As posted the other day, I created some mat files in P4 Pro Pack, and asked a P4 user to test them for me. The shrugging man icon appeared rather than the thumbnail for the pose. Several folks suggested I use RSR converter to convert a saved PCT file to an RSR. I tried converting the PPP PNG file to a PCT in both Photoshop and PSP7 ( making sure the alpha channel was saved). I also tried applying the mat file in Poser and exporting as a PCT file. In both cases, RSR converter gave me an eror message saying it could not open the file. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? I finally worked around the problem by installing straight P4 in another directory and having it create the RSR file, but it seems there must be a better way. Thanks, Spectre

The alpha channel is only needed when saving a png file for use in PPP. I use PSP 7, make sure you save it as Macitosh PICT (.pct) and the image is 91x91 pixels.

If you have P4 in the same metacreations (or CL )subdirectory as PPP you can use the same props, characters, etc. It takes up less than 100MB and it makes troubleshooting certain problems (like the one you have) easy. I seldom wish to go back to P4 but there are times when it is nice. I wouldn't consider it a work around anymore than having someone beta items on the MAC when I run and develop on the PC version of the software.

Are there any suggestions for what we Mac users should do when we get a .png file instead of a .rsr file in a download? My copy of MartinC's MacConverter doesn't convert .png files. Is there an update to MacConverter that WOULD convert them? Or is there a procedure we should go through on the Mac? Would loading the .png into Photoshop and resaving as a PICT file, and then re-naming it to a .rsr file work? - JimX

No, it wouldn't... Maconverter never tried to convert any pictures, simply because this is something that other utilities handle much more professional - especially GraphicConverter. However, if I ever get around to do Maconverter 2, it will probably contain some "Un-ProPrack" features like this... :-) GraphicConverter can actually edit Poser thumbnails, just set the input file selector to "PICT from Resource", and it lets you open any library file. You can edit it any way you like, including the alpha channel (it is used as a mask for the ".rsr" based thumbnails as well). If you finally select "Save" it will be saved back directly into the library file. Unfortunately, you can't create a new Poser thumbnail this way, so the only workaround would be to - paste in a generic thumbnail with ResEdit - open it in GraphicConverter - replace it with the .png content - save it back Not much good for batch conversions, I guess...

There is an even easier way, using that wonderful tool P3DO Explorer. - It will convert .rsr thumbnails to png and vice-versa. In the next release they will even have BATCH conversion so you can create .rsr's or png's for a whole folder at once! It is now so easy to have both that I am including both with all my new submissions.