About:

VTF Plug-In is an Adobe Photoshop 6.0 and up file format plug-in for the .vtf file format. It is a simple plug-in that supports single-frame/single-face, 3 or 4 channel .vtf files in any format. It is designed for typical .vtf creation and viewing and does not contain the advanced features found in VTFEdit. Nonetheless, it can be a useful tool for creating simple .vtf files. The plug-in does not support 64 bit versions of Photoshop.

Screenshots: Download from Web Archive:

• Archive (257 KB)

Download from unofficial Github mirror:

• Archive (257 KB)

Revision History:

v1.0.11

• Fixed alpha channel premultiplying on open.

v1.0.10

• Added support for multiple alpha channels.

v1.0.9

• Added support for version 7.4 of the VTF format.
• Upgraded to VTFLib v1.2.7.

v1.0.8

• Added support for version 7.3 of the VTF format.
• Upgraded to VTFLib v1.2.6.

v1.0.7

• Added spray templates.
• Upgraded to VTFLib v1.2.5.

v1.0.6

• Added "Mipmaps" option.
• Upgraded to VTFLib v1.2.2.

v1.0.5

• Added support for 16 bit channel reading.
• Upgraded to VTFLib v1.2.1.

v1.0.4

• Upgraded to VTFLib v1.2.0.

v1.0.3

• Upgraded to VTFLib v1.1.3.

v1.0.2

• Added format templates.

v1.0.1

• Improved format specific flag handling.
• Fixed combobox height.

v1.0.0

• Original build.

Nope, sorry.

First of all, NEM, thanks for the wonderful site -- you've been a HUGE help already. I have a specific problem that I was hoping you or anyone could help me with. I'm trying to create a realistic cathedral scene (much like lost coast) and I've been able to get my custom transparent textures to show up in hammer and ep1 just fine thanks to your plug-in, but now I'd like the stained glass windows to affect the light that shines through them as well. I don't even know if this is possible...but is there a way to make the texture so that it actually transforms the color of the light that passes through it? Obviously, I could just create multiple lights to simulate this effect, but ideally I'd like to have the shapes of color in my windows visible on the floor where they shine through. Is there any way to do this?
Thanks

How do you make a 8bi file?

i installed it correctly, but when i click File>Save As... i get "Could not save as "c:/....<imagename>.vtf" because image width is not a power of two."

to answer any one who might be wondering yes this does work in CS3. The installation is little bit tricky but can be done (i had to have windows do a search to find my Photoshop folder) The photoshop Folder is in the "Common Files" Folder in your Program files dir. your file path will look somethink this:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Installers\aefc4.....501\Adobe Photoshop CS3\, from there just fallow the Read me that comes with the Archive Dl up top.

1) Close Photoshop.
2) Extract VTFLib.dll to your ..\Photoshop\ folder.
3) Extract VTF.8bi to your ..\Photoshop\Plug-Ins\File Formats\ folder.
4) Run Photoshop.

this leads to an error message when i open a vtf file: could not complete your request because hllib could not be initialized.

i used this plugin before but i've updated now to the new 2007 version and it seems to be broken :(

every time i try to save it comes up with this
'Canot save{File Name} because image width is not a power of 2'
i know some people have also had this problem but i tried what you told them and it still dosn't work

Here is an article describing powers of two. You need the image width and height to be a power of two (in pixels) before saving with the plug-in.

You couldnt make a Gimp version of this VTF plugin??? It's the only Photoshop plugin I've ever tried who doesn't work in Gimp :(

If The Gimp supports Photoshop plug-ins, perhaps VTFLib.dll is in the wrong location? Try putting it in your system32 folder if all else fails.

I haven't tested it with The Gimp at all and I'm hesitant to add another program to support. The primary reason for adding Paint.Net support was to provide an example of how to use VTFLib from other languages. Too many dependencies become a burden to maintain.

Gimp only supports 8bf and not 8bi(or 1, dunno) but i'll try the system 32 thing :)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.
http://javeline.my1.ru/wtf.jpg

In the Images->Mode menu, make sure you are in RGB Color at 8 bits per channel. Then, in the channels tab at the bottom right, make sure you have a Red, Green and Blue channel with at most one additional Alpha channel.

