How to make catchment area maps

[#Metro]

How to make catchment area maps

Step 1
Go to google earth, do a screen capture ('prt scr' key), copy the image

Step 2
Crop it, then draw the lines and circles over it an a vector graphics program...Eg corel draw (other options such as inkscape (free) and adobe illustrator exist too.

Worst comes to worst, just use the image, and overlay the premade shapes and lines in Powerpoint or Word.

When you draw the circle representing a catcment area, right click and pick format 'autoshape', then set the transparency with the slider.

Then PDF/JPEG the document.

Scales can be set using the scale on the map or distance measurement tool.

[Gazza]

Heres a couple of brotips on how you can do it with just a microsoft office program, using the graphics tools.

First, heres how I get the image by screen capturing off Google Earth. Use the ruler tool to draw a line 800m long, somewhere out of the way before you capture. You'll need this to accurately draw the 400m radius catchment of a typical bus. www.nearmaps.com.au has a similar feature, just right click and it brings up a menu where you can pick the measure tool.


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Next, bring your captured image into your office program, and use the freeform line tool to draw the route. Alter the appearance of the line as you wish:



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Next, draw the bubble of the catchment by matching the diameter with the 800m line we drew earlier. Hold shift to make sure it stays circular.
Finally, right click the circle, and pick 'format autoshape' and make it coloured, and set the transparency slider to an appropriate level.
Then, copy and paste several of these circles all along the centerline of the route, and you have mapped the catchment!



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To share this image, you can save your document as a pdf, or you can do another screen capture, copy it into paint, crop, and save as a jpg.

Then, copy and paste these circles along the centerline of the route, and you have mapped the catchment!

[Fares_Fair]