I have a problem with some of my thumbnails. I purchased and installed the cocktail dress collections from Daz. The thumbnails show only as ghosts (no detils at all). I was told that if I use RSR Converter I could correct this issue. Well, I've downloaded RSR Converter, followed the directions, ie, rendered an image of the dress, exported it as a 600X600 pixel .pic file. Loaded the file in photoshop, inverted the alpha channel (I assume this means just make it into a negative image, actually, I've tried this both ways), resize it to 91X91 pixels, saved and run it through the RSR converter. Well, it doesn't work. Now, I'm using the Pro Pack and I've seen suggestions somewhere in this list RSR files are not used in the Pro Pack. Well, I've tried creating a new PNG file too without success. What am I doing wrong and does anyone have a solution?

heyas; open the dress, and position the lights and camera to take a nice 'snapshot' of it. turn on texture preview mode if you want to see the textures. if it has transparency, or if you want more details you can also render it and paste it to the background. (if you do THAT, then you should move the camera so that the actual model of the dress/item isnt in the view any more.) save the item back to the library. if the library rsr is not write-protected, it should generate a new thumbnail for you. even in pro pack, if i'm not mistaken, saving the item to the library should create a new png thumbnail. its really not as difficult as all that you're trying to do. ;)

Hi -bc-! It sounds like a lot of work for something you already paid for. Is there something wrong with DAZ's thumbnails or are the "ghosts" just because the garments saved with transpareny on? If it is the later you could just turn it off youself and resave the set, but to tell the truth, you shouldn't really have to do all that - I'd complain to DAZ and see what they come up with. The best system, IMHO, for items for use transparency is to be saved with it off, so the user can check the fit, and then either turn it on manually or have a MAT file to do it.

Thanks bloodsong, That really sounded like it would work but it did not. Go figure. I guess the background is not saved as part of the image when you create a new library item. Jim, I don't think is really anthing "wrong" per se, I agree that something like this should work but appearently this is not an uncommon problem for items with a great deal of transparancy. It was the Daz tech support the recomended the RSR Converter routine. I contacted the author of that program on this issue too but he hasn't replied. Bottom line, I still don't have a solution. I suppose I could create a copy of each image paste them onto a sheet to reference but there has to be a way to get it into the thumbnail and I'd really like to find it.

The ProPack seems to have a problem with .png files created with Paint programs. I'll look into it if and when I get a chance. In the mean time: 1.)Render a picture of the item. 2.)convert it to an .rsr file with that converter program 3.)replace the old .rsr file with the new one (same name) When you launch Poser and open the library. Poser will convert your new .rsr to a .PNG file that it CAN read. ScottA

Let me the also suggest position the item as you want to see it in the thumbnail, with transparency off, saving the set under another name, open the folder with Window Explorer and deleting the original RSR, delete the new CR2, rename the new RSR with the old RSRs name. It is still a lot of work you shouldn't have had to do, but it doesn't take very long. BTW, if your graphics card is set to 32bit color (not 24) the thumbnail will look like the "official" ones.

Hi Scott, Almost there but there still seems to be a hitch. This part, I'm sure, is my lack of understading what is meant by (invert the alpha channel) in the pic. Below is what results from Poser's rsr file creating the new png. This version I did not invert (convert to a negative image) the .pic The results were the same though. See below. Thank you

Unfortunately Jim, the transparancy defines the shape and texture of the dress. With it off they all look the same except for color.

Just for grins...show me what the rendered picture you're using to base this all on looks like if you can please. .jpg format is fine. You have me puzzled. I don't understand why you are messing around with alpha channels. You should not alter your rendered image. Other than converting it to an .rsr file. ScottA

Hi Scott, the alpha channel referecne is from the RSR converter manual, see below: "What you do is the following: Take your file, pose it and render in a 600x600 window. Save your render as image: choose Macintosh PICT format (*.PCT). Open the file in Photoshop or the image-processor of your choice, invert the alpha-channel, resize the image to 91x91 pixels and save it. Extra tweaking is optional... Open the RSR-converter and convert your PCT to RSR, replacing the RSR that was part of the original Poser file."

