Generic Mapping Tools

Custom Map Pins

You know the map marker symbol from your preferred online mapping service. I needed to draw attention to different parts or areas of my plots. There was no built-in map marker so I built my own.

You might have similar needs so I make them here available

The three different map marker forms
The map markers come in three different shapes: Round (A), Short (B) and Long (C). All shapes come in four different styles: light single border (1), light double border (2), dark single border (3) and dark double border (4).

You have to use the short and long shapes with PS_LINE_JOIN round. Otherwise you will get ugly pointy ears along the sides of the marker symbol.

Origin of the marker is the center of the circle in case of the round map marker and the tip of the short as well as the long map marker. All of them have a 1-unit-diameter inner circle in common.

Why different borders?

Primarily it boils down to personal preference.

Set of light round map markers on a rainbow-colored background
A set of round map markers with double border (left) and single border (right) on a colorful background to show the advantages and disadvantages of the border styles on different backgrounds.

Round Map Markers

Those are great for marking areas of interest or drawing attention to an area instead of an exact point.

Round Map Marker - light
Set of light round map markers
The two different styles of the light markers: single border (left) or double border (right). 
gmt begin marker_round_sb_light png
  gmt set PS_LINE_JOIN round
  gmt plot -R0.2/5.3/-2.3/-0.2 -JX12.86c/5.14c -B+ggrey78 \
    locations_letters.txt -Skmarker_round_letters_sb_light/0.8c
  gmt plot locations_numbers.txt -Skmarker_round_numbers_sb_light/0.8c
gmt end
Round Map Marker - dark
Set of dark round map markers
The round map markers come in two different styles: single border (left) or double border (right). 
gmt begin marker_round_sb_light png
  gmt set PS_LINE_JOIN round
  gmt plot -R0.2/5.3/-2.3/-0.2 -JX12.86c/5.14c -B+ggrey78 \
    locations_letters.txt -Skmarker_round_letters_sb_light/0.8c
  gmt plot locations_numbers.txt -Skmarker_round_numbers_sb_light/0.8c
gmt end
Round Map Marker - light, double border
The three different map marker forms
The map markers

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The three different map marker forms
The map markers

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The three different map marker forms
The map markers

Short Marker

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Long Marker

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Page last updated: 2022-05-28
Page created: 2018-11-13
kristofkoch.de