Builder errors for textures

Tig

<div class="IPBDescription">NEED HELP!</div>i'm having trouble making my skymap dds materials. builder is giving me this error:
<b>The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.</b>

filenames:
starfield_bak.psd
starfield_bot.psd
starfield_frn.psd
starfield_lft.psd
starfield_rgt.psd
starfield_top.psd

all are 1024 x 1024, 8 bit, RGB all made in PS CS5.

any suggestions?

here's my builder output:
<!--sizeo:1--><span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><i>Rebuilding...
1> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\starfield_bak.dds
2> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\starfield_bot.dds
3> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\starfield_frn.dds
4> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\starfield_lft.dds
1> The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
1> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\starfield_rgt.dds
3> The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
3> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\starfield_top.dds
2> The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
4> The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
1> The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
3> The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Build complete (0 seconds)
0 succeeded, 6 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped
</i><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->

Kouji_San

Not sure about this one, but I don't think the builder allows you to write to the materials root folder. This is probably to counter duplicate files. For instance, if I were to create a skybox texture with the same name and location as you're using, there would be a conflict


The best thing you can use in terms of folder structure to negate this problem is by using your map name. In your case it would be:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\<b>ns2_skyfalls</b>\starfield_bak.dds"

Or another name like tigtextures or something :P Also your source folder isn't the same as the output folder, I assume? (<i>just asking</i>)


One more thing, you might also want to put you material files in the source folders. Builder will copy those over for you as well.

Tig

<!--quoteo(post=1812555:date=Dec 2 2010, 02:58 PM:name=Kouji_San)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kouji_San @ Dec 2 2010, 02:58 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1812555"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\<b>ns2_skyfalls</b>\starfield_bak.dds"<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<!--sizeo:1--><span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><i>Rebuilding...
1> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\ns2_skyfalls\starfield_bak.dds
2> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\ns2_skyfalls\starfield_bot.dds
3> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\ns2_skyfalls\starfield_frn.dds
4> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\ns2_skyfalls\starfield_lft.dds
1> The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
2> The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
3> The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
1> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\ns2_skyfalls\starfield_rgt.dds
3> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2\ns2\materials\ns2_skyfalls\starfield_top.dds
4> The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
1> The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
3> The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Build complete (1 second)
0 succeeded, 6 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped</i><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->

i don't think it's the directory name, builder was able to recreate the ns2_skyfalls folder under the ...ns2\materials directory.

any other suggestions?

Kouji_San

Well judging from the error message, there is either something wrong with the filename/dir name or volume label Maybe try renaming the files as you already tried a directory change... We need a Max in here :P

Tig

<!--quoteo(post=1812576:date=Dec 2 2010, 04:51 PM:name=Kouji_San)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kouji_San @ Dec 2 2010, 04:51 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1812576"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well judging from the error message, there is either something wrong with the filename/dir name or volume label Maybe try renaming the files as you already tried a directory change... We need a Max in here :P<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I tried taking out the underscores in the filename even though breadman had underscores in his, but it didn't work. i pm'd breadman, i'll let you know what he says when he says it.

are you having trouble making a custom texture in the latest builder?

Kouji_San

Haven't tried textures in a longtime (I'll try to set up one as I type this), but my model kinda works, but the collada is messed up so it doesn't compile. I'm now in Blender trying to make sense of that weird interface...


->
Same problem here, the material file and directory are being copied/created. But the *.psd file is not being converted into a *.dds. I also tried converting it myself with the photoshop plugin, it doesn't copy over the *.dds either

Tig

<!--quoteo(post=1812584:date=Dec 2 2010, 05:00 PM:name=Kouji_San)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kouji_San @ Dec 2 2010, 05:00 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1812584"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Haven't tried textures in a longtime (I'll try to set up one as I type this), but my model kinda works, but the collada is messed up so it doesn't compile. I'm now in Blender trying to make sense of that weird interface...


->
Same problem here, the material file and directory are being copied/created. But the *.psd file is not being converted into a *.dds. I also tried converting it myself with the photoshop plugin, it doesn't copy over the *.dds either<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

cool, as long as it wasn't something i was doing wrong. must be a bug. go go 157!

