Map-Files

Complete Map File Creation Guide

This comprehensive guide explains how to create map marker files for the TazUO world map system. The system supports multiple file formats and provides extensive customization options for markers, icons, and zones.

Supported File Formats

The mapping system supports four main file formats:

CSV - Simple comma-separated values (recommended for beginners)
XML - Ultima Mapper format
MAP - UOAM (UO Auto Map) format
USR - User markers (system-generated)

Directory Structure and File Locations

The system searches for files in multiple directories in this specific order:

Map Files Search Paths

Data/Client/ (relative to executable)
{UltimaOnlineDirectory}/MapMarkers/ (configured in settings)
Data/{ServerName}/MapMarkers/ (server-specific directory)

Icon Files Search Paths

Data/Client/MapIcons/
{UltimaOnlineDirectory}/MapIcons/
Data/{ServerName}/MapIcons/

Special Files

User Markers: Data/Client/userMarkers.usr (fixed location)

Complete Directory Structure

/Data/Client/
├── userMarkers.usr           # User-created markers
├── MapIcons/                 # Icon files
│   ├── bank.ico
│   ├── mine.png
│   └── dungeon.cur
└── (map files: *.csv, *.xml, *.map)

/{UltimaOnlineDirectory}/
├── MapMarkers/               # Additional map files
└── MapIcons/                 # Additional icon files

/Data/{ServerName}/
├── MapMarkers/               # Server-specific map files
└── MapIcons/                 # Server-specific icons

CSV Format (Recommended)

CSV files are the easiest to create and edit. Each line represents one marker with comma-separated values.

CSV Structure

x,y,mapindex,name,iconname,color,zoom

Field Descriptions

x: X coordinate on the map
y: Y coordinate on the map
mapindex: Map/facet ID number (0=Felucca, 1=Trammel, etc.)
name: Display name for the marker
iconname: Icon file name (without extension, lowercase)
color: Color value (see color section below)
zoom: Zoom level (optional, defaults to 3)

CSV Examples

1000,1500,0,Britain Bank,bank,red,3
2000,2500,0,Minoc Mines,mine,blue,2
3000,3500,1,Dungeon Entrance,dungeon,yellow,4
1423,1692,0,Britain Bank,bank,red,3
4467,1283,0,Trinsic Bank,bank,red,3
2503,561,0,Minoc Bank,bank,red,3

XML Format (Ultima Mapper)

XML files follow the Ultima Mapper standard format.

XML Structure

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<UltimaMapper>
    <Marker X="1000" Y="1500" Name="Britain Bank" Facet="0" Icon="bank" />
    <Marker X="2000" Y="2500" Name="Minoc Mines" Facet="1" Icon="mine" />
    <Marker X="3000" Y="3500" Name="Dungeon Entrance" Facet="0" Icon="dungeon" />
</UltimaMapper>

XML Attributes

X: X coordinate
Y: Y coordinate
Name: Marker name
Facet: Map ID
Icon: Icon name (case-sensitive)

Complete XML Example

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<UltimaMapper>
    <Marker X="1423" Y="1692" Name="Britain Bank" Facet="0" Icon="bank" />
    <Marker X="4467" Y="1283" Name="Trinsic Bank" Facet="0" Icon="bank" />
    <Marker X="2503" Y="561" Name="Minoc Bank" Facet="0" Icon="bank" />
    <Marker X="2500" Y="2100" Name="Mining Cave" Facet="0" Icon="mine" />
    <Marker X="1450" Y="1650" Name="Britain Blacksmith" Facet="0" Icon="anvil" />
</UltimaMapper>

MAP Format (UOAM)

UOAM format files start with a “3” on the first line, followed by marker entries.

MAP Structure

3
+iconname: x y mapid marker name here
-iconname: x y mapid another marker

MAP Format Rules

First line must contain “3”
Each marker line starts with ”+” or ”-”
Format: +/-iconname: x y mapid name
Icon name can contain spaces
Coordinates and map ID are space-separated
Name is everything after the third number

MAP Example

3
+bank icon: 1000 1500 0 Britain Bank
+mine: 2000 2500 1 Minoc Mining Site
-dungeon entrance: 3000 3500 0 Hidden Dungeon
+blacksmith: 1450 1650 0 Britain Blacksmith
+stable: 1400 1750 0 Britain Stables

Color System

Colors are mapped to predefined values in the system.

Supported Colors

red - Red markers
green - Green markers
blue - Blue markers
purple - Purple markers
black - Black markers
yellow - Yellow markers
white - White markers
none - Transparent markers

Color Usage Notes

Color names are case-insensitive
Unsupported color names default to white
Use none for invisible markers (useful for location-only markers)

Icon System

Supported Icon Formats

ICO - Windows icon files
CUR - Windows cursor files
PNG - Portable Network Graphics
JPG - JPEG images

Icon Requirements

Place icon files in any of the MapIcons directories
Use lowercase filenames without spaces
Reference icons by filename without extension
Icons are automatically loaded at startup

Icon Naming Convention

bank.png → reference as "bank"
mine.ico → reference as "mine"
dungeon_entrance.cur → reference as "dungeon_entrance"
blacksmith.jpg → reference as "blacksmith"

Icon Directory Priority

Icons are loaded from all MapIcons directories, with later directories potentially overriding earlier ones.

User Markers (USR Format)

The userMarkers.usr file is managed by the system and uses CSV format internally.

User Marker Features

Created through the in-game interface
Saved to Data/Client/userMarkers.usr
Editable like any CSV file

Adding User Markers Manually

You can add markers to the user file by appending CSV lines:

1234,5678,0,My Custom Marker,,blue,3

Zone Files

The system supports zone overlay files for highlighting map areas.

Zone File Format

Extension: .zones.json
Contains polygon data for area highlighting
JSON format with map index and zone definitions

Zone File Structure

{
  "MapIndex": 0,
  "Zones": [
    {
      "Label": "Britain",
      "Color": "blue",
      "Polygon": [
        [1400, 1600],
        [1500, 1600],
        [1500, 1700],
        [1400, 1700]
      ]
    }
  ]
}

File Management Best Practices

Organization

Group related markers in separate files
Use descriptive filenames: britain_points_of_interest.csv
Keep backup copies of important marker files
Avoid spaces in filenames

Performance Considerations

Limit markers per file (recommended: under 1000)
Use appropriate zoom levels for marker density
Optimize icon file sizes (recommended: 16x16 to 32x32 pixels)

File Naming Best Practices

britain_banks.csv          # Good: descriptive and specific
mining_locations.xml       # Good: clear purpose
fel_dungeons.map          # Good: includes map reference
markers.csv               # Poor: too generic
my stuff.csv              # Poor: contains spaces

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

Icons not displaying

Check icon file format (ICO, CUR, PNG, JPG only)
Verify icon placement in MapIcons directory
Ensure icon name matches reference (case-insensitive)
Check file permissions

Markers not loading

Verify file format and syntax
Check for proper CSV comma separation
Ensure coordinate values are valid integers
Validate map index values

File not found errors

Confirm file placement in correct directory
Check filename spelling and extension
Verify directory structure exists
Ensure proper file permissions

Incorrect marker positioning

Double-check coordinate values
Verify map index corresponds to intended map
Check for coordinate system differences between tools

Debug Information

The system provides console output for:

Loading progress: “Loading World Map Markers”
File loading: “..filename.ext (count)”
Completion: “World Map Markers Loaded: X”
Errors: Logged to error console

Advanced Features

Hidden Files

Files can be hidden via the right-click menu
Hidden status is saved in user preferences
Use for temporarily disabling marker sets

Multiple Map Support

Markers can specify different map indices
Same file can contain markers for multiple maps
Markers only display on matching map

Zoom Level Integration

Markers can specify minimum zoom levels
Higher zoom values = visible at higher zoom only
Use for detail-level marker organization

Coordinate System

The system uses standard UO coordinates:

X: 0 to ~5120 (varies by map)
Y: 0 to ~4096 (varies by map)
Map indices: 0=Felucca, 1=Trammel, 2=Ilshenar, etc.

Example Files

Simple Bank Locations (CSV)

1423,1692,0,Britain Bank,bank,red,3
4467,1283,0,Trinsic Bank,bank,red,3
2503,561,0,Minoc Bank,bank,red,3
582,2137,0,Buccaneer's Den Bank,bank,red,3
3734,2149,0,Vesper Bank,bank,red,3

Mining Locations (XML)

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<UltimaMapper>
    <Marker X="2500" Y="500" Name="Minoc Mines" Facet="0" Icon="mine" />
    <Marker X="2700" Y="600" Name="Mountain Cave" Facet="0" Icon="cave" />
    <Marker X="2300" Y="400" Name="Iron Deposit" Facet="0" Icon="ore" />
    <Marker X="2600" Y="550" Name="Coal Mine" Facet="0" Icon="coal" />
</UltimaMapper>

Dungeon Entrances (MAP)

3
+dungeon: 1352 1997 0 Despise Entrance
+dungeon: 2923 3407 0 Destard Entrance
+dungeon: 4111 432 0 Hythloth Entrance
+dungeon: 2042 2234 0 Shame Entrance
+cave: 2499 916 0 Wrong Entrance

This comprehensive guide covers all aspects of creating and managing map files for the TazUO world map system. Start with CSV format for simplicity, then explore XML and MAP formats as your needs become more complex.