export questions

newbie question here...

what do i need to know about exporting textures, guys? how to, any restrictions, etc.

thanks much!

What do you mean by exporting? Do you mean downloading textures from SL to your computer, or uploading to SL from your computer, or something else?

If it's the first one, then there are just a couple of things to know. First, you need full permissions on the texture or you can't download it. Assuming you have that, simply double click on the texture in your inventory to open it in the viewer, and then go File -> Save Texture As.

If it's the second one, read the sticky on file formats at the top of the forum.

If it's something else, please explain.

oh, it's for some textures i have...

crap, full permissions huh? damn, that no transfer is going to bite me in the foot...

perhaps i can get copies from the creators? hm.

First of all you're not downloading when saving a texture (which is already on your computer), to the hard drive, your simply saving it. (from one folder to the next... Hence save file as...)

Secondly, yes, you need mod perms to save file as, but you can still view a texture, hit printscreen, open pshop, create a new file, paste it in and crop it out. Not necessarily ethical per se, but can still be done.

When I download a file via my browser, it says Save Link As. Just because it doesn't actually use the word doesn't mean it's not downloading.

You are almost sort of right though. In order to view a texture, it does first have to get downloaded to your machine and put into your graphics memory. So, when you hit Save Texture As, what you're really doing is copying that data from the video card to the hard drive. Basically, you're turning temporary information into permanent information. I still think of it as "downloading a texture" though. That's what most people call it.



No, it's not ethical at all, so why the hell would you post instructions for how to do it?! There are actually lots of ways to rip off hard working texture artists; screenshots are just the tip of the (extraordinarily large) iceberg. None of the available methods are exactly secret, but that doesn't mean you should go around advertising them. What the hell were you thinking, man?

It's not often that someone on these forums has the power to make me angry, but those who promote theft definitely do. In the future, kindly keep such thing to yourself. I think you'll find that most people on this forum will agree with me on that sentiment.

Jiynx, you had it right. If you want a downloadable copy, contact the creator and ask for one. If he or she says no, do the right thing and leave it at that. Don't circumvent the permissions system, even if, as Johan oh so helpfully pointed out, it's not hard to do.

Knocking over a convenience store isn't very hard to do either, but most people wouldn't dream of actually doing it. I'd like to think that that's not just because it's illegal to rob a store, but because it's just plain wrong. Well, it's just as wrong to take a texture that doesn't belong to you, and I might add, just as illegal. Respect the rights of honest content creators. Don't take ANYTHING without express permission.

I'm not saying you would or wouldn't, by the way, Jiynx. So don't take it personally. I'm speaking in general to everyone.

now, wait a moment... do i only need mod permissions on the texture? none of that copy stuff? or what?

wow and yes totally!
soooo in awe of those hard-working texture artists..... and also having sooooo much fun working out how to do my own ))) (ermmmmm yeah largely thanks to the Chosen's of these forums)

well, that's unexpected... i didn't think this question would fire such responses. i don't plan on ripping off the textures, but i HAVE already bought the tattoo items, i'm really thinking of getting them consolidated into one peice instead of many, or possibly even getting them mapped onto my skin textures by the artists themselves, and if they ask extra, well, hey, i'll pay it as i can.

i've already messaged one of the artists(i have four of his tattoos, three are upper torso), asking if he could consolidate/map them for me, or if i had his permission. hopefully the answer is positive.

i keep thinking of the old argument about making copies of your CDs... you already own them, what's wrong with making multiples/mixes of them?

hangon... what i want to do is with fabrics. can i do the same?

Yes it does. Copying a file is one thing, downloading is another. When you transfer information across a network, the source is uploading the destination is downloading. You dont "download" from yourself, you move the file from one location to another, this is called copying. That's why there's two words to describe what's happening. When your downloading a file, you have the choice to save it to your hard drive, which is why you get a save button. However when you're saving a texture from SL, the texture is already on your machine (in your cache on your hard drive, not your video card). The only reasons textures get stored on your video card is for display purposes. The only time data moves from the video card to memory is when you're doing a screen capture. What you're technically doing is copying the file from the \secondlife\cache\ folder to whatever destination you choose, this is technically a copy function since you're not moving a file across a network.

Definition of Download:
The transfer a file or files from a remote computer to the user's computer.



I honestly didn't think I was posting a major hack, as grabbing textures with screen caps is exceedingly common. Also, I did mention that it was unethical, implying that I do not support people doing it (as was implied in your response) Lighten up man.

and now that the debate's happened, can we get back to my question, boys?

You have to have copy/mod/and transfer permissions to export a texture...

well, before we get into limitations, are fabrics even exportable? i don't think a single one i've tried has been so.

What do you mean by "fabrics"?

If you're talking about the Linden-made textures in your library that have the word "fabric" in the title, those are exportable, but you must copy them from the library to your inventory first.

If you mean articles of clothing, no, those assets are internal to SL and cannot be removed in any way. The textures that go on them though are just images, like any other texture. Those can be exported if you have them and if you have full permissions on them.

Keep in mind, when you buy a piece of clothing in SL, you're buying a limited use right to the finished product. You're not buying the product itself, nor are you buying any of its individual components. So, if you want a copy of the texture from that new shirt you just bought, contact the creator and ask if he or she is willing to supply you with the texture. If the creator says no, then that's all you can do. Either make a similar texture yourself, or pick a new project to work on. (And please no one else post instructions for how to rip the texture without permission. Yes, it can be done, even for clothing textures, but again, just because it can be done doesn't mean you should. Respect creators' rights.)