MapTool Preferences

Important Note: All preferences related to maps only take effect on new maps created after the preference has been changed. This is the behaviour of version 1.3b54 and all preceeding versions. Preferences that follow this behaviour will be marked with a

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Note: All screenshots in this article are shown with the default settings, which might not necessarily be the recommended settings for your use.

Interactions Tab

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Interactions Tab on the Preferences Dialog

Maps

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Maps Section

• New maps have Fog of War

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Determines if new maps should have Fog of War enabled when created. If you use Fog of War, it might seem obvious to have this ✓checked; however, when creating a new campaign, it is often useful to to disable this feature to assist with rapid map creation.

• New maps visible to players

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Determines if new maps should be set as Player Visible when created. Although there are exceptions, typically having this ✓checked is the optimal setting; that way you won't unintentionally leave a map visible to players.

• Default Grid Type

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• • Square File:gridSquare.png
  • Horizontal Hex File:gridHorizontalHex.png
  • Vertical Hex File:gridVerticalHex.png

Determines the grid type of new maps when created. You are free to create maps without a grid type, and also a grid type different than the one specified here, but you can not set the Default Grid Type to none.

• Default Grid Size

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Represents the amount of pixels you want MapTool to use drawing each grid cell at full resolution. The default setting of 50 pixels is adequate for most computers, but higher-end computers can handle 100 pixels or even 200 pixels for very high-end computers. There is no requirement that you use specific sizes, but 50 pixels and 100 pixels are commonly used. This setting will also determine how large an image appears when placed on a map; if set to Free-size and not manually re-sized.

• Default Units Per Cell

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Sets the amount of units that each grid cell represents. The ambiguous "unit" is used in this case because you decide what "unit" means. If you want each grid cell to represent 5 feet, this would be set to 5. If you want each grid cell to represent 4 kilometers, this would be set to 4. This is often referred to as Distance Per Cell.

• Default Vision Distance

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The maximum distance that PC Tokens can expose Fog of War after Lights, Sights, and Vision Blocking Layers are taken into account. It is important to note that this setting is measured in Distance Per Cell.

• Movement metric
  • ONE_TWO_ONE
  • ONE_ONE_ONE
  • MANHATTAN
  • NO DIAGONALS

Determines how movement should be calculated when a Token moves diagonally. This affects the total distance displayed beneath a Token when it is moving, or when its previous path is displayed; it is calculated based on Distance Per Cell. ONE_TWO_ONE specifies that every second diagonal movement will calculate as twice the Distance Per Cell. ONE_ONE_ONE specifies that diagonal movement will calculate the same as non-diagonal movement. MANHATTAN specifies that every diagonal movement will calculate as twice the Distance Per Cell. NO DIAGONALS specifies that Tokens can only move non-diagonally. The Movement metric setting only comes into play with maps that use the Square grid type; maps with a Hex grid type calculate movement in any direction using the Distance Per Cell.

Tokens

File:prefs interactions tokens.jpg

Tokens Section

• Start Snap to Grid

Determines if Tokens will default to having Snap to Grid ✓checked. Having this setting ✓checked is optimal for maps that use a grid, but even on such maps there are cases when you might want to temporarily disable this setting(e.g. when placing a lot of "prop" Tokens on the Object layer while drawing a map).

• New tokens visible to players

Determines if new Tokens have the Visible option ✓checked upon creation. The optimal setting for this really depends on your play style; if you have a lot of random encounters and build them during play, you may find it useful to have this setting disabled.

• Duplicate Token Numbering
  • Increment
  • Random 2-digit

Will automatically append numbers to Tokens with duplicate names, upon creation. Increment will leave the first token unnumbered, but will number each duplicate after that, starting with the number 1 (e.g. Troll, Troll 1, Troll 2). Random 2-digit will append a random two-digit number to the token name, even if there are no duplicates on the map yet. Random 2-digit might be considered the optimal setting, as it gives your players no indication of how many copies of that Token can be expected to exist.

• Show Numbering on
  • Name
  • GM Name
  • Both

Specifies where the number that derived from Duplicate Token Numbering is applied. Name appends the number after the name (derived from New Token Naming). GM Name places the number within the GM Name field of the Token options. Both appends the number after the name, and places it within the GM Name field of the Token options. Due to odd behaviour that MapTool will display when handling tokens with the same name, it is recommended that you use Name or Both, but not GM Name.

• New Token Naming
  • Use Filename
  • Use "Creature"

Determines what the name will be when creating a new Token, or what the Name field will be pre-filled with in a new Token dialog. Use Filename specifies that the name will be derived from the name of the file that was added to your Resource Library (e.g. if you add the file uglytroll.jpg to your Resource Library, tokens created from that image will begin with the name uglytroll). Use "Creature" defaults all new Tokens to being named "Creature" (without quotes).

