QGIS – Subdividing Scale Bar Segments Using QGIS

print-composerqgisscale bar

How can I subdivide the scale bar segments in smaller subsegments?

I want to style my scale bar like this:

enter image description here

There's a few steps involved:

Select the first scalebar and copy/paste it below the original and set the relevant options:

For the copied scalebar, set its Font colour to have an opacity of 0%:
```
Item Properties > Fonts and colours > Font colour
```

Move the copied scalebar and align it to match the original scalebar. Select both these scalebars and group them:

I don't think there's an option yet which allows you to put the units below the scalebar. An alternative could be to:

Modify your current scalebar and set its Font colour to match the background colour:
```
Item Properties > Fonts and colours > Font colour
```
Copy your scalebar and paste it directly below your original scalebar. Then set its Font colour to black and its Line colour to transparent:
```
Item Properties > Fonts and colours > Font colour
                                    > Line colour
```
You can then select your scalebars and group them, allowing you to move them easily as if they were one:

I think there's a few steps involved and you may need three scalebars (instead of the two in my previous comment).

Select the nautical mile scalebar and copy/paste it below (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V will do, thanks to @Oto Kaláb for this very useful tip!):

Modify the original nautical scalebar and set its Font colour to match the background colour:
```
Item Properties > Fonts and colours > Font colour
```

Then modify the copied scalebar and set its Font colour to black and its Line colour to transparent:

Item Properties > Fonts and colours > Font colour
                                    > Line colour

Align both nautical scalebars so that the numbers are below the ticks. Then select both these nautical scalebars and group them:

Select the kilometer scalebar and raise it (this is needed for the next step):

Select and align the grouped nautical scalebars over the kilometer scalebar so that the line overlaps. The raise setting avoids little artifacts such as white gaps from showing. You can change the X and Y positions for the grouped nautical scalebars from the Position and size properties to align it perfectly:
```
Item Properties > Position and size
```

Finally, select the grouped nautical scalebars and the kilometer scalebar and group these. Now, hopefully, you should have a dual-unit scalebar: