Copying Textures

My question is:

Is there a way to copy a texture or tattoo texture pattern from a modifiable object or skin and save it to your inventory so that you can download it to your computer for modification?

If it is possible, can I get the steps to do so.

Basically, there are skins I'd like to make small modifications to, but what I need to modify is the tattoo texture. To do so, I think I need to copy it to my inventory, but I don't know how. Also for future reference, I was wondering if it was possible to copy and modify the textures from objects.

well if the skin maker didn't give you the texture itself, it usually mean they do not wish you to do so.

These were freebie skins. All skins I have PURCHASED have been No Mod.

We're talking about free, MODIFIABLE skins. And the only way to modify these skins is to be able to modifiy the tattoo texture.

same, modifiable skins allow you to adjust the makeup , flesh tone and details like this but that still doesn't mean the texture is free to modify and copy.

Even freebie

I think there's a feature voting thing for the ability to layer custom textures over skins. IIRC, LL said "hey, cool idea!" but it hasn't gone anywhere yet.

IF there is no means to remove a texture from a modifiable skin/object, then yes, you are correct.

However, if there is a way, then no, you are incorrect. By making the skin or object modifiable I have been given legal permission by the creator to modify said skin/object, including textures, for my personal use to my heart's content. That means the intellectual property of the texture is still the creator's. I can't distrubute/sell anything I derive from it, including modifications. But I can modify it for my personal use in any variant I can come up with.

Don't make me rant on you.

nope, that just mean you have the right to use another texture in place of the original, not to grab the original texture, or the creator would have given you the texture in it's base format.

I didn't know there was a "legal" definition of what rights the modifyable check box gives you in SL....

If you can't do it in the client, you don't have the rights to do it, period. Simple as that. Anyting more will be preceived as theft, and has been many times in the past, as evidenced by one of the diggest dramafests involving a number of big SL names last year. EVEN for personal, non-distributed use.

Glad to hear you don't intend to distribute or sell any modifications that you do, but you're incorrect. A skin that has it's permissions set to modify allows you only access to the sliders in appearance mode, and the ability to change textures in the tattoo slots (which will break the skin if you don't also have the original textures as textures in inventory. Since most skins use all three tattoo slots for fully opaque textures, there's really not much point to a skin being modifiable unless the creator made parts of it transparent so that the default skin shows through. For instance, some skins will leave the lips semi-transparent so their color can be changed with the appearance slider.

Just because a skin is set modifiable does not grant you permission to make derivative works from the textures contained in the skin. Those textures have their own permissions. The only legitimate way to modify the actual textures that make up a purchased skin is to ask the creator for their express permission and have them provide you with copies of the textures with full permissions that you can save to your computer. Respect whatever answer you get (which will almost certainly be no). If permission to modify the textures is an important part of your purchasing decision then ask before you buy.

We all want the skin system to be less restrictive and allow more flexibility to the buyer while still protecting the rights of creators. Lobby LL to make the necessary changes, but don't violate of creators who are just as stuck with it as you are. The current system ends up encouraging theft since it doesn't provide any means for creators to make more customizable and flexible products. Using a 3rd party tool to extract textures is a violation of the TOS, regardless of any justification or rights you care to claim. Sorry.

Apparently, you're not reading me.

I said you were correct IF, and only IF, there is NO way to remove a texture from an object/skin with the SL program. You haven't said whether there is or not, so the debate still rages.

Let me use real world examples (with in game descriptions).

If I purchase something in the real world, a dress, a couch, or whatever, I can make modifiactions to it. Change the hem of the dress (modify the prim dimensions), re-upholster the couch (completely change the texture), or embroider the object (only modify the texture...not actually swap it out). If done for my own personal use and not for distrubtion/resale, I'm allowed. The only penalty I suffer is any warranty is now null and void.

SL allows the creator much more power over the consumer than in the real world. They have the ability to determine if their objects are COPY/MOD/TRANFER, things no real world creator has. If people are worried about their intellectual property, NO MOD and NO TRANSFER are real good was to go. However, if they allow their products to be MOD, they have given their permission to modify them for personal use. This DOES include textures IF, AND ONLY IF, THERE IS A WAY TO REMOVE THEM THROUGH THE TOOLS PROVIDED WITH THE SL PROGRAM.

