and TSM recognizes it. If you like, send your tex file over and I'll see if I can get it to work in TSM. I am using a small NG steamer for test application of textures.mervyn@madasafish.com

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Mervyn,I am embarrased to report the problem was caused by my own ineptness. Was just getting ready to send the texture to you when I discovered its size, instead of being the 512x512 I made it, was now 1013x1013! How that occurred, I don't know. The texture file still "looked" the same size as the original 512 within PSP.Of course, once I copied and pasted the texture file back into a 512 square, TSM recognized it.I apologize for all the bother.Bill

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Wouldn't worry about it, we all make mistakes and fail to find them, thinking that it is something else causing the problem. Glad you are back 'on track'.Just a pointer, no need to copy/paste. Use the PSP resize option found under Image, that way everything is definitely preserved in ratio size wise.mervyn@madasafish.com

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