When I click on one of the 2 .exe files I get this message: "MSVCR71.dll missing"

Should I replace or add the 'Fram1.py' you posted here with the Frame1.pyc?

Should I add this 'units_extractor.py' you posted to the program? Is it possible put it in via wordpad?

[This message has been edited by Tearion (edited 05-08-2005 @ 01:43 PM).]

Thx for testing,
I've try to fix this Problem, its only since Python2.4 bevor it was msvcrt.dll.
This DLL is includet in most Apps you can install Microsofts NET.Framework
or downlod the DLL and put it in %WINDIR%\SYSTEM32\ or to the units_extractor.exe

download: msvcr71.dll

I've updated the Tool to Version 0.61.

1. fixed ico path problem
   
2. compiled with new wxPython2.6
   
3. no Console window more
   

Yes you can open *.py files with a simple Text-editor (usefull if it has Python-syntax highlighting)
But you need Python as Interpreter and additional for my script PIL,wxPython

Hi Firegolem,

This sounds like a very useful and needed addition to the ILBEditor!

I know I could of certainly used it when working on my mod and still will. I haven't tried it yet but plan to soon.

Thanks.

Kirky

I downloaded msvcr71.dll and then I downloaded python-2.4.1.msi, PIL-1.1.5.win32-py2.4 and wxPython2.5-win32-ansi-2.5.5.1-py23.

Should I add Frame1.py, units_extractor.py to Frame1.pyc, units_extractor.pyc? Or make them standalone?

[This message has been edited by Tearion (edited 05-09-2005 @ 10:59 AM).]

I added new Frame1.py and units_extractor.py direct in the program folder. Should Frame1.py be in lib? btw should I extract lib.zip?

When I'm saving wolf.png as bmp 8 bit it saves as one png file. Also I can't open spellicons.png, the size is not proper it says

Always when I start the program it says: "Failed to load icon from file: 'c:/Phyton24/Lib/site-packages/boa-constructor/Images/Icons/C ollection.ico'(Error2 cant find file)"

Is the black window 'command' supposed to be there when I have the program going?

[This message has been edited by Tearion (edited 05-09-2005 @ 02:11 PM).]

Quote:

1. Ok, if you has this all, then you dont need the tool .exe more(any longer).
   
2. The Scripts/Tool do not need a specified directory.
   
3. You dont need open the libary.zip (it's only for the exe).
   
4. *.pyc are compiled scripts, you can't edit any longer.(but executing)
   
5. Now are you ready for programming!?
   
6. You can start a script by double clicking, or open it with the includet Python editor and run it (with F5 i think )
   
7. You can change the ending(extend) from "units_extractor.py" in *.pyw
   Frame1.py is only a Modul for units_extractor with the GUI information.(at beginning but then I in-added everything)

   Quote:

   When I'm saving wolf.png as bmp 8 bit it saves as one png file.

   
   I'm not at my home yet. I see another fundamental bug (only in the exe).
   I've imported in line 19 the wrong ImagePlugin
   Not Jpeg but it must call BmpImagePlugin.

   Quote:

   Is the black window 'command' supposed to be there when I have the program going?

   
   
8. I've removed this window in version 0.61, but i think for testing I add it again (in next version).
   

   Quote:

   Also I can't open spellicons.png, the size is not proper it says

   
   
9. I will see to support this. If you not want wait, this funktion is at line 99, it generate automaticly the size of each frame as "p". Change "p" to the framesize from the spellicons. I think i make this value editable(and/or better auto analysis) in the GUI. I will add later more #Documentation.

For the next Version I found a way to make the Tool much smaller.

[This message has been edited by firegolem (edited 05-10-2005 @ 06:29 PM).]

Quote:

Do you mean the units_extractor.exe?

[This message has been edited by Tearion (edited 05-10-2005 @ 06:46 PM).]

I mean units_extractor.exe , i think w9xpopen.exe is the console window and only a helper exe.
I wanted to actually make a linkage.

Ok, next Question please...

[This message has been edited by firegolem (edited 05-10-2005 @ 06:41 PM).]

