How to create a pre...
 

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How to create a pretty map from coordinates

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I have a long list of places of interest with coordinates. I can get this into Google maps and look at it but I'm limited by Google icons and base map. I want to make something more artistic. Make my own sketched base map then put the points in it as drawn icons. I have the list of coordinates as a CSV so ideally I'll add an icon type to each place then I want something that will place the icons in the right place on my base map. This might be something that inkscape can do as the SVG file seems to be coordinates as text but before I start are there any better ways? I don't mind doing a bit of manipulation but I don't want to place each one by hand.


 
Posted : 15/11/2023 11:00 am
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QGIS.


 
Posted : 15/11/2023 11:05 am
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I did something like this in Excel, using an image as a basemap and overlaying a graph with the X and Y axes being coordinates. It was only to chart my Munro bagging though. That was about 20 years ago 😭


 
Posted : 15/11/2023 11:14 am
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QGIS
It's a great product (free) but you really need to run through the tutorial first to get to grips with it.  It is very powerful so not just a peck and try sort of software.

As scotroutes says though, it can also be done in Excel these days but I've never used it.  It might be worth investigating that before trying QGIS as it is probably easier


 
Posted : 15/11/2023 11:21 am
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I was about to say QGIS but would have written exactly what leffeboy wrote. I still have to sit down and learn it properly.

Alternatively you might be able to do something in blender but that has a similar learning wall at the start. Pick which one looks more interesting long term?


 
Posted : 15/11/2023 11:31 am
 Olly
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do you just want to locate the points, and then manually draw over them (effectivly), for this artistic effect?

QGIS pro here, so i can export you the points in a wide variety of formats, on or not on basemaps or on reference background material, depending on what you want and what youre going to be doing the artistic side in?


 
Posted : 15/11/2023 1:01 pm
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Thanks all. I had a quick play with inkscape first as I'm moderately familiar with that. It was actually very easy. After adding a few columns to the spreadsheet to include some XML syntax I could just cut and paste straight into an SVG file and it opened up fine and looked good. Surprisingly easy.


 
Posted : 15/11/2023 5:39 pm
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The answer is still QGIS though...

Amazing tool. Well worth learning.


 
Posted : 15/11/2023 8:53 pm
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This article popped up the other day, and it might help. While I’m fascinated with maps, and always have been, I’m not sure I understand how a process like this offers actually works, but it might be exactly what you need.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90980113/this-easy-to-use-tool-will-let-you-make-a-map-of-anything


 
Posted : 15/11/2023 9:01 pm
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Posted : 15/11/2023 9:02 pm

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