Frequently Asked Questions for Campaign Cartographer 3+
Last revised 17 June 2019
Please check out the Profantasy Technical Support pages for more technical information on some issues, as well as the Campaign Cartographer mailing list and the ProFantasy Community Forum for user based support.
If you have any comments on what should be included, feel free to email suggestions (include "CC3 FAQ" in the subject line) - details are given at the bottom of the page.
General
What is Campaign Cartographer 3+?
In short, CC3+ is the fastest and most powerful map-making software for gamers. In minutes you can learn all you need to rapidly create beautiful maps for campaigns, games and even real-world applications.
For a full overview, along with screenshots, check out the main CC3 product page.
Which add-ons are available for Campaign Cartographer 3+? UPDATED!
All add-ons are compatible with CC3+. For details on the development of add-ons see here.
What are the system requirements for running CC3+?
Minimum Requirements:
- 750 MB hard disk space
- 256MB Memory
- Microsoft Windows XP or better.
- An internet connection for installation
For fast performance, even with effects enabled all the time, try these:
- 750 MB hard disk space
- 4GB system memory
- Microsoft Windows 7 or better
- A fast graphics card with decent on-board memory
- An internet connection for installation
The full requirements are listed here.
Is CC3 or CC3+ supported to use on other platforms than Windows OS, like OS X and Linux?
Native versions of CC3 and CC3+ for Linux and Mac are not in the pipeline, however, many users are successfully running CC3 and CC3+ under emulations - for example, Boot Camp for Mac OS X, and Wine and Crossover (with MS Runtime 2008) for Linux.
You can find the full system requirements for CC3 here.
Check out instructions on how to install and run CC3+ on a Mac using Wine or Crossover here.
Does CC3+ work under Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10?
Yes, it runs on all of these version of Windows. We recommend right-clicking setup files and using the "Run as Administrator" option for installation.
What is the correct installation order for CC3 and add-ons?
Please check the Installation Help in the tech support knowledgebase, where this is covered in detail.
Do I have to install all patches for CC3+?
No, you only need download and install the latest released patch from your registration page. There are no incremental patches for CC3+, and all patches include previous ones as well.
Is there a free CC3 file viewer?
Yes! You can download the viewer from this page:
From this page, you can also download encrypted bitmap files for Dungeon Designer 3 and Symbol Sets 1 and 2, which makes it possible to view maps made with these add-ons, even if you don't own the add-on itself.
Can I use maps I create in CC3+ for commercial purposes?
The answer is simple: Yes, you can. You hold all the rights to the maps you create with ProFantasy's Software.
What you may not do, is re-distributing the artwork that we provide, i.e. the symbols and catalogs that come with the software. This includes maps that are created solely for the purpose of distributing symbols. We also include floorplan-resolution exports (eg PDFs) consisting predominantly of our artwork in this proviso.
Think of the symbols as a True Type font you have bought. You may create and sell documents created with that font, but you may not redistribute the font itself, or create a book of fonts. You can get the exact details in the license agreement.
What is the latest version number of CC3+?
The latest release for CC3+ is version 3.90. You can download these updates from your registration page.
See the Readme that appears after installation for details on what the updates contain.
Installation Issues
.NET-problems when installing CC3 and add-ons
If you are experiencing problems relating to .NET when trying to install Dungeon Designer 3, please download the latest version from your order tracking page. This version no longer requires .NET to install.
If you are experiencing .NET related problems with CC3 compatibility updates, make sure you have the latest version from the registration page. If the problem persists, please check this entry in the Technical Support section.
I get an error message during installation saying that an add-on cannot find CC3.
Please refer to the following Tech Support Entry (note that it applies to all add-ons, not just City Designer):
General installation advice for Windows Vista and Windows 7
Campaign Cartographer 3 is fully supported to use with both Windows Vista and Windows 7. Most installations work with the default settings, however, should you encounter any issues, please refer to the following Tech Support Entry (also applicable to Windows 7):
Where can I re-download my setup files?
You can search for your previous orders on the Order Tracking page, which includes instructions on how to find your orders if you bought your software from another retailer as well.
I can't find my serial numbers.
You can find serial numbers for your previous orders on the Order Tracking page.
My serial number comes up as invalid when I try to install.
