Importing help

[Naga Captain]

Ok, I found a cool custom made spell icon that I'm gonna use for a map. Problem is, I can't figure out how to get it >_<

I have a lot of problems, don't I? >_<

Help appreciated.

 

[SaintMorose]

http://world-editor-tutorials.thehelper.net/icons.php

 

[Advena]

If it's the Icon Importing Tutorial you want, there you go

edit:
bah! so much for being polite..
I'm never first to answer even tho I think I'll be

 

[Naga Captain]

Thanks, both of you.

 

[Advena]

np mate

 

[Naga Captain]

Alright, this crap makes NOOOOOOO freaking sense >_>

 

[Advena]

Alright, this crap makes NOOOOOOO freaking sense >_>

Haha, ok mate. I'll try to walk you through it

-first: You know what .TGA and .BLP files are and how to create them?

 

[Naga Captain]

No, not really >_>

Do I really need to know them?

 

[Advena]

No, not really >_>

Do I really need to know them?

Sadly, yes. Imported icons have to be either one of those
I use .TGA (targa) because then I don't have to use the WC3 Image Extractor for every icon.
Images can be converted to .TGA with photoshop or any program of the like.

 

[Naga Captain]

Ok, so, what's second, then?

 

[Advena]

Well, when you've converted an image to .tga (remember it have to be 24-bit and saved without alpha channels) you import it into your map with the "Import Manager" (F12) in the editor.

Then you have to edit the custom path of the file you just imported.
This can be kinda tricky since it involves creation of new folders (that is optional I think tho) and the custom paths can be kinda complicated if you're not used to it (was for me at first at least ).

 

[Naga Captain]

And that's were I get lost.

No matter what I put in, nothing will work!

 

[Sevion]

The custom path has to be

ReplaceableTextures\CommandButtons\BTNBLAHBLAH.tga/blp

Depending on what kind of icon you're importing (Passive, Active, Disabled etc) you can change the custom path to

ReplaceableTextuers\CommandButtonsDisabled\DISBTNBLAHBLAH.tga/blp

 

[Advena]

And that's were I get lost.

No matter what I put in, nothing will work!

Hmm.. Well, how exactly does it not work? You get the-green-image-of-death or just a white image or just black or something else?

And also! I think I skipped a step, or took them in the wrong order at least.
As the tutorial (which is, btw, how I learned this i the first place) tells you, you have to create new folders and put the file that you are going to import in there.
Also, the file have to be named BTNyourfilename.tga [edit: like what Sevion said]
(BTN + Filename + .tga)
(for example. see below also)


Now, for the creation of those folders.
Every icon in wc3 consist of two separate images. An active one that shows during normal gameplay aso, and one inactive (disabled) that is what you see when the game is paused or when user control is disabled.
Thus, you need not only two images but a few diffrent folders for the custom paths.

Inside the WC3 root folder you create a folder called "ReplaceableTextures" and inside it you create one folder called "CommandButtons", one "CommandButtonsDisabled" and one "PassiveButtons".
Then you place your file inside the appropriate folder and change the custom path accordingly.

Here are some examples copied from the tutorial:
ReplaceableTextures\CommandButtons\BTN + Lightning + .tga = BTNLightning.tga
ReplaceableTextures\PassiveButtons\PASBTN + Lightning + .tga = PASBTNLightning.tga
ReplaceableTextures\CommandButtonsDisabled\DISBTN + Lightning + .tga = DISBTNLightning.tga
ReplaceableTextures\CommandButtonsDisabled\DISPASBTN + Lightning + .tga = DISPASBTNLightning.tga

I also have a very neat tool for creating your own icons (requires photoshop or the like)


edit: oh god, I've almost written a short novel

 

[Naga Captain]

What do you mean, "WC3 main folder"? ANd yes, I get the green image.

 

[Advena]

Well, if it's green we know that the problem is that the game can't locate the icon it want to display.
That's what we're fixing with the custom paths and exact file names.

you mean, "WC3 main folder"?

Yes, the one called Warcraft 3 and looks kinda like this:

 

[Sevion]

Another good tool to use is Image Renamer. You just have the picture and it puts in whatever borders you want you can find it at the hive, I think.

 

[Naga Captain]

Alright, so I've gotten as far as making the folders. How do I add the files to them?

 

[Advena]

Hehe, you know how to copy->paste mate?
sry, just kidding

I mean, all you really have to do is move the image file you want to import to the "ComandButtons" folder (or copy it, if you want a backup).
Then you have to create another image that is way darker and stuff (it's all in the IconBorderPack) that you move/copy to the "CommandButtonsDisabled" folder.

hmm.. makes sense?

 

[Naga Captain]

Yes, but how the flip do you move the pictures?