1

I drew a curve in an external program and exported it to an SVG path (I used Python's matplotlib, it would have been difficult to draw using TikZ).

Now I would like to integrate this path in a TikZ image, to add annotations etc. For that purpose, I would like to rescale and shift the path into my TikZ coordinate system. To make that task a little easier, I also drew a "bounding box" into the SVG graphic, so I have two SVG paths now in the same coordinate system.

Using the size of the "bounding box", it becomes easy to scale the SVG paths to the desired size, but any attempt to shift the scope containing the paths seems to fail: using xshift or yshift has seemingly no effect.

\documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{svg.path}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}

% my coordinate system, align the paths onto this grid
\draw[help lines] (0, 0) grid (20, 10);

% scaling factors obtained from bounding box, adding an xshift appears to have no effect
\begin{scope}[xscale={20cm/710.18182}, yscale={10cm/453.6}]
% the "bounding box" (comment out later)
\draw[color=red] svg "m 161.50909,100.44 v 453.6 h 710.18182";
% the curve
\draw[thick] svg "m 161.50909,347.85818 3.56875,-1.19585 3.56876,-3.42262 3.56875,-5.40197 3.56875,-7.13389 3.56875,-8.61839 3.56876,-9.8555 3.56875,-10.84516 3.56875,-11.58742 7.13751,-24.41193 7.1375,-24.41192 3.56876,-11.58742 3.56875,-10.84517 3.56875,-9.85549 3.56876,-8.6184 3.56875,-7.13389 3.56875,-5.40196 3.56875,-3.42262 3.56876,-1.19585 3.56875,1.16149 3.56875,3.18207 3.56876,4.74905 3.56875,5.86244 10.70626,19.7316 3.56875,5.77996 3.56875,4.62535 3.56876,3.01713 3.56875,1.12025 3.56875,-0.40549 3.56876,-1.39516 7.1375,-3.61506 3.56875,-1.14774 3.56876,0.007 3.56875,1.69756 3.56875,3.92433 3.56875,6.68716 3.56876,9.8177 3.56875,12.64238 3.56875,14.99285 3.56876,16.86911 3.56875,18.27115 7.1375,38.85152 7.13751,38.76906 3.56875,18.16805 3.56876,16.77878 3.56875,15.1853 3.56875,13.44158 3.56875,11.54765 3.56876,9.50351 3.56875,7.30915 3.56875,4.96456 3.56876,2.46976 3.56875,-0.17525 3.56875,-2.97049 3.56875,-5.70682 3.56876,-7.54773 3.56875,-8.28409 3.56875,-7.91591 3.56876,-6.65182 3.56875,-5.32636 3.56875,-4.14818 3.56875,-3.11727 3.56876,-2.23364 3.56875,-1.49727 3.56875,-0.90818 3.56876,-0.46637 3.56875,-0.17182 17.84376,-0.0245 96.35633,-0.0272 3.56875,-0.19006 3.56876,-0.51588 3.56875,-0.97067 3.56875,-1.41867 3.56876,-1.82594 3.56875,-2.19248 3.56875,-2.5183 3.56875,-2.8034 3.56876,-3.04775 3.56875,-3.2514 7.1375,-6.95079 17.84377,-18.08969 3.56875,-3.41431 3.56875,-3.25139 3.56876,-3.04776 3.56875,-2.80339 3.56875,-2.5183 3.56876,-2.19249 3.56875,-1.82594 3.56875,-1.41867 3.56875,-0.97066 3.56876,-0.51588 3.56875,-0.19006 17.84376,-0.0272 h 217.69393 v 0";
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}
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2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1

You can shift the svg path simply by changing the first coordinate pair after your m to 0,0 and putting a TikZ coordinate in front of svg, like in the following:

\documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{svg.path}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}

% my coordinate system, align the paths onto this grid
\draw[help lines] (0, 0) grid (20, 10);

