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crooked textures in model converter x last development release

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I have a weird error when i try to convert a texture in MCX via the texture converter, the texture seems to be crooked while they are straight in Sketchup self, i tried to convert them via the texture converter in MCX, but this problem
shows up, is this a bug in MCX ?.
Here is an image as an example for what i mean.

used tools and windows version
__________________________________________

-FSX Acceleration pack boxed edition 10.0.61637.0
-MCX latest development package
- windows 10 version 1709 64bit
-Sketchup make 2017
-Gimp 2.8
crooked textures.png
 
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arno

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Hi,

Did you use the texture in Sketchup? When you apply the texture mapping wrong there, the texture can be skewed.
 
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I did indeed make my model in sketchup, and i applied them correctly, i have made many airports in sketchup with the same method like this one too, and i have never experienced this kind of error in MCX before
It happens after the latest updates of MCX development release,
Can it be a bug in MCX?, because this never happened before,
in mcx the images suposed to be straight in stead of croocked
here some example images of my model in sketchup, and in MCX,
df.png

sketchup model.png
 

=rk=

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Did you use the texture in Sketchup? When you apply the texture mapping wrong there, the texture can be skewed.
Sketchup does create new textures to conform to skewed mapping, since model polygons can hold only one texture map. So in circumstances where the user has moved the yellow pin, Sketchup will make a skewed version of the texture with a "~1" suffix, if I am not mistaken. This however is a circumstance where the texture names might be the same, I see no evidence of a SU generated texture and Sketchup will not import .bmp format, so it is unlikely Sketchup functionality had any effect on this, imo.

Linden, I would ask you to share your actual texture files, that we could see, both before and after the MCX adjustments, if they have the same name, please edit that part to indicate before/after. Also please tell us if anything about my first paragraph relates to your procedure, for example, if you created your texture in Gimp and then applied that texture using Sketchup and then oriented that texture using the yellow pin and then changed that texture name to match your original texture name while converting it to .bmp format using MCX, that information would be extremely helpful.

Also finally as a general rule, when requesting support it is always best to provide a very basic background that establishes your situation and understanding of the needs of those who try to help you. This information would include the simulator version you are working with, the software you use, etcetera. Upon your most recent post, we see you do indeed use Sketchup, I am quite certain that the information in the first paragraph will be pertinent.
 

=rk=

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The functionality of this new site is somewhat questionable. I doubt it is internet lag that prevents an edit window opening during my short attention span, it's short but not that short.
I wanted to add that the skewed images visible in the second post by Linden are in my opinion, very typical of the consequence of yellow pin skewing, as is the circumstance of using "snapshot photographs" (as opposed to aerial or orthographic type imagery) to texture a large building. The most practical way to use these skewed images is to correct them first in a photo editing software, or simply project them as is and then rotate your model to an orientation that when projected, the skewed texture lands "flatly" on the model in the way you intend.
As an example, a person stands at the bottom of a skyscraper and photographs it. The image looks like a pyramid. Use Gimp to distort the image so it is rectangular, or tip your skyscraper model away from your projection plane, so the projection plane looks like the view, looking up, from the bottom of the skyscraper model. Now when you project it, it will hit the model, more or less, square on.
 
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Sketchup does create new textures to conform to skewed mapping, since model polygons can hold only one texture map. So in circumstances where the user has moved the yellow pin, Sketchup will make a skewed version of the texture with a "~1" suffix, if I am not mistaken. This however is a circumstance where the texture names might be the same, I see no evidence of a SU generated texture and Sketchup will not import .bmp format, so it is unlikely Sketchup functionality had any effect on this, imo.

Linden, I would ask you to share your actual texture files, that we could see, both before and after the MCX adjustments, if they have the same name, please edit that part to indicate before/after. Also please tell us if anything about my first paragraph relates to your procedure, for example, if you created your texture in Gimp and then applied that texture using Sketchup and then oriented that texture using the yellow pin and then changed that texture name to match your original texture name while converting it to .bmp format using MCX, that information would be extremely helpful.

Also finally as a general rule, when requesting support it is always best to provide a very basic background that establishes your situation and understanding of the needs of those who try to help you. This information would include the simulator version you are working with, the software you use, etcetera. Upon your most recent post, we see you do indeed use Sketchup, I am quite certain that the information in the first paragraph will be pertinent.

