MapCanvas

MapCanvas

Display images and animated GIFs on maps in item frames directly from a URL.

MapCanvas lets you turn any image or GIF from the internet into a Minecraft map display. Whether you want a single map or a massive multi-frame mural, MapCanvas handles it all with one simple command.

Features

• Image support — display any image from a URL on a grid of item frames
• Animated GIF support — full animation with per-frame timing, optimized for performance
• Poster map system — place and collect entire grids with a single item
• Dithering - optional dithering mode that smooths out colors and gradients to work within Minecraft's limited color palette
• Named image library — save, reload, and give images by name
• Economy system — costs empty maps to create canvases (free in creative mode)
• Convert — turn individual maps into a single poster map item

How It Works

Poster Mode

Run /canvas add poster 3 3 <url> and you'll get 1 poster map item. Right click any corner of a 3x3 item frame grid and it auto-fills every frame instantly. Punch any map in the grid to collect them all back into 1 item — frames stay intact.

Single Mode

Run /canvas add single 3 3 <url> and you'll get individual map items, one per grid cell. Place them manually or use /canvas convert <name> to combine them into a poster map later.

HD Mode

Add -hd to any subcommand (e.g. /canvas add poster-hd) to enable dithering. This works best for photos, illustrations, and images with smooth gradients. For text, logos, or pixel art the regular mode is recommended.

GIF Support

Just paste a .gif URL — MapCanvas automatically detects it and processes it as an animated poster. Animations play at up to 10fps and only update for players within 32 blocks, keeping performance smooth.

Commands

| Command | Description | |---|---| | /canvas add single <w> <h> <url> | Gives individual maps for a WxH grid | | /canvas add single-hd <w> <h> <url> | Gives individual maps for a WxH grid with dithering enabled| | /canvas add poster <w> <h> <url> | Gives 1 poster map that auto-fills a WxH grid | | /canvas add poster-hd <w> <h> <url> | Gives 1 poster map that auto-fills a WxH grid with dithering enabled| | /canvas name <n> | Saves the last created image | | /canvas list | Lists your saved images | | /canvas reload <n> | Re-downloads image data | | /canvas convert <n> | Converts individual maps into 1 poster map | | /canvas delete <n> | Deletes a saved image | | /canvas help | Shows all commands in-game | | /canvas cost enable | Enables cost of maps (requires op) | | /canvas cost disable | Disables cost of maps (requires op) |

Cost

Creating a canvas costs empty maps equal to the grid size (W × H). Players in creative mode are not charged. Maps are refunded if the download fails.

Requirements

• Minecraft 1.21.1
• Fabric Loader
• Fabric API

> Required on both client and server.

> Performance: Running many animated GIFs simultaneously on a server can cause lag, especially with large grids. It is recommended to keep the number of active animated posters reasonable.

> Note: This project was made with the help of AI. I wasn't aware of Image2Map when making this mod credit to them for the original concept. MapCanvas expands on the idea with animated GIF support.