Workflow suggestions regarding projections?

[Hai-Etlik]

I'd suggest if you want to work with GIS, that you start there rather than trying to import SVG into it. If you really want to import into it, your best bet is to use a raster image, georeference it, and then trace it.

The export functionality fron QGIS isn't that good at the moment, but if you keep your symbology clean and simple you can clean up the SVG or PDF output into something you can work with.

[Zuzuesque]

Thanks I didn't consider about tracing it in GIS directly. I can't imagine I will get a complicate symbology so it should be alright. So I would start with something like mercator, import it, georeference and then trace it?

Is there anything else which can be added directly in the GIS beside vector and point data? I have only looked Quantum/Grass over so far so I am quite the noob Would one add highmap data directly in GIS or are mountains something to do after the exporting? I am not looking for something complicated, just some lines indicating the height level the way it is done in an atlas.

[Hai-Etlik]

GISes do have the ability to work with raster data like DEMs ("Height fields") including some quite complex analysis, but they aren't designed for "painting" raster data from scratch. I remember seeing a contour plugin for QGIS that can computer contours from a raster surface, but you need that surface in the first place.

You might try this:

Select a regional projection. export, build up a DEM/height map in a graphics tool to match the exported map, georeference it, and load it back into the GIS. Now you can reproject it, compute contours, etc. You're really going to want a graphics editor and format that supports more range than an unsigned 8 bit integer per channel though. Real DEMs usually use floating point numbers, although 16bit integers could be made to work.

DEMs are really hard to make from scratch without looking horribly artificial.

You might find this useful: http://www.cartographersguild.com/tu...using-gis.html