If there is no way to do so with the SL program, then legally, to remove a texture from an object is, in fact, stealing.

If by this long explaination you mean there is no way to do so with the program, then I guess I'll have to pursue another avenue...such as trying to contact a creator who may or may not be around anymore.

I don't think there is. It might be possible if both the skin and the textures it contains have full permissions but I've never tested that. That would be extremely rare though.

I've been getting the idea that it is not possible with the SL program. Which means the only way to get a texture is by contacting the creator.

That's all I needed to know. I wasn't trying to get into the legality or morality of the issue. Just needed to know if it was possible.

Sorry that I misunderstood you, Jordan. You're correct. The only way is to ask the creator. They would have to give you the textures with all three permissions enabled and then you could save those textures to your computer for editing.

Thank you. That is, in fact, the exact answer I was looking for. I've already sent a notecard to the creator.

Having the technical means to do something doesn't make it right. Take textures as an example. Lots of them are sold full perms, so that builders can use them in items they plan to sell. It doesn't mean you can grab the textures, shove them into a box, and resell them as is. That would be completely out of line.

yes, as have been said by a lot of people, skin mod rights let you use the sliders and even change the textures (head, upper body, lower body tatoos) with other textures you own. Modding the texture within the skin needs mod rights given to the texture by the creator.
When you purchase a skin, you don't get the textures, you get the an item, "skin", that is in SL a particular item made by textures. Rights are set to the item, not to the item components.
Same as with scripted objects, many are mod, but the scripts in it are usually no mod. You can change the object shape, textures .. but you can't change the script in it.

When you get an item you have it as a whole, even if it's made with a lot of different things.
The permissions set on the item are meant for the item as a whole, and not on sigular parts of it.
And no, there is no legal (law is TOS in SL) way you can extract a texture from a skin, a no mod script in an object and so on.

Nvm @ my first post.

I went back and read every reply.

You know... some people sell their art in RL and say you do not have permission to mod it, only use it. Of course theres no real way for them to track this but...


Not sure if thats legal and they were just saying that. But I know of several RL tattooists who sell their flash and sell it "for personal use only, do not mod unless you have written permission from me"


Also, sometimes when you purchase things you are not purchasing it to become the owner/creator.. you are just purchasing the right to use it. both in Rl and Sl. Clothing in Rl is different, you can mod, slice it up, destroy it, draw on it.


I see what youre saying about "if there were a way to take it from the tools in SL" then it would be like buying from a shop in RL and modding the pants. But thats not how it is. the best way to go about it, as youve already done, is to definitely contact creators.


If some texture in SL is full perm, you CAN take it out of Sl by opening it..going to "Save as" that saves it onto your computer. Most clothing youre going to buy though is NOT full perm. and if you took it out and modded it id say be prepared for an uproar

There was some ruckus(sp) awhile back when I guess someone bought a skin, modded it in photoshop, and brought it back into SL... the skin creator was not happy. This is an example of buying something only for the right to USE it, not to modify..be it for personal use or redistribution

The counterside to this is retailers in SL selling texture packs at rather high prices which contain creator released textures from (for instance only) Mayang, Sims2 and other searchable sources. (I have in fact bought several packs which contained recognized 'public domain or open sourced' textures which I already have in my HDD collection), or an object purchased which uses such textures. By SL default, these textures are no copy, no mod when applied to an object, thus imposing, via SL, a limitation to free use which the original creators may have not themselves imposed, and thus also an implication that the texture itself is being sold as a commodity along with the object it covers....interesting.

I have several textures which *I* created and then had the original texture file disapear from my inventory in one of the recent crashes.

Again I emphasize that these textures are ones *I* created so there should be NO question that I can legally copy them or whatever.

I understand from this thread that currently LL does NOT provide a tool to recover my textures from a skin or an object?

In other words no backup?

If you created them, you presumably still have the originals on your hard drive. Otherwise, as has happened to me (the texture went walkabout when upgrade my computer I think), you're kind of stuffed. Even though they should be able to find the textures, and have a "creator" marker that matches you, they won't. It's annoying, but I can understand why, the population of SL is just too large these days.

Backup Backup Backup!

Indeed, especially when the software has unforeseen traps!

Somehow I expected that the actual object would be my backup. I went on and modified the texture for another part of the tattoo. Sigh