Arma2 crash when loading cutsom textures

[Mrswedish 10]

Hey guys

Hope everything is good!

I have a problem I can´t solve.

I have made small changes to some textues in Arma2 from the source files.

I have used app-plugin in Photoshop, made my changes, converted them to

P3D files and tried to load them inside Arma2, and it just crashes.

I also tried to binarize it but it makes no difference.

I am using BI tools for my editing

http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/BI_Tools_2

For unpack the PBO files I use Pbo View, which seems to work fine (and was the only software I could find), I open the app files directly in photoshop (but I have also opened them in Textview 2 and there converted them to app /but it still crashes). In photopshop I make my changes and them pack the BinPBO.

After the files are finised I copy them into a new folder (copy of the original) and change the directionary in my shortcut to that one. But it still crashes.

Problem I have encountered:

The biniraize inside of BinPBO don´t work (then that software crashed), but I can binarize single files using right mouse button (a ms dos window pops up with a lot text flying by).

I am not sure if I am doing right when it comes to number of bitmaps when saving from phothoshop, maybe this corrupts the file.

Or the bitirize software is just useless, or it don´t work with Vista.

I don´t know, can anyone of you guys help?

Have you had problems with Arma2 crashes after editing?

[[aps]gnat 29]

Welcome Mrswedish

Your first problem is using the Photoshop plugin for PAA files, it doesnt work properly for ArmAII and creates problems.

BinPBO will generate a report - what is that report saying?

First problem with using BinPBO is the p3d files inside any Un-PBO file are going to be already Binarized, and BinPBO will not work properly. Its not "useless"

If you are modifing an original PBO, its likely youre going to have problems.

You also can't have the original in the BIS original Addons folder AND a copy in another folder, never going to work.

Addon makers tend to make "new" or extra versions of the same addon, not try to modify an original file.

[Mrswedish 10]

Thanks for the reply [APS]Gnat! I really appreciate it!!

Also sorry mate for the late reply, it has been alot of work lately.

Will try to respond to your question in order below:

First of, rodger, the photoshop plugin don´t work so good with Arma2.

Rdg, I´ll ret try use textview instead.

Secondly, the error message I get when I pack my file in BinPBO is this:

In english is simply say that "BinPBO has stoped working". This is when I also binarize (option marked)when I pack. But if I dont binarize when I pack it works fine.

Kind of strange.

Also I read in a guide, that you should never modify a original Arma2 PBO file, so usually i copy it, and use the copy to do the changes. And then paste it back in again. This leads to 4 questions thought (spare with me please sir).

I am a totall newbie to this, but I do appreciate your help.:)

1: When I have made my changed I pack them like this.

Meaning all the files in the unpacked PBO file, is packed once again in.

Is that right, or should I just pack the single paa file I modified?

2:After the PBO file have been packed I paste it back in its folder.

Meaning, I paste it in a FOLDER that is a COPY of the original folder.

Also in that folder, I relpace that orginal PBO file, with my edited PBO file.

Is that right?

3:In my shortcut [in this example I am modifying uniforms in the british para mod]. In my shortcut to that mod, I add the COPIED FOLDER to the target string. And take away the original folder. In this example I replace 16AA (which is the mod folder) with 16AAtest, which is a copy of that folder with my changes inside. Is that right way of doing it.

Note that the originall 16AA folder is still there (in my D:games/bohemia interactive/arma2 folder), but the desktop shortcut is derected to the 16AAtest folder in the target string, that might be a issue or is it that right way of doing it?

4.Also now suddenly my Arma2 doesen´t crash anymore, when trying to load with the steps above, the textures simply don´t show up! My character is white, and Arma2 is saying "Cant find texture file blah blah".

So can it have something to do with the stuff above?

Would be really gratefull for reply!

Best regards

MrSwedish

Edited April 12, 2010 by Mrswedish

[[aps]gnat 29]

Ok, I think this all originates from 1 problem. You are not using the "P" drive.

BIS tools start a P drive, the tools are designed to only use P drive.

I can see a P-drive in you directory.

All your ArmA projects should be stored there.

All your BIS tools, include BinPBO, need to reference the project path to P drive, not C or D drive.

Try this first.

[Mrswedish 10]

Thank you [APS]Gnat so much!!:bounce3:

It is working now! I totally forgot that I had to do it in the P drive!

Actually it works better for me to pack and unpack using PBOview rather then BinPBO, dont know why.

Once again thanks for the help and support mate! Really appreciate it!

Edited April 12, 2010 by Mrswedish

[[aps]gnat 29]

No problemo

.. it works better for me to pack and unpack using PBOview rather then BinPBO, dont know why.

Well, PBOView is just going to hide problems (it simply just makes a package), whereas BinPBO checks the various file details, binarizes (optimizes) the p3d models and makes a PBO (and gives you a report).

BTW, if the p3d's are already binarized, BinPBO will usually crash.

Good luck.

[Mrswedish 10]

Cheers [APS]Gnat, awesome help here:bounce3:.

Actually now when everything is working, I noticed on thing, I can see my textures ingame, but no one else can. How can I fix that?

I played with one player, and he had custom made textures and those were visable for everybody, but my were only visable for me.. What shold I do to get it fixed?

[[aps]gnat 29]

Unless other players also run a copy of your PBO, they only see default.

[Mrswedish 10]

Cheers mate for quick reply:)

Okey so they need a copy of my PBO, but I dont get it.

I had a player yesterday on our server, he had Canadian flaged gloves on him that his daughter had made for him in photoshop.

I could see them, but I had no file that he had given to me...

Also kind of sad when you been sleepless for two weeks trying to get textures working, only to find out when its working that no one can see them, but I guess thats typicall Arma..:p

Thanks again for the help, really appreciate it:bounce3:

[[aps]gnat 29]

If you are talking custom textures on players (face, sleeves etc) in MP (and some custom sounds), then yes, those textures are passed from player to server, then to all other players.

Hence then you can see his textures.

But, that only happens for face/skin textures.

Nothing else transfers.

Addons have to be distributed.

[Mrswedish 10]

Thanks again mate for the reply:).

Okey so face/skin transfers to multiplayer through selection in the edit-profile-faces option in the game interface I guess then.

Okey making addons have to be distrubuted to become visable, rodger mate.

I guess what he did was to paint the canadian flag on the hands skin texture making them apperar as gloves.

Thanks so much for all this patient replies, and I also hope the thread above can help more new addon makers in the future.

Yours

MrSwedish