Plot a map with a specific scale

Hi all,

I have a long gps track and I need to make several maps of the track. Unfortunately all the maps must have a specific scale. I'm using plot_google_maps but I can't control the map scale. How can I make the maps with a specific map scale?

Thanks

[Chad Greene]

If you're talking about the old "ratio scale" style of describing map scales in the form of 1:24,000 or similar, that's a bit antiquated. It makes sense for paper maps that have been properly printed, but if anyone will ever view your map on their computer screen, then that type of scale immediately loses its meaning. It depends on their screen resolution and how much they zoom in. Even if you make a pdf, you'd have to trust whoever prints your map to change Adobe's default setting so it doesn't shrink the whole page down to the printable area.

Ratio scales as well as 1 inch = 1 mile type scales were good practice before everything was viewed on a screen, but it's generally poor practice these days.

[pietro]

So what is the best scale? I have to print maps on paper

Answer 1

[Mark Brandon]

So if you have the mapping toolbox you should look at paperscale .

That and the other functions on listed that reference page should help you.

Mark

[pietro]

That's interesting. Thanks,

[Mark Brandon]

you could click "answered" to close the question if it worked. Good luck Pietro. Mark

[pietro]

Hi Mark, I'm trying to implement paparscale function if it works finely in my case. The main issue I've found is that using this function the printed maps have a different sizes, so before using printscale, I have to assure each all the map plots in figure have the same scale and I'm stucked in this problem.