Zephyr Net

Hi.
At first, I would like to say thank to ZephyrNet and these Forum members for FA MOD tools :)
Sorry, I'm not good at writing in English.

Well, I'm using FA-ToolKit to modify some Airplanes. I've changed Recon-Airplane "AURORA" to Fighter/Attcker and some Equipments and Env.
Now, I'm suffering about Aircraft-Selection-Icon Editing, default X31 PIC to my edited AURORA PIC... After editing Icon, when running FA, got game crushed, maybe said "CTD"(=Crush To Desktop).

I'd like to explain about details.
Boot ToolKit--> Graphics:AircraftICON--> Save default ICO2F31.PIC to bmp (export)--> Edit with Photoshop or PSP, And save as 256color BMP(with using FA's default Palett)--> ToolKit--> Graphics:Import--> Convert it to ICON*.PIC--> Rename ICON*.PIC to ICO2F31.PIC with WindowsExplorer--> Open ITEM.DAT with notepad.exe and Edit name ICON*.PIC to ICO2F31.PIC--> ToolKit--> Then, create *.LIB--> RUN FA(1.02F)--> Load some Campaign or Mission--> When push the "Aircraft Choose" button, FA gets CTD.

Here is "my edited sample as MOD" BMP(JPG) and ZIP.
JPG: sample"52x132" (This is 32bit-colormode, so please use on 256color)

JPG: sample"40x128" (This is 32bit-colormode, so please use on 256color)

ZIP-pass is "FA". This contains some Icons which I've made sample BMPs and PICs as MOD.
http://www.youlost.mine.nu/html999/img/4979.zip

And, there are other questions.
1. Which size is correct?
"52x132"(FATK saves as BMP this size, when Export) or "40x128"(FATK asks this size, when Import).
2. I've noticed AircraftSelectionIcon uses "*.PTS" when editing some Aircraft with using FA-ToolKit. Is it impossible to edit AircraftIcons with only changing *.PIC? Is there any method to edit "*.PTS" with FAtoolkit or directly?

Does anyone who know about this icon editing method, please help :)

PS: My game PC is: XP-SP2, Dx9.2. W/ Original purchaced game CD. W/o win95or98x compatible mode.

Thanks for your reading this :)

Welcome to the forum and great first post! I can't answer all of your questions now as I don't have the Toolkit in front of me, but I have some initial questions.

Why not import the icon with the name ICO2F31.PIC in the first place? Is the dialogue box for the name too short (as is the case with some other importing screens I know).

Are you importing with the option to save palette?

Are you sure that the background's transparency is preserved when you edit the graphic file? A good way to ensure this is to change palette position #255 immediately upon editing the file to some obvious color, such as neon green.

You should be able to edit PTS files, if you make the files accessable in the Toolkit. You can do this using PTR2CACHE

(http://farc.3synergy.net/misc/p2cgui.zip)

"Converts Toolkit "Libptr" files to "Cache" files, so that any file type can be extracted by the Toolkit."

Use the program to add PTS files to the Cache.M file, and you can then save PTS files into your Toolkit project by opening up the "edit mission" screen in the Toolkit. Before doing that, however, open the "edit mission" section in the Toolkit to create an initial Cache.M file (this is a vital step if you have never clicked "Edit Mission" before). You won't be able to edit the file in the toolkit, but double clicking it will extract it from the FA libs to be present in your toolkit project directory. From there you can edit it with notepad or a hex editor, and rename (provided you perform the appropriate ITEM.dat edit).

I will try to answer your other questions and check out the zip you posted when I have a chance.

Zephyr

I find changing the pallet to 255, 255,0 works best for maintaining the transparency...

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Thanks to many hints and answers.

I've managed to get a imported icon display, as like here JPG.
For these days, I'm too busy in a real life, today I've got time to continue.
Hmm...my PAL setting & paint editing was a bit jaggy...In this weekend, I'd like to get some time to re-edit these BMPs



And, I've noticed some editing methods and how to avoid FA's CTD.
1) 52x132 is good for a single small size Airplane.
2) PAL setting: It is not recommended to use "option; Restore PAL:Yes" setting when converting in FATK. I've noticed this fact, when I was reading FATK's HELP document yesterday.
So, with editing icon's PIC, renaming the name of PICs, editing ITEM.DAT, it is possible to change aircraft icons.

;Project File: _AUR_I31
ICO2F31.PIC Aircraft Icon

;ITEM.DAT:
"ICO2F31.PIC","Aircraft Icon","D","ICO2F31.PIC","","1.0"
(After creating a dummy LIB's project and PIC. Next, rename PIC and edit ITEM.DAT.)

;SHORTCUT.DAT:
"PICON.PAL","&1 ICO2F31.PIC Aircraft Icon"

And great thanks for Mr.Zephyr's advices about editing "*.PTS", and helpful PAL hint from Mr.CAG.

In this weekend, I'd like to brush up this my choppy BMPs.
Thank you.