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<TITLE>An idea/wish for QGIS</TITLE>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2>Hi all,<BR>
<BR>
well, I've been experiencing lately with QGis diagram overlay feature<BR>
and I have to say that is still not enough for what I need. Plots are<BR>
not very customizable, adding categories is a matter of patience when<BR>
you have a relatively large amount of fields to plot (in my case, in<BR>
anchovy length distribution, about 25 of them) and normalization of the<BR>
diagrams is a little confusing. Anyway, it is a big feature but<BR>
unfortunately at last I have had to make my maps with gvSIG what really<BR>
disappoints me because map tools in gvSIG are (for me) a little bit<BR>
poor.<BR>
<BR>
But I'have been messing with qgis new simbology and I have found very<BR>
interesting the option "RULE BASED" (I guess this is the correct<BR>
translation for the spanish "Basado en reglas"). Because I can define<BR>
individual marker for different values (based in that rules), I've done<BR>
the following:<BR>
<BR>
1) I've created an bar chart with matplotlib as I want it to be (scale,<BR>
ticks..., colors)<BR>
2) I've saved it to a folder in my computer as SVG graphic, say<BR>
so /home/Figures<BR>
3) I've created a soft link to that folder in /usr/local/share/qgis/svg<BR>
<BR>
Following this steps, what I get is the chance to choose my graph as the<BR>
marker of my point and I have to say that is really, really cool for me<BR>
because the look of the maps is great!!<BR>
<BR>
But there is one problem... You can choose the graph but you don't have<BR>
any clue to tell which graph is what you want, because all you get in<BR>
the dialog of selection are the thumbnails of the SVG's in that<BR>
folder!!! So with, let's say 20 micro-pictures to choose is not very<BR>
useful...<BR>
<BR>
So my idea/suggestion/wish is: To add to the symbol properties dialog<BR>
the possibility of loading a concrete SVG as marker, apart from the list<BR>
of default markers. It will not be a feature like automatic diagram<BR>
overlay but I think it is a very simple improvement that provides a<BR>
solution and eases the work of overlaying charts in maps (not only pie<BR>
and bar charts)<BR>
<BR>
I don't really know if this is of any use for you but in my case, it has<BR>
been the big prize in days, because I feared of having to say goodbye to<BR>
Qgis until the diagram feature is improved.<BR>
<BR>
Also I apologize if what I've said is just a obviousness... Maybe this<BR>
is a feature everybody knows and here I am thinking that I've discovered<BR>
the Philosopher's stone... :)<BR>
<BR>
Best regards<BR>
<BR>
Jorge Tornero<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
--<BR>
-----------------------------------------<BR>
Jorge Tornero Núñez<BR>
Centro Oceanográfico de Cádiz<BR>
Instituto Español de Oceanografía<BR>
Puerto Pesquero - Muelle de Levante, s/n<BR>
11006 Cádiz - España<BR>
Tel. +34 956294189<BR>
Fax. +34 956294232<BR>
www.ieo.es<BR>
</FONT>
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