Hi Brylie, I have been thinking about this for a few days, because I already use these two programs for 90% of the mapping I do (see http://www.hesperus-wild.org/GIS_carto.html). I would be very happy to see closer linkage between QGIS and Inkscape!
Typically I prepare maps in QGIS (1.74 running under Ubuntu 10.04), and export from a print composer to a PNG image. This I load into Inkscape (0.4.7, also running under Ubuntu 10.04) as my lowest layer, and then add text on top of it, taking advantage of Inkscape's ability to put text on a curved path. This way I get my text labels exactly where I want them without having to fiddle with automatic text placement. In Inkscape I also add title blocks, north arrow and possibly some artwork. In the end I export from Inkscape as PNG, but I can also save directly as PDF. Sometimes -- let's say I want the auto-placed labels on contour lines -- I will display a single layer in QGIS (contours), auto-label it, and export what's in the print composer as SVG -- and then read this SVG file into Inkscape as a new layer. As you probably know, this does not work very well: the data is typically not clipped to the print composer's extents. But if all I want are the auto-placed labels, so that I can move them around in Inkscape, it's tolerable. I ungroup the layer in Inkscape and delete all the objects except the labels. This QGIS-Inkscape workflow works pretty well, but there are two headaches. One is that if I change the extents of the map in QGIS, I essentially have to start over again in Inkscape. The other is that the map prepared in QGIS is simply an image in Inkscape. If I zoom in, it gets grainy, whereas of course the vector-based Inkscape elements do not. The ideal, I think, would be to be able to save all vector layers of the map out of QGIS as SVG (including new symbology), and then save the final product out of Inkscape as a vector-based PDF. Thanks, Morgan Hite Hesperus Arts Smithers, BC mor...@hesperus-wild.org >Message: 1 >Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2012 18:39:16 -0700 >From: Brylie Oxley <bry...@gnumedia.org> >Subject: [Qgis-user] QGIS + Inkscape >To: <qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org> >Message-ID: <6e6a0066e901c4a5880609af3633b...@mail.webfaction.com> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed > >Hello, >My name is Brylie Oxley. I am a student at Sierra College in Nevada >City, CA. I would like to apply for the GSoC program. > >I have been studying GIS at Sierra College, where the courses focus on >proprietary tools. For libre GIS tools to be viable options, we need >high quality cartographic tools. This is where I see Inkscape as an >EXCELLENT candidate. > >I would like to make an extension for QGIS and/or Inkscape that would >enable us to send data from QGIS directly to Inkscape. It would also be >nice to be able to have Inkscape leverage the QGIS API to import >data/layers into a cartographic project. > >I am glad to get any feedback regarding users' experiences sharing data >between these two programs. I would also like to know what some of the >components are that I can leverage to create a bridging >extension/improved cartographic interface for QGIS. > >Thank you for your time and consideration, >Brylie Oxley > > >------------------------------ > >Message: 2 >Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2012 07:41:30 +0000 (UTC) >From: Jukka Rahkonen <jukka.rahko...@mmmtike.fi> >Subject: [Qgis-user] Re: QGIS + Inkscape >To: qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org >Message-ID: <loom.20120319t082223-...@post.gmane.org> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > >Brylie Oxley <brylie@...> writes: > >> >> Hello, >> My name is Brylie Oxley. I am a student at Sierra College in Nevada >> City, CA. I would like to apply for the GSoC program. >> >> I have been studying GIS at Sierra College, where the courses focus on >> proprietary tools. For libre GIS tools to be viable options, we need >> high quality cartographic tools. This is where I see Inkscape as an >> EXCELLENT candidate. >> >> I would like to make an extension for QGIS and/or Inkscape that would >> enable us to send data from QGIS directly to Inkscape. It would also be >> nice to be able to have Inkscape leverage the QGIS API to import >> data/layers into a cartographic project. >> >> I am glad to get any feedback regarding users' experiences sharing data >> between these two programs. I would also like to know what some of the >> components are that I can leverage to create a bridging >> extension/improved cartographic interface for QGIS. >> >> Thank you for your time and consideration, >> Brylie Oxley > >There is heavy work going on with GDAL PDF driver http://gdal.org/frmt_pdf.html >Mapserver can already make georeferenced PDF files like this with the trunk >version of GDAL http://latuviitta.org/documents/Lahti_geospat.pdf >Reading the geospatial info of that certain PDF