Announcing Jota's Map Assistant

by **Jota** on Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:47 am

The second of my two mapmaking utilities is now available to the public. The Map Assistant is a Java application that provides a GUI for generating the coordinate data for Conquer Club maps. You just open an image, open your XML, position the cursor where you want the coordinates inserted, and click on the map. If you're working on a map, give it a try and let me know what you think:

Map Assistant

You'll need the Java runtime to use it. If you're on Windows, you can run it by typing java -jar MapAssist.jar at the command prompt. If you're using another OS, you're on your own figuring out how to run jarfiles (but I'm sure there's a webpage out there that'll explain it). Enjoy.

by **AndyDufresne** on Sat Apr 22, 2006 11:38 am

Sounds like a nifty gadget for map makers. But when I first read the title I thought you were expanding your enterprise of map making and started to higher personal assistants!

--Andy

by **kingwaffles** on Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:06 pm

Sounds very useful, if I ever get around to making a mpI'm sure I'll use it. And what was your first mapmaking utility?

by **Jota** on Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:13 pm

The first one was an XML testing script which lack has incorporated into the Map Maker form.

by **rocksolid** on Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:20 pm

Thanks Jota, I'm sure I'll need to use this!

by **DublinDoogey** on Sat Apr 22, 2006 9:30 pm

Hey Jota

It's awesome that you make these programs! I'm glad that I don't have to do it the way I was before, this will be much quicker.

Just because I'm not very good with computers...

Have the image open: in photoshop, or the .png version?

I've just gotta get started on the xml, and finalizing my graphics (North America map).

Thanks again

-doogey

by **Jota** on Sat Apr 22, 2006 11:42 pm

You'll need to open the image in the Map Assistant itself: there are menu options for "Open Image" and "Open XML". I think that PNG files should work fine: I didn't test it with them personally, but I'm pretty sure the standard Java packages handle them with no trouble.

by **thegrimsleeper** on Sun Apr 23, 2006 12:40 am

I tried this out, just to see what it did. Looks like a good prog, once I get around to making another map I'm sure it'll save me a lot of time and Advil.

Handles .png files just fine.

by **Jota** on Sat Apr 29, 2006 11:04 pm

Uploaded version 1.1 to the same location. Fixes a major bug and includes a few other minor improvements.

by **kevinc** on Sat May 06, 2006 6:05 am

All you need now is to be able to create points on the map, and drag them around.

by **fluffybunnykins** on Mon May 08, 2006 3:35 pm

that'd be very cool

howie
thanks Jota, I'm using it now for 'going underground'
soon we may be able to test it, may take a couple of months to complete a game mind you...
btw I've started my first go at the crossword map n all. Cool idea, nice bit of out of the box thinking.
Phil

by **Mr. K** on Mon May 08, 2006 3:39 pm

I just wanted to say that I used this and it helped a lot. I can't imagine having to have gotten all the coordinates without this program.

Thanks Jota!

by **kevinc** on Mon May 08, 2006 3:48 pm

Mr. K wrote:I just wanted to say that I used this and it helped a lot. I can't imagine having to have gotten all the coordinates without this program.

Yea, me too. It's really fantastic!

by **Jota** on Mon May 08, 2006 4:43 pm

Yay, it's great to hear that.

by **Haydena** on Tue May 30, 2006 4:45 pm

Just thought I'd point something out...

I was doing the XML on the Japan map, and it cuts off the bottom of the map because it is too tall. Is there anyway to sort this? Or do I have to do it manually?

by **Mr. K** on Tue May 30, 2006 5:50 pm

Haydena wrote:Just thought I'd point something out...

I was doing the XML on the Japan map, and it cuts off the bottom of the map because it is too tall. Is there anyway to sort this? Or do I have to do it manually?

Yeah, I had that same problem too actually. I just got the few territories I couldn't see manually.

Thats what made me so thankful for this programming, seeing how much of a bitch it was to get the coordinates manually.

by **Jota** on Tue May 30, 2006 7:38 pm

Version 1.2 is up. It should be available at the same address (http://grunk.org/risk/MapAssist.jar). Now with scrollbars! Also, the divider between the image and the rest of the screen is now draggable, so you can manually resize the image and the text box independently. Let me know if there are any other problems.

by **Haydena** on Wed May 31, 2006 2:07 am

It doesn't seem to have changed

by **Jota** on Wed May 31, 2006 8:54 am

Whoops! I guess I messed up the upload somehow. I think it should be there now.

by **Haydena** on Wed May 31, 2006 8:56 am

Erm, still doesn't seem to be :roll:

by **Jota** on Wed May 31, 2006 10:14 am

Huh. I just checked with a friend, and he was able to download v1.2 from that address. Is it possible you're getting a cached version, or downloading to a different location?

by **Haydena** on Wed May 31, 2006 10:20 am

Got it... Much, much, much, much better!

This really is a saviour when it comes to editing your XML Jota! *bows down and hails Jota for his programming*