Question 1

How can I create Nonogram puzzles?

Accepted Answer

This video tutorial demonstrates the use of Puzzle Maker - Nonogram

Question 2

Planner Links (Plugin for Powerpoint) Tutorial Video

Accepted Answer

Planner Links (Plugin for Powerpoint) Tutorial Video

Question 3

How to Use the Paths Add-On for Mazes 3D Isometric

Accepted Answer

With the Paths Add-On you can set the width of the path through the maze. By default the path width is 100% of the cell (cube) width, but setting it smaller (to 30-40%) will result in a maze that looks completely different.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/ymJ6nXgYQZ/Path%20Add-On%20Panel%20Screenshot.jpg (Path Add-On Panel Screenshot.jpg)

In the Path Options tab you can set the width of the path as a percentage of the width of each cell. You can also set the color of the path, and set additional colors for the path when it's on one of the vertical surfaces.

Some examples:

Flat Maze Path Examples

Flat maze with 100% path:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/EFvTcI6Fux/Flat%20Maze%20with%20100%20pct%20path.png (Flat Maze with 100 pct path.png)

Flat Maze with 30% path:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/MxvQpq2MsE/Flat%20Maze%20with%2030%20pct%20path.png (Flat Maze with 30 pct path.png)

White Random Maze Path Examples

Random Maze with 100% path:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/bEVcQaKVTC/Random%20Maze%20with%20100%20pct%20path.png (Random Maze with 100 pct path.png)

Random Maze with 30 pct path:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/enBrQjDPCl/Random%20Maze%20with%2030%20pct%20path.png (Random Maze with 30 pct path.png)

Colored Random Maze Path Examples

Gray Surface Gray path:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/xY5fvd56mk/Gray%20Surface%20White%20path.png (Gray Surface White path.png)

Blue Surface White Path:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/vHbFQtlEt6/Blue%20Surface%20White%20Path.png (Blue Surface White Path.png)

Mazes with Colored Path Examples

White Surface with Colored Path:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/8n5v2JsTwJ/White%20Surface%20blue%20path.png (White Surface blue path.png)

Colored Surface and Path:

Question 4

How to create your own SVG files with Adobe Illustrator (for use in Connect the Dots)

Accepted Answer

This video tutorial will show you the general workflow and some tricks to use Adobe Illustrator's tracing function. This will create SVG files from bitmap files (JPG, PNG). The SVG files can be imported into Puzzle Maker Pro - Connect the Dots.

Question 5

How to use Puzzle Maker Pro - Mazes 2D

Accepted Answer

Puzzle Maker Pro - Mazes 2D Overview

Mazes 2D is the 2022 update of our popular Mazes software (formerly Standard Mazes 2D/ Standard and Shaped Mazes 2D).

This option in Puzzle Maker Pro is the entry point for several current and new puzzle modules:

Standard Mazes 2D / Standard and Shaped Mazes 2D (if you have this module, the Mazes 2D Squares option will be available to you)
Mazes 2D Oblique - a Tangle / Doodle / Yayoi Kusama-style maze
Mazes 2D Other Shapes - Easy Octagons and Small Circles

Additionally there are some Add-Ons available for these mazes

The examples in this tutorial use the Mazes 2D Squares. It should be easy to use these options for the other shapes. For specifics, there are additional tutorials for each maze type.

Getting Started with Mazes 2D

Mazes 2D Squares Main Overview

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/TwQWXvoswn/Mazes%202D%20Squares%20Main.png (Mazes 2D Squares Main Overview)

Mazes 2D Squares Main Overview

Select Mazes 2D in the dropdown menu at the top. This will open the puzzle options for Mazes 2D
In the Puzzle Control section you can select the puzzle type, in this case Squares is selected. Here you can also set the number of puzzles (Quantity) and the puzzle size (rows and columns)
There are several tabs for the different maze and customization options. By default the Main tab is selected
On the Main tab you can control the maze generation options, such as the maze / solution complexity and the solution path (where the Start and End points will be chosen)
After changing the settings for the maze, click Next Preview to see a newly generated maze with the changed settings. (This is not done automatically, otherwise you may have to wait after each change)
The preview panel
By default the Solution is shown, use this switch to display the puzzle (without the solution path)

Info Tab

Solution Complexity

You can use the big red slider "Solution Complexity" to control how the maze is generated. There are several built-in algorithms that result in differently shaped mazes. These algorithms set some limits, within these limits the maze generation process is completely random.

To get an idea of the differences, here you see two extreme examples. It's best (and very easy) to experiment with this setting yourself.

Mazes 2D Squares - Complexity 0

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/UsISAYEcCc/Mazes%202D%20Squares%20-%20Complexity%200.png (Mazes 2D Squares - Complexity 0)

Mazes 2D Squares - Complexity 0

Mazes 2D Squares - Complexity 100

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/fCcKZpppAP/Mazes%202D%20Squares%20-%20Complexity%20100.png (Mazes 2D Squares - Complexity 100)

Mazes 2D Squares - Complexity 100

Solution Path

There are several options for the solution path (which is part of the maze generation process:

Default - Top Left to Bottom Right, this may be slightly different for certain maze types
Random - This will set a random starting point on one of the maze edges, and select an end point at an opposite edge
Longest Path - This will choose the longest possible path in a maze. Usually the Start and End points are not on the edges of the maze
Manual - you can manually select the Start and End points. To do this, right-click the preview panel on the maze cell (square/other shape) where you want the Start or End point, and select the appropriate option in the pop-up menu)

Mazes 2D Squares - Path Random

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/MbSBiXSzkZ/Mazes%202D%20Squares%20-%20Path%20Random.png (Mazes 2D Squares - Path Random)

