Why can I open some DDS files but some I can't?

[blackhand8657]

Ok, not really what makes the difference but some DDS files I can open using paint.net and GIMP 2.8 but some I can't. I can't even use a DDS Converter, it says 'it failed'

This applies to any dds file; _d , _n, _s

 

When I try to open it in GIMP it says:

 

Opening 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\Data\Textures\Weapons\LaserWeapons\Institute\InstituteReflexSight_d.DDS' failed: DDS image plug-In could not open image

 

When I try to open it in paint.net:

 

System.FormatException: File is not a supported DDS format

at PaintDotNet.Data.Dds.DdsFile.Load(Stream input) in D:\src\pdn\src\PaintDotNet\Data\Dds\DdsFile.cs:line 469

at PaintDotNet.Data.Dds.DdsFileType.OnLoad(Stream input) in D:\src\pdn\src\PaintDotNet\Data\Dds\DdsFileType.cs:line 225

at PaintDotNet.FileType.Load(Stream input) in D:\src\pdn\src\Data\FileType.cs:line 496

at PaintDotNet.Functional.Func.Eval[T1,TRet](Func`2 f, T1 arg1) in D:\src\pdn\src\Base\Functional\Func.cs:line 158

 

I don't understand what makes the difference. Do I need a new plug-in or something?

[Perraine]

It's because some modders use the Intel DXT Plugin for PS to save the files in BC7 format.

 

There is now a plugin for Paint.net that supports these files, you just have to change the file extension on the texture to .dds2 to open it, then make sure to change the extension back to .dds (or save as BC5 in Paint.net) in order for the game to recognize it.

[blackhand8657]

awesome, thank you, much appreciated

 

found it here if anyone else is looking for it

 

https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/111731-dds-filetype-plus-2018-02-12/

[Z1D04X]

Fellow pissed off paint.net user here

 

this is really bugging me, I've been having this issue for about a week now, and narrowed it down to this issue, and now that I am here the bloody .dds2 thing isn't working for me for whatever reason, I still get the damn " System.FormatException: File is not a supported DDS format " error, anything I might've missed?

Edited February 25, 2018 by Z1D04X

[Sulhir]

You installed the plugin for it?

 

Fellow pissed off paint.net user here

 

this is really bugging me, I've been having this issue for about a week now, and narrowed it down to this issue, and now that I am here the bloody .dds2 thing isn't working for me for whatever reason, I still get the damn " System.FormatException: File is not a supported DDS format " error, anything I might've missed?

[payl0ad]

As practical advice, I've had this issue before. Now my toolbox consists of GIMP (with DDS plugin), paint.net and the Nvidia texture tools and with those I'm at least able to convert any DDS file to BMP and work with that.

[ArchdukeofLandsee]

Personally using gimp with the .dds plugin, but today some of my dds won't open because of what seems to be a header problem. Nfs from some of my mashups are doing the same. Any thoughts?

[piecheese10]

Okay, I tried using the .dds2 trick, but that just broke the file.

[MarkusTay]

It's because some modders use the Intel DXT Plugin for PS to save the files in BC7 format.

 

There is now a plugin for Paint.net that supports these files, you just have to change the file extension on the texture to .dds2 to open it, then make sure to change the extension back to .dds (or save as BC5 in Paint.net) in order for the game to recognize it.

Its the converting back I'm not getting right. I open the file in Paint.net, then I convert it to something recognizable by GIMP (which I am used to using - Paint.net is brand new to me), I make sure everything is sized correctly, etc, and the when I save it (in GIMP) to the normal dds format that FO4 recognizes, the texture just looks brown (and I have to say, it looks extremely dark in Paint and GIMP as well - is there some sort of shading layer that gets lost in the conversion?) Does it have to do with the accompanying nif file? Natively, the item looks fine applying the texture (file type) that came with it to the nif that came with it, but when I try to change that texture in any way, that's when it all turns brown. Is the nif requiring the original file type? (and if so, that's a REAL PitA - because it defeats the whole purpose of what I am doing if I can't modify the textures with GIMP). Plus, if I can't convert it to a normal dds file to manipulate it, Nifskope also doesn't recognize it and doesn't apply it.

[Perraine]

FO4 will happily use the same .dds compression that was used in Skyrim, so no need to convert the file at all. You can just use the built in .dds file save options in Paint.net.

 

Make sure to use the BC5 option for the _s.dds specular map particularly, as it's required to store the red/green/blue information correctly, however you can use BC1 or BC3 for the diffuse and normal maps (unless your diffuse uses alpha transparency, in which case you'll need to use BC5 for that as well)

 

If you insist on wanting to use the BC7 compression that comes with the Gimp nVidia plugin, then you MUST use "export" an NOT "save as".

 

Finally, don't forget that FO4 meshes now use a "material file" to tell the game (and nifskope) how to apply the textures and shaders. Although Nifskope will "display" the diffuse texture if it's listed under the "textureset" header, it will not display correctly and won't work correctly in game.