Hello there.

Well, I have to draw a map, and when I say a map, I mean this behemoth: http://www.candyparty.com/ST/Download/Checklists/BMS/maps/Korea_ONC_tacanranges.png.

Now, I don't have a problem with anything but the terrain itself. I mean, the altitude color code. The problem is, well, it's HUGE. So I've been thinking in different approaches to accomplish this with the least amount of work and, honestly, I have no clue. Using bitmap trace kind of works, but nope because a) it leaves a mess that is next to impossible to clean (to remove the other parts like text and stuff) and b) it doesn't look really detailed as I would like to. Doing it by hand seems to be a hell of a work (for both me and the PC that is already dying with just the contour of the thing).

... So... Suggestions? Any idea how to do this? App I could use? I was thinking something along the lines of a terrain plotter if such thing exists... I mean, if anybody has any idea, cos I'm lost here.

Hello
Just random thoughts:
1.- You can use gimp or photoshop or other program to reduce the number of colors of the map. That could help to make a better vector tracing
2.- Divide and conquer. Cut your map plan in quadrants, the same that appears in the map. I think that in inkscape there is an extension to cut a image using guides but I haven't use it yet.
3.- First the easy things, the quadrant lines, the circles, the polygons, the texts, every one in a different layer, with simple styles
4.- Last the terrain and the contour.
4.- It will took time. I hope you dispose of that (1 month, 2 weeks? 1day !!!!!!?????)

6.- Maybe Inkscape it's not the right program to do this job. Maybe with Auto Cad... I don't know of other programs at this moment.

Hi.

Inkscape might not be the right program for the initial stages of map making.
( However - it's great for adjusting the map made by "programs". )
I suggest you take a look at python programming.
Just like Inkscape - python and most python "tools" are open source.

pythonxy; http://code.google.com/p/pythonxy/
basemap toolkit. http://code.google.com/p/pythonxy/wiki/AdditionalPlugins

Several libraries exists for map making with python.
Kartograph - http://kartograph.org/
Matplotlib - http://matplotlib.org/basemap/
Examples;http://matplotlib.org/basemap/users/examples.html

Veusz - http://home.gna.org/veusz/
(If you install pythonxy this will be part that insallation.)

Some open source GIS systems;
grass - http://grass.osgeo.org/screenshots/
diva-gis - http://www.diva-gis.org/
List of opensource GIS;
http://opensourcegis.org/
http://www.qgis.org/

Some more info;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ge ... s_software
http://danieljlewis.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBOScqRGHZA

Free elevation data; http://vterrain.org/Elevation/global.html

Good Luck (report back on the forum about your progress!!)

RGDS
Ragnar

hehehehe, I knew that I would get some good info here.

hulf2012 wrote:3.- First the easy things, the quadrant lines, the circles, the polygons, the texts, every one in a different layer, with simple styles

Indeed, and Inkscape works great for this.

hulf2012 wrote:It will took time. I hope you dispose of that (1 month, 2 weeks? 1day !!!!!!?????)

My estimation is 1 year at best! haha. Working an hour a day... It took me three looong days to get to this point: http://postimage.org/image/q13fovjjd/, but if I can skip the manual work with the terrain, that would make it a lot easier.

@ragstian: That is a fantastic list to checkout. And yes, Inkscape might not be the right tool for creating this, and that's why I was asking if somebody knew some tool. And you gave a bunch of them. Thanks!

What about using a filter for the elevation-related lighting and/or shading? I don't know if there's an existing filter capable of this, but it seems to me that one could be made.

For a map with that kind of topology, I'd say try looking into more 'vexel' type work.

http://vexels.net/

There is a tutorial on using illustrator and fractal terrains here: http://www.cartographersguild.com/tutor ... or%5D.html

I modified it a bit using wilbur (free) gimp, and inkscape to make this map entry: http://www.cartographersguild.com/mappi ... #post53734

The final was this: http://www.cartographersguild.com/attac ... -final.jpg

If you can access the real dem data then a bunch of steps can be shaved off....

-Rob A>