I know now where to write the script then but not how to script..

something else I want to know if you can make this script also for photoshop?

pspscript reduce image size[/ol]. If you make it should I use Python to put in the script into the adobe photoshop image? or link it somehow?

mine is: the_jonathan at msn dot com, cant you download msn?

Is it possible to resize the AllinOne.png in Photoshop?

I need to sleep now, good night

[This message has been edited by Tearion (edited 05-10-2005 @ 07:16 PM).]

Yes, but you dont needed any more. You can resize the AllinOne.png once. And than you can use my/this Tool.
I think Adobe used Javascript for batch-macros.

[This message has been edited by firegolem (edited 08-07-2005 @ 04:59 PM).]

Update released from 0.61 to Version 0.67b. look post Top
1. fixed the SaveAs image format optionen
   
2. fixed BmpImagePlugin bug
   
3. added a FileHistory
   
4. much more flexibly for SourceImages
   added a editable FrameCount as InputControlBox.
   
5. fixed double renaming no longer possible
   

Sorry my mistake the link to v 0.61b was the same to 0.6.
At present time is no support for the SpellIcons!

Because of request/requirement, I've updated my "patch-tool"-(v.80). The UEx-tool now including the (promised) Civilization3-flc unit script from the patch work. (It's late but better than never.)

Little instruction:
Put all *.flc files (from one unit) in a folder.
If more Attack-variants(or somewhat), you must remove the not preferred from the folder. To open this folder (with UEx ) choose Menu-Dir-Open Dir(FLC Civ3).
But unfortunately the script can't extract yet the correct palette. So you must use another tool for that(FLCster,Xnview,Gimp...).
(think I could fix this later) And than load the palette in the UEx-tool.

It are 3 options available to exporting:

1. convert(normal) - The alpha channel partial to shadow converted.
   
2. alpha-mask - The image is split in two. This option is preferred for water(alpha) or air(shadow) units.
   
3. nothing - The image is exported as it appears with nothing changed.
   

I want also don't forget to mention the instructions of (one of the outrider) Kirky Picardo.

Here is also a PaintShop-macro psp_alpha_script, but I can't give instruction more.
HTH

regards

~FireGolem

[This message has been edited by firegolem (edited 12-10-2005 @ 11:00 PM).]

Firegolem!

First of all I just want to say it's nice to see you posting again. This addon sounds like it may be very useful for some peeps here!

Also, I do want to let you know I have always appreciated the work you have done in the modding community here. I still remember back when I was working on the BNW mod and saw the units you posted in PawelS' Infinity ILBs column that you had re-colored. They were very inspirational to me as they really demonstrated what could be done with the UGPM tools. Later when you made the scripts available, by studying them a bit I was able to refine my coloring techniques from just sliding bars around hoping to get lucky (hehe), to a much more efficient method!

Finally, I am sorry we didn't get to work together on the LOTR project, as I was looking forward to this. However, I will make sure to give you credit for the idea!

Kirky

Hello Kirky!

Thx, for the kindly welcoming and appreciation.

Quoted from Kirky Picardo:

I regret this too.

It very pleases me to hear, to have been an inspiration for your likewise exzellent modding/work.

Thanks.

Hello, our beloved graphic masters!

I have recently tried your stuff to convert units designed for civ3 mods. I have not tried the python sources that Firegolem sent me via private email, but I have somehow followed Kirky's instructions about pic conversion and I achieved some results. I have also tried UEx, but I have not managed to get working results yet.

I think the most important fact to take into account for civ3 conversions is the flic palette. The manual method that Kirky suggested ends up with a very limited palette and no alpha blending, so the final result is poor. The actual number of colors is less than 50, while the flicster palette uses all 255. This means you lose information in the conversion process.

