ps.map - Hardcopy PostScript map output utility.

ps.map

ps.map help

ps.map [-rpe] [input=string] [scale=mapscale] [copies=string] [output=string]

Flags:

Parameters:

Devices and ps.select do not exist any more. Paper is defined in paper instruction.

vpoints are used instead of sites (points are read from vector).

vector is substituted by vpoints, vlines and vareas.

Symbols are used instead of icons (different format and directory).

Map legend can be printed in columns.

ps.map produces an output file containing a PostScript program to produce hardcopy map products on your system's PostScript output device. Output can include a raster map, any number of vector overlays, text labels, and other spatial data.

This program has two distinct modes of operation. The command-line mode requires the user to prepare a file of mapping instructions prior to running ps.map that describes the various spatial and textual information to be printed. The interactive mode (i.e., no command-line arguments) will prompt the user for items to be mapped and does not require the user to prepare a file of instructions (n.b., some options are not used in interactive mode).

The order of commands is generally unimportant but may affect how some layers are drawn. For example to plot vpoints above vareas list the vpoints entry first.

The command line flags are:

"-r

Rotate plot 90 degrees.

"-p

Print available paper formats.

( name width height left right tob bottom(margin) )

"-e

Create an EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) plot instead of a PostScript file.

The command-line parameters are:

"input=name

File containing mapping instructions. (or enter input=- to enter from keyboard). These instructions are described in detail below. If omitted, instructions can be piped from stdin.

"scale=mapscale

Scale of the output map, e.g. 1:25000

Default: Auto-sized to fit page

This parameter is provided as a convenience. It is identical to the scale mapping instruction described below.

"copies=n

Number of copies to print.

This parameter is provided as a convenience. It is identical to the copies mapping instruction described below.

"output=name

Name of output the file to contain the PostScript program.

The mapping instructions allow the user to specify various spatial data to be plotted. These instructions are normally prepared in a regular text file using a system editor. Some instructions are single line instructions while others are multiple line. Multiple line instructions consist of the main instruction followed by a subsection of one or more additional instructions.

One "pixel" is 1 inch / 72.

Instructions that may be included in the subsection under several different main instructions are:

"where

Prints the color table for the raster map layer anywhere on the page.

USAGE: colortable [y|n]

where x y

raster raster file

width table width

height table height (FP legend only)

cols table columns

font font name

fontsize font size

color text color

nodata [y|n]

end

The color table will display the colors for each raster map layer category value and the category label. If raster is omitted, the colortable defaults to a previously registered raster layer. The default location for the colortable is immediately below any other map legend information, starting at the left margin. The default text color is black. Omitting the colortable instruction would result in no color table. For floating point legends width is width of color band only. height is used only for floating point legend. Adding the nodata n instruction will prevent the "no data" box from being drawn (category based legends only).

Note: Be careful about asking for color tables for raster map layers which have many categories, such as elevation. This could result in the printing of an extremely long color table!!!!!

Another issue is that the color table only includes categories which have a label. If there are only a few categories, you can use r.support to manually add labels. If there are too many categories to do this, you could write a script to add dummy labels to the cats file

(//<;mapset>;/cats/<;mapname>;).

This example would print a color table immediately below any other map legend information, starting at the left margin, with 4 columns:

EXAMPLE:

colortable y

cols 4

width 4

end

Prints comments anywhere on the page.

USAGE: comments commentfile

where x y

font font name

fontsize font size

color text color

end

The default location is immediately below the last item item printed, starting at the left margin. The default text color is black.

This example prints in blue whatever is in the file veg.comments starting at 1.5 inches from the left edge of the page and 7.25 inches from the top of the page, using a 15/72 inch Helvetica Bold font.

EXAMPLE:

raster vegetation

comments veg.comments

where 1.5 7.25

font Helvetica Bold

fontsize 15

color blue

end

Presumably, the file veg.comments contain comments pertaining to the raster map layer vegetation, such as "This map was created by classifying a LANDSAT TM image".

Specifies the number of copies to be printed.

USAGE: copies n

Each page will be printed n times.

Places EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) pictures on the output map.

