I have been drawing the ground plan of my house as exactly as possible, so that it should be possible to measure the actual dimensions on the drawing or any printout. To help with taking measurements from a print, I could draw some sort of ruler with marks on for every 1m, 50cm, etc, but it would be very handy if I had a way of 'materialising' the measurement tool - something like 'use the measurement tool to see the distance between two point, right click and select Draw this', which would then draw an object with the desired distances.
Or alternatively, is there any way that I could create a new drawing tool, similar to the rectangle tool, which would contain the grade markings I want, and which would automatically add more marks as it was stretched?
Hi guys - these tools are good, I think, but what I'm after is a little bit different: I want something like the little measuring stick or ruler you often see on an old fashioned paper map, where it is shown that, say, 1 inch is equivalent to 1 mile; something with grade marks on, which I can stretch, but instead of the marks getting furhter apart, you get more of them. This would be very useful for when I draw to measure, and I want to be able to make measurements afterwards on the print.
ISKIWI - Yes, I know the measuring tool and use it, but I'd like to have something drawn on the print as explained in my previous reply. It is not always practical to work by the computer, so it would be very handy to have a reliable measuring rod on the drawing.
Which version is this? I just installed mine with apt (debian 10), and the version is 0.92. When I use the measure tool, it shows up as a segment of a circle, and if I click on 'Convert to Object', it is added as that circle segment, which isn't really what I'm after.
I'm not really complaining or criticising, inkscape is great - and if the measure tool works differently in version 1x, then great, I'll look forward to when Debian adds it to their repository.
For years I was hand-drawing measures into Inkscape as I didn't know better. This week, after a decade of using Inkscape, I finally thought "I am probably not alone", I googled for it and found this thread. Halleluja, the world is now better.
@TylerDurden , your on-point replies (including animated video) showed me the light. My excitement about Inkscape being awesome made me donate $30 to Inkscape just now. See what you have done.
When you realize that Inkscape is not for precise drawing - which I have been requesting for 10 years - and grow tired of workarounds - make your own ruler.
If you are creating an exportable image to print somewhere else -
decide the largest size print you will need for your pattern sticks etc - 3X4?
create a rectangle in your file which has that size
draw your rectangle for your ruler and place it along an edge
remember that the align and distribute tool has the > make vertical gaps between objects equal option
so - count how many ticks you need - create that many small lines - put a line at the top of your page [ account for margins ] and another at the bottom - enact the tool
use an align edges tool to put all of your ticks along a common vertical - perhaps within your graphic for a ruler?
select every other or every 16th etc line - activate the nodes command - drag one of the nodes in a bit to make a series of ticks to indicate every so many inches etc
remember also - if your page is 36 inches high = 36 ticks - how many subdivisions? 16? 32? add those to the sequence by drawing them or make a group and copy 36 times - make vertical gaps equal
do the same in the horizontal
place this "carpenter square" in a printable corner of your sheet - place it on its own layer - lock it - save your file as your prototype for when you need to make that type of file
Beyond the Basics How to draw a measuring stick?
Inkscape.org
I have been drawing the ground plan of my house as exactly as possible, so that it should be possible to measure the actual dimensions on the drawing or any printout. To help with taking measurements from a print, I could draw some sort of ruler with marks on for every 1m, 50cm, etc, but it would be very handy if I had a way of 'materialising' the measurement tool - something like 'use the measurement tool to see the distance between two point, right click and select Draw this', which would then draw an object with the desired distances.
Or alternatively, is there any way that I could create a new drawing tool, similar to the rectangle tool, which would contain the grade markings I want, and which would automatically add more marks as it was stretched?
Maybe these will be helpful:
While Inkscape can be used with great precision, I often suggest using a free parametric CAD program for these kinds of projects.
Whenever I want to draw something to scale I use a grid. The grid can also be hidden once the drawing is finished.
File->Document Properties->Grids tab->New rectangular grid
Hi guys - these tools are good, I think, but what I'm after is a little bit different: I want something like the little measuring stick or ruler you often see on an old fashioned paper map, where it is shown that, say, 1 inch is equivalent to 1 mile; something with grade marks on, which I can stretch, but instead of the marks getting furhter apart, you get more of them. This would be very useful for when I draw to measure, and I want to be able to make measurements afterwards on the print.
Hmmm. Have you tried the measuring tool?
ISKIWI - Yes, I know the measuring tool and use it, but I'd like to have something drawn on the print as explained in my previous reply. It is not always practical to work by the computer, so it would be very handy to have a reliable measuring rod on the drawing.
The measure tool does accomplish this.
What's missing?
This is the Measure tool in v .92.2
More here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE0cVDGCzbM
For years I was hand-drawing measures into Inkscape as I didn't know better. This week, after a decade of using Inkscape, I finally thought "I am probably not alone", I googled for it and found this thread. Halleluja, the world is now better.
@TylerDurden , your on-point replies (including animated video) showed me the light. My excitement about Inkscape being awesome made me donate $30 to Inkscape just now. See what you have done.
When you realize that Inkscape is not for precise drawing - which I have been requesting for 10 years - and grow tired of workarounds - make your own ruler.
If you are creating an exportable image to print somewhere else -
decide the largest size print you will need for your pattern sticks etc - 3X4?
create a rectangle in your file which has that size
draw your rectangle for your ruler and place it along an edge
remember that the align and distribute tool has the > make vertical gaps between objects equal option
so - count how many ticks you need - create that many small lines - put a line at the top of your page [ account for margins ] and another at the bottom - enact the tool
use an align edges tool to put all of your ticks along a common vertical - perhaps within your graphic for a ruler?
select every other or every 16th etc line - activate the nodes command - drag one of the nodes in a bit to make a series of ticks to indicate every so many inches etc
remember also - if your page is 36 inches high = 36 ticks - how many subdivisions? 16? 32? add those to the sequence by drawing them or make a group and copy 36 times - make vertical gaps equal
do the same in the horizontal
place this "carpenter square" in a printable corner of your sheet - place it on its own layer - lock it - save your file as your prototype for when you need to make that type of file
it works
I miscounted
page 36 inches will need 37 ticks
sorry