• Start Freesize

If you are using a map with a grid, Tokens typically default to the size of one grid cell upon creation. Having this setting ✓checked allows you to have them default to Freesize, which is very useful for when you're placing a lot of 'prop' Tokens on the Object layer while creating a map.

• Show Dialog on New Token

When this setting is ✓checked, a New Token dialog will open when you drag an image onto the map, allowing you to set some options prior to creation. If you disable this setting, all new tokens will be created with the default settings derived from previous settings in this section.

• Stat Sheet Portrait Size (Set to 0 to disable portaits)

Sets the width (in pixels) of the portrait that is displayed in the lower left corner of the map when mousing over certain Tokens; the image is resized proportionately. A portrait is displayed under a few different circumstances; if the Token has properties that are set to display on the stat sheet, and those properties have values, the portrait will display the token image. If the Token has a portrait image set, it will display with or without a stat sheet. Why might you want to set this to 0? Besides the obvious reason of not displaying the portrait, you might want to use a stat sheet, but not want a portrait displayed with it; or perhaps you don't want to use a stat sheet or a portrait, but would like to have the portrait image 'slot' usable for other purposes, like inside a Dialog or Frame.

Chat

File:prefs interactions chat.jpg

Chat Section

• Show Avatar per line

The image for the impersonated token is shown next to any chat output it creates, when this is ✓checked. This is a client-side setting and does not effect any other clients connected to the same game.

• Insert Smilies

Replaces common smiley(emoticon) character sequences with graphical smilies when this is ✓checked. If you use a lot of macros, it is recommended that you turn this off, as it could cause some complications if any of your macro code is interpreted as a smiley.

• Use ToolTips for Inline Rolls

Sets the default display (Roll Type) for rolls in the chat panel. Will use [tooltip:] if this is ✓checked, otherwise it will default to [extended:] .

• Trusted Prefix Background

Sets a custom background for macro output that comes from a Trusted Macro.

• Trusted Prefix Foreground

Sets a custom foreground (text color) for macro output that comes from a Trusted Macro.

• Time between autosaves

The amount of time in minutes between autosaves, or when you MapTool will automatically save the current campaign to prevent data loss.

• Autosave Chat Log Filename

The filename that will be used when automatically saving your chat log. This is not functional as of 1.3b54.

Objects

File:prefs interactions objects.jpg

Objects Section

• Start Snap to Grid

Tokens created on map's Object layer will automatically be set to Snap to Grid if this is ✓checked.

• Start Freesize

Tokens created on a map's Object layer will automatically be set to Freesize if this is ✓checked.

Backgrounds

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Backgrounds Section

• Start Snap to Grid

Images dropped on a map's Background layer will automatically be set to Snap to Grid, if this is ✓checked.

• Start Freesize

Images dropped on a map's Background layer will automatically be set to Freesize, if this is ✓checked.

Facing

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Facing Section

• On Edges

A token's facing will snap to the edges when ✓checked. Edges are the lines that make up a grid cell.

• On Vertices

A token's facing will snap to the vertices when ✓checked. Vertices are the points that connect the lines that make up a grid cell.

Accessibility Tab

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Accessibility Tab on the Preferences Dialog

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Accessibility Tab Close-up

• Chat Font Size

The default size of the font in the chat panel; measured in points.

• ToolTip Initial Delay

The time it takes for a tooltip to display when hovering the mouse over an element that possesses a tooltip; measured in miliseconds.

• ToolTip Dismiss Delay

The time it takes for a tooltip to disappear when hovering the mouse over an element that possesses a tooltip; measured in miliseconds.

Application Tab

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Application Tab on the Preferences Dialog

Save

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Save Section

• Save Autorecover every [ ] min

Saves a copy of your campaign in the interval specified. Unlike Autosave, this will not overwrite your campaign file, but rather create a new one every time it automatically saves.

• Save reminder on close

Displays a dialog when attempting to close the program with unsaved changes to your campaign when ✓checked.

• 1.3b50 Compatability Mode

Due to some changes in how certain data is stored in the campaign file in versions after 1.3b50, they might not be compatible with version 1.3b50 and earlier. If this is ✓checked your campaign will be saved in the older format, allowing it to be opened in older versions, but losing some of the new features.

Map Defaults

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Map Defaults Section

• Halo line width

Description here.

• Vision opacity

Description here.

• Use halo color for vision

Description here.

• Autoshow Fog

Description here.

Macro Panels

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Macro Panels Section

• Default: Allow Players to Edit Macros

In order for a macro to be considered a Trusted Macro, players must not be able to edit it. This setting determines if a new macro should default to allowing players to edit if ✓checked. Disabling this setting can be very useful if you intend to create a lot of macros that you intend to be trusted.

Sounds Tab

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Sounds Tab on the Preferences Dialog

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Sounds Tab Close-up

• Play system sounds

Description here

• Only when window not focused

Description here.