I did so. for me all is correct. but this error appears

Email the .psd to ryansgregg@hotmail.com and I'll take a look at it.

I have Photoshop 7.0 (Yes, its old. I got it free from my work) and I'm not sure how to save the transparent background. I'm trying to make a custom spray, so, any help is welcome. Thanks.

In order to save your .vtf with transparency, you have to add an alpha channel. See this tutorial for details.

Nem. So what?

When I try to save one of my texture, it says that it couldn't be saved because the image doesn't have 3 or 4 channels.
I have RED, BLUE, GREEN and ALPHA, and of course "RGB".
Why won't it work?
This has never happened before.

Dawlight I have the same problem, I'm using Photoshop CS3 maybe that's where the problem is? also it only happens with textures with alpha maps
hope nem releases a workaround as or something :)

Can one of you email me an offending .psd so I can check it out?

I'm having the same problem as Dawlight and shuy3n. I'm only using photoshop CS2 though, if that makes any difference.

Well, I would really like to see a plug-in for GIMP.

Great plug-in, i had to reinstall photoshop though and now i can't save the alpha channel anymore :(

Could this be because of the changes in v1.0.11?


EDIT: found a download of an very old version from 2005, alpha channel works perfectly fine with it.

Best regards

I have...get this... Paint Shop Pro 5 from like 1997? and it does not work with it. I installed Paint Shop Pro 8 and did a Saveas and your dialog box popped up and I was able to save. BTW, nice terrain generator.

I have Abobe Photo shop CS3 Portable version 10.0
whenever I open an image and look for the VTF format it is not there. I cannot save or open VTF files, instead I must use the program VTFEdit to switch it to TGA but I cannot change it back. When I downloaded the VTF plug-in for photo shop and read the read-me it said to put the two files into folders my photo shop CS3 Portable program does not have. If you have your own copy or know someone who does please give me the actual file I need to place the VTF plug-in pieces into. THANKS

Are there any plans to support CS4 x64?

An x64 release would definitely be an asset to some, myself included. Till then, x86 version must be used for this. Constantly swapping between x64 and x86 versions though does become a hassle.

Hello,

I have a problem, I made a picture with alpha channel, saved as Compressed Texture with Alpha. Then I opened this picture and noticed that alpha channel is fully white. I really need to make texture with translucent background...

Thanks.
- Dog

I found the reason. Image MUST have 'background' layer.

I have Photoshop 7.o, and it doesn't work... It keeps on saying that VTFLIB.dll is Corrupted. I downloaded the same file 7 times now, any way to help me?I feel so since I tried so many times.

NoSyMe, You actually rather good english to be German. :). Btw Nem, Good job on this. This is going to save me SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much work. lolololol

Hey Nem,

would you please revise the VTF plugin to make it work with the new PS CS5? I really need this plugin to continue my work.

It would be very much appreciated by all of us!

Thank you!

Edit: Okay, never mind! Was using the x64 version of PS. Still works great with x86.

I have photoshop 6 elements, and it says that the .vtf files are able to be opened in photoshop, but when i open it, it says that it is the wrong file. Please Help!

I'd tried it on photoshop elements 8 but its says when i want to save it "image width is not a power of two"
can somebody help.

Sorry for my bad english.

Image width and height need to be powers of two. Meaning 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 and so on. You can set transparency for the extra space if you need to.

When will be? VTF Plug-In for Adobe Photoshop CS4-CS5 Windows7 64bit We are waiting!

How I can save my texture as 7.1 vtf with this plug-in??? (don't like use vtfedit any time)

Oh, sorry. I think, what it needed to me, but I was mistaken.
And sorry, for my bad english.

I don't own a 64 bit version of Photoshop and I lost the source code to the plug-in on a recent format (though probably not significant because I'd have to rewrite the plug-in using their new SDK). Final summation: Not any time soon.


I'm not sure what the default is (maybe 7.2), but it cannot be changed.

GIMP plug-in, please.