needs TerraGo Toolbar which is >an add-on to Adobe Acrobat reader. Here is another PDF output example >http://latuviitta.org/documents/raitiovaunulinjat.pdf >It is made with OpenJUMP derivative SkyJUMP and it demostrates using vector >layers on to of a raster layer (tram lines in this case). User can toggle the >layer visibility at least with Adobe Acrobat Reader. I am not sure if GDAL can >do such layered output yet. However, I have a feeling that GDAL may soon be >able >to support direct conversion of raster files with OGR vector file overlays into >layered and georeferenced PDF files. See recent PDF commits by Evan Rouault at >http://trac.osgeo.org/gdal/timeline > >Perhaps that work will help you with the QGIS to Inkcape work flow. At least it >might be good to study what could be done by feeding GDAL from QGIS before >dublicating those functionalities into QGIS. > > >-Jukka Rahkonen- > > > >------------------------------ > >Message: 3 >Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:04:24 +0100 >From: "G. Allegri" <gioha...@gmail.com> >Subject: Re: [Qgis-user] Re: QGIS + Inkscape >To: Jukka Rahkonen <jukka.rahko...@mmmtike.fi> >Cc: qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org >Message-ID: > <CAB4g1=xkasp9nmocp6r32zwurzs+fw3pykub4epg5_1ne_g...@mail.gmail.com> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > >I agree with Jukka. >Working to a lower level of binding (through GDAL/OGR) would let other foss >software leavarage the improvements. >I don't know Inkscape very much, but I've tried to import the latter >example from Jukka (the multilayer PDF) and it keeps the layers correctly. >Working on the GDAL level is probably harder then doing the work on the >Python level directly between Qgis and Inkscape, but I feel it would be far >most used and useful to improve the GDAL PDF support... > >giovanni > >2012/3/19 Jukka Rahkonen <jukka.rahko...@mmmtike.fi> > >> Brylie Oxley <brylie@...> writes: >> >> > >> > Hello, >> > My name is Brylie Oxley. I am a student at Sierra College in Nevada >> > City, CA. I would like to apply for the GSoC program. >> > >> > I have been studying GIS at Sierra College, where the courses focus on >> > proprietary tools. For libre GIS tools to be viable options, we need >> > high quality cartographic tools. This is where I see Inkscape as an >> > EXCELLENT candidate. >> > >> > I would like to make an extension for QGIS and/or Inkscape that would >> > enable us to send data from QGIS directly to Inkscape. It would also be >> > nice to be able to have Inkscape leverage the QGIS API to import >> > data/layers into a cartographic project. >> > >> > I am glad to get any feedback regarding users' experiences sharing data >> > between these two programs. I would also like to know what some of the >> > components are that I can leverage to create a bridging >> > extension/improved cartographic interface for QGIS. >> > >> > Thank you for your time and consideration, >> > Brylie Oxley >> >> There is heavy work going on with GDAL PDF driver >> http://gdal.org/frmt_pdf.html >> Mapserver can already make georeferenced PDF files like this with the trunk >> version of GDAL http://latuviitta.org/documents/Lahti_geospat.pdf >> Reading the geospatial info of that certain PDF needs TerraGo Toolbar >> which is >> an add-on to Adobe Acrobat reader. Here is another PDF output example >> http://latuviitta.org/documents/raitiovaunulinjat.pdf >> It is made with OpenJUMP derivative SkyJUMP and it demostrates using vector >> layers on to of a raster layer (tram lines in this case). User can toggle >> the >> layer visibility at least with Adobe Acrobat Reader. I am not sure if GDAL >> can >> do such layered output yet. However, I have a feeling that GDAL may soon >> be able >> to support direct conversion of raster files with OGR vector file overlays >> into >> layered and georeferenced PDF files. See recent PDF commits by Evan >> Rouault at >> http://trac.osgeo.org/gdal/timeline >> >> Perhaps that work will help you with the QGIS to Inkcape work flow. At >> least it >> might be good to study what could be done by feeding GDAL from QGIS before >> dublicating those functionalities into QGIS. >> >> >> -Jukka Rahkonen- >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Qgis-user mailing list >> Qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org >> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-user >> >-------------- next part -------------- >An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >URL: >http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/qgis-user/attachments/20120319/0c36ec18/attachment-0001.html > >------------------------------ > >Message: 4 >Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:30:37 +0200 >From: Ari Jolma <ari.jo...@gmail.com> >Subject: Re: [Qgis-user] Re: QGIS + Inkscape >To: qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org >Cc: 'gdal-dev' <gdal-...@lists.osgeo.org> >Message-ID: <4f66eead.9010...