Map Scale
jmabbott
🖼️ 39 images Mapmaker
Just wondering why the majority of templates are sized at a ratio of 1:0.8, e.g. 1000 units x 800 units, 200 units x 160 units and so on?
Best Answers
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WeathermanSweden
🖼️ 3 images Surveyor
I have been thinking all the time that this is a screen-resolution and paper size thing - most monitors had a resolution of 800 x 600 (1: 0.75) back then and DIN A4 297mm x 210 mm (1 : 0.71) - so 1000 x 800 is close that - but I may be totally wrong ?
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Loopysue
ProFantasy 🖼️ 40 images Cartographer
I think you may be right, but I don't know. Remy will probably have the answer, maybe? And the small difference may be down to just wanting to have nice round numbers.
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Monsen
Administrator 🖼️ 81 images Cartographer
I don't know the exact historical reasons, but I think you are onto the right answer with regards to paper sizes. Printing was much more important back when these were defined than today. And if you compare it to letter size, the aspect ratio matches better, and I am sure as Sue pointed out that having nice round numbers made more sense, so it does look like the numbers where picked to be a good fit for both monitor and paper as the prime concern
Of course, with the modern new map wizard, most templates allow you to pick values at any aspect ratio anyway.
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taustinoc
Surveyor
Few printers can print to the very edge of the page, so 10:8 leaves a comfortable margin on both 8-1/2" by 11" letter and A4 sized paper, and is pretty close to the the ratio on the old 4:3 monitors that used to be pretty much universal.
Answers
I have been thinking all the time that this is a screen-resolution and paper size thing - most monitors had a resolution of 800 x 600 (1: 0.75) back then and DIN A4 297mm x 210 mm (1 : 0.71) - so 1000 x 800 is close that - but I may be totally wrong ?
I think you may be right, but I don't know. Remy will probably have the answer, maybe? And the small difference may be down to just wanting to have nice round numbers.
I don't know the exact historical reasons, but I think you are onto the right answer with regards to paper sizes. Printing was much more important back when these were defined than today. And if you compare it to letter size, the aspect ratio matches better, and I am sure as Sue pointed out that having nice round numbers made more sense, so it does look like the numbers where picked to be a good fit for both monitor and paper as the prime concern
Of course, with the modern new map wizard, most templates allow you to pick values at any aspect ratio anyway.
I thought it must have been something like that. 11" x 8" Letter size, I guess is near enough. Makes a lot of sense.
Few printers can print to the very edge of the page, so 10:8 leaves a comfortable margin on both 8-1/2" by 11" letter and A4 sized paper, and is pretty close to the the ratio on the old 4:3 monitors that used to be pretty much universal.