Printing - [EBPEdit Help Contents]

To print your map choose the File, Print pull-down menu. Due to the large number of bugs in the Windows printer drivers, we cannot guarantee that the print feature will work on your system, and we regret that we cannot offer technical support for printing related issues. Fortunately, many of the Windows printing bugs can be worked around via experimentation with the settings on EBPEdit's Print Map window.

EBPEdit works with your default printer, so use the Windows print manager or printer list (Control Panel, Printers) to select the desired printer.

We suggest obtaining a "PDF printer driver"; we've used one named "CutePDF Writer". This is a utility that to Windows looks like a printer, but that instead redirects the printed output to a PDF file. It lets you view the printed output as a PDF (in your Web browser or PDF viewer) before printing on actual paper in order to confirm the map has the appearance you want.

PIECES INTO WHICH TO BREAK MAP

Since most people do not have a printer that can handle board-gamed sized paper, EBPEdit can automatically split your map across multiple sheets of paper. Specify the number of pages across which to spread the print. To make everything fit on one page, set the Horizontally and Vertically fields to 1. To print the map at a size roughly equivalent to that of typical board game maps, set Horizontally to 3 and Vertically to 2.

Use the Only Page field if you only want to print one particular page of a multi-page map. Set to 0 to print all the pages.

By laminating the printed map pages, you'll create a surface that can be drawn upon with crayons and wiped clean for reuse. Many office supply stores will laminate paper for you at a nominal charge. They also might be able to print your map onto a single large sheet of paper if you bring them the map in PDF form (such as output via the CutePDF Writer described above).

Enable the Interlocks checkbox to print dashed lines in the margin area of each page to mark interlock cut outs. If you use a scissors to cut along these dashed lines, you can make a multipage map whose pieces lock together for game play.

TRIM

If you'd like EBPEdit to print a dashed line along the side of each map page as a guide for trimming the page (such as to fit in a box) choose an item from the drop down, and enter a percent distance from the edge of the page.

MARGINS

Enter margin values expressed as percent distance of the page's printable width and height. For example, if the page is 8 inches wide, a value of 10 would indicate a margin of 0.8 inches. Note this is relative to the printable edge of the paper (most printers cannot print all the way to the paper's edge).

COLORS

Select the colors in which to print the various map components. You can also choose "off" to disable printing of a component.

BGND, IN SEGS

Bgnd Segs helps you work around printer bugs related to printing pictures. We have found that a setting of 8 works on most color printers and 1 on most mono-color (standard laser) printers. Bgnd Segs tells EBPEdit the number of small segments (across and high) into which to split the background bitmap image and send to the printer individually per page. Or, set Bgnd Segs to 0 to not print the image.

PORTRAIT/LANDSCAPE

Choose one for the desired orientation of the printed output. Portrait is taller than wide, landscape is wider than tall.

DRAW RIVERS, COASTLINES, ETC.

Enable or disable as preferred. Typically you would disable this if your map's bgnd picture already contains these elements.

DRAWING THICKNESS MULTIPLIER

Thickness is the width of the lines used for various drawing elements, like rivers. Leave at 1 to employ the thickness EBPEdit automatically selects, or, for example, set to 2 to double the thickness or 0.5 to halve it. If you are printing to a very large paper size, and mileposts print too large, try making this value very small, such as 0.1.

TEXT FONT SIZE MULTIPLIER

EBPEdit automatically selects a font size it deems appropriate. You can adjust it via this field. For example, set to 1.5 to make text 50% larger, or .95 to make text slightly smaller.

CITY NAMES

Enable to print city names.

SHOW LOADS

When city names and mileposts are printed, the names of loads supplied by each city can also be printed as text, or displayed as icons. In our experience, printer drivers are buggy when it comes to printing the icons. If you have problems, try to get an updated driver for your printer. Alternatively, try printing from EBPEdit to a PDF via something like CutePDF Writer (which, in our experience, handles the icons properly), and then printing that PDF to paper from within your PDF viewer. Even at best you may see some image distortion in the vicinity of icons as a result of Windows printing limitations.

SHADOW MULTIPLIER

The shadow multiplier control the distance between the printed city name and its drop shadow. Set to 0 to turn off the drop shadow.

FONT

Choose the font you want for text such as city names.

LOADS CHART

Prints a simple table that lists cities alphabetically plus the loads they supply, as well as loads plus the cities in which they are available. Similar charts usually accompany the board games. Typically, getting this chart to fit exactly on one printed page involves trial and error: adjust the Portrait/Landscape orientation, plus the Font and Text Font Size Multiplier until you get the results you want.

LOADS MAT

Prints a chart showing all loads. For each load, a rectangular space is reserved in which players can place load chips during board game play so that all players know which loads have chips available. Enable the "Draw rivers..." checkbox to include a source city map with each load, something new players often find handy as a reference sheet.

PAYOFF CHART

Prints a detailed table that shows which loads are demanded and supplied by which cities, as well as the payoffs for delivery. Typically, getting this chart to fit exactly on one printed page involves trial and error: adjust the Font and Text Font Size Multiplier until you get the results you want.

CARDS

Prints demand and event cards, 10 per page in a 5 x 2 arrangement sized for business card stock such as Avery 8471. When "Draw rivers..." is enabled, EBPEdit includes a small map on each contract that highlights the demand cities.

MAP

Prints the map. If you laminate the printed map, you can use crayons or china markers to draw upon it. For a match you'd like to preserve (such as a tournament), skip the lamination step and draw with erasable crayons (Crayola sells some).