MapTool User Interface

 This article is a draft, be advised that information it contains may be incomplete, inaccurate, or unclear.

This is reference documentation of MapTool's user interface (UI) features including descriptions of all the menus and panels. It is intended for intermediate users who want to quickly learn about a particular feature, or to explore MapTool's UI features in detail.

If you are just getting started with MapTool, it is recommended to read the Introduction to Mapping, or visit the Main Page to browse for beginner articles.

Overview of the MapTool Application Window

The minimum MapTool interface with no optional panels open.

Each open instance of MapTool has an application window which contains a few ever-present components.

The application window always consists of a title bar, a menu bar, the map building and navigation tools, and the map view. One or more panels may be docked to sides of the map view or even floated seperate from the main application window.

The default layout also docks the `Resource Library` panel at the top left side, and a tabbed panel containing the `Map Explorer` and `Draw Explorer` in the lower left side, and the `Chat` panel. This default layout can be restored by selecting Window > Restore Layout.

Multiple instances of MapTool

Users may open multiple instances of MapTool at once, for instance to test the player view on one instance while serving a campaign file in another on the same computer. When doing this, each instance of the program will have its own application window with its own user interface.

If running multiple instances of MapTool, it is helpful to keep all panels in docked rather than floating to prevent confusion between open instances.

Menu bar

Maptool’s menu bar consists of seven dropdown menus. Underlined letters in a menu command indicates the hotkey that selects that command when the menu is open. Code styled commands next to a menu command indicate a default shortcut key for that command. The 'Meta' shortcut key listed is usually the Control key on Windows and Linux and Command on Mac. You can always verify your shortcut keys by looking in the menus of your MapTool installation.

File Menu

MapTool's File Menu

The File menu mainly contains Campaign File and networking commands, along with other miscellaneous export functions.

• New Campaign

This creates a new campaign file with default properties, states, and a single map called 'Grasslands' configured according to the installation's new map defaults.

• Open Campaign... [Meta-O]

Opens a file explorer window to select and open a MapTool Campaign File.

• Save Campaign [Meta-S]

Saves the current campaign file. If it is a new campaign, MapTool opens a file explorer window to select a save location and name the campaign file.

• Save Campaign As...

Opens a file explorer window to select a save location and name the campaign file.

• Save Chat Log History...

Opens a file explorer window to select a save location and name an HTML file containing the entire content of the current chat panel.

Export Submenu

• Export

Submenu containing additional options.

• Screenshot [Meta+Shift-S]

Opens the Export Screenshot dialog.

• Screenshot As...

Opens the Export Screenshot dialog.

• Campaign As...

Opens the Export Campaign dialog, which allows saving a campaign file in a format compatible with older versions of MapTool.

• Campaign Repository File...

Opens a file explorer window to select a save location and name a ZIP file containing the entire content of the campaign for use as a Campaign Repository.

• Add Resource to Library...

Opens the Add Resource to Library dialog, which will add new resources to the Resource Library.

• Start Server...

Starts a new MapTool server from the current instance of Maptool with the currently open campaign file. See Networking.

• Connect to Server...

Connect to a local or remote MapTool server.

• Disconnect from Server...

Disconnect from the current server. This opens the campaign file which was open before connecting to a server.

• Connection Information...

Displays additional connection information, such as the IP address.

Recent Campaigns Submenu

• Recent Campaigns

Shows a list of up to 9 recently opened campaign files.

• Exit

Will prompt the user to save the current campaign and close MapTool.

Edit Menu

MapTool's Edit Menu

The Edit menu contains drawing and token editing commands and access to campaign settings and MapTool preferences.

• Undo Drawing [Meta-Z]

Removes the most recent drawing object that was created via the Draw tool.

This menu command only affects drawings created with the Drawing Tool. Token movement can be undone by right-clicking a token and selecting 'Revert last move'. Token removal, and changes to the Vision Blocking Layer and Fog of War cannot be undone/redone. However, the key command may affect text in input areas such as the chat window and macro editor.

• Redo Drawing [Meta-R]

Re-adds the most recently drawing object that was removed via Undo Drawing.