Kouji_San

Manually converting the textures using <a href="http://developer.nvidia.com/object/photoshop_dds_plugins.html" target="_blank">Nvidia's dds plug-in</a> (save as DX1 no alpha) should work though. Since you only need a "texture" material, the others (illum, bump and such) get funky if you're not using the correct settings. This is where the Builder is a handy tool...

With the following for each dds file's .material file alongside
<!--c1--><div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain'><!--ec1--><material>

    <maps>
    <map type="texture" value="materials/ns2_skyfalls/yourfiles.dds" />
    </maps>

</material><!--c2--></div><!--ec2-->

Tig

<!--quoteo(post=1812592:date=Dec 2 2010, 05:21 PM:name=Kouji_San)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kouji_San @ Dec 2 2010, 05:21 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1812592"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Manually converting the textures using <a href="http://developer.nvidia.com/object/photoshop_dds_plugins.html" target="_blank">Nvidia's dds plug-in</a> (save as DX1 no alpha) should work though. Since you only need a "texture" material, the others (illum, bump and such) get funky if you're not using the correct settings. This is where the Builder is a handy tool...

With the following for each dds file's .material file alongside
<!--c1--><div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain'><!--ec1--><material>

    <maps>
    <map type="texture" value="materials/ns2_skyfalls/yourfiles.dds" />
    </maps>

</material><!--c2--></div><!--ec2--><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

blah, i can't get the pshop save as to work, the .dds doesn't appear in my list. i tried both versions of the plugin... :(

Tig

so after some more web research, i found that the nvidia pshop plugin only works for the 32 bit version, and is not supported for 64bit pshop. i fired up pshop 32bit and it worked just fine. ended up saving as DXT3 ARGB 8 bpp | explicit alpha (just took a guess there cuz the guidelines said 8bit and i've seen alpha in textures.)

so now i have 6 .dds files and 6 material files, but i can't get them to work in the cinematic editor, i can't create the skybox. on top of that, i can't even recreate the industrial tram skybox from scratch using the tutorial and the already pre-existing 6 skybox texture files.

so if i can't recreate a skybox using the files that come with ns2, then i must assume that this process is broken, which is REALLY frustrating because i don't want to use the tram skybox as it doesn't fit my map and just leaving the sky black also looks odd.

i think we need a MAX in here.

Kouji_San

That's odd, I can actually use them... Try and save the file then reopen it, then it should work. It seems it's not working in realtime.

I still think it has to be "DXT1 RGB 4bpp | no alpha" though

I've send a PM to Max, maybe he can clear things up if he has the time :P

Tig

<!--quoteo(post=1813057:date=Dec 3 2010, 06:14 PM:name=Kouji_San)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kouji_San @ Dec 3 2010, 06:14 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1813057"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->That's odd, I can actually use them... Try and save the file then reopen it, then it should work. It seems it's not working in realtime.

I still think it has to be "DXT1 RGB 4bpp | no alpha" though

I've send a PM to Max, maybe he can clear things up if he has the time :P<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

good looks kouji. you are correct. now i have all teal and purple checkerboards.. must mean the .dds is in the wrong format?

EDIT: I just changed it to dxt1 rgb 4bpp no alpha and i still get purple and teal checkerboards.

EDIT 2: QQ.

MasterG

I'm using dxt5 when saving my .dds files and it works great. I've had checkers too, but then I discovered the .material file was all wrong :p

Tig

<!--quoteo(post=1813164:date=Dec 3 2010, 11:55 PM:name=Kabelen)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kabelen @ Dec 3 2010, 11:55 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1813164"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'm using dxt5 when saving my .dds files and it works great. I've had checkers too, but then I discovered the .material file was all wrong :p<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

quick update for everyone: kabelen had it right. turns out my material file paths were wrong cuz i switched my folder to materials/ns2_skyfalls. using dxt5 and the correct path, i was able to successfully get my skybox to work.

not sure if it was necessary to use dxt5 over one of the other ones, but that one worked, so that's the one i'll use from now on.

Thanks Kabelen and Kouji!