Please refer to the following Tech Support entry:
Documentation and Registration
Do I have to register my Profantasy purchases to use them?
Registration is voluntary - buying CC3 alone doesn't register your software. However, the are several benefits to registering your purchases with Profantasy see below for details.
What are the benefits of registering my software with Profantasy?
Registered users get access to free updates, reduced-price upgrades and other downloads. Click here for the login page.
To save you typing you can register products directly from any order page. Just follow the link in your order email and scroll down to the bottom of the page.
If you can't find your order records, we can email them to you.
What manuals, tutorials and other resources are available for CC3?
First, the Essentials Guides included with every product are a great way of getting a quick overview of how to get started with the software. You can find PDF versions of the Guides in the Documentation folder of your CC3 installation.
The full CC3 manual is included as a PDF with your CC3 installation. You can find this in the Documentation folder in the main CC3 folder.
The CC3 Users Guide is now available from your registration page. Written by Master Mapper Allyn Bowker, it is a comprehensive guide and tutorial to help you get to grips with both the basic and more advanced features of CC3.
The Profantasy Community Forum hosts numerous vibrant discussions, and is great if you need help and advice on a map or on how to use CC3. A great collection of useful topics is available here, an ideal place to start your forum explorations.
Should you prefer an email-based support format, join the Campaign Cartographer mailing list on Yahoo! Groups.
The help files in CC3 give thorough explanations for all commands, and while not written from a tutorial perspective, are very comprehensive and detailed. This is by far the best place to start if you have any problems using a specific CC3 command. You can access an online version of the help files here.
Joseph Sweeney has created a set of video tutorials showing the creation of an overland map with CC3, a dungeon floorplan with Dungeon Designer 3, and how to setup your CC3 mapping environment. It is an excellent introduction to the basic features of the program and also contains lots of useful hints and tips for more advanced users. The tutorials can be downloaded for free here.
The Cartography Suite is available for free from your registration page at the Profantasy website. While it is written for CC2 and its add-ons, most of it is still applicable for CC3, and Profantasy are working on updating the Suite for CC3.
The Tome of Ultimate Mapping is available to buy in PDF format from the online shop. Again, this was written for CC2, but most techniques covered are still applicable for CC3. It also contains some in depth tutorials on how to create specific mapping styles, and has a comprehensive macro command reference. Profantasy are currently working on updating the Tome for CC3, and some of the techniques and tutorials have been converted to CC3 as part of the Annuals.
Last but by no means least, the Cartographer's Annuals provide mapping tutorials and content on a monthly subscription basis. Each month, a different technique or mapping style is covered, with mapping guides, templates and symbol catalogs provided. Find out more about the Annuals here:
- Cartographer's Annual 2007
- Cartographer's Annual 2008
- Cartographer's Annual 2009
- Cartographer's Annual 2010
I can't find the Dungeon Designer 3 Essentials documentation in my CC3 folder.
Please download the latest version of DD3 from your order tracking page. This includes the documentation and example files.
I am running CC3 under Vista, and cannot access the help files.
Make sure you have the latest version of CC3 installed, as this no longer relies on the previous help file format, and is fully compatible with Windows Vista and Windows 7. You can find the latest version on your order tracking page, and the latest patch on your registration page.
Bugs, Errors and Common Problems
General Troubleshooting Guide
- First of all, make sure you have installed the latest version of CC3 and add-ons. You can find the latest versions on your order tracking page, and the latest patch on your registration page.
- Are you using Windows Vista or Windows 7? Although CC3 is fully compatible with both operating systems, some users have reported issues when installing and using CC3. Check this tech support entry for some tips, should this occur to you.
- Check through the FAQ, where you are now, as well as the Technical Support database to see if your problem has already been raised as an issue.
- Dont be afraid to ask! The Profantasy Users Forum, as well as the Campaign Cartographer Mailing List is home to a extensive mindset of map users, and there is a good chance that your issue has already been raised, or that someone else knows how to resolve it.
- Finally, for serious technical issues with CC3, registered users can email Technical Support directly for one-on-one support (see here for more benefits of registering).
CC3 crashes when I'm drawing a map!
