nanDECK - ver. 1.14b

nanDECK is a software for Windows (any version) written as an aid for game inventors, with the aim of speeding up the process of designing and printing deck of cards (useful during prototyping and playtesting).

nanDECK can also be used on Linux (read this FAQ) or OSX (read this blog post).

nanDECK is free, you can download it and use freely, without limitations (but a donation, of course, is welcome).

Top three nanDECK' supporters (thanks to everybody)

1) Rustan H. 2) Andrew T. 3) Herb P.

	Click here to download nanDECK 1.14b (2562 kB) updated 04-27-2013 The .zip file contains the program, unzip and run it (no need to install it); this program can also be used from an USB flash drive. If you have a question, write me an e-mail at . I've also created a Yahoo group for this program.
	Click here to download a nanDECK Manual (1989 kB) updated 04-27-2013
	Clic here to download BGG2nanDECK 1.6e (1248 kB) updated 05-18-2013 This program connects itself to Boardgamegeek and can dowload data to create cards with your games. The .zip file contains the program, an example script file and some printing templates, unzip and run it (no need to install); this program can also be used from an USB flash drive. For this program I wrote this tutorial, to explain all the options I wrote this page.
	Clic here to download BGG2Graph 1.1g (506 kB) updated 06-24-2012 This program connects itself to Boardgamegeek and can dowload data to create charts with historical games' stats. The .zip file contains the program and an example script file, unzip and run it (no need to install); this program can also be used from an USB flash drive.

nanDECK can also be used as a combination/permutation engine, read this tutorial.

nanDECK can also be used for counters, read this tutorial.

This program uses a script for the creation of the cards, and you can add text, images and some graphics (lines, rectangles and ellipses). Using nanDECK you can add or change graphic elements to a deck (or only some cards) with only some lines of text. The default size of the cards is 6 cm x 9 cm (9 cards for every sheet), but you can customize everything, (even creating chits for wargames). The keywords are very simple, for example, this is a script for a deck of 18 cards that can be used for Werewolf:

cards = 18
border = rectangle
font = arial, 28, B, #0000FF
text = "1", "SEER", 0, 3, 6, 3, center
font = arial, 28, B, #FF0000
text = "2-4", "WEREWOLF", 0, 3, 6, 3, center
font = arial, 28, B, #000000
text = "5-18", "VILLAGER", 0, 3, 6, 3, center

cards=18
This keyword sets the number of the cards in the deck.

border=rectangle
This keyword draws a border around all cards.

font = arial, 28, B, #0000FF
font = arial, 28, B, #FF0000
font = arial, 28, B, #000000
These keywords set the font to be used for text, Arial size 28, bold and in three different colors.

text = "1", "SEER", 0, 3, 6, 3, center
This keyword writes on the 1st card the word "SEER", in the rectangle from coordinates (0,3), width 6 and height 3, with alignment "center". Note that all coordinates are in cm.

text = "2-4", "WEREWOLF", 0, 3, 6, 3, center
This keyword writes on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th card the word "WEREWOLF".

text = "5-18", "VILLAGER", 0, 3, 6, 3, center
This keyword writes on cards from 5 to 18 the word "VILLAGER".

A great strength of nanDECK (versus other graphic programs) is the capability to modify an already done deck with a few changes. So if you want to add an image to the top-right angle of every card in the Werewolf deck, you only have to add one line:

image = "1-18", "logo.gif", 0, 4, 2, 2, 0

Program utilization: - after you start the program, to the left you find a button toolbar, - press "New deck" to create a new script, press "Open deck" to load a saved script, or select an entry from "Reopen deck" menu, - then "Validate deck" for checking the syntax, - if all is OK, with the button "Build deck" you create the deck, and you can check and review any card with the buttons on the right, - finally, with the button "Print deck" you can preview and print it, - eventually, with the button "Save images" you can save the images of the cards, - you can also create a PDF file, with the button "Create PDF".

	Text alignment (1.2+)
	rectangle="1-4",1,1,4,7,#0000FF text="1","center-top",1,1,4,2,center,top text="1","center-center",1,3,4,3,center,center text="1","center-bottom",1,6,4,2,center,bottom
	rectangle="1-4",1,1,4,7,#0000FF text="2","left-top",1,1,4,2,left,top text="2","left-center",1,3,4,3,left,center text="2","left-bottom",1,6,4,2,left,bottom
	rectangle="1-4",1,1,4,7,#0000FF text="3","right-top",1,1,4,2,right,top text="3","right-center",1,3,4,3,right,center text="3","right-bottom",1,6,4,2,right,bottom
	rectangle="1-4",1,1,4,7,#0000FF text="4","Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita, mi ritrovai per una selva oscura",1,1,4,7,left,wordwrap
	Text rotation (1.5a+)
	font="Arial",20,B,#000000,#FFFF80 text="1","Test ABC 123",5,0,1,9,center,center,90 text="1","Test ABC 123",0,0,1,9,center,center,270
	Transparent background for images (1.6+)
	image="1","background.gif",0,0,6,9,0 image="1","werewolf.gif",1.5,2.5,3,4,0,T
	Transparent background for text (1.6+)
	font=arial,28,B,#C0C0C0 text="2-4","WEREWOLF",0.2,3.2,6,3,center font=arial,28,BT,#808080 text="2-4","WEREWOLF",0.1,3.1,6,3,center font=arial,28,BT,#FF0000 text="2-4","WEREWOLF",0,3,6,3,center
	Multiple images with PATTERN directive (1.6b+)
	pattern="1","dot_red2.gif",5,0,2,6,4,2,2,0,,center,top
	Linear gradients for RECTANGLE directive (1.7+)
	rectangle="1",1,1,4,7,#0000FF#FF0000@90
	Line width for LINE directive (1.7a+)
	line="1",1,1,5,1,#0000FF line="1",1,2,5,2,#0000FF,0.05 line="1",1,3,5,3,#0000FF,0.1 line="1",1,4,5,4,#0000FF,0.15 line="1",1,5,5,5,#0000FF,0.2 line="1",1,6,5,6,#0000FF,0.25 line="1",1,7,5,7,#0000FF,0.3 line="1",1,8,5,8,#0000FF,0.35
	FILL directive (1.7b+)
	line="1",0,1,6,1,#0000FF,0.1 line="1",0,8,6,8,#0000FF,0.1 line="1",1,0,1,9,#0000FF,0.1 line="1",5,0,5,9,#0000FF,0.1 line="1",0,9,6,0,#0000FF,0.1 fill="1",2,2,#FFFF00,#0000FF fill="1",2,7,#FF8000,#0000FF
	Parameters "P" for proportional images in IMAGE directive (1.7b+)
	image="1","color02.jpg",0,0,6,4.5,0 image="1","color02.jpg",0,4.5,6,4.5,0,P
	PIE directive (1.7d+)
	pie="1",0,1.5,6,6,0,45,#FF0000 pie="1",0,1.5,6,6,45,90,#00FF00 pie="1",0,1.5,6,6,90,135,#0000FF pie="1",0,1.5,6,6,135,180,#FF00FF pie="1",0,1.5,6,6,180,225,#FFFF00 pie="1",0,1.5,6,6,225,270,#00FFFF pie="1",0,1.5,6,6,270,315,#000000 pie="1",0,1.5,6,6,315,360,#C0C0C0
	SAVE directive (1.8+)
	rectangle="1",1,1,4,7,#0000FF#FF0000@90 rectangle ="1",0,0,6,9,#000000,EMPTY,0.5 save ="1","temp.bmp",0,0,6,9 image ="1","temp.bmp",3,0,3,4.5,0,A
	Texture flag "X" in IMAGE directive (1.8b+)
	image="1","tile.gif",0,0,6,9,0,X,100,1,1
	Alpha-channel parameter in TEXT (IMAGE/PATTERN) directive (1.8b+)
	font="Arial",128,TB,#000000 text="1","A",0,0,6,9,center,center,0,30
	POLYGON & STAR directives (1.9+)
	star="1",0,0,6,4,5,0,50,#0000FF,#FF0000,0.3 polygon="1",0,4.5,6,4,6,0,#FF0000,#0000FF,0.3
	Multiple color gradients, linear and radial (1.9a+)
	rectangle="1",1,0,4,4,#FF0000#FFFFFF#0000FF@45 rectangle="1",1,5,4,4,#FF0000#FFFFFF#0000FF@360
	Alpha-channel gradients, linear and radial (1.9b+)
	font="Arial",128,TB,#000000 text="1","A",0,0,6,9,center,center,0,50@90
	ROUNDRECT directive (1.9b+)
	roundrect=1,1,1,4,7,#37E1D0#00FF00@270,#37E1D0#00FF00@270,0.1,1,2
	GRID directive (1.9c+)
	grid=1,1,1,4,4,#FF0000#0000FF@90,0.1,3,3
	BEZIER directive (1.9c+)
	bezier=1,1.5,0,1.5,4.5,4.5,4.5,4.5,9,#0000FF,0.15 bezier=1,4.5,0,4.5,4.5,1.5,4.5,1.5,9,#0000FF,0.15 bezier=1,0,3,3,3,3,6,6,6,#FF0000,0.15 bezier=1,0,6,3,6,3,3,6,3,#FF0000,0.15
	BUTTON directive (1.10a+)
	image=1,"watertexture.jpg",1,1,4,3,0 button=1,1,1,4,3,0.3,I image=1,"watertexture.jpg",1,5,4,3,0 button=1,1,5,4,3,0.3,O
	ICON/ICONS directives (1.10c+)
	icon="1",A,dot_blue.gif icon="1",B,dot_red.gif icon="1",C,dot_black.gif icons="1",ABC,0,0,6,6,2,2,0,,center,center
	RTFTEXT/RTFFILE directives (1.10c+)
	{[rtf]="{\rtf\fs32 normal {{§}}\par {\b bold}\par {\i italic}\par {\ul underline}\par {\colortbl ;\red255\green0\blue0;\red0\green128\blue0;\red0\green0\blue255;} \cf1 red\par \cf2 green\par\cf3 blue\par}"} rtftext=1,[rtf],0,0,6,9,#FF8000#FFFF80@90,0
	HEXGRID directive (1.12)
	CARDSIZE = 18, 20 HEXGRID = 1, 0, 0, 18, 20, 1, , #000000, EMPTY, 0.1