@gmail.com> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > >On 03/19/2012 10:04 AM, G. Allegri wrote: >> I agree with Jukka. >> Working to a lower level of binding (through GDAL/OGR) would let other >> foss software leavarage the improvements. >> I don't know Inkscape very much, but I've tried to import the latter >> example from Jukka (the multilayer PDF) and it keeps the layers correctly. >> Working on the GDAL level is probably harder then doing the work on >> the Python level directly between Qgis and Inkscape, but I feel it >> would be far most used and useful to improve the GDAL PDF support... > >I agree too, but would like to see SVG better supported in GDAL. Right >now there seems to be only read support. Some years ago I made some >tests using librsvg and GDAL and writing glue code in Perl. It works and >the basics are not difficult but with styles and rasters it gets more >complicated. > >librsvg seems to me the best choice for the low level library to use. > >gdal-dev cc'd. > >Ari > >> >> giovanni >> >> 2012/3/19 Jukka Rahkonen <jukka.rahko...@mmmtike.fi >> <mailto:jukka.rahko...@mmmtike.fi>> >> >> Brylie Oxley <brylie@...> writes: >> >> > >> > Hello, >> > My name is Brylie Oxley. I am a student at Sierra College in Nevada >> > City, CA. I would like to apply for the GSoC program. >> > >> > I have been studying GIS at Sierra College, where the courses >> focus on >> > proprietary tools. For libre GIS tools to be viable options, we need >> > high quality cartographic tools. This is where I see Inkscape as an >> > EXCELLENT candidate. >> > >> > I would like to make an extension for QGIS and/or Inkscape that >> would >> > enable us to send data from QGIS directly to Inkscape. It would >> also be >> > nice to be able to have Inkscape leverage the QGIS API to import >> > data/layers into a cartographic project. >> > >> > I am glad to get any feedback regarding users' experiences >> sharing data >> > between these two programs. I would also like to know what some >> of the >> > components are that I can leverage to create a bridging >> > extension/improved cartographic interface for QGIS. >> > >> > Thank you for your time and consideration, >> > Brylie Oxley >> >> There is heavy work going on with GDAL PDF driver >> http://gdal.org/frmt_pdf.html >> Mapserver can already make georeferenced PDF files like this with >> the trunk >> version of GDAL http://latuviitta.org/documents/Lahti_geospat.pdf >> Reading the geospatial info of that certain PDF needs TerraGo >> Toolbar which is >> an add-on to Adobe Acrobat reader. Here is another PDF output example >> http://latuviitta.org/documents/raitiovaunulinjat.pdf >> It is made with OpenJUMP derivative SkyJUMP and it demostrates >> using vector >> layers on to of a raster layer (tram lines in this case). User can >> toggle the >> layer visibility at least with Adobe Acrobat Reader. I am not sure >> if GDAL can >> do such layered output yet. However, I have a feeling that GDAL >> may soon be able >> to support direct conversion of raster files with OGR vector file >> overlays into >> layered and georeferenced PDF files. See recent PDF commits by >> Evan Rouault at >> http://trac.osgeo.org/gdal/timeline >> >> Perhaps that work will help you with the QGIS to Inkcape work >> flow. At least it >> might be good to study what could be done by feeding GDAL from >> QGIS before >> dublicating those functionalities into QGIS. >> >> >> -Jukka Rahkonen- >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Qgis-user mailing list >> Qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org <mailto:Qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org> >> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-user >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Qgis-user mailing list >> Qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org >> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-user > >-------------- next part -------------- >An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >URL: >http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/qgis-user/attachments/20120319/f13136ab/attachment-0001.html > >------------------------------ > >Message: 5 >Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:53:14 +0100 >From: Rainer M Krug <r.m.k...@gmail.com> >Subject: Re: [Qgis-user] Re: QGIS + Inkscape >To: "G. Allegri" <gioha...@gmail.com> >Cc: Jukka Rahkonen <jukka.rahko...@mmmtike.fi>, > qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org >Message-ID: <4f66f3fa.90...@gmail.com> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > >-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- >Hash: SHA1 > >On 19/03/12 09:04, G. Allegri wrote: >> I agree with Jukka. Working to a lower level of binding (through GDAL/OGR) >> would let other foss >> software leavarage the improvements. I don't know Inkscape very much, but >> I've tried to import >> the latter example from Jukka (the multilayer PDF) and it keeps the layers >> correctly. Working >> on the GDAL level is probably harder then doing the work on the Python level >> directly between >> Qgis and Inkscape, but I feel it would be far most used and useful to >> improve the GDAL PDF >> support... >> >> giovanni >> >> 2012/3/19 Jukka Rahkonen <jukka.rahko...