Help with Resolving Problems

Drawshield can understand many blazons, however if it comes across an unknown or missing word it gives up and tries (not always successfully) to give useful error messages. If you cannot get drawshield to draw your required blazon try the following tips.

Start Simple

Start with the required field, then add ordinaries and charges one by one. This may help to isolate problems. Also, there are many charges that drawshield does not recognize, so you could substitute a similar one, or if you just want to use a “placeholder” try the special charge box, which just draws a box.

Also, try simplifying charge features. Instead of A tower gules with transoms and mullions or surmounted by three flags showing a horse argent upon a field of vert, extending to the dexter, try a tower gules.

Remove Unneeded Words

Some blazons include extra words such as “viz.”, “namely”, “being of” and so on. Drawshield tries to find and ignore these but is not always successful. Try removing any words that do not change the meaning of the blazon.

Look For Similar Examples

Take a look through the showcase examples for blazons that are known to work and try to follow that syntax.

Contact the Author

If all else fails then e-mail me and I will try to help, or if you are really lucky, modify the program to suit!