Fill issues

Abduction

As this is too common a term to search, I'll just post my dilemma.

Just got FM 8, and I drew a continent for a new campaign. When I try to fill it with color, it fills the entire map. I have snapped the perimeter to each other, and even merged everything as one polygon, but nothing helps. It is very frustrating because this should be EASY and INTUITIVE. What am I missing? The help files aren't useful, and I am stumped.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

MarkOliva

Abduction wrote:

It is very frustrating because this should be EASY and INTUITIVE. What am I missing? The help files aren't useful, and I am stumped.

FM8 is very easy and intuitive. But before one can answer your question, one needs to see your map. You might want to consider posting it.

You also might want to download the two, free combination manuals and tutorials:

Basic:

http://www.nbos.com/nox/index.php?action=1001&id=125

Advanced - Raster Mapping:

http://www.vintyri.org/downloads/pdftu01.zip

Between them, they probably will answer most questions that you might want to pose ... now and in the future.

Ed_NBOS

It sounds like you might be using the flood fill tool? That's not necessary. You can change the fill color of the continent itself by selecting it and clicking on the bottom color bar.

Abduction

@ Ed: That didn't work, either. Pray tell, if the flood fill isn't to fill large polygons like a continent, then what is it for? I am asking out of genuine curiosity.

@Mark: How do I post a map? I am relatively new to this. I will look at the tutorials, and hope they have more information than the help files.

Thank you both,
Scott

MarkOliva

Abduction wrote:

@Mark: How do I post a map? I am relatively new to this.

When you've opened the screen for posting a new topic, there's a tab below the input box called "Upload attachment." Click "Browse," choose the file and then click "Add the File."

You have to wait a few seconds until the forum reports back. Then click "Place inline."

@ Ed: That didn't work, either.

Actually, Ed's answer applies to vector maps, not raster maps. You obviously can't flood fill a land mass polygon with a raster fill by clicking a color in the color bar. However, we don't know whether you're trying to do a vector or raster fill.

In either case, I suspect your outline has a leak somewhere, even if its too minuscule to be seen. However, for Ed or me or anyone else to help you, we really need your map. If you use the instructions above to upload it, we probably can find the answer you need. Be sure to send the actual map file with the FCW extension, not a JPG, BMP or PNG export.

@ Ed: Pray tell, if the flood fill isn't to fill large polygons like a continent, then what is it for? I am asking out of genuine curiosity.

It is for filling large objects enclosed with a line, such as large polygons like a continent. Ed's only point was that it's easier with a click on a color than using the raster flood fill tool. But, as I mentioned above, that works only if you're trying to do a vector fill. It doesn't work with a raster fill.

Regardless, send us your map, and we'll see what's up.

Ed_NBOS

Scott,

FM is a vector drawing program. So every object on the map, like polygons and lines, has its own set of properties, such as fill and line color. To change the fill color of a polygon, select it with the pointer, and click one of the colors on the bottom most color bar at the bottom of the window.

If you have not already seen them, I'd recommend the youtube video tutorials:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCczjRj ... Zuw/videos

The vector flood fill tool creates a polygon by flood-filling an area and then converting the filled area to a polygon. Thats mostly used for things like creating political outlines on continent maps that conform to various boundaries.

If neither of these are what you are trying to do, then, like Mark says, you really do need to upload something or describe the problem more specifically.

Abduction

Ok, I added the file.

Thank you both for your time. I do try not to ask stupid questions, but I am a chemist, not a CAD designer. I yearn for an easier tool for making maps, but what I would like doesn't seem to exist.

I have used fractal mapper 7, but never seemed to have this problem with it.

Thank you both.

Ed_NBOS

I see what the problem is - you used the freehand polyline tool to create the land mass. Use the freehand polygon tool instead. Lines don't have a fill color as they aren't closed objects. The flood fill probably found an opening where the line start & ended (even if you cant see it on screen, it was probably there if you zoomed in a bit) and thats why it was filling the window.

Abduction

The polygon tool is what I used for the lower landmass, and it has the same problem. Besides, should snapping the endpoints together solve the issue?

MarkOliva

It looks to me like you didn't close your polygon. You have a leak at 2668.71, 3580.14. See the screen shot above.

Ed_NBOS

Sorry, didn't see the reply come in.

The bottom land mass is also a polyline, that is why it also is not filled.

I added a bunch of landmasses using the polygon tool to the map. You can see the difference.

Ed_NBOS

This is the tool to use: