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Upload Image Resolution

August 03 (9 years ago)
Nave
Plus
I'm trying to upload maps from a pdf for my campaign and I just cant seem to get the image quality to cooperate. Once I upload the map into roll20 it looks very blurry and bad. I've searched other topics on the forums and many of them say that I need to resize the image's resolution, use it as a png file and other things. Ive tried a bunch but I just cant get it to work and I just have no time to map out the dungeon myself. Does anyone with some experience in this problem have a solution or clear steps that they used to get their image quality to normal? Thanks
August 03 (9 years ago)
Scott C.
Forum Champion
Sheet Author
API Scripter
Compendium Curator
What format/resolution are you currently uploading as? And how big are the images?
August 03 (9 years ago)
Nave
Plus
I have two images I'm trying to upload, one at 142.3 KB, 662 x 832 and the other at 119 KB, 639 x 846. Theyre both png files. Im basically snipping the image out of the pdf I have.
August 03 (9 years ago)
Scott C.
Forum Champion
Sheet Author
API Scripter
Compendium Curator
Ok, maps should go in as jpg as it cuts down on their memory size, and cut the pdi down drastically. What is probably happening is that you have a high pdi on the image and so it is taking roll20 a while to fully load the graphic giving you the blurry temp image for what seems forever. Take a look at the image best practices section of the wiki for all the details.
August 03 (9 years ago)

Edited August 03 (9 years ago)
Gold
Forum Champion
Evan, this could be limited by what's actually in the PDF (if the graphic itself is that small in the PDF), or it could be affected by your snipping procedure. 2 techniques you could try, first is zoom the PDF to a larger size before using your Snipping so that you get a screenshot snip that is higher resolution (amount of pixels). Possibly even try zooming in to 1/2 or 1/4 of the map, take multiple snips, upload them all, then reassemble them in Roll20.  Alternatively try uploading the PDF directly to Roll20, sometimes this works (but Roll20 uploader asks you to choose a Page of the PDF and could only do 1 full page, if this works).

The memory-size and pixel-size that Evan cited is not very big, those sizes are only big enough for about a 10x10 unit map, larger would start to see some blur.

1 unit of Roll20 map needs about 70x70 pixels to view non-blur at 100% zoom, you might want even more pixels per unit if you plan to Zoom in Roll20.

Wiki tips,
https://wiki.roll20.net/Image_Best_Practices_for_R...
August 04 (9 years ago)
Scott C.
Forum Champion
Sheet Author
API Scripter
Compendium Curator
Alternatively, use GIMP/Photoshop to crop out the images that you want directly from the PDF rather than relying a screenshot.
August 04 (9 years ago)
Andrew R.
Pro
Sheet Author
I extract maps from my 13th Age Alliance games using GoodReader on my iPad, 
then convert to JPEG at 72 dpi using Preview on my MacBook Pro, then upload to Roll20. Works like a charm. 
August 04 (9 years ago)

Edited August 04 (9 years ago)
plexsoup
Marketplace Creator
Sheet Author
API Scripter
You can use inkscape (free software) to extract maps from pdfs, then export them. Set the resolution to around 300dpi when you export the image. Like Gold said, Roll20 expects each map grid unit to be 70 pixels. So you can do some quick counting/math then tinker with the resolution to get it there.

Here's a quick demo