Program Overview

The Nintendo64 Texture Converter is a GUI based tool which allows you to import images in a myriad of formats, and export them as one of the many different image formats supported by the default Nintendo 64 microcode.

When you start the Nintendo64 Texture Converter, the following form is shown:

On the top, you should have the familiar menu bar. On the left, you'll have a lot of options relating to your image and how it will be exported. On the bottom, you'll have more options relating to how your texture is handled by the export. Note that many similar things can be achieved in different ways, such as: choosing a command from the menu, clicking a button, or by using a keyboard shortcut.

Icon Buttons

The menu bar on the top of the form features a bunch of different icons. Here is a quick overview of what each one does:

• New: Restarts the program to its initial state, where no image is loaded.
• Import Image: Loads an image for conversion.
• Import Alpha Mask: Loads a black and white alpha mask. More information in the Using Alpha page.
• Toggle Alpha View: Switches between rendering your image or its alpha mask. More information in the Using Alpha page.
• View Palette: Opens the Palette viewing form. More information in the Palettes page.
• Zoom In: Zooms the image view in.
• Zoom Reset: Resets the image view.
• Zoom Out: Zooms the image view out.
• Rename Output: Allows you to change the name of the outputted file and array(s).
• Generate Palette: Generates a basic palette. More information in the Palettes page.
• Compile: Exports your imported image to the image and file format of your choosing.
• Open Help: Opens this document.

Image Information

Upon importing an image into the program, information relevant to your image is displayed on the top left:

The meaning of each row is as follows:

• File: This is the name that will be used for the file when you export your compiled image. It can be modified by pressing the Rename Output icon button.
• Array: This is the name that will be used for the arrays (that store your image information in code) when you export your compiled image. If you are using Binary File as your export mode, this is not displayed. It can be modified by pressing the Rename Output icon button. Array names cannot start with numbers, and can only consist of alphanumeric characters or underscores.
• Size: This is the size of your imported image0s width and height (in pixels).
• TMEM: This is the size of your imported image (in texels). If your image (in the Color Format mode you have selected) surpasses the 4096 byte limit of TMEM, it will be displayed in red. If you have selected the Chunk image checkbox, the size of each one of your chunked images (in texels) will be displayed in parenthesis.

Color Format

Under the Image Information section, you have the Color Format section:

This lets you select the texture format which your image gets exported as, by selecting one of the radial buttons. An explanation of each image type can be found in the Image Formats section of this manual. You can also change the background color of your image, provided it contains alpha, by clicking the colored square. More information on how to use alpha is available in the Using Alpha page.

Export Format

Under the Color Format section, you have the Export Format section:

The meaning of each button is as follows:

• Header: A standard C header file with your image data in an array format. This header does not contain include guards (as they are useless due to the array being declared), therefore this format should only be used if it is known that the image will be #include'ed once.
• C + Header: A combination of a C and header file, with your image data in an array format. The C file must be compiled on its own, but because the header file uses extern (as well as include guards) your image can be #include'ed in multiple files.
• Binary File: A binary file with the raw texel data in it. This is the best image format for large homebrew, but requires that your data be linked into the ROM and DMA'd to RAM manually.

When exporting an image with palettes's, the TLUT data is placed in the same file as your texel data, albiet in a separate array which uses the same name as your main image, except ending with _tlut. In Binary File mode, a second file is exported instead, following the same naming scheme. More information on palettes can be found in the Palettes page.

If chunking mode is used, the texel array will be split into multiple arrays, albiet ending with _X_Y, where X represents the N'th horizontal chunk and Y represents the N'th vertical chunk. In Binary File mode, multiple files are created instead, following the same naming scheme. More information on chunking can be found in the Chunking page.

Color Preview

Under the Export Format section, you have the Color Previewer

If you mouse over parts of your image, this section will display what that specific texel will be exported as. Each row represents the color and alpha value (be it in RGB, YUV, or I format) in 8 bit format, hexadecimal format, or a smaller format (if applicable). If the smaller format exists, the hexadecimal value will represent that, and not the 8 bit color!

Below the color matrix is a preview of the output texel with all the bits properly combines, in hexadecimal format, as well as a color preview box of the pixel that the mouse is currently over.

If a format that uses palettes is selected, the output texel may show up as ???? if no palette (either an automatically generated one or an imported one) is present. If a palette is present, then placing the mouse over a texel will display the palette value instead (with the color it represents in parenthesis). More information on palettes can be found in the Palettes page.

Bottom Bar

The bottom bar contains a few checkboxes and selections that allow you to change certain things regarding how your image is exported. This section looks like this:

The meaning of each button is as follows:

• Use Alpha: Enables/disables the use of alpha. If enabled, you can choose between using the alpha mask, or using a single color. If single color mode is selected, you can change the color that will be used for alpha by placing your mouse over the image in the preview and left clicking on the pixel with the color you wish to set transparent. More information on alpha can be found in the Using Alpha page.
• Add dummy aligners: If a non-binary Export Format is selected, dummy aligners will be added to the exported array's definitions. The dummy aligners are used to properly align the textures in memory, and might lead to problems if not present. Uncheck if you know what you are doing.
• Force power of two: This forces your image size to be exported as a power of two (for instance, 32x32, 128x64, etc...). This is recommended your image is not already a power of two and masking is going to be used (to allow for effects such as mirroring and LODs). Texels outside of your image's size will use the value of 0. More information on masking can be found in the Loading Textures page.
• Chunk image: This splits your image into chunks with the size of your choosing. More information on chunking can be found in the Chunking page.
• Generate Palette: If an image mode that supports palletes is used, this button will generate a palette based on the imported image. More information on palettes can be found in the Palettes page.
• Compile Image: Exports the imported image in the Export Format you have selected. More information on compiling can be found in the Compiling Images page.