Forum: gaming.stackexchange.com
Tags: <minecraft-java-edition>
Title: How can I choose the zoom level for my map?
Question: According to both Notch's Twitter (no link) and the wiki, maps have some kind of settable zoom:   A zoom level, which will somehow be decided at the time the map is created.    I have no idea how to set this. Anyone know?  EDIT: based on fjdumont's answer, how is it calculated? Is there anything I can do (such as craft it in a certain place) to give it a zoom level close to what I want?

Answers:
sents: text: From version 1.4, you can zoom maps in game, as the whole process of map-making is changed: First, a blank map is created
text: This blank map will not start recording immediately, as maps previously did.
text: The blank map can be activated by right clicking it, which turns it into a map at the most zoomed in level (1 px/1 block)
text: To scale the map by a factor of two, take the map and recraft it as follows: Each time this is done the map will scale out, so from 1px -> 1 block, to 1 px -> 4 blocks, to 1 px -> 16 blocks and so on.
text: This can be done a maximum of 5 times.
text: Maps cannot be scaled back in, only out.
answer_details: author: gaming.stackexchange.com/users/3610/fredley
score: 38
sents: text: You can zoom map files, but you have to do it by editing your NBT files.
text: This answer is thanks to this redditor : If you're willing to dive deep into the NBT files, you can adjust the map's center and zoom levels.
text: Just don't screw with dimension (locks the map) or width/height — it doesn't work.
text: The files are under <map-name>/Data/map_X.dat , where X is the map number.
text: You'll need to use an editor like NBTEdit to edit the files.
answer_details: author: gaming.stackexchange.com/users/3610/fredley
score: 11
sents: text: Looks like yes, this is the work of a mod.
text: Here's how you can do it: Download NBTedit from here Unzip the ZIP file Run NBTedit Click File -> Open Navigate to your save folder Go to the "Data" folder Open the map_0 file.
text: If its not map_0 you want to edit, choose the right one.
text: Expand
text: the "data: 7 entries" branch Change the "scale" value to the one you want.
text: I chose 1, but it can be anything.
answer_details: author: gaming.stackexchange.com/users/10616/Joe the Person
score: 7
sents: text: I have made a program specifically for map item files.
text: You can find it here http://sourceforge.net/projects/mapitemedit/ You can edit your zoom level, map coordinates, even change the picture data.
answer_details: author: gaming.stackexchange.com/users/19016/tertrih
score: 3
sents: text: When crafting a zoomed out map with eight pieces of paper, shift-clicking on the output map in the crafting table does not make a newly scaled map in the bug section of the wiki http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Map_(item)
answer_details: author: gaming.stackexchange.com/users/37468/ThePickleTickle
score: 1
sents: text: first of all make a map, use it so you have a really zoomed in map, then put it in the center of the crafting table, surround it by eight pieces of paper and then normal click it!
text: if you shift click it, it will not zoom out there is a bug to where it will not zoom out if you shift click so normal click
text: and there you go
answer_details: author: gaming.stackexchange.com/users/47657/icekiller72
score: 1
sents: text: The zoom level is calculated depending on the time you craft it.
text: You can not set/reset or choose it yourself.
answer_details: author: gaming.stackexchange.com/users/7360/fjdumont
score: 0

Summary of the answers:
You can zoom map files by editing your NBT files. Then you can take the really zoomed in map, put it in the center of a crafting table surrounded by eight pieces of paper and click on it
The zoom level can be used by editing the NBT files or by crafting a zoomed out map and following some straightforward instructions.