% scaling factors obtained from bounding box, adding an xshift appears to have no effect
\begin{scope}[xscale={20cm/710.18182}, yscale={10cm/453.6}]
% the "bounding box" (comment out later)
\draw[color=red] svg "m 161.50909,100.44 v 453.6 h 710.18182";
% the curve
\draw[thick] (0,6) svg { m 0,0 3.56875,-1.19585 3.56876,-3.42262 3.56875,-5.40197 3.56875,-7.13389 3.56875,-8.61839 3.56876,-9.8555 3.56875,-10.84516 3.56875,-11.58742 7.13751,-24.41193 7.1375,-24.41192 3.56876,-11.58742 3.56875,-10.84517 3.56875,-9.85549 3.56876,-8.6184 3.56875,-7.13389 3.56875,-5.40196 3.56875,-3.42262 3.56876,-1.19585 3.56875,1.16149 3.56875,3.18207 3.56876,4.74905 3.56875,5.86244 10.70626,19.7316 3.56875,5.77996 3.56875,4.62535 3.56876,3.01713 3.56875,1.12025 3.56875,-0.40549 3.56876,-1.39516 7.1375,-3.61506 3.56875,-1.14774 3.56876,0.007 3.56875,1.69756 3.56875,3.92433 3.56875,6.68716 3.56876,9.8177 3.56875,12.64238 3.56875,14.99285 3.56876,16.86911 3.56875,18.27115 7.1375,38.85152 7.13751,38.76906 3.56875,18.16805 3.56876,16.77878 3.56875,15.1853 3.56875,13.44158 3.56875,11.54765 3.56876,9.50351 3.56875,7.30915 3.56875,4.96456 3.56876,2.46976 3.56875,-0.17525 3.56875,-2.97049 3.56875,-5.70682 3.56876,-7.54773 3.56875,-8.28409 3.56875,-7.91591 3.56876,-6.65182 3.56875,-5.32636 3.56875,-4.14818 3.56875,-3.11727 3.56876,-2.23364 3.56875,-1.49727 3.56875,-0.90818 3.56876,-0.46637 3.56875,-0.17182 17.84376,-0.0245 96.35633,-0.0272 3.56875,-0.19006 3.56876,-0.51588 3.56875,-0.97067 3.56875,-1.41867 3.56876,-1.82594 3.56875,-2.19248 3.56875,-2.5183 3.56875,-2.8034 3.56876,-3.04775 3.56875,-3.2514 7.1375,-6.95079 17.84377,-18.08969 3.56875,-3.41431 3.56875,-3.25139 3.56876,-3.04776 3.56875,-2.80339 3.56875,-2.5183 3.56876,-2.19249 3.56875,-1.82594 3.56875,-1.41867 3.56875,-0.97066 3.56876,-0.51588 3.56875,-0.19006 17.84376,-0.0272 h 217.69393 v 0 };
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

enter image description here

If you need to use the xshift mechanism you can also do so after you set a TikZ coordinate in front of your svg path (the first coordinate after your m will be a relative movement from the TikZ coordinate in pt, so if you use m 0,0 you'll start at the spot your TikZ coordinate is at, but any other coordinate will work as well, you'll just have to adapt your xshift/yshift to that, so you can also use this with m 161.50909,347.85818 -- the xshift/yshift will affect the TikZ coordinate which will be the starting point of your svg path).

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4
  • Your solution does not quite create the desired result, but it pointed me in the right direction. The curve is too low (you used an arbitrary coordinate of (0,6)) and I wanted to avoid modifying the svg path, so that I would be able to use shift commands or similar in other parts of the document. Having said that, just adding the (0,0) in front of the paths makes them use the xshift and yshift values, and now [xscale={20cm/710.18182}, yscale={10cm/453.6}, xshift=-161.50909, yshift=-100.44] works!
    – japamat
    Oct 6, 2022 at 20:31
  • If you edit your solution, changing the SVG paths back but adding the (0.0) and adding the xshift and yshift values to the scope, I will accept it. Thanks, that is really helpful.
    – japamat
    Oct 6, 2022 at 20:36
  • @japamat of course i used an arbitrary coordinate, you never specified a coordinate...
    – Skillmon
    Oct 6, 2022 at 22:40
  • Sorry if I did not make this entirely clear, but the transformation was supposed to perfectly align the "bounding box", for which I know the true coordinates, with the outline of the TikZ grid. Based on the SVG coordinates of the bounding box, what is needed is xshift=-161.50909, yshift=-100.44. This transformation did not work before, but the addition of the (0,0) changed that.
    – japamat
    Oct 6, 2022 at 23:09
0