Yesterday I tried one of the biggest human units found on civ3 fanatics. I had the PCX -> BMP conversion done by PSP and not the easy graphic converter, then turned it into two sequences of BMP to which I applied the two palettes created by flicster (alpha and mask), edited with notepad. The mask palette had the last 32 colors replaced with magenta (the background color), while the alpha palette had all but the last 32 colors replaced by magenta, plus entry 255 replaced by magenta again. After applying the palette to the image with the "replace index" method, I reapplied it with the "nearest match" method in order to assign the background entry to all magenta pixels. Then I could import all pics into two separate ILBs with an ILS script.

The process was long in fact (I had the time to wash all the dishes while PSP was converting one batch of images), but the result was a high-quality unit with the civ3 shade still visible and alpha-blended with the background. The AoW image quality is equal to that displayed by flicster with alpha blend option turned on. Once I have mastered it, the whole process can take no longer than half an hour per ILB. Moreover, there are cmd-line utilities that I used back in the 90's that can perform all this very quickly without bothering to install PaintShop Pro.

I suspect that one single palette can be used for ALL alpha masks. Similarly, text-editing the palette made by flicster is enough to have a palette that guarantees there is no color information loss in all animations.

Does Firegolem's program, which I have not yet been able to use, do something similar? I think the main difference is that it works with ILB-Editor, so it uses a "storyboard" picture to convert images to ILBs, while I prefer working with standard ILBEdit and lots of BMPs.

Hello RosenMcStern.

At first thanks for the feedback!
Yes, my script also does change in the pallete only the last 32 places.

Quoted from RosenMcStern :

Has you get an error-message? Has you reach a "storyboard" picture? If you can using my tool, you can convert an unit to ILB under 5 minutes.
If you has a "storyboard" picture with UEx you can (easy) split it to his single frames.
But you need change/enrol the correct numbers of animation-sequences(lenght). But rarely, because it identify all automatically.(You can load a name-list too)
So I prefer using "storyboard" picture!

-I found also a bug in UEx-v0.80. If you change another shadow/alpha-color didn't work correctly.(e.g. needed for turtle-ship)

If more/any question/request, the UEx-tool is still under support.

@appreciation
I got my first inspiration from Climber-mod, 100units-mod, Dhuval and elementally from PawelS.

[edit] detailed Civ3 instruction:v0.80 (I recognize a bit none intuitiv).
- All picture-files become overwrite without questioning!

1. After exporting the Civ3-unit the "storyboard" picture lies in the same Civ3-folder. (each frame become equilateral, see further below)
   
2. Now this picture must load again (Open Image or Button[Check]).
   
3. Then choose/correct the Image-Size in pixel or frame numbers. (the automatic identification is still not perfect) This values are also displayed in the console-window. (Ok this is a weakness, I could have automated this feature/step from step 1.)
   - Still only "storyboard" picture with equilateral frames are supported.
   
4. Now the Button[Check] must appear (automatic) as red Button[Start]
   (Index List no change will need)
   
5. Finally click the Button hope there!
   

I think I will fix all points on step 3. and complete automate the others

[This message has been edited by firegolem (edited 12-14-2005 @ 08:18 AM).]

Greetings Firegolem and RosenMcStern!

Well just dropped in to say I briefly tried this program a bit ago and it worked great! The bmps all got put in a folder and there was an all in one image created as well. I haven't fully explored all the options but I certainly will do so next time I am converting a civ unit and would recommend others use this as well.

As far as getting a "poor conversion" using easy graphic converts goes, I don't know I would agree with that. I believe the palettes created this way do contain all the colors used in the actual graphic itself. They just don't include colors not used or place identical colors in multiple indexes. So I can't see why this would lead to a poor conversion and in fact, I don't believe it does. However, I do agree that having seperate alpha images of the shadows will definately improve the quality of the graphic, and will do so in the game where it counts and not just some preview window. This is a very good idea!

Kirky

[This message has been edited by Kirky Picardo (edited 12-14-2005 @ 09:08 PM).]

Quote:

OTOH, I am still unable to obtain a correct result with UEdit. Maybe it is because I still work with ILEd, which is basically - DEVs vforgive me - a collection of bugs with a .exe extension?

