OpenStreetMap
Updated the Lower Peirce Trail today, give the tracks the name it deserved. Still no idea how to classify a boardwalk, but I hope what I did is ok by OSM standards.
I had to remove the old tracks as it sort of got in the way, but is that ok to do so?
Discussion
Comment from Socratestravels on 13 May 2009 at 09:21
The openstreetmap data you mean? or GPS traces stored on the openstreetmap server?
Comment from Andrew Chadwick on 13 May 2009 at 09:23
Assume you mean replacing somebody else's nodes and ways representing the trail. Yes, it's OK provided you're replacing it with mapping of equal or better quality. It's a Wiki: what you do is done in the expectation that people will change, modify, delete, fiddle with it, and improve it.
Generally though, for really simple edits, I try to retain existing objects where possible though because it makes the object's history easier to read. Though that's a lot less important now with API 0.6 and the History tab.
(It's not possible AFAIK to delete somebody else's uploaded GPS trace: repeated surveys aggregate by design so that you have more GPS points for a given stetch and can position your ways and nodes more accurately :))
Comment from Wari Wahab on 13 May 2009 at 11:05
>> Generally though, for really simple edits, I try to retain existing objects where possible though because it makes the object's history easier to read.
I get what you mean. As I was mapping trail data, editing means adding more points and moving those around, while splitting other points. It was so much easier to delete, and add the points. And name the trail its proper name.
For such a small area, the caretaker for whatever reason, named small length of a section a trail. I just made sure the start/end points are correct.
The original was just a simple layout with no name, so it's just a plain track. Anyway, whatever it is, it looks like OSM still honors the old track, and I've no idea if my edits are 'accepted'.
Thanks for the explanation Andrew.
Comment from daveemtb on 13 May 2009 at 12:20
It takes a while for changes to show up on the rendered maps, it will show up eventually. (It seems to be taking a little longer than normal at the moment, I'm not sure why.
Comment from RichardB on 13 May 2009 at 12:27
I tend to keep the existing object, unless it's a complete mess to begin with. Adding a name to an existing object should be really easy with all of the standard editors. I don't tend to use Potlatch very much, but adding extra points in JOSM is also pretty easy usually. Splitting ways should also be straightforward in all editors.
Your data should appear shortly. The online maps don't update instantly.
Just looking at your data for that area, there are quite a lot of kinks in the track you've created - but there is more than one GPX trace - which when you average them out, might suggest that the track might not actually turn quite as much. Note that I don't know the area in question - so obviously use your judgement.
Comment from Wari Wahab on 13 May 2009 at 13:57
> Just looking at your data for that area, there are quite a lot of kinks in the track you've created - but there is more than one GPX trace - which when you average them out, might suggest that the track might not actually turn quite as much. Note that I don't know the area in question - so obviously use your judgement.
I was in the area this morning just to track out the path, and for a boardwalk, this one hugs more to the terrain than most I've seen before. Therefore, the paths are not that straight IMO. I also made sure to note which part of the path sticks out of the water as well.
I might be there again, just to track again, on a clearer day. This morning, the iPhone just cannot get a lock at all in the area, but my Forerunner 405 locked to 5/6 satellites at a time with no hiccups. But since the 405 is not really an all purpose GPS, getting waypoints out of the thing is a tiresome, and manual task.
Again, thanks for all the tips everyone. I'm very new here, and still getting a grasp out of the tools, and this excellent mapping project, that saved my bacon more than once :)
Comment from Wari Wahab on 13 May 2009 at 13:58
> Just looking at your data for that area, there are quite a lot of kinks in the track you've created - but there is more than one GPX trace - which when you average them out, might suggest that the track might not actually turn quite as much. Note that I don't know the area in question - so obviously use your judgement.
I was in the area this morning just to track out the path, and for a boardwalk, this one hugs more to the terrain than most I've seen before. Therefore, the paths are not that straight IMO. I also made sure to note which part of the path sticks out of the water as well.
I might be there again, just to track again, on a clearer day. This morning, the iPhone just cannot get a lock at all in the area, but my Forerunner 405 locked to 5/6 satellites at a time with no hiccups. But since the 405 is not really an all purpose GPS, getting waypoints out of the thing is a tiresome, and manual task.
Again, thanks for all the tips everyone. I'm very new here, and still getting a grasp out of the tools, and this excellent mapping project, that saved my bacon more than once :)
Comment from robx on 13 May 2009 at 16:17
You can make waypoints on the Forerunner by hitting the lap button. Current (possibly unreleased) versions of gpsbabel will create GPX waypoints from lap starts in the TCX.
Comment from Wari Wahab on 14 May 2009 at 00:02
Wow, robx, why didn't I think of that? Thanks for the tip, would definitely be of use the next time I go for a walk/hike.