Can someone please tell me how to do this? There's no tutorial to speak of that I can find. I tried to just resave my image as VTF but it doesn't show up in the dropdown menu.

Hi there guys my firts time out on the site and may i say the site is really nice :) anyway back to the help bit, i want to make a picture in a VTF format but i want to resize it for example 1026x768 but as i know the VTF as a save must or should be the power of 2, but i want to save the VTF as a widescreen image 1920x1080 or something like that, any ideas how i would do that im using at the moment adobe photoshop 7 and JASC photoshop 9 any help guys would be very much apprecieted

Take you wide screen dimensioned image and resize it to the nearest power of two. This will change the pixel aspect ratio of your image. Next save it to .vtf. The .vtf background will be scaled to your screen's wide screen resolution restoring the original pixel aspect ratio.

Are ok Nem great stuff bud many thanks for your help much appreciated bud

I have paint shop pro v7,and it doesn't have a plugins folder... please help?

PS I created the folder, and it still doesnt work

Paint Shop is not the same as Photoshop.

Hi, I love this tool so much, and GCFScape as well. Your tools are vital and integral and have done me damn well have the years. The photoshop plugin in particular makes things so easy and simple.

I had an idea recently that combining the vtf plugin and the vmt editor of vtf edit would be immensely awesome, and make everything perfect in the world. If you could have a mode where it would auto generate a vmt with each mask/texture used being selectable from either image as a whole, a layer, a channel, an already existing file, or a new blank file the process for making a material for source would be ever so painless. Creating a new material of any type the user wants would be as simple as saving the psd file with a preset loaded, or, for more specialized stuff, setting the paths manually.

Anyway, if you need a project I think that would make a good one :D

Argh. I extract the .dll thing to my Photoshop folder, but it says "... Error opening file!" and then "Couldn't extract correctly". The plugin was extracted fine, but the other wouldn't




Edit: RAGE MODE

Hey, I've been using this wonderful file format plugin for around 2 years now with Photoshop CS4 running on 32bit Vista. Loved it.

I recently got a new PC running 64bit Windows 7 and Photoshop CS5. I now find that neither this, nor the Nvidia normal map filter will work.

Any ideas on how I can get them working? This has severely slowed my productivity.

Sorry thepkhunter, I would have to create a 64 bit version of the plug-in which I have no plans to do because I do not own a 64 bit version of Photoshop to test it on.

Hope you get a 64-bit version soon nem!! xD

@thepkhunter: just use the PS 32-bit version that installs alongside PS 64-bit. I know its kind of a stepping stone, but hey....it works! xD

There seems to be a bug in CS5 where saving a new vtf from a psd will not save the alpha layers even when set to do so. The only way I can save an alpha channel now is to paste the channels into a preexisting vtf with an an alpha channel and merge the layers so that photoshop considers it a vtf still and Save As... isn't necessary.

this doesn't work on ps cs5 x64
can you make an update soon for it?

Tried opening Portal 2 VTF files in both Photoshop and VTFEdit. They both turned up an error. But VTFEdit's was seemingly more informative:

"File version 7.5 does not match 7.0 to 7.4"

It would appear they have updated their format to 7.5, so both the plugin for photoshop and VTFEdit need to be updated to be able to use them.

Just a heads up I guess! :D

Hello Nemesis,

Can you update this plugin to support vtf 7.5, please?

Sorry if this was mentioned before but there is a problem with the plugin. After I save a file as VTF, all other saves use the same options no matter what you choose while saving. For example if I save a texture as normal map, then save something as a compressed texture second one still be saved as normal map.

Any help appreciated

hey im using it for Photoshop cs5 and it says that it wont save because the width isnt the power of two. am i doing something wrong or is it not compatible with cs5?

2, 4, 8, 16...128, 256, 512, etc.

Thanks for the plugin. I am using Paintshop pro X3. Had problems until I copied the VTFLib.dll from your latest VTFEdit app into the plugin folder.
For anyone looking for their plugin directory here is where I found it on my computer "C:\Program Files (x86)\Corel\Corel PaintShop Photo Pro\X3\PSPClassic\Languages\EN\PlugIns\"