Riley's The Movies Texture Manager

Following two months of development, I am releasing the first public beta version of the Texture Manager application.  This is the first of what is planned to be a full suite of Windows applications.

Feature List

• Search your computer's file system, or The Movies content, for image files.
• Supports DDS, BMP, TGA, JPG, and PNG file formats.
• Batch convert images into DDS format.
• Automatically resizes images to the proper DDS size.
• Supports conversion to static overlays, animated overlays, or backdrops.
• Automatically creates thumbnails.
• Optional support for frame rate conversion, and altered numbering, for animated overlays.
• Composite new, layered images.  Use this for creating multi-layered overlays, or animated actor props.
• Windows user interface.  No more command line!

System Requirements

• Windows XP or Vista
• DirectX 9.0c
• Certain features require The Movies to be installed

Download

Go to the Riley Entertainment web site to download! The download is a Windows setup application -- double-click on it to install!

This is version 0.90b, the first public beta.  Once I see a number of people report success, I'll release version 1.0.

Special Thanks

Gleem, stvndysn, Psycho1 (aka willtrusty), and the rest of the DCMF team.
TheBiz, kuroken, and sisch for help in testing.
The folks who posted encouraging comments on my blog, particularly rysto and skelch.

 

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Riley Entertainment Website - Movies, Mods, and Modding Applications!
Riley Entertainment on TMU

Wait so what does this do?

 Whats a texture manager?

Im new to moding

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The first post explains it all, I should think...

In short, it lets you convert your overlays, backdrops, and other textures into DDS format.  You can keep your images in 912x512 or 800x450 or 768x432, or whatever other overlay size you use -- it automatically resizes them for you.  So it's a bit of a time saver over the DDS Converter program that people currently use.  (Plus it has a spiffier user interface, I think; and runs a bit faster.)

It also does image compositing.  See the application's Help menu for info on what that is.

 

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Riley Entertainment Website - Movies, Mods, and Modding Applications!
Riley Entertainment on TMU

rileyman:

Automatically resizes images to the proper DDS size.

Automatically creates thumbnails.

You are god. Thanks so much for this!

Perfect timing!

I've just this minute finished a bundle of overlays for the title sequence of my new movie - I was taking a rest before going through the arduous process of resizing and then converting each file. With this, it looks like it might not be so arduous after all.

And automatic thumbnails too! That's one thing that always annoyed me - having to copy, paste and rename in order to get a thumbnail.

Thanks!

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Well - that worked really well.

I did find one bug though.

The first time I used it, the list of available files came up and I clicked on "Convert" without selecting anything. An error message flashed up "Application error R3TMERR_TEXMGR_NOFILESCHOSEN" - then it crashed to desktop with the "this application needs to close" error message when I pressed ok.


Anyway, an extremely useful tool that saves loads of drudgery.

I did notice that it automatically replaces overlays with the same filename. This could be a problem for people working on two films at once where they might unwittingly replace an overlay for film 1 with an overlay for film 2. Fortunately, the one that I accidently replaced was a completely black overlay in both cases, so it didn't matter.

So be careful when choosing the filenames for your overlays. If they match with an existing one, it will get replaced.

You could output to a separate folder as a precaution - then move the files from within windows. That way, if anything matches, you'll get asked permission to replace it.

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jazzx:

The first time I used it, the list of available files came up and I clicked on "Convert" without selecting anything. An error message flashed up "Application error R3TMERR_TEXMGR_NOFILESCHOSEN" - then it crashed to desktop with the "this application needs to close" error message when I pressed ok.

I'll definitely look into fixing the above asap.

Regarding the output filenames...  I thought about whether to check if the files already exist.  The one thing I didn't want was to have 30 boxes come up saying "this file already exists - replace?", which could conceivable happen when batch converting.  What I might do instead is a single test to see if any of the output files exist, and if so pop up with one box at the beginning asking if it's ok to replace any/all files.

The best way of naming overlays is with a few prefix letters identifying the movie it's for.  So, if it was for "God Illusion Part 2", for example, you might name all your files "overlay_gi2_title01.png".  As an added benefit, this will group all your overlays together in the overlay chooser in AMM.

Edit:  One thing I neglected to mention...  If you double-click on a single file in the list, it will select all related files if they are part of an animated overlay.