First, always make sure that you have the latest patch applied. You can download patches from your registration page. Having said that, there are some common reasons why CC3 might crash while you're drawing.:
- Too many nodes: Sometimes, especially when using the Freehand Tracing tool or the Fractal tools, the amount of nodes in the map can be too much for Windows to handle. The exact amount depends on your RAM configuration and Windows version, but this is an OS issue, not a CC3 bug. To fix, try using the Reduce Nodes command ("Edit Menu >> Reshape >> Remove Nodes" or type "REDN" in the command line) on selected entities. Check out Remove Nodes in the online help for more information.
- Embedded bitmaps: In CC2, you have the option when importing a bitmap image to embed it in the current map. Even though CC3 can handle large file sizes, embedded bitmaps had a tendency to cause crashes, and this option has now been disabled. If you are opening a map you created with CC2 that has an embedded bitmap, it is advisable to delete the bitmap and insert it again in CC3.
- Large files:If you are working with map files exceeding 30 MB in size, you may experience crashes, as it is not recommended to work with such large files in CC3. Try splitting your existing map into smaller sections, and create an overview map that covers the whole area with less detail. Check our this Forum entry for an example discussion of the issue.
I can't select entities in my map!
Please refer to the following Tech Support Entry:
The sheets I added to my map have disappeared after I saved it!
Sheets need to have entities on them, otherwise they get deleted when the map is saved. Here's a quick tutorial from Linda Kekumu:
Each sheet that needs to be saved with the template or map needs to have added a POINT at 0,0 on the Template layer & it's respective sheet. The Template layer is then hidden & frozen to prevent accidental deletion.
When you add new sheets you should also add this POINT to the Template layer. There are numerous ways to do this but the easiest I have found is to:
- Show all sheets
- Set the template layers as the current layer & Common Sheet as the current sheet
- Delete >> All > AND >> Entity Type >> 2D POINT
- Do Draw Menu >> POINT & place it at 0,0
- Type in COPYVIS >> All >> AND >> Entity Type >> 2D POINT
- Hide & Freeze the Template layer
All of this takes a few seconds to accomplish. What it does is copy the Point from the Common Sheet to all visible sheets - in this case all sheets because we have all of them showing. Now, you can save the map or template & it will save the sheets because they do have an entity on them. The point is the smallest entity in CC3, so it takes up very little resources & we have placed it on a layer that is now hidden & frozen so it won't interfere with the rest of the map.
I'm using the Mozilla Suite as my browser and can't see the ProFantasy website displayed correctly.
Older Mozilla browsers (versions 1.7.xx) can't display some parts of the website correctly. Please use Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera instead.
Multipolies and possible problems with them
One of the most common issues with maps that don't display properly, like banding and nodes that suddenly appear on different zoom levels, are leaks in big multipolies. This can also lead to printing issues and program crashes. Linda Kekumu has the following to say about this, along with some tips on how to fix it:
In some cases it's because the map exported from FT has multipolied all of the same colored entities into one multipoly. In some cases these multipolies need to be exploded & reworked.
This is the classic example of what is happening:
All of a single color is multipolied. This includes the large land mass, it's lakes, other islands & islands in the lakes. The proper way to multipoly this is to leave all of the islands as polys then only multipolythe large landmass & it's interior lakes - not the lakes & the islands in the lakes & the islands outside of the landmass. If you multipoly the landmass, the lakes & the islands in the lakes you are going to get leaky multipolies. The alternative is to just use polys & put the lakes above the land sheet.
To fix it:
Explode the multipoly, make all parts of this multipoly the same color, select & change to a different color one part. Now Zoom into to endpoint of this part & see if there is a gap or crossed entity - correct if necessary. Change the color of the checked segment & then Zoom to the next endpoint. This makes it easy to determine what nodes you have checked & where to zoom in to. Once all of the parts have been changed to the new color, you are done & can redo multipoly or try LTP2 (right click on the Explode icon & choose Line to Path)
The other thing that causes leaks is stacked, duplicate entities. If the above does not resolve the problem, then I explode again & using Count, check that each segment is actually only 1 entity.
I place a symbol in my map, but it won't show up.
Please refer to the following Tech Support Entry:
I have exported a PNG version of my map, but my browser displays an error message when I open it.
This has been corrected in version 3.42. Please download the latest patch from your registration page on our website (Service >> Registration).
Text disappears after I've typed it in the dialog box.
Please refer to the following Tech Support Entry:
Fill styles show up pixellated and in a low resolution when I export or print a map.
This has been corrected in version 3.42. Please download the latest patch from your registration page on our website (Service >> Registration).
The various grid fill styles are not aligned with the GRID command.
From Ralf Schemmann:
CC calculates the symbol fill not from the origin (0,0) of the whole map, but from the left-bottom-most point of the entity containing the fill. There's not much you can do about that easily. Two possibilities are:
- Start your polygon (or whatever) on the origin (or move the origin accordingly) so that the fill aligns. You could possibly use a multipoly, incorporating a tiny, hidden polygon at 0,0 to force the fill to start there.
- Adjust the origin of the fill symbol using the Symbol Manager. You'd have to check by how much your fill is off from the grid, and then move the whole symbol definition around by an equal and opposite amount to match. The problem is, this would only work for one of your filled polys. You'd either have to create separate fill styles and fill symbols for each poly or multipoly everything with the same fill.
I get a "No compatible Drawing Tool" or "Error loading file" message when I click on the drawing tool buttons.
"Error loading file" means a menu file is missing. In your CC3 folder, you'll find an application called CC3MenuConfig.EXE. This is a program that will run silently and setup the correct menu configuration for the latest version. Run this file and then open CC3 again. If there's still a problem, contact Tech Support through your registration page.
"No compatible drawing tool" means that the drawing is not configured to use the current set of drawing tools.
To temporarily use say Dungeon drawing tools on an Overland map, click the Tools button, then pull down the list of drawing tools, selecting the appropriate one. Because different styles have different looks, and templates don't usually have every single fill style in them, you might not get the results you are expecting if you use a drawing tool on a map not configured for it.
To be able to use them all the time, run an appropriate converter (File >> CC2 to CC3 conversion), then click Drawing Properties and pull down the list of draw tool styles. You'll then have the fill styles you need to run the drawing tools.
Improving the "No compatible drawing tool" dialog, giving these options is on the wish list.
When I switch between add-ons, the fill styles all show up colored in a solid style rather than a bitmap style
This usually happens when the bitmap fill styles for those tools are not defined in the current map template.
To get them into your map, do an "Draw > Insert File", and navigate to CC3/System/Fill Styles/. This folder has some predefined fill style maps, which ones are depending on which add-ons you have already installed. Insert the relevant file into your map, and Erase it again - this is easiest done by clicking the Erase button, right clicking to bring up the context menu and selecting Prior, and finally right clicking again to select Do It. You should now have all the relevant fill styles for the drawing tools in your map.
You can also create fill style maps for other templates that haven't been defined. This is an example creating a style map for DD3:
- Create a new map from a DD3 Dungeon template.
- Erase everything on the new map.
- Save it in System/Fill Styles/ as "DD3 Dungeon Color".
- Load the map you're working on and proceed as mentioned previously.
I can't get the effects to work in my map.
Please refer to the following Tech Support Entry:
I get a blank sheet when I print my map.
Please refer to the following Tech Support Entry:
Fractal polygons won't close.
This has been corrected in the latest update (v3.42). Please download the latest patch from your registration page on our website (Service >> Registration).
Features
What is the difference between Sheets and Layers?
Short version: Sheets define the drawing order in the map, while Layers are categories of similar map objects. There is a good description of the differences in the Essentials Guide (p8-10) supplied with CC3.
The best information on sheets is found in the following help index entries:
- Sheets (and subheadings)
- Sheets and Layers (for differences and uses)
- Sheets and Effects
- Sheets Overview
- Sheets and Symbols (describes another use of sheets - you can convert symbol catalogs in a set of sheets then use sheet commands to edit the entire catalog at once, then convert them back again)
- Symbol Catalog Options (how to change how symbols are placed on sheets)
What symbol scale should I use for my maps?
Map scales are set automatically by CC3. The value is stored in the drawing. You can view and change the default set scale in the Drawing Properties dialog (File >> Drawing Properties).
The recommended scale for overland maps is (map width/1000), so for a map that is 500 miles wide, symbol scale should be set to 0.5.
Compiled by Erik Nolander.