For completeness's sake, I'll answer my own question, @Skillmon provided the clue I was looking for. Adding a coordinate point, such as (0,0) to the \draw command of an SVG path makes it accept the xshift and yshift instructions in the scope:

\documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{svg.path}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}

% my coordinate system, align the paths onto this grid
\draw[help lines] (0, 0) grid (20, 10);

% scaling factors and shift values obtained from bounding box
\begin{scope}[xscale={20cm/710.18182}, yscale={10cm/453.6}, 
              xshift=-161.50909, yshift=-100.44]
% the "bounding box" (comment out later)
\draw[color=red] (0,0) svg "m 161.50909,100.44 v 453.6 h 710.18182";
% the curve
\draw[thick] (0,0) svg "m 161.50909,347.85818 3.56875,-1.19585 3.56876,-3.42262 3.56875,-5.40197 3.56875,-7.13389 3.56875,-8.61839 3.56876,-9.8555 3.56875,-10.84516 3.56875,-11.58742 7.13751,-24.41193 7.1375,-24.41192 3.56876,-11.58742 3.56875,-10.84517 3.56875,-9.85549 3.56876,-8.6184 3.56875,-7.13389 3.56875,-5.40196 3.56875,-3.42262 3.56876,-1.19585 3.56875,1.16149 3.56875,3.18207 3.56876,4.74905 3.56875,5.86244 10.70626,19.7316 3.56875,5.77996 3.56875,4.62535 3.56876,3.01713 3.56875,1.12025 3.56875,-0.40549 3.56876,-1.39516 7.1375,-3.61506 3.56875,-1.14774 3.56876,0.007 3.56875,1.69756 3.56875,3.92433 3.56875,6.68716 3.56876,9.8177 3.56875,12.64238 3.56875,14.99285 3.56876,16.86911 3.56875,18.27115 7.1375,38.85152 7.13751,38.76906 3.56875,18.16805 3.56876,16.77878 3.56875,15.1853 3.56875,13.44158 3.56875,11.54765 3.56876,9.50351 3.56875,7.30915 3.56875,4.96456 3.56876,2.46976 3.56875,-0.17525 3.56875,-2.97049 3.56875,-5.70682 3.56876,-7.54773 3.56875,-8.28409 3.56875,-7.91591 3.56876,-6.65182 3.56875,-5.32636 3.56875,-4.14818 3.56875,-3.11727 3.56876,-2.23364 3.56875,-1.49727 3.56875,-0.90818 3.56876,-0.46637 3.56875,-0.17182 17.84376,-0.0245 96.35633,-0.0272 3.56875,-0.19006 3.56876,-0.51588 3.56875,-0.97067 3.56875,-1.41867 3.56876,-1.82594 3.56875,-2.19248 3.56875,-2.5183 3.56875,-2.8034 3.56876,-3.04775 3.56875,-3.2514 7.1375,-6.95079 17.84377,-18.08969 3.56875,-3.41431 3.56875,-3.25139 3.56876,-3.04776 3.56875,-2.80339 3.56875,-2.5183 3.56876,-2.19249 3.56875,-1.82594 3.56875,-1.41867 3.56875,-0.97066 3.56876,-0.51588 3.56875,-0.19006 17.84376,-0.0272 h 217.69393 v 0";
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

solution 1 Why go through this process? Now that the curve is correctly placed into the TikZ coordinate system, additional information can be added to the curve in the right location, for example the control points for this spline curve. For example, for a slightly modified curve:

\documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{svg.path}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}

% my coordinate system, align the paths onto this grid
\draw[help lines] (0, 0) grid (15, 10);

% scaling factors and shift values obtained from bounding box, curve is flipped upside down using negative y-scale
\begin{scope}[xscale={15cm/710.18182}, yscale={-10cm/453.6}, 
              xshift=-161.50909, yshift={-453.6-100.44}]
% the "bounding box" (comment out later)
\draw[color=red] (0,0) svg "m 161.50909,100.44 v 453.6 h 710.18182";
% the curve
\draw[thick] (0,0) svg "m 161.50909,347.85818 4.73455,-1.19585 4.73454,-3.42262 4.73455,-5.40197 4.73454,-7.13389 4.73455,-8.61839 4.73454,-9.8555 4.73455,-10.84516 4.73454,-11.58742 9.46909,-24.41193 9.4691,-24.41192 4.73454,-11.58742 4.73455,-10.84517 4.73454,-9.85549 4.73455,-8.6184 4.73454,-7.13389 4.73455,-5.40196 4.73454,-3.42262 4.73455,-1.19585 4.73455,1.16149 4.73454,3.18207 4.73455,4.74905 4.73454,5.86244 4.73455,6.52222 4.73454,6.7284 4.73455,6.48098 4.73454,5.77996 4.73455,4.62535 4.73454,3.01713 4.73455,1.12025 4.73454,-0.40549 4.73455,-1.39516 9.46909,-3.61506 4.73455,-1.14774 4.73454,0.007 4.73455,1.69756 4.73454,3.92433 4.73455,6.68716 4.73454,9.81701 4.73455,12.63757 4.73454,14.9798 4.73455,16.84368 4.73455,18.22922 9.46909,38.7017 4.73454,19.5158 4.73455,18.98797 4.73454,17.9818 4.73455,16.55777 4.73454,14.95781 4.73455,13.24237 4.73455,11.41148 4.73454,9.46512 4.73455,7.4033 4.73454,5.22602 4.73455,2.93328 4.73454,0.52508 4.73455,-1.99859 4.73454,-4.48652 4.73455,-6.33391 4.73455,-7.38955 4.73454,-7.65347 4.73454,-7.12564 4.73455,-5.96003 4.73455,-4.77243 4.73454,-3.71677 4.73455,-2.79307 4.73454,-2.00134 4.73455,-1.34156 4.73454,-0.81373 4.73455,-0.41786 4.73454,-0.15395 28.40728,-0.022 75.75272,-0.0272 4.73455,-0.19006 4.73455,-0.51588 4.73454,-0.97067 4.73455,-1.41867 4.73454,-1.82594 4.73455,-2.19248 4.73454,-2.5183 4.73455,-2.8034 4.73454,-3.04775 4.73455,-3.2514 9.46909,-6.95079 23.67273,-18.08969 4.73454,-3.41431 4.73455,-3.25139 4.73454,-3.04776 4.73455,-2.80339 4.73455,-2.5183 4.73454,-2.19249 4.73454,-1.82594 4.73455,-1.41867 4.73455,-0.97066 4.73454,-0.51588 4.73455,-0.19006 23.67272,-0.0272 h 99.42546 v 0";
\end{scope}
% draw control points with known coordinates
\foreach \i/\x/\y in {1/0.0/4.545, 2/1.0/4.545, 3/2.0/6.364, 4/3.0/9.091, 5/4.0/6.364, 
                      6/5.0/8.182, 7/6.0/2.727, 8/6.5/0.909, 9/7.5/2.727, 10/9.5/2.727, 
                      11/9.8/2.727, 12/12.2/2.727, 13/12.5/4.182, 14/15.0/4.182}{
\fill[color=blue!70!black] (\x,\y) circle [radius=1mm] node[below=1ex] (c-\i) {$c_{\i}$};
}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

solution 2 with control points

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