More #mapping experiments.
Using text labels for countries is hard - some small countries have very long names!
So I tried using emoji flags!
Problem is, some areas are very crowded - which makes seeing the flags impossible.
OTOH, if I print them small, they won't be easy to see when printed out.
@Edent Inkscape will export PNGs. You can even do it from the command-line if you have a build process. There's a load of --export-* options from inkscape --help.
@Edent@darkling
I think you'll be able to render emoji if you select the emoji and choose an emoji font (usually Noto Color Emoji on Linux, Apple Color Emoji on Mac, not sure on Windows). If that doesn't work maybe it's time to reach for the XML editor...
@Edent I guess since your original toot mentions R you'll already have discounted rsvg/librsvg? Am using it in a build process for union logos but cannot speak to its handling of complexity. Just ended up using it because ImageMagick choked on a couple of union logos.
@Edent
I know I'd love one, eventually — such a great idea to help retrain the mind and one's biases!
I know a Big Kickstarter Thing is probably more than you signed up for, but you might be able to fund necessary experiments with a small scale pledge tool – first N people pledge Y £s to receive 1 of N "good enough for web sales" prints. Numbered, aybe signed by you or something commemorative about the original run.
Supporting that seems easier to me than experimenting w/the SVG myself!
@Edent a friend and I used to hypothesise that software engineers make terrible DIYers as there's no undo or load from save in the real world. Definitely is a mental shift to measure twice, cut once
I need to buy a custom built frame for this poster - 120cm x 60cm.
I couldn't find a framing shop that sold that size - even in their custom option. So I sent a few emails asking about price.
The only people who got back to me were eBay sellers. And they were consistently cheaper than the nearest equivalent sized frame listed on "big" companies' websites.
I often wonder if the "death of the high street" is just business owners not understand what people want?
@Edent that’s odd, there’s 3 framing shops within walking distance of me that I can hand a picture to and they’ll custom mount and frame to whatever style I want
@Edent we had a similar experience with blinds - the online services are so on it, while the local companies are slow and their options are a bit opaque. We've gone with local where we can, but sometimes online is just easier.
That said, there's a framer right near the Museum in Docklands who's really good too
@Edent I like the nice, tasteful flags. Maybe one of these days I'll learn the tooling and generate my own map for something lower-cost than https://bellerbyandco.com/
@Edent Fun fact - country flag emojis don't work in Windows, which changes 🇦🇺 to "AU" in a box. I had to switch to SVGs for a website I was working on.
Ok, upon further review and analysis from flipping it around and zooming in… I’ll put it this way: this map does far better justice to Africa than mean ol’ Mercator. So, initial snark withdrawn. 😎
@Edent Have you considered putting it on a print on demand site (eg Spreadshirt or similar)? Then people can print it in whatever format suits them, and you can offer internationally with no headache on fulfillment.
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