Editing DDS

{{grammar}}
Direct Draw Suface is a file format developed by Microsoft for DirectX SDK. This format is used in many games to store [[texture compression | compressed textures]]. 

Darkplaces engine can load DDS storing the images of the following formats:
* '''BGRA''' : 32-bit uncompressed image
* '''DXT1''' : 4-bit compressed DXT1 texture
* '''DXT2''' : 8-bit compressed DXT2 texture
* '''DXT3''' : 8-bit compressed DXT3 texture
* '''DXT4''' : 8-bit compressed DXT4 texture
* '''DXT5''' : 8-bit compressed DXT5 texture

In Darkplaces, DDS are not general texture format like [[TGA]] or [[JPEG]] but an override texture (dds/filename.dds) that get loaded instead of it's base texture (filename.tga), if presented. 

All DDS files should be stored under dds/ directory, rest of the path should mimic file path of the base texture:

 dds/textures/mausoleum/outerwall1_1 <font color=green>// override textures/mausoleum/outerwall1_1</font>
 dds/models/mapobjects/inn/barrel1_1_norm <font color=green>// override models/mapobjects/inn/barrel1_1_norm</font>
 dds/models/mapobjects/inn/barrel1_1 <font color=green>// override models/mapobjects/inn/barrel1_1</font>

DDS files should have mipmaps pre-generated. If there is no mipmaps generated, it is implied that this texture is not using mipmaps. 

{{important|Engine shouldn't try to use mipmaps on this texture (see [[Darkplaces_material_system/General_Keywords#noMipMaps | noPicMip]], also gfx/ images never use mipmaps) or it can crash.}}

{{bug|Some drivers don't deal with non-power-of-two compressed textures (black walls). Best way is to always make DDS textures to be [[power-of-two]].}}

===DDS for NetRadiant===

Unfortunately, NetRadiant can't load DDS images, it always loads base texture instead. This becomes a problem when supplying Radiant with the builded game (which only include DDS, no base textures). In order to avoid missing textures and broken brush texturing, every world texture that gotta be applied on [[brush | brushes]], should have separate radiant-only image (see [[Darkplaces_material_system/Special_Keywords#qer_editorImage_.3CtextureName.3E | qer_editorImage]]).

By a convention, radiant-only image should be stored in ''gamedir/radiant/path_to_base_texture'':
 '''textures/town/wall1_1'''
 { 
     <font color=blue>qer_editorImage</font> '''radiant/textures/town/wall1_1'''
     ...
 }

==Tools==
You can use following tools to produce compressed DDS images:
* [[RwgTex]] - recommended commandline tool used by Blood Omnicide
* [http://developer.amd.com/tools/compressonator/pages/default.aspx ATI Compressonator]
* [http://www.imgtec.com/powervr/insider/powervr-pvrtextool.asp PVRTexTool] (requires registration)

==Future alternatives==
In 2010 Khronos group introduced [http://www.khronos.org/opengles/sdk/tools/KTX/file_format_spec/ KTX] format (covering OpenGL and OpenGL ES texture formats). This format can be used as a replacement to DDS in future.

==Console variables==
{{cvar|r_texture_dds_load|load compressed dds/filename.dds instead of filename.tga. If file exists (requires driver support).}}
{{cvar|r_texture_dds_load_alphamode|trust DDPF_ALPHAPIXELS flag, 1: texture format and brute force search if ambiguous, 2: texture format only}}
{{cvar|r_texture_dds_load_logfailure|log missing DDS textures to ddstexturefailures.log, 0: done log, 1: log with no optional textures (_norm, glow etc.). 2: log all}}
{{cvar|r_texture_dds_save|save compressed dds/filename.dds texture when filename.tga is loaded, so that it can be loaded instead next time}}
{{cvar|r_texture_dds_swdecode|0: don't software decode DDS, 1: software decode DDS if unsupported, 2: always software decode DDS. Software decoding breaks all benefits of DDS and should be used if driver dont support DDS or for debugging purposes.}}

==See also==
* [[texture compression | Texture compression]]

[[Category:Glossary]]
[[Category:File formats]]
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