Crashing off and on in different circumstances (redraw & print to pdf)

Kathleen Ann Cox · July 2016

Frequently, after I make a change to my map and hit redraw, the program stops working and closes. I am usually working with full drawing effects activated. If it weren't for autosave, I might have done harm to myself or my computer

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Today I have been trying to print to pdf (png/jpg) using several free virtual printers (Cute, UDC, etc.) and whether I use the print wizard or not, the program keeps crashing - this is on a 1000x800 overland map in the Schley style with imported tiles from Ancient Realms. I am just wondering if these are known issues and being worked on or is it something particular to my laptop or software not being compatible with CC3+? I have seen other topics on crashes, but I wasn't sure if my problems were the same as others. I am also looking for suggestions on the best free pdf printers for my maps. On my other computer when I was using CC3, I think I was using PDF Creator and it worked fine, but I have heard that it has sort of gone downhill.

I have been using CC3+ version 3.70 & 3.73 - OVERLAND MAPPING ONLY

My Specs:

8GB Dual Channel DDR4 2133MHz (4GBx2)
NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) GTX 980M with 4GB GDDR5
256GB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s (Storage)
Windows 10 Pro (64bit) English
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6820HK (Quad-Core, 8MB Cache, Dynamically Overclocked up to 4.1GHz)
17.3 inch UHD (3840 x 2160) IGZO IPS Anti-Glare 400-nits Display

Monsen · July 2016

Do you have this problem with other maps as well, or just this particular map? Also, you say you work with full effects activated. Have you tried working with them off to see if this changes the behavior (especially for editing, you would obviously need them on when printing).
As an alternative to printing to PDF, have you tried simply exporting your map as an image from CC3+?

Kathleen Ann Cox · July 2016

I should have been clearer. The crashing on redraw (including zoom extents) happens on every map periodically. I have also tried several maps with the PDF printer in addition to the MS 1000x800 Overland. I also have been putting the resolution at 1200 dpi which worked fine on a much lower end computer with CC3 and a pdf printer. Once I have my maps done, I want to have them printed in high quality at our campus print shop. The image export native to CC3+ doesn't have options to control size or quality (as far as I know) and they don't have the clarity I am seeking. Saving as PNG/JPG does seem to work okay in CC3+, it just isn't producing the quality and flexibility I want in the image. While the crash on redraw is annoying, I have been able to live with it because of AUTOSAVE; however, I really want to eventually be able to paper print high quality maps.

I am open to any and all suggestions. I love CC3, in fact, I am sort of obsessed with it and mapping the world or my novel has sort of derailed the actual writing of it at the moment. If it keeps crashing and won't make pretty maps for me, I may be forced to go back to my writing

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Monsen · July 2016

Posted By: WVFaeryWomanThe image export native to CC3+ doesn't have options to control size or quality (as far as I know) and they don't have the clarity I am seeking. Saving as PNG/JPG does seem to work okay in CC3+, it just isn't producing the quality and flexibility I want in the image.

Click the options button in the save as dialog, AFTER selecting an image file type, and you get access to the quality/size controls. Note that CC3+ do have it's limits when exporting images though, but if you find that you need to export images with higher resolution than you can manage, you can also use the 'rectangular png' save option to save the map in chunks and stitch them together in an image editor.

Kathleen Ann Cox · July 2016

You are my hero!

Yes, that is producing something much closer to what I want, although I still want the option to send to a PDF printer.

Here is some additional information on the situation:

If I don't have any of the sheets activated, CC3+ works fine with the PDF printers. It seems when the CC3+ goes to render the sheets and is doing it for an external PDF printer, it crashes. When CC3+ is using its native feature of converting or saving as an image file, the rendering is fast and completes without a hitch. The map I am attempting to print is not that large or complicated. I will try to post it here later (but I'll cringe because it's not very good).

Kathleen Ann Cox · July 2016

I hope this image is within the size limit and is okay to post here.

This map doesn't seem like it should be crashing the program because of a strain on the resources.

Loopysue · July 2016

May I please interrupt for a few seconds here, Remy - to say that you, WVFaeryWoman, have no need to cringe, and we look forward to seeing more of your maps here on the forum

Monsen · July 2016

The map doesn't seem so complicated as to trigger any crashes, but if you don't mind, could you post the actual map file instead. I can't promise anything, but I can have a look at it, and see if it crashes with it too, or if it just your system, and maybe figure out what the culprit is if it is something in the map.

Kathleen Ann Cox · July 2016

--> Loopysue

Thanks for the compliment! I just tend to try to make square pegs fit into round holes on my maps to get them to do what I want and the results are sometimes hideous. In the above map, I am using reefs from the coast menu and icy waste from the natural features menu in an orange color to simulate lava. I am also using a transparent layer with the volcanic tile from annual Ancient Realms to darken the land a little. It looks awful without the sheet effects, and I still wasn't sure if it was working with them on.

--> Monsen
I am not sure how or where to upload a *fcw file.

Loopysue · July 2016

You are on a rapid learning curve

For now, however, you should be able to upload the map for Monsen (Remy) directly to the forum just like you uploaded your map.

Monsen · July 2016

I've had a throughout look at your map, and done both pdf prints and high resolution exports from it, but I am completely unable to make CC3+ crash no matter what I do to it, so I am quite confident that the map is not the problem. I suspected that all along, but it was worth checking out.

For the PDF printing, I used what I had installed, which was PDFCreator 2.0, kind of an old version. I doubt a bit that it is the PDF printer driver that would cause the crash though. However, do you have the same crashing issues if you print to a real printer? If you have any other virtual printers installed (Microsoft XPS printer, Send to onenote print driver, etc), could you try those, see if there is any difference?

Kathleen Ann Cox · July 2016

Thanks. I attached it to him in a whispered comment, and it looks like it worked.

I can't make any claim to a rapid learning curve. I worked pretty intensely in CC3 a few years ago and the Wielink annual became my go to source for overland mapping. I bought CC3+ when it first became available; however, I didn't do much with it until Wielink was recently added. Once I got back to playing with the program, I wanted to see how my world would look in Schley.

BTW ... I just had a geeky Fangirl moment (the fact that I am a ditz and didn't put Monsen + Remy together myself until now after you pointed it out)... It can't be the REAL Remy MONSEN (of the Ultimate Tome of Mapping Fame) helping me! That's pretty cool.

Loopysue · July 2016

EDIT: Oops - ha ha. I got distracted and deleted half my message without noticing it. Sorry!

I did all kinds of things when I first bought CC3+, on the principle that you have to try things at least once to know if you like them or not. I would say that all the styles are beautiful, but that I am most definitely a Herwin Weilink woman.

As for the big red dragon?

Remy's a gem, WVFaeryWoman - probably a diamond, but definitely a gem

Kathleen Ann Cox · July 2016

Yes, he is but then honestly, there seem to be quite a few really nice, helpful, shiny people in this community.

A SOLUTION THAT SEEMS TO WORK - PRINT TO PDF ISSUE

Okay, after all of Remy's help, I now have a workable solution. I use Microsoft XPS Document Writer with a PDF printer to create the PNG file and that seems to look pretty good (there is probably an easier solution, but for the time being I am happy). I will let you know when I actually go to print them if they turn out okay.

Thanks for all the time and effort to help me with this, Remy. I will name a character in my story after you

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Monsen · July 2016

Glad you found a workaround.
I honestly don't know why you experience so many crashes, but after confirming that it doesn't seem to be the map, the only explanations seems to be that your computer or some software on it doesn't want to cooperate with CC3+.

I'd still recommend just doing save as -> png from within CC3+ though, since you seem to want to create a png image in any case. Generally, this gives you a greater del of control with the final output compared to a virtual print driver.

JimP · July 2016

I use Bullzip pdf printer. It has worked for me. I have a Win 8.1 64-bit laptop. http://www.bullzip.com/

Jay_NOLA · July 2016

One thing about PDF printing is that some of the PDF creation programs and versions have been reported to work with no problems for some systems and for some other systems they cause crashes with exporting to PDF with ProFantasy software.

One person in an older CC3 forum post had to use and older version of the PDF creation software as the newer version caused crashes; while in a similar post another user had to use a different creator program than the one most people were recominding because of crashes.

I use Cure PDF writer currently for my CC3 & CC3+ maps.

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Crashing off and on in different circumstances (redraw & print to pdf)

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