| name | texture-assembler |
| description | Guide for using the texassemble command-line tool to create cubemaps, volume maps, texture arrays, and other assembled DDS textures from individual images. Use this skill when asked about creating cubemaps, volume textures, texture arrays, merging channels, converting animated GIFs to textures, or extracting cubemap faces to cross/strip layouts. |
| license | MIT |
| metadata | {"author":"chuckw","version":"1.0"} |
Texassemble Texture Assembler
This skill provides guidance for using the texassemble command-line tool to create DDS files containing cubemaps, volume maps, or texture arrays from individual images.
When to Use
Invoke this skill when:
- Creating cubemaps from six individual face images.
- Creating volume (3D) textures from multiple slice images.
- Creating 1D or 2D texture arrays from multiple images.
- Creating cubemap arrays from multiple sets of face images.
- Extracting cubemap faces into cross, strip, or tee layout images.
- Creating cubemaps from cross, strip, or tee layout images.
- Merging channels from two images into one output.
- Converting animated GIFs into texture arrays.
- Creating textures with custom mipmap levels from individual mip images.
Installation
winget (Recommended)
winget install Microsoft.DirectXTex.Texassemble
vcpkg
vcpkg install directxtex[tools]
Syntax
texassemble <command> [options] [--file-list <filename>] <file-name(s)>
Input files can be dds, tga, hdr, or any WIC-supported format (bmp, jpg, png, jxr, heif, webp, etc.).
The command-line uses Windows-style - or / for options. It also supports --version, --help, and GNU long-option style parameters with --.
Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|
cube | Creates a cubemap from six face images (ordered: +X, -X, +Y, -Y, +Z, -Z) |
volume | Creates a volume (3D) texture from two or more images (depth = image count) |
array | Creates a 1D or 2D texture array from two or more images (requires FL 10.0+) |
cubearray | Creates a cubemap array from a multiple of six images (requires FL 10.1+) |
h-cross | Extracts cubemap faces into a horizontal cross layout image |
v-cross | Extracts cubemap faces into a vertical cross layout image |
v-cross-fnz | Same as v-cross but flips the negative-Z face |
h-strip | Extracts cubemap faces into a horizontal strip image |
v-strip | Extracts cubemap faces into a vertical strip image |
h-tee | Extracts cubemap faces into a horizontal "T" layout image |
cube-from-hc | Creates a cubemap from a horizontal cross layout image |
cube-from-vc | Creates a cubemap from a vertical cross layout image |
cube-from-vc-fnz | Creates a cubemap from a vertical cross layout (flipped -Z) image |
cube-from-ht | Creates a cubemap from a horizontal tee layout image |
cube-from-hs | Creates a cubemap from a horizontal strip image |
cube-from-vs | Creates a cubemap from a vertical strip image |
array-strip | Extracts a 1D/2D array into a horizontal strip image |
merge | Creates a texture by merging channels from two input images |
gif | Converts an animated GIF into a texture array |
from-mips |
Common Workflows
Create a cubemap from six face images
texassemble cube -w 256 -h 256 -o cubemap.dds posx.jpg negx.jpg posy.jpg negy.jpg posz.jpg negz.jpg
Create a volume (3D) texture
texassemble volume -w 256 -h 256 -o volume.dds slice0.png slice1.png slice2.png slice3.png
Create a texture array
texassemble array -o array.dds frame0.png frame1.png frame2.png frame3.png
Extract cubemap to horizontal cross layout
texassemble h-cross cubemap.dds
Create cubemap from a vertical cross image
texassemble cube-from-vc -o cubemap.dds cross_layout.png
Merge channels from two images
texassemble merge -o combined.png color.png alpha_source.bmp
Merge with custom swizzle (roughness into alpha)
texassemble merge --swizzle rgbR -o packed.png albedo.png roughness.png
Convert animated GIF to texture array
texassemble gif -o animation.dds animated.gif
Create mipmapped texture from individual mip images
texassemble from-mips -o texture.dds mip0.png mip1.png mip2.png mip3.png
Options Reference
See reference/options.md for the complete options reference.
Quick Reference (most common options)
| Option | Description |
|---|
-o <file> | Output filename (default: DDS based on first input, BMP for cross/strip) |
-f <format> | Output DXGI format (e.g., R8G8B8A8_UNORM, B8G8R8A8_UNORM) |
-w <n> / -h <n> | Output width / height in pixels |
-if <filter> | Image filter (POINT, LINEAR, CUBIC, FANT, BOX, TRIANGLE) |
-srgb | Input and output are sRGB |
-y | Overwrite existing output file |
-dx10 | Force DX10 header extension |
-fl <level> | Target feature level (default: 11.0, max texture size: 16384) |
--swizzle <mask> | Channel swizzle for merge command |
--strip-mips | Strip mipmaps from input textures |
-r | Recursive wildcard search |
-nologo | Suppress copyright message |
Output Format
By default, texassemble writes DDS files. The output filename is derived from the first input file with a .dds extension. For cross/strip extraction commands, the default output is a .bmp file and you can specify any supported image extension.
Notes
- The tool does not support mipmap generation or texture compression. Use the texture-converter skill to further process the resulting DDS file.
- Any texture-compressed input file is decompressed on load.
- Partial cubemaps are not supported; all six faces must be provided.
- Cubemap face order is: positive-X, negative-X, positive-Y, negative-Y, positive-Z, negative-Z.
- Support for OpenEXR (
exr) format requires building from source with USE_OPENEXR defined.
- Additional WIC codecs (HEIF, WEBP) work automatically if installed on the system.
- Texture arrays require Direct3D feature level 10.0 or better hardware.
- Cubemap arrays with more than one cubemap require feature level 10.1 or better.
Further Reading
