Georeferencing vector dataset in QGIS?

Question

This question may seem as it was asked before, but I think I just don't use the right terminology. Here's my problem. I'm an archaeology student trying to make an internal map of a prehistoric dwelling in which I use non-earth coordinates to show the localisation of artifacts inside the dwelling. I don't use any GPS coordinates, cause all the coordinates from my excel database are from an arbitrary x0-y0 which is a absolute point on the base drawing of the map (Is that what we call a non-earth system?).

So, I have no problem scanning the plan of the dwelling, making a png with it and using it as a raster. I put my coordinates points (8 of them) on the raster layer with the georeferencing plugin and it work. But, the problem is that I want to add vector layers of, for example, the turf ridge of the dwelling, or the rock pavement, or the different fire-pits. These vector layers are DXF that I draw on Illustrator. I'm able to send those on my qgis project, but they don't have embedded coordinate points so they appear on my base map at a totally wrong scale. My initial plan was to georeference these as you do with a raster in qgis, but I don't see how. Is there a way to resize and manually adjust those over my raster to correct the scale? My plan is to be able to work with the vector/shapefile layers and keep the scan raster invisible.

Answer 1

If you want to georeference a shapefile or a dxf file, you need GCP points (as when you georeference a raster)

1) You can use 0GR with the command ogr2ogr -gcp x_nongeoref y_nongeoref x_georef y_georef

example:

ogr2ogr -gcp 5 -135 0 0 \
>         -gcp 283 -135 1000 0 \
>         -gcp 5 278 0 1000 \
>         -gcp 283 278 1000 1000 \
>         -f "ESRI shapefile" out.shp in.shp

2) The vectorGeoref plugin: A visual tool to georeferencing vector layers
3) the VectorBender plugin, an experimental Python wrapper of the ogr2ogr command (as "rubber sheeting")

Answer 2

Since QGIS 3.26 this can now be achieved with the georeferencer, same tool that is used of raster georeferencing:

"QGIS now supports georeferencing vector layers in the georeferencer tool. This allows vector layers without spatial referencing to be interactively georeferenced, or layers with referencing to be re-referenced, in a similar manner to raster data. Georeferencing occurs in a task, so QGIS should remain responsive, even with large datasets."

https://www.qgis.org/en/site/forusers/visualchangelog326/index.html#feature-georeferencing-vector-layers-in-georeferencer