Hmm...my version of RSR Converter doesn't say all of that. Maybe I've got an older version or something. Try it without the alpha inverting part. That picture in .pct format should work just fine as an .rsr file. ScottA

The interesting thing is it behaves the same way no matter if I invert it or not. In the thumbnail I posted above, that white area is actually transparaent in the thumbnail.

Strange. E-mail me that .rsr file. I'll see if it does the same thing on my PC. ScottA scottasba@aol.com

Hehe. Here's the answer: .pct files hold alpha channel info in them. When you save your base picture from Poser. The alpha channel gets saved also. In a normal render with no transmaps. This doesn't matter. However...if you save a .pct image that does contain transmaps. That Alpha channel info gets in the way when you go through the conversion process with RSR Converter. Try this: 1.)Save the render from Poser as a .bmp file (.bmp do not have alpha channel info in them) 2.)open the .bmp file in your paint program and save it as .pct 3.)convert that .pct to an .rsr with the converter program 4.)replace the old .rsr with the new one That should do it. ScottA

-bc- You not listening to what I'm saying - all you need to do is save a set the way you want the thumbnail to look and use that RSR with the old CR2, you can use any RSR with any CR2 or HR2 (Hair) or PP2 (Prop), it is just a picture. The RSR just has to be the same name, it has nothing to do with anything other than the picture. Trust me, I do this a lot!

Jim, I'm not trying to blow off your idea. Maybe I'm doing it wrong but that method as I understand it doesn't work for me. Are you useing regular poser or the pro pac? I am truely open to new ideas and maybe I'm just not understanding your technique but when I tried it didn't work :( I do appreciate your suggestions though. Thank you, -bc-

Attached Link: http://www.posertech.com/tutor/thumbs1.html

hey bc I went in and made a tutorial about this...maybe it will show you what everyone is saying? BT

I guess I'm not very good at explaining things so I've included an illustration. Refering to the illustration: The thumbnail insets are what I get when I try the method you discribe. In the top Left is the way the dress is suppose to look. If I turn off all transparancey I could save the dress and get a full thumbnail but it will look like the dress below which doesn't resemble the actual one much at all. If I leave the tranparancy set so the dress renders properly I get transparent thumbnails. I really do appreciate all the work everyone's put in to trying to help with this. Scott's solution works famously as does Ed's (author of the RSRConverter utility). I'm sorry if I've missled people into believing the problem is different than it is. I really do appreciate the time and efort you and other's have put into this. The problem is resloved now. Thank you all again, -bc-

will you please render a 600 x 600 PCT image of this dress, zip it and send me the image...I will make it for you..or will at least get to see what the problem is first hand. brycetech@yahoo.com rem...pct image...not jpg, bmp, or any other format and if you dont mind, make the background black (itll look better) BT

Attached Link: http://www.brycetech.com/stufftodelete/dress.zip

oh... just as a test..I took the jpg above and made a thumb out of it..tho not as good as the pct file would make you can download the rsr file and replace the one you have with it to see if it will work. It works here (as you can see in the picture) It should work in ppp. BT

or.... have the doc window square 300X300 600X600 whatever.. doesn't really mattre. position the main camera to what you want in the thumb. render with antialias on in the doc window. paste that onto the background. select a "hand camera" doesn't mattre which one... dolly the figure out of the picture... resave the figure selecting only the dress in this case.. Ta hagen das.. reasonably simple method to get a decent thumb within poser.. hope this helped a little Cheers

Hi, here's the way I managed that awful problem with Poser.I have a Pro-Pack enhanced version and had a lot of problems with thumbnails.First of all render your character (or what it is)and export it as a bitmap file (the image has to be square, like 300x300 or what you prefere). Than reduce it to 91x91 with your image program (Photomagic,Photoshop, etc.)and copy it. Now open Microsoft Photo Editor (it should come with Windows), that can manage the .png files. In it open one of the Poser .png original files, and paste onto it the one you copied. Save it with the same name of your character file (or what it is)in the same directory where it is, and you'll have your favourite thumbnail. It's shorter than written, and so you can see even the most transparent and matted of your clothes. Pizzone