Does anyone know how to see dds files thumbnails in windows file explorer, adobe bridge etc.?

gnoop

Files exported from Substance Designer for example?     Years ago I did see them  but totally forgot  what it was . Or at least I think I did.   Some  thumbs  generator for windows maybe?

ps. Google finds some 20 years old nvidia DDS add-on . it doesn't show a thing.   Neither XnView .

iam717

Hope these help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaHO5P6u68c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUEBG-_U1vc

i know windows is but7h0l3 a55 now.

gnoop

Thanks iam717      But as i recollect  it's ancient as hell and uses same library for thumbnails  XnView does.   So shows what XnView does.   So does it show dds  exported from Substance Designer ?    XnView certainly doesn't   Neither  Adobe Bridge on my end .

ps. tried to install Sage thumbs . Doesn't work for dds files. Not for ones Substance exports at least.

iam717

Cool found some more stuff to try:

(sry i am not trying them, but looking for resources for you, let us know which work.)

.Source: official MS-windows link 

(just showing where i got links from)

https://github.com/Microsoft/DirectXTex

https://github.com/Microsoft/DirectXTK

Assuming this is the 20 year old addon link you mention?

https://ddsviewer.com/download.aspx

And a not so known application: (use at own risk, checking in virtual machine,o.s. environment, which others probably did already, would be the move here in-case you think this link is suspect.)

https://www.videohelp.com/software/Icaros - in log: Added DDS property support

^I've been a frequenter here when i learned about video editing 10-20 years back, for me most of the stuff is fine, it is usually experimental novice, learners coding things till they get it right, but they are mostly experienced users also.

One of these might work though i think that is it for me and unless there are more really buried apps i couldn't find them.

Maybe designer is doing something "custom" to the file? or the o.s. has restricted things that where once, "FREE" into a subscription package for future release... which seems like what has been done to o.s.'s as of late (switching from 7 to 10 and things not working...like they once did.)

Just let us know.

Edit:

i kept looking:

https://alternativeto.net/software/instant-thumbview/

Eric Chadwick

XnView ought to be able to display most DDS files.

It’s a container format though, so it could contain all kinds of compressed or uncompressed, high/low bit depths, and various numbers of channels. So it’s kind of hard to support all those.

Eric Chadwick

Do you know what options you are using for your dds exports? 

gnoop

Eric Chadwick said:

Do you know what options you are using for your dds exports?

It's just an export from Substance Designer.  My guess it does compress files  but i have no idea if the soft has specific options for that.     Meanwhile I found what  I used years ago.    It's  Mystic thumbs.       Shows those dds and even layered exrs , only beauty  layer although .

pxgeek

fwiw, Imagine Browser is pretty great (minus the clunky navigation), it displays dds

gnoop

Thanks guys for the suggestions.