USAGE: eps east north

eps x% y%

epsfile EPS file

scale #

rotate #

masked [y|n]

end

The EPS picture location is entered in the main instruction line by giving either the map coordinates or by using percentages of the geographic region. The user must specify full EPS file path epsfile. The user may also specify the scale of the icon (default is 1.0), the rotate i.e. rotation in degrees (default is 0) and whether the point is to be masked by the current mask. for more information on the mask.)

This example would place a EPS file ./epsf/logo.eps at the point (E456000 N7890000). This picture would be rotated 20 degrees clockwise, 3 times bigger than in original file and would not be masked by the current mask.

EXAMPLE:

eps 456000 7890000

epsfile ./epsf/logo.eps

scale 3

rotate 20

masked n

end

Of course, multiple EPS pictures may be drawn with multiple eps instructions.

Overlays a geographic grid onto the output map.

USAGE: geogrid spacing unit

color color

numbers # [color]

font font name

fontsize font size

width #

end

The spacing and spacing unit of the geographic grid is given on the main instruction line. The spacing unit is given as one of d for degrees, m for minutes, and s for seconds. The subsection instructions allow the user to specify the color of the geographic grid lines, whether coordinate numbers should appear on the geographic grid lines, the width of the lines (accepts decimal points [floating points] as well as integers), and if they should appear every grid line (1), every other grid line (2), etc., and what color the numbers should be. The defaults are black grid lines, unnumbered.

NOTE: The geogrid draws grid numbers on the east and south borders of the map.

This example would overlay a blue geographic grid with a spacing of 30 minutes onto the output map. Alternate grid lines would be numbered with yellow numbers.

EXAMPLE:

geogrid 30 m

color blue

numbers 2 yellow

end

Selects a raster map layer for output in shades of grey.

USAGE: greyrast mapname|list

For each ps.map run, only one raster map layer can be requested (using either the greyrast or the raster instruction).

Overlays a coordinate grid onto the output map.

USAGE: grid spacing

color color

numbers # [color]

cross cross size

font font name

fontsize font size

end

The spacing of the grid is given (in the geographic coordinate system units) on the main instruction line. The subsection instructions allow the user to specify the color of the grid lines, whether coordinate numbers should appear on the grid lines, and if they should appear every grid line (1), every other grid line (2), etc., and what color the numbers should be. The cross argument draws grid intersection crosses instead of grid lines, with cross size given in geographic coordinate system units. The defaults are black grid lines, unnumbered.

This example would overlay a green grid with a spacing of 10000 meters (for a metered database, like UTM) onto the output map. Alternate grid lines would be numbered with red numbers.

EXAMPLE:

grid 10000

color green

numbers 2 red

end

Selects an RGB imagery group for output.

USAGE: group groupname

This is similar to raster, except that it uses an imagery group instead of a raster map layer. The group must contain three raster map layers, comprising the red, green and blue bands of the image.

Prints the map header above the map.

USAGE: header

file header file

font font name

fontsize font size

color text color

end

If the header instruction or the file sub-instruction is absent, the header will consist of the map TITLE and location, each centered on the page above the map. The default text color is black.

This example prints (in red) whatever is in the file soils.hdr above the map, using a 20/72 inch Courier font.

EXAMPLE:

header

file soils.hdr

font Courier

fontsize 20

color red

end

Selects a labels file for output (see manual entry for v.label ).

USAGE: labels labelfile|list

font font name

end

NOTE: ps.map can read new option 'ROTATE:' from labels file, which specifies counter clockwise rotation in degrees.

This example would paint labels from the labels file called town.names. Presumably, these labels would indicate the names of towns on the map.

EXAMPLE:

labels town.names

end

Draws lines on the output map.

USAGE: line east north east north

line x% y% x% y%

color color

width #

masked [y|n]

end

The beginning and ending points of the line are entered on the main instruction. These points can be defined either by map coordinates or by using percentages of the geographic region. The user may also specify line color, width in pixels (accepts decimal points [floating points] as well as integers), and if the line is to be masked by the current mask. for more information on the mask.)

This example would draw a yellow line from the point x=10% y=80% to the point x=30% y=70%. This line would be 2 pixels wide and would appear even if there is a mask.

EXAMPLE:

line 10% 80% 30% 70%

color yellow

width 2

masked n

end

Of course, multiple lines may be drawn with multiple line instructions.

Prints the portion of the map legend containing the scale, grid and region information, on or below the map.

