I've been exporting maps from QGIS and working on them in Inkscape (Inkscape is good for this, because it keeps the print-scale of the original map). I think I know the answer to this, but is there in fact a way of setting the extents of the map (the coordinates of the four corners) in Inkscape? It would be very helpful if the Inkscape coordinates could be made to match the map coordinates. Then we could throw away our GIS software . Well okay, not quite.

Regards, Nick.

Well, I didn't answer this message the other day, because I'm not entirely sure about the answer. I don't know where everyone has been lately, but in any case, I'll give it a try.

Even though coordinates are given in Inkscape, they aren't like...nailed down. Because it's vector-based, not raster (raster means a point on an image corresponds to a pixel on the monitor -- I think). So Inkscape's coordinates do not correspond to the pixels, they're more of just like guides. That's about the best way I can explain it, but you could get a much better explanation (right away) from Wiki. And hopefully more knowledgeable members will answer sooner or later

Anyway, you could draw the map using coordinates. Whenever the Selection Tool is active, you can see dimensions and coordinate settings on the right side of the toolbar. And when the Node Tool is active, you can also see coordinate settings for the nodes on the right side of the toolbar.

I'm not familiar with your mapping work, so I can't say whether Inkscape does exactly what you want. But I do know that you can use coordinates in most situations.

nick_h wrote:Is there in fact a way of setting the extents of the map (the coordinates of the four corners) in Inkscape?

I don't think so.

I think you could fake it, though, by moving to the position on the canvas that maps to your coordinates (some enormous number of virtual kilometres?)

/tries it

Well, it's more manageable to stick to metres - i.e use m as km, and mm as m, as it were, and keeping to under 100m as zoom limits mean panning huge distances isn't usable.

You lose the use of page border, so you might want to mark your area with a rectangle before you start.

Thanks for this guys. I'll try using Slow Dog's method when I get home (I'm on holiday in France) and let you know how I get on.

Regards, N.