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Aligning a self-uploaded map: I have followed every tutorial and yet ....

Hi guys, I am really struggling to align a map I have uploaded myself from a module I purchased online (5e dnd beyond LMoP pdf version). I have watched 5/6 videos and read multiple topics on this forum saying how easy it was to just do A, B, C and D and yet here I am it does not seem to want to align at all (or maybe few grids and the rest will be really sketchy. See map for references : Anyone having the same issue? Forced to use online now due to the situation so I would love to really know how to use roll20 before subscribing with my players. Best, Khan
1588599839
keithcurtis
Forum Champion
Marketplace Creator
API Scripter
Is the map from a professional scan? I.e. how certain are you the scan is not distorted? If not, the easiest method I have found is to scale it using the Alt key to keep it from snapping. Scale it vertically first (using the handles at top or bottom, not the corners), adjusting top and bottom until you match the horizontal grid lines. Then scale it left to right using the same method. Trying to scale both at once can trick your eyes.
Thanks Keith, that is obviously what I have been doing and sadly it is not working at all. I am not sure how it makes sense if one square will fit but not some on the extremity. Even by selecting the aligning tool actually it makes it worse (?). I have been using dnd beyond version, I see that it is free now so maybe you could have check on how well-scanned is the map to be uploaded on roll20? Maybe the problem is from there but I would have assumed that from paying the price they would provide something that is professional scanned? I even tried with this free map available on here by Dice Grimorium (George) :&nbsp; <a href="https://dicegrimorium.com/forest-path-dnd-battle-map/" rel="nofollow">https://dicegrimorium.com/forest-path-dnd-battle-map/</a> &nbsp;- I can scale it horizontally but vertically it does not fit?
The picture looks like it needs moved just a touch to the right and be scaled a bit bigger to the bottom. No distortion visible in this small sample. Please don't get mad, but I have to ask again (cause with Roll20 is easy to forget the not so obvious): Did you use the Alt key while moving and scaling the map? If you did, here is another tip: Try scaling the extreme. This means: If your map is 20 by 20 squares, try to fit those 20 by 20 in a 20 by 20 page. Then everything else should fit. Another way: If the grid of your map starts exactly at the sides of the image (and only in this case), look up the dimensions of the image, scale the page in roll20 to that dimensions, define the number of squares you have and the map should fit automatically.
I feel your pain. &nbsp;I struggled so much with this in the beginning. &nbsp;Keith gives great advice I hadn’t heard before. &nbsp;I always tried stretching both at the same time. &nbsp;So, my suggestion is do that, and try to stretch it to the size that it should be. &nbsp;If you get it close but not quite perfect, then leave the grid on, but turn it opaque. &nbsp;The players won’t even notice its slightly off if they aren’t seeing both grids.
1588605525
Spren
Sheet Author
I got the image you linked to line up perfectly in one step using the align to grid tool. I make the grid red when I'm scaling to see the roll20 grid better vs. the map's grid, so you can see there's no extra lines. I will say that not all maps line up perfectly so it's super possible your map doesn't. A way to test it is by putting it in an image program like Gimp and turning on grid lines, sometimes you'll see clearly in the image editor that the grid isn't perfect. As for scaling maps, generally my steps are: 1. Make the map big, bigger than the image 2. Put image on map layer, right click, align to grid 3. If it's really close but not quite, I'll align to grid another few times to see if I can get it perfect. Otherwise I do as others have said and manually stretch from a side using the alt key. 4. Reduce the map size so there's no extra white space.
@Patrick: Nice cheat, didn't know that! :D
I have been doing what Keith is suggesting (which is what I read before on one of the topic he replied to actually!).&nbsp; EDIT. Oh my gosh ... I just realised how the alt click works ?! You have to actually move things from either top/bottom left or right, you cannot just adjust from one side you have to do it from both. Now that I understood that, took me 3 sec to align it ... this is perfect. I was frustrated because I started to really like roll20 but only this was holding me to commit further !&nbsp; Thanks guys so anyone reading this and struggling to adjust with the alt + click manoeuvre do not forget that you need to adjust both side (left and right for horizontal adjustment and top and bottom for vertical).
Nice! Glad you could work this out. :)
1588613846
keithcurtis
Forum Champion
Marketplace Creator
API Scripter
Alternatively, the map you linked has no borders and is 30 squares by 30 squares. You can right click the image and set the size to 30 x 30 units. Here's a tip I use on most maps. If your map is 30x30, set the page to 34x34. This will leave a 2 unit margin around the map. Turn on regular fog of war (it's free and causes no lag). Reveal the map area but leave the margin concealed. Now you have a "storage area" that is more easily accessible than the gm layer for reinforcements, invisible creatures, portrait graphics you waish to reveal with a Shift-Z command, and more. It also reduces the occurrence of a visual bug which can cause the map to appear to "stick" to one edge of the page.