I have edited my first post with the used sim and tools and windows version, i have also attached the files, with before and after adjustment in MCX
 

Attachments

  • VOHS terminal building2 original textures before improting in MCX.zip
    1.1 MB · Views: 224
  • textures after converting in MCX .zip
    1.2 MB · Views: 196
  • VOHS terminal building2 DAE.zip
    550.5 KB · Views: 139

=rk=

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Well this is a very impressive model, considering. You've done well with your resources, unfortunately it is a circumstance that is pretty much exactly what Arno predicted, I can show you. I have to inform that I had trouble converting, I believe it to be a problem with model complexity or charateristics, here is what happened when I tried to export to the FSX standard:

WjPHclE.jpg


You can see my paths are defined, I've never had this problem before and I did not test to see if another model would export to FSX, I am pretty sure it would.
Ok, on to the problem. You can see a problem texture in the next image for a model I exported to .x format:

eG27nNf.jpg


Going back to the original .dae, we see the texture is called "ssf":

RmGNwxO.jpg


and looking at the Texture Converter rendition, we can see that the actual texture is heavily skewed. What has happened is that you have recorded texture mappings, into your model, that twist the presentation of the "twisted" texture to make it look normal. However these complex mappings are not supported by the simulator software. MCX does not make these conversions, it is an interface that accesses proprietary simulator software that compile to the simulator standard and the model must conform to the requirements.

The actual solution in these cases is to either twist/skew the texture to project normally using image editing software, before projecting in Sketchup, or to tilt and orient your model, such that when projected in this "skewed" condition, the texture drapes squarely onto the surface of the model. A good rule of thumb is to never use the yellow pin.
Finally, you really want to take a look at model complexity. Nearly 90 thousand faces and 53 draw calls is an extremely ambitious load to place onto the simulator render engine, for a terminal building. You would do well to import similar default, or originally included, models into MCX and compare details. This complexity alone could be why I was unable to export to .mdl format,
 
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But the strange thing is that i have made this terminal in my VOHS scenery a long time ago, and back then all went good, i just tested another terminal i had made in fsx too, that was the PGSN airport terminal, i made that airport years ago also same method without yellow pin, i never use yellow pin, and then it was good, now i reloaded the dae file of that PGSN model in mcx too, and i get the same crooked results too.
i will also take a look to faces and drawcalls too. in the model converter x version 1.3 all textures are not crooked, this happens only in the development version.
 

=rk=

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One could just as easily infer that you have been lucky enough thus far to not have encountered such a condition. I do not know the history of the model, nor it's construction, but if you examine the large Windows generated icons for those files in the desktop view, they too reflect the characteristic skew or twist that is consistent with these kind of textures which strongly suggests they are mapped to the Collada model, as is, before MCX ever encounters it.
 

arno

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I'll have a look at your model when I'm behind my pc, but MCX has no functionality to skew textures. So I really expect it to be in your input after Sketchup export already.
 
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I'll have a look at your model when I'm behind my pc, but MCX has no functionality to skew textures. So I really expect it to be in your input after Sketchup export already.

Hi Arno, I will await your findings, its realy a strange issue, because this happened 1 day ago, and before then all was fine with exporting textures and model in MCX, so i wonder what can cause this strange issue, and i tested it with another terminal model of a previous airport i made, and i have the same strange texture beheavor in MCX, i tested it with the PGSN airport terminal too.
 

arno

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Hi,

Are you original textures those that you use as input when modelling in SketchUp or are they the textures as exported by SketchUp when you save the model as DAE?
 
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Hi,

Are you original textures those that you use as input when modelling in SketchUp or are they the textures as exported by SketchUp when you save the model as DAE?
they are texture used as input in my model in sketchup when modelling, and then i saved the model as DAE, and after I have entered my DAE model in MCX, the textures are suddenly crooked.
 

=rk=

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This screen capture demonstrates I have solved your issue:

HhbcYBD.jpg


Please notice that one of the problem textures, ssf.dds is selected and is not at all skewed. Below is a picture of the textures uploaded:

0JK75zQ.jpg


One can clearly see the .dds texture is corrupted and is likely a consequence of the convert/save option in regard to .png textures and possibly when they are part of a mixed selection of formats that are converted during the same process. I exported a conversion of ssf.png to the .dds format using Photoshop because I have recently learned to be cautious about MCX/.dds file conversions.
 

arno

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Rick, are your saying that MCX can introduce this when converting from png to dds?
 