Quote:

Alas, Kirky, it does, indeed! In your instructions, that I followed strictly in my first tries, you suggest to use a palette grabbed from the first frame and apply it to all frames. But the palette used in this case has all the colors needed for that frame, not the entire animation. This is a limitation of EasyGC, that arbitrarily deletes colors not used for that particular image, even though they are present in the PCX palette. So if other frames use the "deleted" colors, the process of applying the new palette will decrease the color variability. When I started to use PSP to make the PCX->BMP conversion, telling PSP to use a Flicster-generated palette and not the palette that EasyGC had created for the first frame, the number of colors available to the frames increased significantly, allowing a better quality of the image. But at the cost of 15 minutes per ILB created: PSP is much slower than EasYGC...

I googled for a better program than EasyGC, and found this one: http://www.xnview.com/. It does not cause color information loss when converting PCX to BMP, so it is possible that my problem is solved. It has much more options than EasyGC, so it is possible that it can allow me to bypass using PSP, which is not freeware, BTW.....

This problem is clearly bypassed by using the all-in-one picture, too.

Quote:

Frex, this was done for the Turtle Transport in 1.4, but not for the Dragon Turtle in your mod. It can make the difference between a good unit and a superb one.

[This message has been edited by RosenMcStern (edited 12-15-2005 @ 08:06 AM).]

Hi RosenMcStern,

Well thanks for the lecture. I am sorry my post on converting civ units doesn't create "superb" units. When I first started doing this it was just a way I came up with that I thought might be helpful to others. Of course what you think is superb and what I think is are not the same.

I have to admit I wonder why you feel the need to point out something like the dragon turtle in my mod and what was or wasn't done to it. I have seen the units in the Age of Glorantha mod but don't feel any need to comment on them.

I dont know what Frex means by the way.

Kirky

Do not take offense, Kirky. The units in the BNW are by far the best in graphic quality that have been released so far, as the general consensus says. I am not totally satisfied with the graph quality of the units that are produced by applying your process to CIV animations, but as you may have seen I have included such units, like the allosaur, in my mod. Not perfect but it works fine. Now that I have discovered a better way I think some of the old stuff must be improved.

If you had not posted the complete instructions to convert the animations, I could not have found out a better way to extract the full palette, so the credit for the whole thing must go to you. I regret not reading your tutorial more carefully months ago, when you posted it. The turtle in 1.4 is better than the one in BNW because the sinking animation is alpha-blended, but at the time you created BNW no one had possibly figured out the alpha-mask trick needed for the conversion. This ILB could use a rework once 1.4 has showed us all that it can be done. If you do not want to upgrade the ILB yourself, I'll certainly do it for Age of Glorantha 2. As you may have noticed, I have set up a thread in this forum in order to avoid doing the same thing someone else has already done. The principle is "If someone has already done it, and is willing to share, I want to know it". I hope you will participate in the process.

Frex is a very dumb expression for "For example", if I remember my English. But it has been a long time since I took my last course, so maybe I am wrong.

And as for the need to comment, I appreciate negative comments almost as much as I appreciate positive ones. Have a look at the relative rating of our mods in the download section. I have a 5.0 while you have a 4.9. Do you think it reflects the actual quality of the mods? I do not think so. It is just that I got only one rating and you got 8. I regret not getting some non-positive comments, they help improving one's work.

I just wanted to drop by and thank Golem for this tool, which I am now about to try...since I can't seem to sleep

Well, I must be too tired, because I although I downloaded the missing file (Tearion mentioned it), I can't get any units to "start." I just get the "check" option. I'll try again later.

The tool looks really promising, though

bj

[This message has been edited by The_Stranger (edited 12-15-2005 @ 02:03 PM).]

Thanks Kirky for the approve.

Quoted from RosenMcStern:

I can only conclude from your description that it is caused by wxWidget.
I'll in the next version recompile EUx with a new wxWidget version 2.6.2.

Thanks

Firegolem,

if you would be so good, I would like you to help me use this tool. It looks beautiful but I cannot get it to work for me. This is probably because I don't understand it. So, can you help me understand it?

