The Home of

Rule 1

Back up - Back up - Back up any files you are going to alter first, just to be on the safe side, you never know !

 

Repaint Models.

Some models come with the ability to repaint / recolour them.
Some modelers do this for us & some don't.
But what if there is a specific model or all of them you or i wish we could repaint.

Well with this bit of information i am about to tell you, you will be able to repaint your models the way you wish them to look .

First lets look at the model information in the .XLI FILE, we will use James - jreid666 models signalbox ID# 11509 for this demonstration.

• RAILWAY_TYPE   11509   box.x   0.25   signalbox
• -
• -
• 0
• 0
• 1166832

As you can see there is no information in the middle,

• -
• -
• 0
• 0

This is the area we will be working with.

Next we need to open the box.x file (Use Notepad or Wordpad Only) to find the image & its path.
With the first entry we will pick the roof,
in the .x file the entry say's this =

• D:\\RTR\\Scenes\\James\\ggroof.dds

What we need is this bit of it.
 Scenes\\James\\ggroof.dds 

So we need to ^Info_ Copy & PastYou can move or copy information between documents in different programs by cut / copy and paste editing.
1. Open the document containing the information you wish to copy.
Highlight the information and click the right mouse button to bring up the shortcut menu.
Select the "copy" option.
2. Place your cursor in the text box of the form you are copying the information to and click the right mouse button to bring up the shortcut menu.
Select "paste". ^_Info this information in to the 1^st of the - entries in the .XLI FILE, so we get this.

• RAILWAY_TYPE   11509   box.x   0.25   signalbox
• Scenes\James\ggroof.dds
• -
• 0
• 0
• 1166832

Notice:
That there is only 1  \  in the .XLI entry Not 2  \\  it has to be this way otherwise it will not work.

And then we do it again for the 2^nd - we will pick the walls, and we get =

• D:\\RTR\\Scenes\\James\\dirtybrick.dds

Same again what we need is this bit of it.
 Scenes\\James\\dirtybrick.dds 

Enter the information into the .XLI File and we end up with this.

• RAILWAY_TYPE   11509   box.x   0.25   signalbox
• Scenes\James\ggroof.dds
• Scenes\James\dirtybrick.dds
• 0
• 0
• 1166832

Notice:
Yet again there is only 1  \  Not 2  \\  in the .XLI entry it has to be this way otherwise it will not work.

Now we get to the opening of the said images (ggroof.dds & dirtybrick.dds) in a paint program, i will be useing Paint.NET.

Find and open ggroof.dds in your paint program.

1. Select the Colour Picker.

2. Select the Colour of the image.

3. The primary box colour will change.

4. Click on the button More >>

5. Here you will see the Hex: Code of the Colour.

6. Use the slider of the S: & V: to lighten the image. (not too much)

7. Copy this Code into the 1^st Top most 0 of the .XLI entry.

Enter the information into the .XLI File and we end up with this.

• RAILWAY_TYPE   11509   box.x   0.25   signalbox
• Scenes\James\ggroof.dds
• Scenes\James\dirtybrick.dds
• 0xff94A584
• 0
• 1166832

Notice:
There is 0xff in front of the Hex number,
it has to be this way otherwise it will not work.

Do the same thing with the next image,
paint program - select - pick - adjust - copy - enter code - enter 0xff

You / We should have something like this.

• RAILWAY_TYPE   11509   box.x   0.25   signalbox
• Scenes\James\ggroof.dds
• Scenes\James\dirtybrick.dds
• 0xff94A584
• 0xffBCAA8B
• 1166832

Here are the rest of the entrys in the same .XLI FILE.

• RAILWAY_TYPE   11510   box2.x   0.25   signalbox
• Scenes\PDK\shingle1.dds
• Scenes\James\darkbrick.dds
• 0xff414456
• 0xff5B5857
• 1215122


• RAILWAY_TYPE   11511   box3.x   0.25   signalbox
• Scenes\James\ggroof.dds
• Scenes\James\redbrick.dds
• 0xff6E7B62
• 0xffCC774D
• 1222747

Here is the proof that it works

Q.
Do we have to do any thing else ie; revalidate the .x file or do something with the .XLI FILE.
A.
No just save the .XLI FILE in the \? ? ? ? \Rule the Rail! folder,

There you are,
Happy Painting.

I Like to think i'm following the KISS principle when i'm writing these out.
" Keep It Short and Simple ". Not the other one.