Screenshots (click for larger images):

	Main program form
	Creation of new scripts
	Visual positioning of graphic elements
	Creation and printing of script lists
	Virtual table
	Main form for BGG2nanDECK

FAQ:

Q: How can I create a PDF file?
A: build a deck,
- click on "Print deck" button,
- click on Printer button (the first button top-left),
- put the flag in the "Print to file" checkbox,
- select Type = "PDF File",
- choose a filename and click on "OK" button.

Updated: from version 1.8 there is a button "Create PDF" in the main form, on the left.

Q: Help, the program is slow...
A: nanDECK uses heavily disk space for storing images, so it's better to run it from hard disk instead then a USB drive.
You can also reduce the resolution (using DPI=150) for a faster rendering.

Updated: from version 1.9a cards can be created using RAM, faster than using a file on hard disk.

Q: I don't know HTML.
A: The language used for nanDECK' scripts isn't HTML, it only uses HTML color codes.

Q: How I can use quotes in a text? This code gives me an error:

FONT="Arial", 32, , #000000
TEXT="1", "I say "Hello"", 0, 0, 6, 9, center, center, 90

A: You can use \n\ syntax to insert ASCII code characters in a text, your code will become:

FONT="Arial", 32, , #000000
TEXT="1", "I say \34\Hello\34\", 0, 0, 6, 9, center, center, 90

Q: There is a Linux version of nanDECK?
A: No, but if you install Wine (great software!) you can run the same nanDECK version for Windows on your Linux, with all features; you must also download and install the "Microsoft core fonts" (the download page is here). You can see a screenshot here.

TUTORIALS:

	Tutorial A	Directives RECTANGLE, FONT, TEXT and PATTERN
	Tutorial B	Directives TEXT and IMAGE (with texture and alpha-channel)
	Tutorial C	Combinations and permutations engine (tutorial updated)
	Tutorial D	Linking a data file, for counters creation
	Tutorial E	A standard poker deck
	Tutorial F	A quick explanation for BGG2nanDECK
	Tutorial G	Wizard template for directives

Scripts' examples (you can click on the image to download a PDF file):

	werewolf.zip	A deck for Werewolf (18 cards), with graphic (118 kB)
	6suite.txt	A poker deck with 6 suites (78 cards)
	dice.txt	A deck of dice 2D6 (36 cards)
	lost-cities.txt	Deck for 4 player version of Lost Cities (75 cards), written by John Harley (rules are here)
	money-chits.txt	Money chits script, written by Rob Bartel
	holomino.txt	Holomino, a game from Cameron Browne, deck written by John Lund
	mambo.txt	Mambo, a game from Cameron Browne, deck written by John Lund
	truchet.txt	Truchet, a game from Cameron Browne, deck written by John Lund

History: