HOWTO: export OSM data into PDF

Just click the export tab. And select export as PDF…

:slight_smile: Just couldn’t stop myself this is a great new thing on OSM…

So how do you Create World files (jgw etc) out OSM data?

I suspect the most interesting thing todo is to make it easier to import into Illustrator and making it easier to manipulate data in 3rd party programs…

That is fantastic, but when will I be able to export to an Adobe Illustrator file? Just a couple of weeks or will I have to wait a few months for this feature?

At the moment I can export as a Postscript file that I can edit in Illustrator but it isn’t as flexible as a proper export to Illustrator function.

I need to export around 40 maps to work with in Illustrator and will probably pay someone to do it for me, but a simple Export tab would make things a LOT easier.

Doesn’t SVG work with Illustrator?

I think you should email the foundation, e.g. 80n is the treasurer. And see if you could donate money for that cause. This will not get you that feature, but if OSM foundation get a couple of thousand pounds for implementing Illustrator export, well I’m sure someone will notice…

Export it to PDF and import to Illustrator. Just tested it and it works great! Yes, you need to convert the colors to CMYK and perhaps organize the data into layers… but all vectors are there… and its great!!

Got 2 questions tho:

  • How do I export larger chunks of the maps at the maximum level of detail?
  • When I use this map, how can I tell the scale and projection when printing? Would it be correct just to say WGS84? And calculate the scale manually. Would that be enough to get that professionall touch?

I just read on the mailing list that large chunks with maximum level of detail won’t be available through the export tab. This is because of the huge amount of computational power needed for such an application. For such applications you will still need to process your own copy (or part) of the planet file.

…for those of us not on the mailing list: New Export Tab

Looks like Richard and TomH are both keen on illustrator export functionality, so you might not have to wait too long for that.

Excellent work isn’t it? TomH bags yet another lolcat! These vector exports are going to be great for touching up maps, where the renderers don’t quite get it right, to get a really polished final image. e.g. for wikipedia images.

JRA I moved out discussion to: Create World files (jgw etc)… If you could remove your messages that would be great. :slight_smile:

Doh! Thanks! Should have linked to that myself… :wink:

There is a problem with the icons on the map, they aren’t in vector format so if you want to you can remove them from the pdf file.

On Linux you have PDF edit which I think can do this… Read more: linux.com: PDF edit linux.com: other pdf editing tools

Emj, are you applying for moderator duties on the forum? :wink:

deleted duplicate posts

Exporting to SVG is probably the best option for now. It is fairly easy to open the SVG file in Illustrator, select the ways and drag them onto separate layers to run actions to add apperances and then finally add the street names.

It’s certainly easier than tracing over a raster file in Illustrator but not as easy as a more user-friendly version of http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/Exporting_to_Adobe_Illustrator that works from within the Export tab.

I just loaded such a SVG into Illustrator, I think it got almost all labels wrong. (they were gigantic letters covering the whole map.)

If you can strip all labels and all pixel graphics from the resulting SVG then it might work better.

I tried uploading a map in SVG form to wikipedia. I created a map for the ‘Holborn Viaduct’ article. As you can see it’s customised a little bit from the exported map. I’ve removed the A/B road ref lables (which in dense urban areas are generally too overpowering), I’ve move street names around and added some in abbreviated form. I’ve made the bridge quite prominent (since that is what the article is about) …such is the power of having a vector representation! Mind you, inkskape will take some getting used to.

I was expecting all sorts of nasty problems when uploading the SVG to wikipedia, but actually it mostly rendered fine. Some PHP based SVG renderer they use? I dont know. The only thing which did not render correctly, were the blue one-way arrows. I had to remove them (see previous revisionss of the image file)

I’ve written about this at WikiProject OpenStreetMap page (on wikipedia). That page also has more ideas for articles needing maps, if anyone else wants to give this a try.

Cool use of OSM data and features indeed. But…

  • Doesn’t the CC-by-SA license require you to put a “(c) OpenStreetMap” notice on the map somewhere (e.g. lower right)? Would be cool anyway :slight_smile:
  • Shouldn’t the pub icons be removed? They clutter the map and are to no relevance of the wiki article…

Dont even start… Oh OK I suppose we should have that discussion somewhere. but not here.

yeah maybe. Then again maybe the article should mention the pub which is right by the bridge. That’s actually what I was thinking when I left them icons in, but I’m not really bothered either way.

I just organised for someone to export a bunch of maps to Illustrator format using the techique set out here: http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/Exporting_to_Adobe_Illustrator

Apparently it didn’t work. He had done this before (several months ago) but he says that changes in the API mean that the scripts don’t work any more. Are these going to be updated? Have other people come across this issue? Do many other people export to Illustrator?

segments isn’t mentioned in the osm2ai script so I don’t think it’s that. AND Richard updated the wiki peage in March this year.

osm2ai certainly works with the latest API - I rewrote it to do so, then created about 30 maps using it, the other month!

TimU, if your friend last downloaded it several months ago, then he should get the latest version and try with that. But if it still doesn’t work, if he’d like to contact me directly (richard at systemeD dooot net), then I’d be happy to compare notes.

Richard, I will contact him and hopefully he will get everything to work this time. Thanks.