Author Topic: Printing maps from a .gpx file  (Read 836 times)

robgul

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Printing maps from a .gpx file
« on: 01 February, 2024, 10:48:37 am »
I am trying to find a means to print maps, with routes overlaid from .gpx files, in A5 size to .pdf - for France.  At OpenStreetMap level of detail.

Lots of apps but they all seem to either only print as one page or multiple pages but in A4 size only*

* with a bit of juggling with route segments the nearest answer I've found is to use PlotaRoute to create A4 landscape maps at maximum scale (say 40 miles over 10 pages) and then print the pdf 2pp to a sheet to appear as A5.  That works but ...

Any other suggestions for mapping apps that might print A5 pages, multiple for a route?

Pingu

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Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #1 on: 01 February, 2024, 12:57:08 pm »
RideWithGPS has a print option, but you need to be logged in. Could be something to investigate...

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #2 on: 01 February, 2024, 01:01:06 pm »
Bit of a fudge but you could print to pdf then place the pdf in an A5 Word* doc and print to printer


*I would use Indesign for this rather than Word but I’m assuming you most likely don’t have Indesign
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #3 on: 01 February, 2024, 01:07:43 pm »
Cycle.travel will do this but you'd need to plan the route in c.t first.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #4 on: 01 February, 2024, 01:08:59 pm »
GPXSee has some options for printing. Or can export as PDF.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #5 on: 01 February, 2024, 01:13:46 pm »
Or you could just do screen grabs and paste those into an A5 doc
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

robgul

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Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #6 on: 01 February, 2024, 01:42:07 pm »
Pingu - yep - I have an account - BUT it only prints whatever the map is as one sheet, so the scale makes it unreadable

Citoyen - that fudge is sort of what I have tried - print to A4 pdf and then print them 2pp at view on A4 paper [that's the best result yet - using Plotaroute with 8 off ~50 mile .gpx files and printed as 8 off 10 page map - I have Premium Plotaroute that lets you print up to 10 pages]

Cudzoziemiec - the maps that CycleTravel produces are all different shapes and sizes on the paper (presumably to minimise paper usage) - absolutely useless for what I want to do which is an A5 landscape "route book"

lissotriton - not seen that one, I'll give it a go later

citoyen - the last resort!


I can sort of achieve what I want with the Memory Map IGN France mapping - I can set the size as A5 landscape to produce the pdf pages of maps - but the scale is only 1-100,000 and lacks detail for some of the tricky bits on the routes I am using.

Kim

  • Timelord
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Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #7 on: 01 February, 2024, 01:46:37 pm »
Or you could just do screen grabs and paste those into an A5 doc

May lead to an unacceptable loss of resolution unless you have a large high-resolution screen or do something particularly convoluted.  Mapping is one of those things where more pixels really are more better, so you want a process that gives you a final output of at least 300dpi.

Kim

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Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #8 on: 01 February, 2024, 01:47:31 pm »
I can sort of achieve what I want with the Memory Map IGN France mapping - I can set the size as A5 landscape to produce the pdf pages of maps - but the scale is only 1-100,000 and lacks detail for some of the tricky bits on the routes I am using.

I was going to say, the last time I did something like this I used the desktop version of Memory-Map.  But that was a different era.

Viking seems to be able to be able to generate image files of OSM maps at arbitrary sizes, which is interesting....

robgul

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Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #9 on: 01 February, 2024, 01:54:13 pm »
I can sort of achieve what I want with the Memory Map IGN France mapping - I can set the size as A5 landscape to produce the pdf pages of maps - but the scale is only 1-100,000 and lacks detail for some of the tricky bits on the routes I am using.

I was going to say, the last time I did something like this I used the desktop version of Memory-Map.  But that was a different era.

MemMap on the PC is the perfect solution for UK OS maps and the IGN 1-100,00

... and yes resolution loss is significant with screen grabs

UPDATE : issotriton - not seen that one, I'll give it a go later  . . . that didn't take long to try - same issue as RidewithGPS - it will only produce a single page map of the complete route with the same scale/readability issue.


Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
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Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #10 on: 01 February, 2024, 01:56:56 pm »
Have you tried drawing on a paper map and taking a photo of it?  :P

robgul

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Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #11 on: 01 February, 2024, 02:08:28 pm »
Have you tried drawing on a paper map and taking a photo of it?  :P

.... that's just silly . . .  I'm going to get a friend to ride the routes before our group does and spray a white line all the way from start to finish  ;D ;D

Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #12 on: 01 February, 2024, 02:09:59 pm »
UPDATE : issotriton - not seen that one, I'll give it a go later  . . . that didn't take long to try - same issue as RidewithGPS - it will only produce a single page map of the complete route with the same scale/readability issue.
It will print whatever is on the screen. So zoom in on part of the route, and print that. Then scroll over a bit, and repeat.
Though yes, might take a while for a long route. But isn't it much the same as using Memory Map etc?

robgul

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Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #13 on: 01 February, 2024, 02:17:45 pm »
UPDATE : issotriton - not seen that one, I'll give it a go later  . . . that didn't take long to try - same issue as RidewithGPS - it will only produce a single page map of the complete route with the same scale/readability issue.
It will print whatever is on the screen. So zoom in on part of the route, and print that. Then scroll over a bit, and repeat.
Though yes, might take a while for a long route. But isn't it much the same as using Memory Map etc?

As you say a bit labout intensive!

MemMap has a "print track" option which lets you set page size, resolution, scale - and then creates n pages in "box frames on the screen" which you can manipulate on screen before printing to .pdf or a physical printer.   It's bloody brilliant if you have the right map base.

Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #14 on: 01 February, 2024, 05:47:10 pm »
I still use Memory-Map desktop. Just had a licence for updated maps as a gift. I drop in the GPX and spend time looking at any Audax or significant planned ride.

robgul

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Re: Printing maps from a .gpx file
« Reply #15 on: 01 February, 2024, 05:57:58 pm »
I still use Memory-Map desktop. Just had a licence for updated maps as a gift. I drop in the GPX and spend time looking at any Audax or significant planned ride.

The PC version is my go-to for almost everything UK mapping-wise - OS 1-50, 1-25 and the OS Streetmap - I think I've been a user since 2004?

I also have the IGN France in 1-100 and 1-250

The only downside with MemMap is the archaic licencing system, although it's clearer now than it used to be.  The whole thing is way better value cost-wise than the OS's own stuff.