USAGE: mapinfo

where x y

font font name

fontsize font size

color text color

end

The default location is immediately below the map, starting at the left edge of the map. The default text color is black.

This example prints (in brown) the scale, grid and region information immediately below the map and starting 1.5 inches from the left edge of the page, using a 12/72 inch Courier font.

EXAMPLE:

mapinfo

where 1.5 0

font Courier

fontsize 12

color brown

end

Positions the map on the page.

USAGE: maploc x y [width height]

The upper left corner of the map will be positioned x inches from the left edge of the page and y inches from the top of the page. If width and height (in inches) are present, the map will be rescaled, if necessary, to fit.

This example positions the upper left corner of the map 2.0 inches from the left edge and 3.5 inches from the top edge of the map.

EXAMPLE:

maploc 2.0 3.5

Color to be used for mask.

USAGE: maskcolor color

Outlines the areas of a raster map layer with a specified color.

USAGE: outline

color color

width width of line in pixels

end

Distinct areas of the raster map will be separated from each other visually by drawing a border (or outline) in the specified color (default: black). For width the program accepts decimal points [floating points] as well as integers. Note: it is important the user enter the instruction end even if a color is not chosen. (It is hoped that in the future the outline of a different raster map layer other than the one currently being painted may be placed on the map.)

This example would outline the category areas of the soils raster map layer in grey.

EXAMPLE:

raster soils

outline

color grey

width 2

end

Specifies paper size and margins.

USAGE: paper paper name

point

height #

width #

left #

right #

bottom #

top #

end

paper may select predefined paper name (a4,a3,a2,a1,a0,us-legal,us-letter,us-tabloid). Default paper size is a4. left, right, bottom and top are paper margins.

EXAMPLE:

paper a3

end

EXAMPLE:

paper

width 10

height 10

left 2

right 2

bottom 2

top 2

end

Places additional points or icons on the output map.

USAGE: point east north

point x% y%

color color

fcolor color

symbol symbol group/name

size #

masked [y|n]

end

The point location is entered in the main instruction line by giving either the map coordinates or by using percentages of the geographic region. The user may also specify the point color, the size is size of symbol in point and whether the point is to be masked by the current mask. for more information on the mask.)

This example would place a purple diamond (from icon file diamond) at the point (E456000 N7890000). This diamond would be the the size of a 15 points and would not be masked by the current mask.

EXAMPLE:

point 456000 7890000

fcolor purple

color black

symbol basic/diamond

size 15

masked n

end

Of course, multiple points may be drawn with multiple point instructions.

Copies a file containing PostScript commands into the output file.

Note: ps.map will not search for this file. The user must be in the correct directory or specify the full path on the psfile instruction. (Note to /bin/csh users: ~ won't work with this instruction).

USAGE: psfile filename

This example copies the file "logo.ps" into the output file.

EXAMPLE:

psfile logo.ps

Selects a raster map layer for output.

USAGE: raster mapname|list

For each ps.map run, only one raster map layer (or set of layers or imagery group; see below) can be requested. If no raster map layer is requested, a completely white map will be produced. It can be useful to select no raster map layer in order to provide a white background for vector images.

Note that an imagery group selected with the group option, or a set of three raster layers selected with the rgb option, count as a raster map layer for the purposes of the preceding paragraph.

This example would paint a map of the raster map layer soils.

EXAMPLE:

raster soils

Provides ps.map with a previously prepared input stream.

USAGE: read previously prepared UNIX file

Mapping instructions can be placed into a file and read into ps.map.

Note: ps.map will not search for this file. The user must be in the correct directory or specify the full path on the read instruction. (Note to /bin/csh users: ~ won't work with this instruction).

This example reads the UNIX file pmap.roads into ps.map. This file may contain all the ps.map instructions for placing the vector map layer roads onto the output map.

EXAMPLE:

read pmap.roads

The user may have created this file because this vector map layer is particularly useful for many ps.map outputs. By using the read option, the user need not enter all the input for the vector instruction, but simply read the previously prepared file with the correct instructions.

Draws rectangle on the output map.

USAGE: rectangle east north east north

rectangle x% y% x% y%

color color

fcolor fill color

width #

masked [y|n]

end

The two corners of the rectangle are entered on the main instruction. These points can be defined either by map coordinates or by using percentages of the geographic region. The user may also specify line color, fill color fcolor, width in pixels (accepts decimal points [floating points] as well as integers), and if the rectangle is to be masked by the current mask. for more information on the mask.)