@mmmtike.fi >> <mailto:jukka.rahko...@mmmtike.fi>> >> >> Brylie Oxley <brylie@...> writes: >> >>> >>> Hello, My name is Brylie Oxley. I am a student at Sierra College in Nevada >>> City, CA. I would >>> like to apply for the GSoC program. >>> >>> I have been studying GIS at Sierra College, where the courses focus on >>> proprietary tools. For >>> libre GIS tools to be viable options, we need high quality cartographic >>> tools. This is where >>> I see Inkscape as an EXCELLENT candidate. >>> >>> I would like to make an extension for QGIS and/or Inkscape that would >>> enable us to send data >>> from QGIS directly to Inkscape. It would also be nice to be able to have >>> Inkscape leverage >>> the QGIS API to import data/layers into a cartographic project. >>> >>> I am glad to get any feedback regarding users' experiences sharing data >>> between these two >>> programs. I would also like to know what some of the components are that I >>> can leverage to >>> create a bridging extension/improved cartographic interface for QGIS. >>> >>> Thank you for your time and consideration, Brylie Oxley > >I think that would be a good idea - essentially a mapcomposer on steroids. > >What would be needed (just some ideas) is: > >a) the possibility to send a map with selected layers and everything to >inkscape as an object this >could be done via gdal, but I *think* it might be easier to make this directly > >b) implement the basic map related features (north arrow, scale, legend, ...) >in the same way > >c) make sure that inkscape (for the map related elements) is *aware* of the >fact that it is a map, >i.e. if the map is rotated, the north arrow should rotate as well, scale >changes, ...) > >I don't think the pdf driver from gdal offers the flexibility needed (but I >must admit I don't >know it). > > > >Cheers, > >Rainer > > > >> >> There is heavy work going on with GDAL PDF driver >> http://gdal.org/frmt_pdf.html Mapserver can >> already make georeferenced PDF files like this with the trunk version of GDAL >> http://latuviitta.org/documents/Lahti_geospat.pdf Reading the geospatial >> info of that certain >> PDF needs TerraGo Toolbar which is an add-on to Adobe Acrobat reader. Here >> is another PDF >> output example http://latuviitta.org/documents/raitiovaunulinjat.pdf It is >> made with OpenJUMP >> derivative SkyJUMP and it demostrates using vector layers on to of a raster >> layer (tram lines >> in this case). User can toggle the layer visibility at least with Adobe >> Acrobat Reader. I am >> not sure if GDAL can do such layered output yet. However, I have a feeling >> that GDAL may soon >> be able to support direct conversion of raster files with OGR vector file >> overlays into layered >> and georeferenced PDF files. See recent PDF commits by Evan Rouault at >> http://trac.osgeo.org/gdal/timeline > > >> >> Perhaps that work will help you with the QGIS to Inkcape work flow. At least >> it might be good >> to study what could be done by feeding GDAL from QGIS before dublicating >> those functionalities >> into QGIS. >> >> >> -Jukka Rahkonen- >> >> _______________________________________________ Qgis-user mailing list >> Qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org <mailto:Qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org> >> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-user >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ Qgis-user mailing list >> Qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-user > > >- -- >Rainer M. Krug, PhD (Conservation Ecology, SUN), MSc (Conservation Biology, >UCT), Dipl. Phys. >(Germany) > >Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology >Stellenbosch University >South Africa > >Tel : +33 - (0)9 53 10 27 44 >Cell: +33 - (0)6 85 62 59 98 >Fax : +33 - (0)9 58 10 27 44 > >Fax (D): +49 - (0)3 21 21 25 22 44 > >email: rai...@krugs.de > >Skype: RMkrug >-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- >Version: GnuPG v1.4.11 (GNU/Linux) >Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/ > >iEYEARECAAYFAk9m8/oACgkQoYgNqgF2egpaIwCdFVErJxHsAx38aMSjpNTVieg2 >WeEAnjGMCSJx5Q6ldOzVbfbvOBLrnV7q >=HPne >-----END PGP SIGNATURE----- > > >------------------------------ > >_______________________________________________ >Qgis-user mailing list >Qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org >http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-user > > >End of Qgis-user Digest, Vol 73, Issue 66 >***************************************** > _______________________________________________ Qgis-user mailing list Qgis-user@lists.osgeo.org http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-user