Simviation Forum - Non-transparent panel glass?

Jan 29^th, 2004 at 11:18am

Paul1033 Offline
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I've added this question to a previous post on the design forum... but I think `Scenery & Panel design` is more appropriate... so sorry for repeating myself Roll Eyes

Could someone please tell me if there is a default pallet transparency colour for panel bitmaps, or does it have to be defined somehow in a cfg file?

I have re-textured a model of a Pitts Special that was designed for FS2002, but in FS2004 the cockpit panel has totally black window areas, although the gauges & dials appear in their respective `windows` on the panel.

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Reply #1 - Jan 29^th, 2004 at 10:03pm

Travis Offline
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Are you talking about the VC or the regular panel? If it is the VC, you can't change the transparency of that part because it was defined in the process of creating the model for the aircraft.

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Reply #2 - Jan 30^th, 2004 at 6:48am

Paul1033 Offline
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Thanks Ender Baron,

The virtual cockpit works fine, it`s the 2D panels that are all black where the glass is supposed to be. All the cockpit detail is there including the gauges (that work), I just can't see thru the window?

I've loaded the bitmap into Paintshop and checked the colour index, and it shows pallet register `0` for all the black areas. I know from previous experience that most bitmaps or PCX files use `0` as the default pallet transparency colour when used over a 3D background. So I'm a little confused as to why it's showing black? I've compared it to another panel from a working cockpit & that too shows `0` for it's transparent areas, so I've no idea why this one has no transparency?

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Reply #3 - Jan 30^th, 2004 at 2:06pm

Sam 400 Offline
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If your using CfgEdt then jet black 100% is transparant, but I have seen some where they use bright pink!! but just check that it is black and not slightly grey.
Sam 8)

Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a night. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.&&The harrier, Best british aviation! Ever!&&What I'm running on: FS2002 - WindowsXP home edit - emachines 270 - 23.5GB free memory of 40GB. And a new 15

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Reply #4 - Jan 30^th, 2004 at 4:12pm

Paul1033 Offline
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Thanks Sam,

I've checked the pallet registry values & they are:
R=0
G=0
B=0
It don't come no `blacker` than that Roll Eyes

not a hint of grey to be found lol!

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Reply #5 - Jan 31^st, 2004 at 10:07pm

Han Offline
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Most likely the file is not converted to 256 colors, or indexed if your working with Photoshop...

Pilots are the best computers we can put aboard aircraft, and the only ones that can be massproduced with unskilled labor..

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Reply #6 - Feb 2^nd, 2004 at 7:32pm

Paul1033 Offline
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Thanks HAN,

I checked that first... the file that came with the model (and doesn't work) is 16million colours... so I altered it to 256 with black being colour 0 in the index... needless to say that didn't fix the problem. So I resurected the 16m version & made it's colour 0 black... still no luck ???

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Reply #7 - Feb 3^rd, 2004 at 8:12pm

Han Offline
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hmmm...Some graphic programs have a tendency not to allow you to alter a color in the colorswatch when it's an indexed file. Sometimes (Photoshop) you have to replace a color before it takes on a new color in the swatch. Otherwise have you got a link to that offending bitmap..? Or maybe check if it's a really old file if the upper left hand corner has a color pixel that shouldn't be there, meaning make it RGB 0. That was an old trick used during FS2000 (I think) to get some vidcards to display the bitmap that might cause the problems now...

Pilots are the best computers we can put aboard aircraft, and the only ones that can be massproduced with unskilled labor..

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Reply #8 - Feb 4^th, 2004 at 7:50am