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topic: 2865Importing track plans from old-maps.co.uk
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posted: 4 Apr 2016 02:46

from:

DerekStuart
 
United Kingdom

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This has been discussed before, I know, but I can't find it here, 'the other place' or anywhere on google.
It seems that old-maps.co.uk has taken to only offering downloads as PDF's now- and in A3. I can't scan that in and if possible I would prefer not to scan it as 2 parts.
There are various tools on the internet that claim to be able to turn PDFs into BMPs. Has anyone any experience of them please? I am apprehensive about using a service from a company that I've never seen or heard of before.
I did try a quick test using screen grab but I suspect something is causing it to scale incorrectly or distort.
As ever, any suggestions from anyone appreciated.

posted: 4 Apr 2016 09:26

from:

Dave Summers
 
Urchfont, Devizes - United Kingdom

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Derek
When you buy your map, you have the option of purchasing an email .pdf copy so the work is done for you!
Dave

posted: 4 Apr 2016 12:18

from:

Martin Wynne
 
West Of The Severn - United Kingdom

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Hi Derek,

Some confusion here? You can't scan a PDF -- it's a computer file. PDF files can't be imported into Templot as they stand. However, there are some PDF reader programs which allow you to export images contained within a PDF file as separate image files, which can then be imported into Templot. For example you can do this in the Nitro PDF reader.

This is a tangled subject with a lot of ifs, buts, what abouts, and have you trieds. We have been here before, see for example:

 topic 2674 - message 18562

A lot of the paid-for mapping on old-maps.co.uk is now also available free on the National Library of Scotland web site, and they are rapidly expanding to cover the country. See for example:

 http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sidebyside.cfm#zoom=18&lat=51.8632&lon=-2.2331&layers=168&right=BingSat

Also their maps are available geo-referenced to modern maps, making scaling a lot easier. See for example this bit of video which I made recently:

 http://flashbackconnect.com/Default.aspx?id=8Du_Kizucpvgbsfe2rGw4g2

I'm not sure that the paid-for products from old-maps.co.uk are the best bet for our purposes. They are described as "decorative maps" with fancy borders, titles, etc., and the scaling may be unknown.

It is probably better to subscribe to their site, perhaps only for a month, which allows you to view any of their maps fully zoomed-in and make screen grabs of whatever you need. If you use the full-screen option on there to make a screen grab, you can paste the result directly into a picture shape in Templot very easily. Use the other image option, and guess an approximate width. Then scale it to correct size after pasting.

To make a screen grab, press the PRINT SCREEN (or Prt Scr) button on the keyboard. If you are using a laptop or tablet computer which doesn't have that key, press the  Fn + SPACE-BAR keys.

Always zoom-in to the highest crisp resolution available. One screen grab probably won't cover the full area of interest, but you can paste a series of grabs as separate picture shapes in Templot. It is easy to align them by making the image transparent and aligning it over the previous one. Once you have scaled the first one, all images will be the same size, so it is simply a case of setting the same width.

Here for example is a grab from one of the 1:500 town plans (Worcester):

2_040621_230000000.png2_040621_230000000.png
© old-maps.co.uk

Ask again if you want more info about importing and scaling maps.

regards,

Martin.

posted: 4 Apr 2016 15:05

from:

DerekStuart
 
United Kingdom

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Hello Dave/ Martin

Thanks for the suggestions. What I meant was printing out the A3 PDF and then scanning it back in, but as we know each process will affect resolution it didn't seem wise. Though equally I could screen grab from it.

I tried the Scottish library link and they have a lovely map of the location, but about 40 years too early. Though a quick check suggests only slight changes, so that's an option. I have already scaled point A to point B using Bing and Google maps, so scaling it in Templot isn't going to be hard.

Whilst on the subject about importing graphics into Templot, something I did notice- Paint can often distort images when you rotate them, but Templot doesn't.

Thanks again. If I can't do this with the SL maps I will try Old-maps subscription (and see if I can copy the entire Country in one month)

posted: 4 Apr 2016 15:54

from:

Martin Wynne
 
West Of The Severn - United Kingdom

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DerekStuart wrote:
What I meant was printing out the A3 PDF and then scanning it back in
Hi Derek,

I wouldn't recommend doing that. Apart from wasting ink and paper, you will lose a lot of image quality, and the scale may change slightly. And don't ever do it if the printer is a laser printer, otherwise distortion is inevitable.

What you can do is "print" it to a virtual printer, such as the one included with Snagit. This lets you save the "printed" image as an image file. Unfortunately Snagit doesn't go up to A3, so you would have two A4 files:

 http://techsmith.com/snagit.html

An A3 virtual printer would be very handy. Anyone know of one?

Whilst on the subject about importing graphics into Templot, something I did notice- Paint can often distort images when you rotate them, but Templot doesn't.
The rotation (twist) function in Templot is very primitive, and works nicely only for small angles. It was mainly intended to correct small angular errors made when placing pages on the scanner. I didn't set out to write a full graphics editor function in Templot, I have to draw the line somewhere. :)

If you rotate images in a good graphics editor, such as Gimp or Inkscape (both free), you shouldn't get any distortion.

regards,

Martin.

posted: 4 Apr 2016 17:42

from:

DerekStuart
 
United Kingdom

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Thanks Martin

I think you misunderstood my point about image rotation though.

It works far better in Templot than paint or similar. Even on large angles- I tried 90 degrees and it did it without distortion. In paint a 90 degree rotation distorts the image.

I found out the hard way... So again, hat off to you for your programming skills. If you could only teach Templot to boil a kettle, open lager and build track it'd be perfect.

posted: 4 Apr 2016 22:09

from:

bainin
 
Trim Co Meath - Ireland

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Re PDF to image file conversions:
http://listoffreeware.com/list-of-best-free-pdf-to-jpg-converter-software-for-windows/ may give a few answers. Unfortunately, I have not used any of the programs.
I have used the commercial programs Image Printer Pro and Zan Image Printer in the past with some success.
Regards,
Mike

posted: 5 Apr 2016 00:47

from:

DerekStuart
 
United Kingdom

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Thank you Mike. I will have a look and see if either of those commercial programmes have trial options.

Thanks
Derek

posted: 5 Apr 2016 01:04

from:

Martin Wynne
 
West Of The Severn - United Kingdom

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Hi Derek, Mike,

Most of the free PDF reader programs will export the entire PDF to an image file. For example my favourite PDF reader will do that:

 http://tracker-software.com/product/pdf-xchange-viewer

What's not so clear is what happens to the scale of any contained images in the process. Whereas extracting the contained image separately should create the original image file. The free Nitro PDF reader will do that:

 http://gonitro.com/pdf-reader

regards,

Martin.

posted: 5 Apr 2016 04:03

from:

Bruce A Wilson
 
Barrie - Ontario Canada

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Irfanview and its plugins will allow you to open and save pdfs as well as many other graphic file types.

DerekStuart wrote:
Thank you Mike. I will have a look and see if either of those commercial programmes have trial options.

Thanks
Derek


posted: 5 Apr 2016 04:14

from:

DerekStuart
 
United Kingdom

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Again, thanks for the further info.

In case anyone else reads this topic (here or via google cache etc) Taking the graphic directly from the screen as a screen grab works the best.

I've ended up with an odd scale of 1:1403 but it works and is proven by taking items of track work visible in photos and it fits perfectly with the map imported to Templot.

Thanks again.

posted: 5 Apr 2016 13:23

from:

Bruce A Wilson
 
Barrie - Ontario Canada

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Irfanview also has several modes of screen capture.  And it is free.

Bruce Wilson
Barrie, Ontario



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