I have, for example, four flc files for a Bombard Cannon taken from the Civ Fanatics site. I click your U_EX icon and then load one of the flc files, like Death, into the image_source_path location. I then click "start" but get a message: Index Error: list index out of range. I have tried other units but cannot even start them. Instead of the red "start" button, I only see "check." I probably am missing something very basic. Can I be helped? I mean in this matter, not generally speaking...

Regards,

bj

Edit: Actually, would someone kindly write a tutorial on how to use this utility?

EDit2: It's a pity that the Climber ilb thread has expired. He deserves some thanks for writing it. Thank you for the link Golem.

[This message has been edited by The_Stranger (edited 12-15-2005 @ 11:24 PM).]

Thanks you Stranger for the statement(and lacking using).

Yes I want to make the operation as simple, as possible.
The more feedback, all the more better for all using. (was this english? )
Well I'll write a tutorial.

I do not worked some time on the Tool. The Civ3 feature is only a secondary function, which I added only quick later.
You are right, the single Open Image not worked for flc. I'll fix that!
You can only open a Dir - FLC (So you must/can put, as many FLCs you want in this folder, with automatic right name detection)
HTH first time.

Perhaps I can Sunday release a new version.

[This message has been edited by firegolem (edited 12-16-2005 @ 04:03 PM).]

Thanks for the quick reply and your good work, Golem, and I look forward to seeing an updated version. And yes, I think that sentence was English, albeit a creative kind

Thanks again,

BJ

The new version 0.81 is released.
The tutorial is still missing, but you can read a help-text (with mouse)over each (function)control/button.
Not all promised changes are accomplished, but the important are. For more read the ChangeLog.txt.

Not fulfilled are:
- inequilateral frames in "storyboard"-picture (I've no unit seen that it need, perhaps resized units with PawelS ugpm-tool)
- full-automatic Civ3 export-step (I let separated the "storyboard"-picture export-step)

Adding secondary feature:
I know PawelS(can be some more) has used the Multi-Grab(Mode) method for importing frames (in the ILEd). I don't used this and don't know the advantages. But I can easy implement this feature, if any request!? (By adding a option to all "storyboard"-pictures with "frames in border")

@The_Stranger
If you notwithstanding fail. You can send me the unit(or the place). Perhaps I can reproduce the fault (or find another solution ). Be sure you read post 12 & 16!?

[This message has been edited by firegolem (edited 12-19-2005 @ 10:39 PM).]

Golem,

It's working like a charm! Thank you for the extra work you put in I'm very happy to finally be able to do this

Regards,

BJ

Firegolem, I had the time to test your program at last. And it works! I could load the palette I needed and convert the civ3 units!

Two questions left:

a) The conversion method I used to convert "by hand" (modified version of Kirky's) implies two palette changes, the first in "keep indexes" mode, the second in "match nearest" mode. This deletes the shade and border of the civ3 unit, and allows the creation of a second ILB that is superimposed at runtime with alpha-blend option (if you want a high-quality figure). Is it possible to emulate this with your program? I see the two options are both there in the "load palette" box, but I need both at the same time, not either one or the other!

b) The names of the BMP files do not allow usage of an ILS. How can I generate files with the XyzAttack.1.001.bmp format?

Thanx and nice work, Golem!

Hi guys,

I downloaded this program ages ago but only now I took a look into those Civ forums with all those cool units which can be converted to AoW (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=22289, and played with FireGolem's program a bit.

Since I am kinda new to Mod making, I was wondering what do I need to know (in detail) to convert those to AoW, and why?

By RosenMcStern post, I could ask:

1) palette basics? What does indexes mean, or that match nearest?

2) About "allows the creation of a second ILB that is superimposed at runtime with alpha-blend option (if you want a high-quality figure)" - what is alpha blend?

3) Do direct 3d alters image of units in-game in some way?

sorry for my mod making noobness :-X
Merkraad.

Hi Merkraad

After a recent discussion with Kirky Picardo, I realized that the nice effect of converting the shade and border of a civ3 unit only shows in the editor, or in seagoing units. A land unit's shade, if realized so, does not show "blended" with the background like a ship (or the UPatch sea monster). So forget all I said about alpha blending: AFAIK, it does not work in fact.

Also take into account that most civ3 units are too small for AoW2 and need be enlarged, but doing this decreases the visual quality of the ILB. I suggest that you try the recent VerminLord/KeeperOfSecret series by Aaglo first, since it is more compatible with AoW size. Or that you wait till I release my mod, that will include a conversion of some 100+ civ units

I found problems with blended ILBs on the world map with some ATI video cards, which were caused by Direct3D. Since you are not going to use blended ILBs (are you?), this should not worry you.

About land unit shade, what does it look like in-game if it's not 'blended' like you said? And it does 'work'in AoWSM Editor?

I'll take a look into those 'VerminLord/KeeperOfSecret series by Aaglo' though you didn't post a link, I took a link at the Kirky Picardo thread which has one

When will your mod be released? And what will it be like, any existing fantasy setting or?

Anyways I will wait so that I actually make an ILB, before making more questions... heh. I just toyed with things so far, I got the tutorial from Climber to make ILB's and Kirky's tutorial on converting Civ unit, I am just scared (can we mark those in a more BIG way to help noob Mod makers like me?!?!)

You asked if I was gonna use blended ILB's, well, is there an advantage in that?

One question: in UGPM_gui.exe, I noticed that some Unit (can't recall right now) had an ILB 'mask' for it, what would that be for?

Merkraad.

Hi guys,

Yeah, I'm back for a little while I hope. I haven't read all the posts yet, but if there is something I can help with to fix bugs in ILBEditor or help in any way ... let me know, I will try to do so in the coming weeks.

HamletG

Welcome back Hamletg!

If you have time, can you make the ILBEditor read all types of ILB files? It crashes when I try to open certain ILB files (not unit ILB files) and I don't know what the reason could be!

Hi,

If you can just remember or give me few filenames of such "bad behaving" ILBs ;-) it would help me to find those.

If those ILBs are not originally in AOW, you can send them at ilbeditor@hamletg.com, so I can check what's wrong.

Cheers

Welcome back HamletG. Is there a chance for a new version of the UGPM_gui? I mean fixing the transparent unit bug, and adding new features from my unfinished and unreleased (but used in patch 1.4) ugpm 1.5 - resizing and changing the transparency. I can send you the latest version of my code if you are interested.

[This message has been edited by PawelS (edited 06-09-2006 @ 06:22 PM).]

Hi PawelS,

Actually, I'm already working on a new version of UGPM_gui, since I have corrected few bugs in my library loading ILB files, updated to newer GUI library, etc. ... so yes, I'm interested in adding all the great new stuffs you and anybody else have to UGPM_gui ;-)

You will have to refresh my memory about this transparent unit problem, even better if you have ILBs where I can see the problem. I will still need a bit of time to get back in ILBEditor and UGPM_gui and see what you have done lately ;-) but I'm getting there.

HamletG

The transparet unit problem occurs when after recoloring one or more of the colors in the palette is the same as the background color, or similar to it. Such colors become transparent in the game, so 'holes' appear in the unit. This is fixed in UGPM 1.1 and 1.5.

To reproduce the problem, try to make an entire unit red (or any other color) by using the following code:

R 0 0 0 255
G 0 0 0 0
B 0 0 0 0

Instead of becoming red, the unit will become invisible in the game.

---

Let me know if you want me to send you my code and suggestions what to add to UGPM_gui.

[This message has been edited by PawelS (edited 06-13-2006 @ 07:00 PM).]

Hi,

Ok, thanks I remember now. I can think of ways to solve it, but it's better if I implement the one you used, so we keep the end result equivalent.

Yes sure, I would be happy to include your improvememts in UGPM_gui. And seeing the source code is of course of great helps.

You can send any ideas or improvements you made already either here or at ilbeditor@hamletg.com

BR,
HamletG

OK, I'll post my suggestions here when I have some time (I don't have much now, because I'm watching 3 soccer matches per day).

Hey, PawelS, I tried to email you some days ago, have you received my message?