how to create a sign

Hi - hopefully this is an easy one, but can't seem to find this anywhere. Is there free or low cost tools/scripts out there that easily allow you to create a sign that contains letter, numbers, etc.

Thanks in advance
Winning

Welcome to SL! There is no easy way to do it entirely within SL. (The upcoming ability to put HTML on a prim will change that, but isn't here yet.)

Here is how it's usually done.

Make the image of the sign in any graphics app, like Photoshop.

Streach the image as needed so it is some 'power of 2' multiple in each direction. 512 x 512 or 512 x 256 work well. If the sign needs to be some other ratio, pick the closest one to what you want that is larger in one direction than what is needed. (Better to squash it a bit than streach it).

Save the image as a .tga file, in 24-bit format (or 32-bit of it has to have tranaparent parts), with no compression.

Import the tga file as a texture into SL. Costs you L$10.

Make a flat prim (squashed cube), scale it to the same proportions as the sign image, and apply the texture to the front and/or back of the prim.

Enjoy your sign.

Other than that there´s an script that allow you to Write 6 letters in a prim, I guess it was XY text (http://secondlife.com/badgeo/wakka.php?wakka=XyText)

It is a bit complicated for starters, but its a good way to make dynamic buttons, if that´s the case.

Thanks for the replies. Where is the menu that allows you to upload the texture?

Top left on your screen, hit File, then you'll see it, can upload sounds, animations, images, etc....

enjoy =-)

Thanks, I found it. Ok, I'm almost there, and not a photoshop user at all so maybe this is simple as well. Everytime I add text to the image in photoshop, I can't save it as a .tga...it only allows me to save it as a .psd file. Any ideas?

More info: When I first create the image in photoshop with File New, I choose Mode: RGB and Contents White or Background. If I choose Transparent, it also doesn't allow to save as .tga.

If all you want is a basic sign you can generate that in paint (programs/accessories/Paint and save as a jpg file. Try to limit to 512 by 512 if you can for less lag.

Hi Winning

I'm not sure what the problem is, since I can save to targa even with transparency or text in the file. I'm using PhotoShop CS. I must still select targa from the drop down list (format) in the save box, but that's normal.

Try this though:

1. Create file
That I believe you have done

2. Save as psd
It is always good to keep the psd file in case you want to make changes or make a similar sign in future.

3. Flatten Image
You do this by going to the "Layer" menu at the top of the app and select "Flatten image".
After you have done this you can't edit text anymore and transparent areas would have gone white.

(You use alpha channels to create transparency in targa files - more on that in the sticky (one of the permanent top posts) in the Design and Textures forum.

4. SAVE AS a targa file
Now you should be able to "SAVE AS" and select Targa. Don’t just save, cause then it will just overwrite your psd and loose the "editability". 24-bit (solid) or 32-bit (if with alpha/transparent) for the targa.

5. Upload

Hope that helps!

Thanks, I'll try the last two suggestions!

Thank Anyanka, that worked!

You can skip step 3 above, no need to flatten the image to save it as a targa, at least not in my experience.

I have a follow up question on sign making that I hope one of you can help me with. What if you have a sign that has multiple angles to it? Would I just set the extra outside space as transparent on the TGA and then make an ordinary flattened box so that the extra bits are hidden by the transparency, or do I need to use multiple prims and lock them together to guarantee that the shape of the sign is correct? Any help on this is appreciated, thanks!

E

Hi Esch

Could you maybe post a picture of the kind of sign you mean? Or just give some more information?

I would like to help you find an answer to your question, but right now I am not fully understanding. (I should have slept more last night, my mind is lagging at the moment)

Esch? A picture of what you're trying to do would help a lot. I think you're talking about making a sign that isn't rectangular? Like some restaurant signs, where there is a pointy starburst or some other shape that extends past the edges of the sign?

If that is what you want, you have a couple of choices:

Yes, you could use a single texture, make it transparent in some areas using alpha transparency, and then display that on a rectanglar prim. Whatever isn't alpha-masked will be visible. (Maybe a sign shaped like a horse?) One issue with this is that you'll need to texture the edges of the rectangular sign prim to 100% aplha, so they don't show. Another is that it will have no apparent thickness. Finally, a sign made this way will have alpha-sorting issues with other transparent textures, like the branches of nearby trees. That means sometimes your sign won't be readable, if another transparent surface overlaps it.

Your other option is to use non-alpha textured prims to build up the shape you want. For example, let's say I want an oval sign, with a starburst in one corner that says "New!" on the starburst...

-- Make an oval sign, using a 24-bit tga texture. You can make the texture itself be a square, with the sign info in a circular area, and the area outside the circle can be black, or can match whatever you want the edges of the sign to be. Put that texture on the ends of a cylander, texture the sides a solid color, and position that part.

-- Now make the texture to say "New!", with whatever color background you want. Save that as a small rectangular texture, 24-bit tga. Save a 32x32 texture that is just the background color, also 24-bit tga.

-- Make your wierd shape out of prims. The center of it is a cube, with the "New!" texture on the faces. The other parts, making the starburst in this case, are textured with the 32x32 background sample, for an exact match.

-- Assemble these parts, link them, and you have an odd-shaped sign with no alpha channel transparency needed!

Ceera, you hit the nail ont he head. That was exactly what I meant. I wanted to make a retangular sign that had a little flourish (star, etc) on the side of it that extended out from it. I was trying to avoid using multiple prims on it if I could do it with just one, but I guess something this complex has to have multiple prims. I don't have any pics because I haven't started on it yet, I wanted to find out what my options were before I spent hours on something that could potentially not work.

Thank you for your help!!!!!

E

No problem, Esch. And by the way, welcome to SL and the forums!

Trying to cut back on excessive use of prims is la very good thing! But sometimes, to make it look good, extra prims will be needed.