 

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Riley Entertainment Website - Movies, Mods, and Modding Applications!
Riley Entertainment on TMU

You der Man...!

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Thank you Riley for this amazing contribution to the community.

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TMU Blog * My Blog

rileyman:

jazzx:

The first time I used it, the list of available files came up and I clicked on "Convert" without selecting anything. An error message flashed up "Application error R3TMERR_TEXMGR_NOFILESCHOSEN" - then it crashed to desktop with the "this application needs to close" error message when I pressed ok.

I'll definitely look into fixing the above asap.

Regarding the output filenames...  I thought about whether to check if the files already exist.  The one thing I didn't want was to have 30 boxes come up saying "this file already exists - replace?", which could conceivable happen when batch converting.  What I might do instead is a single test to see if any of the output files exist, and if so pop up with one box at the beginning asking if it's ok to replace any/all files.

The best way of naming overlays is with a few prefix letters identifying the movie it's for.  So, if it was for "God Illusion Part 2", for example, you might name all your files "overlay_gi2_title01.png".  As an added benefit, this will group all your overlays together in the overlay chooser in AMM.

Edit:  One thing I neglected to mention...  If you double-click on a single file in the list, it will select all related files if they are part of an animated overlay.

 

Thanks - if I had a brain, I would do something with prefixes, although the danger there is that you go over the character limit in which case it won't appear in the list of overlays in AMM.

Anyway, earlier today, I got all my overlays put in the film ("Fakes 7" title sequence) only to discover they were all the wrong shape! I'd forgotton that the paint program canvas should be set at 16:9 ratio and not 5:4.

So I spent 20 minutes correcting all the overlays (it was quite easy - I just had to make the canvas wider and fill the sides in with black paint) - then, thanks to your program, all my old overlays were replaced in an instant and with automatic resizing for the conversion process (yay!). I'm pleased I didn't get an "are you sure?" box before each file went in - as you say, that's pretty annoying if there's loads of files need replacing.

What you could do is make a dialogue box that says "the following files are already in the destination folder and will be replaced - please select any files that are to be protected" - then "Replace" or "Cancel" buttons.  That way, if a file does unexpectedly have the same name as one already in there, it comes up immediately and the silly dumbarse user gets a second chance. But if even that is too annoying for some dare ds, maybe a menu option/checkbox to "warn me if a filename in the destination folder matches" will let us woossie scaredy-cats play it safe, while the thrillseekers get to live by the seat of their pants.

Anyway - I can see I'll be using this alot. I should also mention that the help file is very well laid out and easy to understand (as this has developed into a gushing "review" all of a sudden - and quite rightly so!).

I've not played with the "layers" thing yet - I used layers in my paint program to create the overlays (Paint.net - superb well-supported free program). But I can't quite see how layers are relevant to this program (I'm sure they are, I just need educating).

Although all my overlays were static - the ability to see how an animated sequence might look is very useful. In the old days, you had little choice but to put all the overlays in the game, load it up and see whether the timing was right. And the ability to effectively change the framerate if you're not happy is another huge time saver - what a bonus! No more laborious copying and renaming of files (am I right? I haven't played with this feature yet either).

What a terrific program!

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jazzx:

I've not played with the "layers" thing yet - I used layers in my paint program to create the overlays (Paint.net - superb well-supported free program). But I can't quite see how layers are relevant to this program (I'm sure they are, I just need educating).

The best example of using layers is probably the image you see in the help file, under Compositing New Images.  Those who've gone through building animated actor props will see the immediate benefit.  To build such a prop, you normally have to open a half-dozen clothing textures into an image editing application, and then align and layer them properly.  This application streamlines that process.

It could be used in certain circumstances for overlays as well.  Imagine you've made your opening titles, and then realize you'd like to change the aspect ratio of your film to anamorphic widescreen.  You could go back into your image editor and add the black bars on the top & bottom of every title...  or you could make a single widescreen overlay, and layer it on each title through this application.  This may or may not be a time savings... depends on the image editor you're using.

jazzx:

And the ability to effectively change the framerate if you're not happy is another huge time saver - what a bonus! No more laborious copying and renaming of files (am I right? I haven't played with this feature yet either).

