Set the Origin

Tie the network to real-world coordinates: the origin becomes x = 0, y = 0 of the OpenDRIVE file.

The origin is a latitude and longitude. The editor measures every road in metres from it, and the saved file carries it in its <geoReference>, so other tools can place the network on the globe. The origin is also what the basemap stands on: a map that has roads but no origin shows no imagery. What the origin and the <geoReference> mean is explained in Georeferencing.

On a new, empty map you do not have to set the origin yourself. Draw the first road over a basemap and its first point gives the map an origin next to it, and the editor says Origin set 50 m north of the first point. When the map already has an origin more than 1 km from that first point, the origin moves there instead: Origin moved 50 m north of the first point — it was more than 1 km away. With No basemap this does not happen: the origin is simply the point (0, 0) of the canvas, marked by a crosshair that moves with the canvas when you pan, until you set one.

Type the origin coordinates

1. Click the origin field in the toolbar. It is among the first controls to move into the ⋯ menu at the end of the toolbar, so depending on the window width it may be there instead.
2. Type or paste the latitude and longitude, for example 49.2167, 17.6672. The field also accepts 49.2167 17.6672 and 49.2167°N 17.6672°E; S and W make a coordinate negative.
3. Press Go or Enter.

The editor confirms with Origin set to …. The field then shows the origin, to seven decimals (about a centimetre). With nothing selected, the right panel shows the Geo origin and its proj4 string.

The origin in the field is ordinary text: select it and copy it, or correct a digit and press Enter again. Until you do, the edit is outlined in amber and the origin does not move, even if you click elsewhere in the meantime; Esc in the field puts the current origin back. Pressing Enter on the text as it is changes nothing.

When the text is not a latitude and a longitude, the editor says Could not parse "…" as latitude / longitude and nothing changes.

Opening a file whose <geoReference> is a Transverse Mercator projection sets the origin from the file.

Set the origin on the map

Where imagery is shown, you can put the origin on a point you see, such as the centre of a junction:

1. Open Map in the toolbar and choose Origin. The Map button now reads Origin.
2. Click the point on the imagery.

The origin moves there, the editor confirms with Origin set to …, and the tool goes back to Select. A crosshair on the imagery marks the origin.

The click has to land on imagery. With No basemap, or on a map that has roads but no origin (it shows no imagery), type the coordinates instead.

Move the origin later

Set a new origin the same way, typed or clicked. The roads stay where they are on the ground and over the imagery; what changes is their coordinates in the file, which are now measured from the new origin. Ctrl+Z brings the previous origin back.

The origin stays within 5 km of the roads. A new origin, typed or clicked, that would stand further from them is refused with Origin not moved: that place is … from your roads, and the origin stays within 5 km of them. When the origin is already further away, as in some files you open, a new one is taken as long as it is no further from the roads than the old one.

Map → Remove georeference… removes the origin, after a confirmation. On a map with roads the imagery disappears, the roads stay where they are on the canvas, and a file saved now has no <geoReference>. Ctrl+Z undoes it too. Switching the basemap off does not do this: the origin stays in the document and is written to the file.

To move, scale or rotate the whole network over the imagery while the origin stays where it is, use Map → Place; see Align an Imported Network.