DCArt posted at 5:28 PM Sun, 5 February 2023 - #2977128

Ok old timers. Put on your thinking caps!

Does anyone remember what utility was used to convert BUM maps to either JPG or PNG?

I'm updating an old runtime and there are a handful of BUM bump maps in there. 

You can still use .BUM files in Firefly in later Poser versions by plugging them into the gradient bump socket on the Poser surface node.

The IrfanView method for converting .BUM to .BMP will produce a coloured map which is more like a variety of normal map than a greyscale bump map. It may 'sort of' work in some circumstances but won't be strictly correct. There isn't an easy way to deconvert BUM maps, although I have a vague memory of someone posting a method which used Photoshop. If I can recover it I'll update this thread.

noxiart posted at 5:43 PM Sun, 5 February 2023 - #4455368

If I remeber correctly, I think Poser 5 also auto-converted .bum files into .jpg's?

Not quite, sorry. Poser 5 would convert RSR thumbnails into PNG, although that feature was eventually dropped - can't remember at exactly which version.