Error loading "mask_lco.png" - Exact specifications for file?

[jens198]

Hi guys,

I recently restarted the work on my US Army NTC from scratch. A few days ago I dumped my mask_lco.png and redid this one as well. Now I'm stuck with an error message when I try to choose inside V3 "Tools | Import Satellite and Mask".
After a few minutes V3 tells me by a messagebox "Error loading P:\j198\j198_ntc_2012\source\mask_lco.png".

The "mask_lco.png" is a 12800 x 12800 PNG file, which originates from the "sat_lco.png". I opend that one in Paint Shop Pro X4. Reduded the number of colors to 4. Then I save the file as mask_lco.png. When I look at the file in the explorer it says that this file has a bit depth of 4. When I try to import this file V3 crashes. That's ok with me, because I know V3 wants the file with a bit depth of 24. So I reopen the file in PSP and increase the number of colors to 16bits/channel. Recheck the total count on colors. Still "4". Everything looks good. Save the file, checking the advanced save options (Interlaced/Optimized palette) and the file has a bit depth of 24. When I know try to import the mask_lco.png I get the above error message.

What is wrong here????

Jens

[MemphisBelle]

Hello Jens,

please tell us much more about your settings. If the mask image has a size of 12800 x 12800, so I wonder how your Island settings are look like.
An example. the terrains might have a size of 256 x256; 512 x 512; 1024 x 1024 and so on up to 4096 x 4096. By using a cell terrain size of 10 Meters, you´ve actually need a map whith dimensions of 10240 x 10240. So my guess is that
you simply set the wrong dimensions. But as long as I dont know your Island settings, I can still just speak out guesses. So please provide all Island and Visitor related information, such as Visitor System preferences, Project Parameters and Project preferences.

Another advice...select other namespaces and names for your projects. yourss is way to much complicated and might cause error on later processes. My projects are stored in Mem\Mem_islandname...

[Bushlurker]

I reopen the file in PSP and increase the number of colors to 16bits/channel.

Thats the problem right there....

Visitor wants 8 bits per channel - 3 channels (RGB) making a "24 bit" image format....

If you want to reduce colours, the best way is to use the Image/Mode/Indexed colour option in Photoshop.... you can mess with the exact palette at that stage and make sure it only contains the colours you want...

When you're done and it looks good, choose Image/Mode/RGB

That gets you back to a standard RGB image which you can then save.... there'll still only be your 4 colours in use... just save as a standard default RGB .png file...


B

[jens198]

Well guys, it seems like size DOES matter. In this case it was too big. I knew it had to be the mask_lco.png file itself that caused the problems. The rest of the setup had to be ok, as I already imported everything and even had the map ingame.
BTW island settings are: Terrain grid size 2048x2048; terrain cell size 12.5m; terrain size 25600mx25600m; sat-image 12800x12800 pixel.

After several attempts with various applications I cut the size of the mask in half and remade the file with 6400 x 6400. And guess what? It worked. Seems like the 12800 x 12800 pixels were too much.

Jens

[rstratton]

the resolution isnt the problem. as said by bushlurker it must be 8bit non interlaced. only the heightmap can be 16 bit interlaced

[jens198]

I'm not sure. I used the exact same file with the 12800x12800 pixels and got the error. Then I rediced the size and it worked. Besides that, if the bit dempth isn't correct V3 only CTD and doesn't throw an error message.

Jens

[Bushlurker]

Very strange.....

20480x20480 and beyond is perfectly useable...

For example, the CWR2 Everon & Malden terrains have 20480x20480 mask & sat layers, Nogova is even higher... 25k+ (all are 1024x1024 heightmaps with 12.5m cell size)...

They aren't exceptions either... most larger terrains carry hefty-sized Mask & Sat layers...
Even good 'ol Sahrani back in the Arma 1 days used 20480x20480

Visitor will handle these sizes no problem.... takes a wee while to load, during which time it usually reports "not responding", but it loads and uses them fine...

There's definitely something wrong if you can't load a mask bigger than 6400x6400....


B

[Thromp]

BTW island settings are: Terrain grid size 2048x2048; terrain cell size 12.5m; terrain size 25600mx25600m; sat-image 12800x12800 pixel.

hmm not sure in V3 with 12.5m cells , i know that PMC did 2.5 ? but i think it use V4 maybe ?

with these settings you get
satelite calculated 79.360
satelite proposed 72
segment overlap proposed 62.000

all strange to me i think even though valid , maybe try other cell size ?

also if saving in Gimp etc make sure rle / compress isnt ticked when saving pictures ?

BTW error will be in BohemiaInteractive \tools \visitor3\ log

[jens198]

the resolution isnt the problem. as said by bushlurker it must be 8bit non interlaced. only the heightmap can be 16 bit interlaced

Ok, even if I have to admit my own stupidity, it seems that my pngs were not saved as "non-interlaced".

Jens