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Customize map markers in Kartographer
Open, MediumPublicFeature

Description

Currently, maplink and mapframe support only map markers having drop-like shape. We can put small icons, letters or numbers inside the "drop", but the shape of the marker itself can not be changed. Would it be possible to implement other shapes (squares, circles) or, ideally, allow arbitrary icons from svg-files as map markers? This will make map markers consistent with the current style used by Wikivoyage. Additionally, different shapes of map markers will improve readability in grayscale (printed maps) and for people with bad recognition of colors.

Update: we could use some help on this one (no image designers on the team) - please create an SVG image for each of the needed icons just like these two files: base and mask. The second one is for the shadow and an outline. Do not change the colors of the SVG - they are changed dynamically. Also, unless really needed, keep the same position of the images as in the examples. Please license the images under CC0. Thanks!

Event Timeline

Restricted Application added a subscriber: Aklapper. · View Herald Transcript
Atsirlin triaged this task as Medium priority.Apr 2 2016, 3:12 PM
Atsirlin added a subscriber: Yurik.

Markers need to be created the same way as done in https://github.com/mapbox/makizushi/tree/master/markers-src/base and https://github.com/mapbox/makizushi/tree/master/markers-src/mask. Once done, we can fairly easily add them to the kartotherian service.

@Yurik: do you mean that you need png-files for different marker sizes? Can one simply run the same script against other svg files?

@Atsirlin I haven't done it myself. Apparently icons are in SVG, but they are made in 3 sizes - https://github.com/mapbox/maki#src - which outlines the process of maki icon creation (those are the icons used inside the pushpin markers), but I think the process is very similar. The shell script generates all the PNGs automatically. See also this info

Also, from the looks of it, mapbox is creating a Maki version 2.0, which might have different icon styling (releasing in a month). The code for it is in this github branch.

I just realized that If we add some of the bases as used by Wikivoyage community, e.g. the "eat" icon that looks like a plate with a knife and fork, it might create some funny or even offensive results when various maki icons (at the bottom) are combined with it. Likea skull and bones drawn on a plate, in a slimy green color :)

@TheDJ, I'm not exactly sure if this task is related to Accessibility

@Yurik @TheDJ The description from your last comment is not accessibility related, but Design related. @JGirault has already reached out to other design folks on a few tasks and problems. We're currently trying to figure out a new process around icons, that might play into this as well.

@volkerE Sorry, i just noticed that I never submitted the comment, that went with that label :)

The primary description of this ticket mentions:

Additionally, different shapes of map markers will improve readability in grayscale (printed maps) and for people with bad recognition of colors.

That's why I tagged it Accessibility

Aklapper changed the subtype of this task from "Task" to "Feature Request".Nov 15 2023, 5:19 PM