This example would draw a yellow rectangle filled by green from the point x=10% y=80% to the point x=30% y=70%. This line would be 2 pixels wide and would appear even if there is a mask.

EXAMPLE:

rectangle 10% 80% 30% 70%

color yellow

fcolor green

width 2

masked n

end

Of course, multiple rectangles may be drawn with multiple rectangle instructions.

Places the outline of a smaller geographic region on the output.

USAGE: region regionfile|list

color color

width #

end

Geographic region settings are created and saved using g.region . The ps.map region option can be used to show an outline of a smaller region which was printed on a separate run of ps.map on other user-created maps.

The user can specify the color and the width in pixel units (accepts decimal points [floating points] as well as integers) of the outline. The default is a black border of one pixel width.

This example would place a white outline, 2 pixels wide, of the geographic region called fire.zones onto the output map. This geographic region would have been created and saved using g.region .

EXAMPLE:

region fire.zones

color white

width 2

end

Selects three raster map layers for output as an RGB color image.

USAGE: rgb red green blue

This is similar to raster, except that it uses three raster map layers instead of a single layer. The three layers are composed to form a color image, similar to d.rgb.

For each layer, only one of the components of the layer's color table is used: the red component for the red layer, and so on. This will give the desired result if all of the layers have a grey-scale color table, or if each layer's color table uses the hue appropriate to the layer.

Selects a scale for the output map.

USAGE: scale scale

The scale can be selected either as:

"

"

"

.I (at the present time, only 1 panel is supported);

"

This example would set the scale of the map to 1 unit = 25000 units.

EXAMPLE:

scale 1:25000

Draws a scalebar on the map.

USAGE: scalebar [f|s]

where x y

length scale length

height scale height

segment no. segments

numbers #

fontsize font size

end

Draw one of two types of scales bars. Fancy (f) draws alternating black and white scale boxes. Simple (s) draws a plain line scale. The default type is fancy. The subsection instructions allow the user to set where the scalebar is placed, the length of the scalebar (in geographic coordinate system units), the height of the scalebar in inches, and the number of segments (or tics for simple). The number of annotations numbers every n-th segment. The scalebar length is the only required argument. The defaults are a fancy scalebar with 4 segments, each segment labeled, and a height of 0.1 inches. The default location is 2 inches from the top of the page and halfway across.

NOTE: The scalebar is centered on the location given.

This example draws a simple scalebar 1000 meters (for a metered database, like UTM) long, with tics every 200 meters, labeled every second tic. The scalebar is drawn 5 inches from the top and 4 inches from the left and is 0.25 inches high.

EXAMPLE:

scalebar s

where 4 5

length 1000

height 0.25

segment 5

numbers 2

end

Overrides the color assigned to one or more categories of the raster map layer.

USAGE: setcolor cat(s) color

This example would set the color for categories 2,5 and 8 of the raster map layer watersheds to white and category 10 to green. (NOTE: no spaces are inserted between the category values.)

EXAMPLE:

raster watersheds

setcolor 2,5,8 white

setcolor 10 green

Of course, setcolor can be requested more than once to override the default color for additional categories. More than one category can be changed for each request by listing all the category values separated by commas (but with no spaces).

Places text on the map.

USAGE: text east north text

text x% y% text

font fontname

color color|none

width #

hcolor color|none

hwidth #

background color|none

border color|none

size #

ref reference point

xoffset #

yoffset #

opaque [y|n]

end

The user specifies where the text will be placed by providing map coordinates or percentages of the geographic region map. The text follows these coordinates on the same instruction line. More than one line of text can be specified by notating the end of a line with n (e.g. USAnCERL).