This menu command only affects drawings created with the Drawing Tool. Token movement can be undone by right-clicking a token and selecting 'Revert last move'. Token removal, and changes to the Vision Blocking Layer and Fog of War cannot be undone/redone. However, the key command may affect text in input areas such as the chat window and macro editor.

• Clear All Drawings [Meta+Shift-D]

Removes all items in the Draw Explorer on the current map.

This menu command only affects drawings created with the Drawing Tool. Tokens, the Vision Blocking Layer, and Fog of War are not affected.

• Copy [Meta-C]

Copies a token to the clipboard.

This menu command only affects Tokens, although the key command can affect text in input areas such as the chat window and macro editor.

• Cut [Meta-X]

Cuts a token, removing it from the map and placing it in the clipboard.

This menu command only affects Tokens, although the key command can affect text in input areas such as the chat window and macro editor.

• Paste [Meta-V]

Pastes any token in the clipboard to the current map underneath the current cursor position.

This menu command only affects Tokens, although the key command can affect text in input areas such as the chat window and macro editor.

• Campaign Properties...

Opens the Campaign Properties dialog. These are settings which are saved with the current campaign such as token properties, states, and more.

• Preferences...

Opens the Preferences dialog. These are settings which are saved with the local installation of MapTool. They are not saved with a campaign, and will need to be reconfigured on any new installation of MapTool.

Edit Menu - Expanded

Expanded Edit Menu, only visible when a Macro Editor is open

When one or more macro editors is open, the Edit menu is appended with editing options useful for macro authors. These extra commands only effect the macro editor, and can't be used with text entered into the chat panel or other text input areas. If multiple Macro Editors are open, these menu items will appear once for every open Macro Editor.

• Find... Meta-F

Opens the Find dialog box to search the macro editor for some arbitrary text. Works with Regular Expressions when 'Regex' is ✓checked.

• Replace... Meta-H

Opens the Replace dialog box to search the macro editor for some arbitrary text to replace with a second string of arbitrary text. Works with Regular Expressions when 'Regex' is ✓checked.

• Go to Line... Meta-L

Opens a simple Goto Line dialog box, letting you immediately transport the macro editor cursor to the line number provided.

• Show Find Search Bar... Meta+Shift-F

Toggles a bar with text search functionality docked to the bottom of the Macro window. If the Replace Search Bar is visible, the Find bar takes its place. Works with Regular Expressions when 'Regex' is ✓checked.

• Show Replace Search Bar... Meta+Shift-H

Toggles a bar with text search/replace functionality docked to the bottom of the Macro window. If the Find Search Bar is visible, the Replace Search Bar takes its place. Works with Regular Expressions when 'Regex' is ✓checked.

Map Menu

MapTool Map Menu

• New Map... [Meta-N]

Opens the 'Map Properties' dialog box to select options for a new map.

Quick Map Submenu

• Quick Map

The Quick Map submenu provides a visual list of textures which, when clicked, instantly creates new maps with the settings configured in your MapTool_Preferences with the selected texture. Textures for the Quick Map submenu are automatically pulled from your Data Directory in the Resources/Default/Textures subdirectory. You can add or remove textures from this folder to alter the Quick Map options, but it is not recommended to remove Grass.png, as it is the default texture for all new MapTool maps and campaigns. If you do remove it without replacing it, a red 'X' will populate any new maps you create until you manually set a different texture in the map properties.

• Import Map...

Imports a MapTool map with the .rpmap extension via a file browser dialog into the open campaign. When importing maps with Fog of War, an option will be given to reset the fog for the whole map.

• Export Map...

Exports a Maptool map with the .rpmap extension to the local file system via a file browser dialog.

• Player Visible [Meta-H]

When ✓checked, the current map can be viewed by players and will be visible to them in the Select Map dropdown on the right side of the MapTool Toolbar.

• Restore Fog-of-War [Meta+Shift-R]

Resets any exposed areas of fog on the current map so they appear unexplored.

• Fog-of-War [Meta-W]

Enables the display of Fog of War.

• FoW: Expose only at way points [Meta+Shift-W]

Vision Submenu

• Vision [Meta-H]
• Edit Map...
• Adjust Grid...
• Adjust Map Board...
• Rename...
• Copy...
• Delete...

View Menu

MapTool View Menu

• Show As Player [Meta+Shift-P]

Zoom Submenu

• Zoom
  • Zoom In [ = ]
  • Zoom Out [ - ]
  • Zoom 1:1 [ + ]
• Show Token Names [Meta-T]
• Show Movement Distances [Meta-D]
• Show Light Sources [Meta-K]
• Show Grid [Meta-G]
• Show Coordinates

Grid Line Width Submenu

• Grid Line Width
• Display Drawing Distances
• Straight Line Width Doubled
• Fullscreen Mode [Meta+Alt-Enter]

Tool Menu

MapTool Tool Menu

• Chat [Meta-Enter]
• Run Macro [ / ]
• Center Players on Current View [Meta-F]
• Enforce Players to Current Map [Meta-E]
• Center Players on Current View (Continuous) [Meta+Shift-F]
• Lock Player Movement [Meta+Shift-L]
• Lock Zoom
• Enforce Typing Notifications
• Collect Performance Data
• Open Log Console

Window Menu

MapTool Window Menu

All panels will show as ✓checked when they are open. If you cannot find a panel, it may be in a tabbed panel or undocked from the Map View. Using the Restore Layout tool may help.

• Restore layout

Resets to a default arrangement of panels docked to the left and bottom portions of the Map View. The default panels are the Map Explorer (lower left), Library (top left), and Chat (lower edge). All other panels are hidden and also have their default size and position reset.

• Connections

Toggles the Connections panel. When playing on or running a server, this panel shows which players are currently connected.

• Map Explorer

Toggles the Map Explorer panel. This panel shows all the Tokens on the currently selected map, organized by layer.

• Draw Explorer

Toggles the Draw Explorer panel. This panel shows all the drawing objects (shapes, text, and cuts) on the currently selected map, organized by layer.

• Initiative

Toggles the Initiative panel, which is a tool to help set and track rounds, current turn, and turn order for tokens on the the current map.

• Library

Toggles the Library panel, a file browser to drag and drop images and tokens from added folders on the file system onto the map.

• Chat

Toggles the Chat panel where all connected players can type, run chat commands, and run macros directly.

• Tables

Toggles the Tables panel. Tables for the current campaign are created, configured, and can be run directly from this panel.

• Global

Toggles the Global panel, which contains any macros attached to the current installation of MapTool.

• Campaign

Toggles the Campaign pane, which contains any macros attached to the currently open campaign file.

• Selected

Toggles the Selected panel, which contains any macros attached to the currently selected Token.

• Impersonate

Toggles the Impersonate panel, which contains any macros attached to the currently impersonated Token.

• Show Transfer Window

Help Menu

MapTool Help Menu

• Add Default Tables...
• Restore Default Images...
• Documentation
• Tutorials
• Forums
• Networking Setup (forum thread)
• Macro Scripting
• Gather Debug Information...
• About...

Panels

Panels are windows which expose additional MapTool features. They can be toggled visible or hidden by using the Window menu, and their position can be customized to be docked to the edge of the Map View, tabbed alongside other panels, or floated apart from the application window entirely.

You can reset all the panels by Selecting Restore Layout from the Window menu. MapTool saves the current panel configuration when it is closed.

Connections

When playing on or running a server, this panel shows which players are currently connected.

Map Explorer

This panel shows all the Tokens on the currently selected map, organized by layer.

Draw Explorer

This panel shows all the drawing objects (shapes, text, and cuts) on the currently selected map, organized by layer.

Initiative

A tool to help set and track rounds, current turn, and turn order for tokens on the the current map.

Library

A file browser to drag and drop images and tokens from added folders on the file system onto the map.

Chat

Panel where all connected players can type, run chat commands, and run macros directly.

Tables

Tables for the current campaign are created, configured, and can be run directly from this panel.

Global

Contains any macros attached to the current installation of MapTool.

Campaign

Contains any macros attached to the currently open campaign file.

Selected

Contains any macros attached to the currently selected Token.

Impersonate

Contains any macros attached to the currently impersonated Token.

Other Key Windows

The following additional dialog windows are key parts of using MapTool for the majority of users.

• Campaign Properties Window
• Preferences Window
• Macro Editor Window
• Networking Windows