# Mapping Resources > Tutorials/How-To >  [Award Winner] Using photoshop to set a scale marker

## Coyotemax

Note: The following works in later versions of photoshop (cs3 and 4 for sure, 7 is right out)

Go to your Analysis menu (it is visible still right? you didn't use menu customization to hide it? good!). Move down to Set Measurement Scale, then choose Custom.


Now you can set your scale however you like! Be careful though, it's not immediately intuitive, I had to mess with it for awhile.. For example, you've decided your pixels are 1 mile across (typical regional map). In order to get the scale bar to display at a size you need I would recommend multiplying each value by 10 or 100 or something similar - saying 1px=1mile, you get a 1px length scale bar -)


So our example values:-
Pixel Length: 100
Logical Length: 100
Logical units: Miles

Then tell it Ok, or Save Preset if you think you will use it again.

Now the fun part, go back to the Analysis menu, then choose Place Scale Marker.

Under Length, if you place a 1 it will give you a 100 pixel line that represents 100 miles. If you put 2, you will get a 200 pixel line that represents 200 miles, and the text will update accordingly. The other options are entirely up to you (if you plan on making your own scale after you get the basics from this you may not need them).


Final result will give you the following:


Now, this is pretty basic, but where this really comes out is dealing with nonstandard lengths that are not so easy to calculate quickly. 
For example, working at 1px equals 35 feet, setting it at those values gives you a 1 px line - so if we multiply each by 10 we get something useful - 10px=350feet.  In this case, i set the placement value to 2 instead of 1 (no matter how hard i tried, i couldn't get that window to screenshot, argh) and got the results as shown:




In a lot of cases, we may want to do a completely different kind of scale as a final result, but this gives us a nice bar of the correct length to work with.

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## Midgardsormr

I've been meaning to dig into that for a while now. Thanks for doing the work for me!

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## Steel General

Thanks for posting CM...that will be helpful.

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## AutumnRain

That was something I was looking for! Thank you for sharing  :Smile:

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## ravells

I never knew that existed! Thanks Cmax! Have some rep if it will let me.

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## neelhtak_backwards

Wow that was an amazing feature that I never new existed! Bumping by adding a new comment; it might help others. Have some rep!

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## TK.

Sorry for digging this, but...is there any chance to recover the images on this one? 

I'd like to better visualize this process, since it seems rather useful!

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## ErnieTheMighty

> Sorry for digging this, but...is there any chance to recover the images on this one? 
> 
> I'd like to better visualize this process, since it seems rather useful!


What'cha mean?  :Very Happy:  The images are right there.  :Very Happy:  Also! Thanks a lot for the tutorial, really helpful! 

For those wondering where to find the Measurement Scale on later versions of Photoshop(I'm using CC 2014), you can find it at Image tab and then Analysis. Good luck!

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## TK.

> What'cha mean?  The images are right there.  Also! Thanks a lot for the tutorial, really helpful! 
> 
> For those wondering where to find the Measurement Scale on later versions of Photoshop(I'm using CC 2014), you can find it at Image tab and then Analysis. Good luck!


What the...?! This and only this Thread so far in the whole Cartographer's Guild doesn't load images for me >.>

My conspirancy theory muscle is tingling...

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## J.Edward

Ah, that is brilliant.  :Very Happy: 
That is going to be useful.




> What the...?! This and only this Thread so far in the whole Cartographer's Guild doesn't load images for me >.>
> 
> My conspirancy theory muscle is tingling...


Not sure why you can't see the images but I'll screen capture it and post it for you here.
Everyone should be able to see this.  :Wink:

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## TK.

Teehee, thanks J. Edward!

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## J.Edward

> Teehee, thanks J. Edward!


No problem TK.  :Smile:

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