Mazes 2D Squares - Path Random

Mazes 2D Squares - Longest Path

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/b4rBaUYtAq/Mazes%202D%20Squares%20-%20Longest%20Path.png (Mazes 2D Squares - Longest Path)

Mazes 2D Squares - Longest Path

Mazes 2D Squares - Manual Start

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/k1md7DgoHv/Mazes%202D%20Squares%20-%20Manual%20Start.png (Mazes 2D Squares - Manual Start)

Mazes 2D Squares - Manual Start

Step 1 - Set the puzzle options

In this example we'll work with Sudoku, which is one of the easiest puzzles to create - since there's no need to set up a word list or other input.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/5PqtIUAORB/1%20Set%20Puzzle%20Options.jpg (1 Set Puzzle Options.jpg)

We'll create just 2 pages, with 6 puzzles in total, to illustrate the layout options.

Step 2 - Set the Desired Output Type

In this case we'll create a Powerpoint file and a PDF.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/x7hOz2ziqj/2%20Output%20Type.jpg (2 Output Type.jpg)

Step 3 - Set up the Page Format

The next step is to set up the Page Format and the Margins.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/TGtbmgjGsS/3%20-%20Page%20Settings.jpg (3 - Page Settings.jpg)

1 - The Page Format or Trim Size

In this example we'll set it to 8.5"x11". You can use any trim size you want. However, with smaller trim sizes and large margins, there will not be much space left for the actual puzzles and solutions!

(For puzzle books generated with Puzzle Maker Pro, there's no need to use Bleed, unless you set the margins to zero. Normally the puzzles will be placed within the page margins, and not in the margins and bleed area.)

2 - Top and Bottom Margins

You can set these as desired.

3 - Left/Right Margins

Let's say you want different margins for left and right pages, because you want a larger gutter margin. In that case the "Left" Margin setting is used for the outer margins (left margin on the left page, right margin on the right page), and the "Right"setting is used for the inner margins (right margin on the left page, left margin on the right page).

To illustrate this in the output, we'll set a really large inner margin of 1.5".

4 - Mirror Margins

By default, if you would create a PDF or Powerpoint file (that can be exported to PDF with Powerpoint), the first page would be a right page (the front cover), the 2nd page would be a left page, etc.

However, if you use different margins for left and right pages, it's important to specify which page is the first one. However, if the first page is not a 'right' page, you'll have to add a cover page to your PDF or Powerpoint file manually.

We select "Mirror Margins", and unselect "First is Right Page". That means the first page is a left page, and you'll have to add the cover page later.

These are the settings to create different left/right margins in your puzzle book.

Step 4 - Page Layout

The final part to set up is the page layout:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/VFqrWNpxgb/4%20-%20Page%20Layout.jpg (4 - Page Layout.jpg)

Here you can set the number of rows and columns for the puzzle pages (1) and for the solution pages (2).

In addition to that, you can specify the padding (distance) between the puzzles (3). In this case it's set to 0.1"

Step 5 - Create

After setting the different options and settings to your taste, click "Create". Puzzle Maker Pro will now create the puzzles for you, and create the Instant Puzzle Books from those puzzles.

Here are screenshots of the Powerpoint results (first image) and PDF results (second image, only two pages shown).

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/EuQdeQCyv5/5%20-%20Result.jpg (5 - Result.jpg)

Question 7

How do I fix my Powerpoint Add-In problem?

Accepted Answer

How to fix your Powerpoint Add-In problem

Installation

Installing the plugins

There's a separate tutorial to install our plugins for Powerpoint: Click here.

Installation Issues

When using our Powerpoint Add-ins, there have been a few occurrences where the installer seemed to work properly, but the Add-in was not visible in the Add-in’s menu.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/Ifih5ZMYla/AddIns%20Menu.png (AddIns Menu.png)

First of all, you should go to File -> Options -> Add-ins, to verify that it’s installed, but possibly inactive, or not available at all.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/tVZ1DEZfug/AddIns%20Options.png (AddIns Options.png)

In addition to that, there’s an option to force Powerpoint to show Add-in error messages (which may be suppressed otherwise). We need these messages to figure out what’s going on.

You can find this setting in File -> Options -> Advanced.

When you report add-in errors, please be as specific as you can be, and add screenshots of errors that are shown.

You can report the error to the seller (for Powered by BookPublisherTools add-ins) or to our on helpdesk for BookPublisherTools add-ins.

Certificate Not Trusted

There's a separate tutorial to fix certificate issues: Click Here

Other Issues

Please read the tutorials before reporting issues with the plugins.

Easy Journals

Easy Journals Pro

Journal Filler

Easy Puzzle Books

Display Issues

There's a separate tutorial to fix display issues: Click Here

Question 8

Puzzle Maker Pro - Mazes 2D Oblique Video Overview

Accepted Answer

Puzzle Maker Pro - Mazes 2D Oblique Video Overview

Question 9

Create Shaped Mazes for Mazes 2D Tiles (Video)

Accepted Answer

With the Masks-Add-On for Puzzle Maker Pro – Mazes 2D Tiles you can use your own images to create a mask (a.k.a. shape) and use the manual editor to adjust the shape. The video demonstrates how this is done. If you prefer to read, there’s also this Tutorial: Create Shaped Mazes.

You can find more tutorials on the Mazes 2D Tiles tutorials page. Video tutorials can be found in the Mazes 2D Tiles Playlist.

Question 10

How to Add Page Numbers to Powerpoint Puzzle Books?

Accepted Answer

This short video tutorial will show you how to add page numbers to the master slides in Powerpoint. Besides page numbers you can use these master slides to add any kind of content you like.