The user can then specify various text features:

font: cyrilc gothgbt gothgrt gothitt greekc greekcs greekp greeks italicc italiccs italict romanc romancs romand romans romant scriptc scripts (The default font is romans);

color (see NAMED COLORS);

width of the lines used to draw the text to make thicker letters (accepts decimal points [floating points] as well as integers);

size as the vertical height of the letters in meters on the ground (text size will grow or shrink depending on the scale at which the map is painted). If no size is given, a default text size will be used;

the highlight color (hcolor) and the width of the highlight color (hwidth);

the text-enclosing-box background color; the text box border color;

ref. This reference point specifies the text handle - what part of the text should be placed on the location specified by the map coordinates. Reference points can refer to: [lower|upper|center] [left|right|center] of the text to be printed;

yoffset, which provides finer placement of text by shifting the text a vertical distance in pixels from the specified north. The vertical offset will shift the location to the south if positive, north if negative;

xoffset, which shifts the text a horizontal distance in pixels from the specified east The horizontal offset will shift the location east if positive, west if negative;

whether or not the text should be opaque to vectors. Entering no to the opaque option will allow the user to see any vectors which go through the text's background box. Otherwise, they will end at the box's edge.

The following example would place the text SPEARFISH LAND COVER at the coordinates E650000 N7365000. The text would be a total of 3 pixels wide (2 pixels of red text and 1 pixel black highlight), have a white background enclosed in a red box, and be 500 meters in size. The lower right corner of the text would be centered over the coordinates provided. All vectors on the map would stop at the border of this text.

EXAMPLE:

text 650000 7365000 SPEARFISH LAND COVER

font romand

color red

width 2

hcolor black

hwidth 1

background white

border red

size 500

ref lower left

opaque y

end

Selects a vector map layer for output.

USAGE: vareas vectormap

layer # (layer number used with cats/where option)

cats list of categories (e.g. 1,3,5-7)

where SQL where statement like: vlastnik = 'Cimrman'

masked [y|n]

color color

fcolor color

width #

cats area categories

label label in legend

lpos position in legend

pat pattern file

pwidth #

scale #

end

The user can specify:

color - color of the vector lines or area boundaries;

fcolor - the area fill color.

width - width of the vectors lines or area boundaries in pixels (accepts decimal points [floating points] as well as integers);

masked - whether or not the raster map layer is to be masked by the current mask; for more information on the mask)

cats - which categories should be plotted (default is all);

label - for description in vlegend. Default is: map(mapset);

lpos - position vector is plotted in legend. If lpos is 0 then this vector is omitted in legend. If more vectors used the same lpos then their symbols in legend are merged and label for first vector is used.

pat - full path to pattern file. Pattern file contains header and simple PS commands. It is similar to EPS but more limited, that means that each pattern file is EPS file but EPS files are not usually usefull as pattern files because contain restricted commands. Color and width of patterns is set by acolor and pwidth until it is overwritten in pattern file. Currently the only way to create pattern file is text editor. Example of pattern file:

%!PS-Adobe-2.0 EPSF-1.2

%%BoundingBox: 0 0 10 10

newpath

5 0 moveto

5 10 lineto

stroke

scale - pattern scale

pwidth - pattern line width, width is used by pattern until the width is overwritten in pattern file.

EXAMPLE:

vareas forest

color blue

width 1

masked y

cats 2,5-7

end

Selects a vector map layer for output.

USAGE: vlines vectormap|list

type lines and/or boundaries

layer # (layer number used with cats/where option)

cats list of categories (e.g. 1,3,5-7)

where SQL where statement like: vlastnik = 'Cimrman'

masked [y|n]

color color

width #

cwidth #

hcolor color

hwidth #

offset #

coffset #

ref left|right

style 0-9

label label

lpos #

end

The user can specify:

color - color of the vector lines or area boundaries;

width - width of the vectors lines or area boundaries in pixels (accepts decimal points [floating points] as well as integers);

cwidth - width of the vectors lines. If cwidth is used then width of line is equal to cwidth * category value and width is used in legend;

hcolor - the highlight color for the vector lines;

hwidth - the width of the highlight color in pixels;

offset (experimental) - offset for the vectors lines in pixels for plotting parallel lines in distance equal to offset (accepts positive or negative decimal points). Useful to print streets with several parallel lanes;

coffset (experimental) - offset for the vectors lines. If coffset is used then offset of line is equal to coffset * category value and offset is used in legend;

ref (experimental) - line justification.

masked - whether or not the raster map layer is to be masked by the current mask; for more information on the mask);

style - the line style allows the vectors to be dashed in different patterns. This is done by typing a series of numbers (0's and 1's) in a desired sequence or pattern. Blanks and non-digit characters are recognized as 0's. Using 0 would allow the colors of the raster map layer (or the background color if no raster map layer was selected) to show through;

cats - which categories should be plotted (default is all);

label - for description in vlegend. Default is: map(mapset);

lpos - position vector is plotted in legend. If lpos is 0 then this vector is omitted in legend. If more vectors used the same lpos then their symbols in legend are merged and label for first vector is used.

