16-bit images get imported as 8-bit in Photoshop

Santewi

I've been trying to import a 16-bit (also tested 32-bit, same thing) heightmap into Photoshop, but it always stays in 8-bit mode. I've tried several file formats, nothing seems to work. Can't find any settings related to this inside Photoshop and Google doesn't seem to know anything about this either...

Is this a problem with CS6 or something?

EarthQuake

What file format? Maybe try saving as a different file type? I've used 16 bit TIFFs before without issue, but not in CS6...

Santewi

TIFF, TGA, BMP, PNG, RAW... nothing seems to work.


EDIT: I'm starting to think it's a problem with Terresculptor exporter. 16-bit images saved in Photoshop open just fine, but I can't open most of the files I export from Terresculptor or they open in 8-bit mode.

DGUnreal

Thread resurrection to clear up a few points for any late readers.

It is possible that you got hit with the bug in the file export index that occurred around build 2012-08 that was fixed in 2012-11.

If that is not the case:
The supported file formats in TerreSculptor are listed on the Import and Export dialog file type drop-downs and in the Reference Manual PDF Appendix C.
TS is tested for compatibility against PhotoShop, PhotoPaint, and other paint software, plus many game engines.

Regarding 16-bit grayscale image support for the file formats you listed:
TIFF: TS (currently) does support uncompressed single-strip or multi-strip single-image 16-bit Grayscale format.
TGA: TS (currently) does support uncompressed 16-bit TrueColor Grayscale format in both standard and extended TGA. It does not support 16-bit Colormapped (paletted) format.
BMP: There is no official Windows 16-bit Grayscale Bitmap format. The supported atypical BMP 16-bit Bitmap format is Epic's G16 which is not supported in most standard paint software.
PNG: TS does not support 16-bit Grayscale PNG as explicitly listed in the manual and the file type drop-downs.
RAW: TS supports virtually every binary RAW format possible (21 RAW format variations), as used by and tested against most commercial game engines that use RAW. Binary RAW is not to be confused with the camera RAW format that is supported by many paint programs.

If you have a file that you know should be supported but is not working, it can be submitted for testing via email or the forums. If you have found an error in the documentation or software regarding file format support, please notify me.

Best,
David

Santewi

Thanks for the reply. I haven't used TerreSculptor in a while, but I'll try the latest version when I have time and see if fixes the issue.

DGUnreal

This year should see a lot of the dangling unfinished features getting completed, new modifiers, more multi-threading, the world stack and file open/save, plus a much needed update to the 3D editor (object picking, mesh painting, the initial 3D tools).
And hopefully a move up from alpha-pre-beta stage to actual beta.