=rk=

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Not exactly. I did not duplicate the corruption, I simply examined both sets of textures using Windows default software and when I saw the uploaded .dds was skewed, I also noticed that it was converted from the .png texture I'd been comparing it to. The main reason I used the MCX auto-convert function was the Nvidia exporter refusal to run without proper size ratio, which MCX conducted automatically. I used the dimensions of the distorted image to resize the .png in Photoshop and then proceeded with the .dds conversion. I then tested my result in the model, along with the other uploaded converted textures to get the results I reported.
Therefore I think it is a likely conclusion that this corruption happens with the conversion process. I have run out of time to test this empirically here for today, but perhaps Linden can do this for us or I can pick it up when I return from work.
 
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Hello:

Nicely detailed model ! :cool:

FYI: This is not intended to digress from exploration of ways to make the MCX Texture Converter Tool more robust; rather, it is to offer additional ideas. :idea:


The UVW mapping method that Sketchup is notorious for when allowing ex: "projected" textures to be "cloned" onto Faces with the same planar orientation can sometimes be a 'problem' when processed by non-Sketchup and/or other "industry standard" 3D modeling applications and conversion utility software.

Most non-Sketchup and/or other "industry standard" 3D modeling applications and conversion utility software expects 'explicit' UVW mapping of textures to the Edges / vertices of Faces / polygons.


Because Sketchup also allows 'skewed' UVW mapping of texture images when UVW mapping a Material that has already been UVW mapped elsewhere and is therefore "projected", this can cause a further 'problem' when processed by non-Sketchup and/or other "industry standard" 3D modeling applications and conversion utility software.

This is why Sketchup offers the option to manually select such 'skewed' texture Material mappings on a 'Face-by-Face basis', and make a new copy of the texture image Material mapped to each such Face in its 'skewed' state via the "Make Unique Texture" feature, so that those Faces end up with their own local 'explicit' UVW mapping of textures to the Edges / vertices of Faces / polygons of that selected Face.

If desired, after such 'Unique' Material texture images are created, they may then be 'manually' merged with (multiple and also 'unique') adjacent co-planar textures, to make an automatically and explicitly local UVW "re-mapped", 1-piece texture image Material ...via the Sketchup "Combine Textures" feature.


BTW: Upon a cursory inspection of a few objects in the example 3D model attached above, note that the UVW R_G_B_Y texture positioning Pins are not 'locally' placed explicitly to allow precise mapping of a Material texture image to the edges / vertices of Faces / polygons of a selected Face. :alert:

Note as well that in the attached ZIP folders of textures, some texture file names are very long, causing long "Path" strings, and that some texture file names have "multiple file extension" segmented long file names due to insertion of the "." file extension delimiter within the "32-Bit long file names" used. :yikes:

VOHS terminal building2___India.Andhra_Pradesh_Hyderabad_Rajiv_Gandhi_International_Airport-4_...jpg


VOHS terminal building2_2.jpg


VOHS terminal building2_2_also.jpg



PS: I am curious why the OP would not instead use MCX' Material Editor ... rather than MCX' Texture Converter Tool (a laborious 1-at-a-time method) ? :scratchch

But, regardless, I hope all this info may prove helpful in troubleshooting / enhancing the MCX Texture Converter Tool ...and this 3D model. :)

GaryGB
 
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arno

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Hi,

I can confirm it was a bug in ModelConverterX. I made a change a few days ago that would remove the alpha channel when saving an image without alpha channels. But apparently that change did not work well in all cases. So I have removed that now. New build will be online later tonight.
 
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Hi Arno, Gary and Rick

Thank you all for thinking and helping
I'm glad to hear the good news that the bug will be solved in MCX:)
Finaly i can go further with the optimizing of my model, and indeed some textures have to be edited in smaller formats, I was trying to make some of the textures sharper in gimp, and then convert them in texture converter of MCX, because they looked very blurry in FSX.
When i import a model in MCX, i indeed always use the Material editor to convert them to a fsx dds format in one step with the resize all to a power of 2 option. the uploaded textures where direct from sketchup not resized in MCX yet.
 
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