EXAMPLE:

vlines streams

color blue

width 2

hcolor white

hwidth 1

masked y

cats 2

label Streams - category 2

end

Selects vector point data to be placed on the output map

USAGE: vpoints vector

type point or/and centroid

layer # (layer number used with cats/where option)

cats list of categories (e.g. 1,3,5-7)

where SQL where statement like: vlastnik = 'Cimrman'

masked [y|n]

color color

fcolor color

width #

eps epsfile

symbol symbol group/name

size #

cats list of categories

label legend label

lpos position in legend

end

The user may specify the the color of the sites (see section on NAMED COLORS below); the eps Encapsulated Postscript file to be used to represent the presence of a site; If $ is used in EPS file path it is replaced by category number. the size of the icon (number of times larger than the size it is in the icon file); the rotate in degrees for clockwise rotation for EPS files;

EXAMPLE:

vpoints windmills

color blue

symbol mills/windmill

size 10

end

Changes the amount of talking ps.map will do.

USAGE: verbose [0|1|2]

A higher value implies more chatter. The default is 2. This example sets the amount of chatter to a minimum.

EXAMPLE:

verbose 0

Prints the portion of the map legend containing the vector information, on or below the map.

USAGE: vlegend

where x y

font font name

fontsize font size

width width of color symbol

cols number of columns to print

end

The default location is immediately below the legend containing the scale, grid and region information, starting at the left edge of the map. If the where instruction is present and y is less than or equal to zero, the vector legend will be positioned immediately below the map, starting x inches from the left edge of the page.

width is the width in inches of the color symbol (for areas) in front of the legend text. The default is 1/24 * fontsize inches. cols is the number of columns to split the legend into. The default is one column. The maximum number of colums is 10, or equal to the number of legend entries if there are less than 10 entries.

This example prints the vector legend immediately below the map and starting 4.5 inches from the left edge of the page, using a 12/72 inch Helvetica font.

EXAMPLE:

vlegend

where 4.5 0

font Courier

fontsize 12

end

Terminates input and begin painting the map.

USAGE: end

The following are the colors that are accepted by ps.map:

aqua

black

blue

brown

cyan

gray

green

grey

indigo

magenta

orange

purple

red

violet

white

yellow

For vectors (vpoints, vlines, vareas) may be also used 'none' or 'r g b' (e.g '255 0 0').

The following is an example of a ps.map script file. The file has been named spear.soils. For the purposes of illustration, the file is in two columns. This script file can be entered at the command line:

ps.map input=spear.soils output=soils.ps

raster soils

outline

color black

width 1

end

comments soil.cmt

where 1 6

font Helvetica

end

colortable y

where 1 6.5

cols 4

width 4

font Helvetica

end

setcolor 6,8,9 white

setcolor 10 green

vlines roads

width 2

style 0111

color grey

masked n

end

vlegend

where 4.5 0

font Courier

fontsize 8

end

text 30% 100% SPEARFISH SOILS MAP

color red

width 1

hcolor black

hwidth 1

background white

border red

size 500

ref lower left

end

line 606969.73 3423092.91 616969.73 3423092.91

color yellow

width 2

end

point 40% 60%

color purple

symbol basic/diamond

size 25

masked n

end

scale 1:125000

scalebar f

where 4.5 6.5

length 5000

height 0.05

segment 5

numbers 5

end

geogrid 60 s

color blue

numbers 2 yellow

end

paper a4

end

end

If the user simply enters ps.map without arguments, then a simple prompting session occurs. Some, but not all of the non-interactive requests are available at this level.

The user can specify negative values for position of EPS-files in ps.map to move them outside the current region (to position a barscale or other legend entries).

Paul Carlson, USDA, SCS, NHQ-CGIS

Modifications: Radim Blazek, Glynn Clements, Bob Covill

Last changed: $Date: 2005/07/06 11:25:29 $

Help Index