12 replies to this topic

[viacorsa]

Hi!

I am trying to export OpenStreetMaps and import the data into Adobe Illustrator. I have tried pdfs and SVG. The pdfs look fine once exported, but mess up when imported into Illustrator. SVG files just don't work at all.

I am not really a map maker..so...hopefully there is an easy solution?

Update- Silly mistake on my part with the pdfs. I can open those in Illustrator. But I lose the ability to edit the map details. (It's all one layer/one item and no ungrouping)

[Hans van der Maarel]

If you want to be able to edit the maps, you could try exporting raw data. The workflow I'm using right now is OSM to QGis, then export shapefiles or dxf from QGis and read those into Illustrator using MAPublisher.

[Michael Schmeling]

CloudMade offers OSM data for download as Shapefiles, if needed.

[Nick H]

I think I see what you want to do; which is to export Mapnik-rendered PDFs or SVGs from OpenStreetMap and edit them? My trial of Illustrator has expired (pity, it's a lovely piece of work!) so I can't test this, but I do know that Inkscape will ungroup SVGs exported from OpenStreetMap, for editing. I'm surprised that AI can't do this.

Regards, N.

[gregsd]

CloudMade offers OSM data for download as Shapefiles, if needed.

You could also try OSM Translator from Polygon GIS. ESRI .shp and MapInfo .Tab formats are currently supported.

[viacorsa]

CloudMade offers OSM data for download as Shapefiles, if needed.

Thanks! I've contacted CloudMade and am waiting for an answer. The pdf exports are having new issues with dpi ..which I don't understand as they are supposed to be vector drawings. My Doc settings are correct in AI. I'll keep plugging away at this as the alternatives to buy ready made AI maps are too expensive.

[viacorsa]

CloudMade offers OSM data for download as Shapefiles, if needed.

You could also try OSM Translator from Polygon GIS. ESRI .shp and MapInfo .Tab formats are currently supported.

Again you'll have to excuse my noob-ness. What program opens "OSM Translator" downloads? Neat so far in it's ability to define the exact boundries..but I'm kinda missing the next step in getting it into AI

[Nick H]

Again you'll have to excuse my noob-ness. What program opens "OSM Translator" downloads? Neat so far in it's ability to define the exact boundries..but I'm kinda missing the next step in getting it into AI

Forgive me, I'm still unclear about what you want to do. From your first posting it appeared that what you wanted was to export a view from OSM as a PDF or an SVG and load it into AI for editing. To export the rendered view from OSM you would click the 'Export' button, tick the Mapnik radio button, select either PDF or SVG and then hit the bottom 'Export' button. Yes?

Your problem is that you can't ungroup and edit the exported SVGs or the exported PDFs in AI. Have I got this right? As I mentioned, my trial of AI has expired but surely there must be a way of editing these files in Illustrator.

Regards, N.

[viacorsa]

Again you'll have to excuse my noob-ness. What program opens "OSM Translator" downloads? Neat so far in it's ability to define the exact boundries..but I'm kinda missing the next step in getting it into AI

Forgive me, I'm still unclear about what you want to do. From your first posting it appeared that what you wanted was to export a view from OSM as a PDF or an SVG and load it into AI for editing. To export the rendered view from OSM you would click the 'Export' button, tick the Mapnik radio button, select either PDF or SVG and then hit the bottom 'Export' button. Yes?

Your problem is that you can't ungroup and edit the exported SVGs or the exported PDFs in AI. Have I got this right? As I mentioned, my trial of AI has expired but surely there must be a way of editing these files in Illustrator.

Regards, N.

Round 1 was trying to export SVGs/PDFs. That didn't work. I am going the route now of going from OSM to QGIS to MapPublisher to AI as someone suggested earlier.

[Hans van der Maarel]

Your problem is that you can't ungroup and edit the exported SVGs or the exported PDFs in AI. Have I got this right? As I mentioned, my trial of AI has expired but surely there must be a way of editing these files in Illustrator.

Well... I went ahead and exported a PDF and tried to edit that in Illustrator. To make a long story short, it's complete and utter *****. There's a font issue that for some reason replaces all characters with an empty box. Texts are cut up into single letters too, so even if they were recognized, it'd be a major hassle to edit them or even change the spacing. After ungrouping and dropping the clipping masks there were a lot (dozens) of patterned objects on top.

In short: the PDF looks nice in Acrobat, but it's pretty darn useless in Illustrator.

[Nick H]

In short: the PDF looks nice in Acrobat, but it's pretty darn useless in Illustrator.

This is odd. If I export from OSM as an SVG this ungroups nicely in Inkscape (hit the ungroup button, twice). You lose the clipping mask but clipping to a new mask is easily enough done. At this stage the SVG can be edited in Inkscape, but I was wondering whether or not the ungrouped SVG, saved from Inkscape as a PDF, would be editable in AI? I do understand why people might prefer to edit in AI.

A little sample PDF created by Inkscape attached, to see if this might work.

Regards, N.

Attached Files

•  sample.pdf   133.08K   47 downloads

[viacorsa]

In short: the PDF looks nice in Acrobat, but it's pretty darn useless in Illustrator.

This is odd. If I export from OSM as an SVG this ungroups nicely in Inkscape (hit the ungroup button, twice). You lose the clipping mask but clipping to a new mask is easily enough done. At this stage the SVG can be edited in Inkscape, but I was wondering whether or not the ungrouped SVG, saved from Inkscape as a PDF, would be editable in AI? I do understand why people might prefer to edit in AI.

A little sample PDF created by Inkscape attached, to see if this might work.

Regards, N.

Thanks for the reply. I downloaded Inkscape and have exported OMS .svg files to Inkscape. I'm working on ungrouping them now. Always fun to learn a new program with a deadline looming

[viacorsa]

In short: the PDF looks nice in Acrobat, but it's pretty darn useless in Illustrator.

This is odd. If I export from OSM as an SVG this ungroups nicely in Inkscape (hit the ungroup button, twice). You lose the clipping mask but clipping to a new mask is easily enough done. At this stage the SVG can be edited in Inkscape, but I was wondering whether or not the ungrouped SVG, saved from Inkscape as a PDF, would be editable in AI? I do understand why people might prefer to edit in AI.

A little sample PDF created by Inkscape attached, to see if this might work.

Regards, N.

Thanks for the reply. I downloaded Inkscape and have exported OMS .svg files to Inkscape. I'm working on ungrouping them now. Always fun to learn a new program with a deadline looming

This is officially a pain in my side. I've managed to get svg files downloaded from OSM via Inkscape and into AI. I've made my pretty vector maps and did the final step. Tried to import them from Adobe Illustrator into Adobe Indesign. Epic fail. Import/Place won't work. Thanks Cartotalk I would have never made it this far. Time for Adobe tech support time.