The frame rate conversion was intended primarily for situations where you designed your animation at a rate other than The Movies' 10 fps.

This will let you make an animation in, say, Macromedia Flash at 30 fps.  For a high-res version of the film, you'll keep this rate.  But for exporting in The Movies, it lets you indicate the source rate was at 30 fps.  It will export at the choppier 10 fps, but at least it'll run at the correct speed.

 

General Update:

I'm fixing a few minor issues, and may be adding a few small features (as requested by BiggsTrek).  There should be an update tomorrow night.

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Riley Entertainment Website - Movies, Mods, and Modding Applications!
Riley Entertainment on TMU

rileyman:

jazzx:

I've not played with the "layers" thing yet - I used layers in my paint program to create the overlays (Paint.net - superb well-supported free program). But I can't quite see how layers are relevant to this program (I'm sure they are, I just need educating).

The best example of using layers is probably the image you see in the help file, under Compositing New Images.  Those who've gone through building animated actor props will see the immediate benefit.  To build such a prop, you normally have to open a half-dozen clothing textures into an image editing application, and then align and layer them properly.  This application streamlines that process.

It could be used in certain circumstances for overlays as well.  Imagine you've made your opening titles, and then realize you'd like to change the aspect ratio of your film to anamorphic widescreen.  You could go back into your image editor and add the black bars on the top & bottom of every title...  or you could make a single widescreen overlay, and layer it on each title through this application.  This may or may not be a time savings... depends on the image editor you're using.

jazzx:

And the ability to effectively change the framerate if you're not happy is another huge time saver - what a bonus! No more laborious copying and renaming of files (am I right? I haven't played with this feature yet either).

The frame rate conversion was intended primarily for situations where you designed your animation at a rate other than The Movies' 10 fps.

This will let you make an animation in, say, Macromedia Flash at 30 fps.  For a high-res version of the film, you'll keep this rate.  But for exporting in The Movies, it lets you indicate the source rate was at 30 fps.  It will export at the choppier 10 fps, but at least it'll run at the correct speed.

 

General Update:

I'm fixing a few minor issues, and may be adding a few small features (as requested by BiggsTrek).  There should be an update tomorrow night.

Great! That's what I consider support!

On your layers point. I'm wondering if you could have saved me 20 minutes.

My overlays were made at 1280 x 1024 resolution. Each is a black background with a red circular logo in the centre. So what I did when correcting the overlays was to widen the canvas (so it became 1820 x 1024 (16:9)) and black in the sides.

Are you saying that I could have created an 1820 x 1024 black background and merged it with my existing 1280 x 1024 overlays in your program?

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Just learned how to use it, and wow is it amazing. I love it. You should sell your applications

Great stuff. Saves me hell lot of time. As pookashells said it, YOUR GOD!

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Awesome

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jazzx:

Are you saying that I could have created an 1820 x 1024 black background and merged it with my existing 1280 x 1024 overlays in your program?

No -- unfortunately it wouldn't have helped in your case.  The layering process I use still requires the original images to be in the 16:9 aspect ratio.  It stretches the subsequent layers, not crops them.

My example might not have been the best...  Basically, it can be used for merging two overlays together into one.  Useful if you've already converted two overlays to DDS separately, and now want to combine them into a third.

Edit:  And thanks everyone.  Now start putting it to use.

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Riley Entertainment Website - Movies, Mods, and Modding Applications!
Riley Entertainment on TMU

Update - Version 0.91b

This update consists of the following enhancements and bug fixes:

• Images appear more crisp in the main viewer panel.
• When converting to DDS, the application now tests if any output files already exist. The user may choose to replace them, or cancel the conversion.
• Added an option in the View menu to enable or disable the alpha channel in the main viewer panel.
• Fixed a crash that occurred when clicking Convert to DDS with no image files chosen.
• Fixed a crash that occurred when switching back to Viewer mode, with no image files chosen, and the frame rate set at "No Animation".

Download the update here, or go to my web site here.  If you installed version 0.90b, this will replace it.

One person has reported problems with the application during startup.  I'm looking into the issue, and hope to solve it once I have some info back.

 

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Riley Entertainment Website - Movies, Mods, and Modding Applications!
Riley Entertainment on TMU