Abstract: A plotting device is disclosed containing a traveling carriage drawing apparatus and distance measuring devices in the traveling carriages which emit a number of electrical pulses which are proportional to the displacement of the traveling carriages and which are weighted with an adjustable scale factor, to be measured as coordinate values (x, y) of a basic Cartesian basic coordinate system. The measured coordinate values are transmissible to and recordable by indicator units located within the area of a traveling carriage. The basic coordinate system possesses a selectable, stationary zero point and fixed axis directions in the traveling direction of the traveling carriages.