How to link dataframes in ArcGIS or QGIS?

Question

The below image shows a layout in ArcGIS 10.1 with four dataframes. Each dataframe is of the same geographic area, although they are different images. For example, the top left image is a 1989 DOQ, the top right image is a reversed 1989 DOQ, the bottom left image is a 2012 DOQ, and the bottom right image is a reversed 2012 DOQ.

1. Is it possible to link the dataframes so that panning the image in one dataframe pans the images in all of the other dataframes (i.e. similar to how you can "Link Views" in Erdas Imagine)?
2. Is this possible in QGIS?

Answer 1

You can do this in ArcGIS10 onwards, although you have to pan in the same data frame each time (ie panning in frame 1 will pan frames 2, 3 and 4. But you cannot also pan in 2 and have 1,3 and 4 pan automatically)

Right click on one of the frames you wish to link, go to properties then go to the "Data Frame" tab. You can then set the extent to be "Other Data Frame" (choose your primary data frame - this will be the one you pan around in). Repeat for all the remaining frames except your primary frame.

if you set the margin to 0mm and all your data frames are the same size, you will have the exact same extent in each frame.

Answer 2

There is a Dual View plugin for QGIS. Though, as the name suggests, it might be limited to two views.