Possible to detect model loading problems?

Hi all, just a few questions:

1) When attempting to load a 3D model file (.3ds, .x, etc.) with the LoadMesh and LoadAnimMesh commands, is it possible to avoid a fatal error upon a particular file being corrupt or not to Blitz's liking? (eg. was not exported correctly from the 3D Modelling program.)

2) Does anyone know how to correctly export a .x or .3ds model with a UV texture map using Blender? (I managed to accomplish this once, but have since tried many times with no luck.) :(
(Does anyone here successfully use Blender to create and export models for use with Blitz3D? If so, please let me know!)

3) Does a utility program exist that will convert certain model formats (eg. .3ds, .x) into the .b3d format? This would indeed bring much joy.


May anyone who can assist me in these matters be showered with utmost praise.
Merry Christmas!

Point Number 3. You should look for a program called "Ultimate Unwrap". It's very handy for converting file types into .b3d. I think the export plug-in is on the Ultimate Unwrap website :o)

For Point number one, there exists code to manually read in a .b3d file. I think it's written by Ricky Smith, in the code archives. You could evalute that and check for errors. Then use the LoadAnimMesh to load it once you've checked for errors.

AFAIK when LoadMesh or LoadAnimMesh returns zero, something went wrong while loading the model (could be that it doesn't exists, or that it is corrupt).

Still when using LoadAnimMesh it could be a static mesh and result in "No animation in entity found" (or alike) when you try to animate it.

Converting static 3ds to b3d can also be done by Decorator (Toolbox?) tho it is meant to paint the walls etc. of a map mesh.