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Facility to thematically map tracks

Bob Hawkins shared this idea 6 years ago
Completed

I import into Tracks a .kml file that contains the Public Rights of Way from another source of a small local authority area in Oxfordshire, UK. I use the imported tracks to check OSM itself and on the ground and amend/add attributes or tags as necessary. It would be a huge advantage to be able to thematically map the tracks by selecting one line style and thickness for them all but distinguishing each by colour automatically on the basis of its identity, perhaps.

Replies (8)

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Dear Bob,


I'm not sure if I can understand your needs or idea. Would you please describe it more detailed - especially the last sentence: distinguishing each by colour automatically on the basis of its identity

I think that you'd like to change style of track based on custom parameter but I'm not 100% sure :)


Thank you

Best regards

Petr

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Petr

I thank you for showing interest. You are correct in your assumption.

I import a .kml file of Public Rights of Way (PROW), so footpaths, bridleways, etc., of a particular local authority area to overlay OSM and check in the field. The import separates each track, of which there might be dozens, according to its tident: Binfield Heath FP 24 or Harpsden BR 18, for example. All tracks display the same line width, style and colour so appear continuous. I could change the style for each but it is time-consuming. I worked for MapInfo, the American mapping software company. Its MapInfo Professional product had the facility to take a collection of points, lines or areas and colour them by a certain category such as Name, Population or Income ranges, for example; whatever headings were in a table could be chosen. The result would show the categories in a range of colours, plus the same colour never adjoins itself in the case of unique Names, say. This would allow me to see the extent of each way and easier to check as a consequence. I should imagine this facility would be useful to so many people with their different interests.

Hannes Hofer requested the option to group ways upon import to change the style here http://help.locusmap.eu/topic/change-style-on-map-for-multiple-tracks a year ago. This alone could cut down on the amount of work involved for me.

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With reference to the final paragraph in my reply, I saw today that I can select a particular number of tracks and change all at the same time to one style.

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Dear Bob,


I'm not familiar with MapInfo but are you able to set colors in MapInfo Prof SW and after that export tracks as KML file? KML can contains information about line style and Locus preserver this style during import.

You can change style in Locus for multiple tracks as you mentioned. You can also use potential of folders. I mean to create several folders > to define custom style for mentioned folder and import tracks by type into different folder.


Best regards

Petr

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Petr


I cannot export to .kml from my version of MapInfo. Your suggestion led me to wonder, however: I have used QGIS very little but perhaps some combination of it, .shp files and a facility to export to .kml could work. This is an exercise for a rainy day!

I thank you for the time you have spent trying to help.

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Dear Bob,


OK I didn't know it. Let's try qGIS. Or in case that your source data are SHPfiles I can suggest to try Locus GIS https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=menion.android.locus.gis

Locus GIS can import SHPfile and set custom style for imported SHPfile (SHPfile can have only one style).


Best regards

Petr

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Petr

What an interesting journey!

I posted my requirement on MapInfo-l, a Google Group forum. I received an encouraging reply. Thematic maps cannot be saved as such in MapInfo Professional but a .mbx tool has been created to do just that. The respondent pointed me next to a site that will convert the thematic map saved in .tab format to .kml. I imported the processed .kml file into Locus Map with the result you can see in the attachment. Two things remain to be sorted out: 1. I chose a broken line for the ways in MapInfo but it imports as a solid line; 2. I am unable to change the line style alone in Locus Map without changing the colour for all the ways also - unless you know differently.

I am delighted with progress so far, nevertheless, and I thank you for facing me in the correct direction.

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Dear Bob,


I think that Locus should support almost all important attributes provided by KML format. Please check that KML was exported properly. For example open exported KML file in Google Earth and check the style of lines. However feel free to send me the KML file.

To your second question. Would you please describe me how do you edit the line, please. Maybe you edit the style for whole folder not for single line. Please see http://docs.locusmap.eu/doku.php?id=manual:user_guide:tracks:management#track_route_folder_style


Best regards

Petr

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Petr


1. The .kml file in Google Earth opens as solid lines, too, so I must investigate the creation of the file from MapInfo .tab, which has broken lines, to .kml, which does not.

2. It is the whole folder of dozens of tracks whose solid line style I wish to change to broken, say, without changing the individual colours of the tracks to a single colour. It seems to me there is not an option to perform this action. I must change the line style of each track, one by one?

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