texture-assembler

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

• Texassemble Wiki
• DirectXTex Documentation