The Map can mark every chest, with a short list of what is inside, and every sign, with its text. This is private. Only a role that allows the private map sees it. Everyone else sees a note instead.
Who can see them
Chests and signs say where players live and what they keep. So the panel shows them only to a role that allows the private map. The same goes for the homes of Town NPCs. Without the permission, the map page says: “Chests and signs need permission to see what players keep to themselves on the map.” The panel does not send the chest or sign data to that viewer at all.
An owner gives the permission through a role. Open the organization page, then Settings, Access, Manage roles. The server’s own Access page only lists who reaches the server.
Turn them on
Chests and signs start off, because a world has many. A fresh small world has about 175 chests.
- Open the Map tab.
- In the panel on the left of the map, open Map settings.
- Under Show, turn on Chests (1), Signs, or both. The number beside each is how many the world has.
- Zoom in on the area you want and look at a marker.
A chest marker shows the chest’s name if it has one. Otherwise it says “Chest (3 item(s))”, with the number of items. Under it come up to eight items with their counts, then ”…” if there are more. A chest with no items and no name is left out. A sign marker shows the sign’s text. A sign with no text is left out.
- Chests switch
It is the last save
Like the rest of the map, chests and signs come from the world’s save. They show what was in a chest when the game last saved. See the map page.
What is logged
When someone with the permission looks at the private data, the panel records it in the server’s Activity once an hour for that person. The row is called server:terraria.map-viewed.
If it does not work
- There is no Chests or Signs filter. Your role does not allow the private map. Ask the owner to change your role.
- A chest I know is missing. An empty chest with no name is left out. It may also be new since the last save.
- A sign is missing. A sign with no text is left out.
More about roles: roles and permissions. More about the game: Terraria servers.
Sources: terraria.wiki.gg: Server