*****************************************************************
* *
* TES Map Merge *
* *
* by cougar *
* *
*****************************************************************

Content:

1. What does TES Map Merge do?
2. Installing TES Map Merge
3. Using TES Map Merge
4. How to use the createmaps function
5. Further remarks


-----------------------------------------------------------------
1. What does TES Map Merge do? |
-----------------------------------------------------------------

TES Map Merge (from now on called mapMerge) takes the ingame
pictures made using the createmaps command and merges them to a
big image. It's up to you to choose, which cells will be merged.

For an explanation on how to use the createmaps function, see
Section 4 of this readme.


-----------------------------------------------------------------
2. Installing TES Map Merge |
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Extract the files to .../Morrowind/Maps.

The following three files are needed for proper operation, they
all have to be placed inside the Maps directory:

- mapMerge.exe (the program, of course)
- sea.bmp (an image used, if no image for a specific cell can be
found)
- mapMerge.cfg (the configuration file)


-----------------------------------------------------------------
3. Using TES Map Merge |
-----------------------------------------------------------------

MapMerge has no graphical user interface. It would take ways too
much time to program one, compared to the time it took me to
write the program only.

Before you can run mapMerge, you have to create the map images,
using the createmaps command.

To configure mapMerge, open the file "mapMerge.cfg". The only
things you have to enter there, are two cell coordinates. On the
first line, write the coordinates of the lowest, leftmost cell
of the region, you want to have a map image of. On the second
line, enter the coordinates of the upper, rightmost cell. Any
rectangular shape will be fine.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Example:

You want to merge the ingame screenshots of the following cells:

0,1 1,1 2,1
0,0 1,0 2,0

the entry into the configuration file would look like this:

0,0
2,1

-----------------------------------------------------------------

MapMerge only processes one configuration file entry (the first
two lines). If you want to make several pictures, you will have
to run it several times :-).

Now, run mapMerge, by clicking on it. The result will be written
to mmout.bmp. Please note that, depending on the number of images
you want to merge, the resulting file can get really big (a few
100 Megabytes) and the program will take a while (a few minutes)
to end its work.

If any errors emerge, they will be noted in the file
mapMerge.log.


-----------------------------------------------------------------
4. How to use the createmaps function |
-----------------------------------------------------------------

These instructions are based on the ones made by wizz@rd for his
program Maps of Morrowind.

1. create a directory called "Maps" inside your Morrowind
directory.

2. open the Morrowind.ini file, and set:

Create Maps Enable=2

3. start the Morrowind launcher, select the mods, you want to
generate the Maps of (I would deselect the others, the
createmaps function then takes less time to run). Then start
Morrowind.

4. Start a new game (AFAIK, it runs faster on new games) and
after entering the name of your character, open the console,
and type:

createmaps "yourMod.esp"

Close the console and wait, until all cells are processed.
The function first processes all the cells of Morrowind.esm,
including the interior ones. Then, it maps all the loaded
plugins, not only the one, you specified in your command.
- so don't quit, if interior cells are processed, just wait,
until it stops loading any cells. This process takes some
time, about 1.5 hours on my machine.

5. Exit Morrowind, the pieces of the map should be inside the
Maps directory.


-----------------------------------------------------------------
5. Further remarks |
-----------------------------------------------------------------

This program is provided without any warranty, use it at your own
risk.

You're free to distribute it, as long as you distribute it in its
.zip file, with all the original files, and mention me somwhere
:-).

Have fun, cougar