The OpenStreetMap Welcome Tool allows you to find new mappers in your region and send them a welcome message! This a great way to help build your local community and assist new mappers in learning OSM.
Prerequisites
To use this tool you should be an experienced mapper who is able to provide constructive and friendly feedback.
Skill Instruction
Getting Started
There are a couple things you'll need to do before you get started. The first and easiest step is to login to your OSM account.
To do this:
Open the OSM Welcome Tool.
Click on Login with OSM in the top right.
The next step is to check if your region has the country/state you're looking for.
To do this:
Scroll down to the list of regions.
Select your region/continent.
Note: Each region/continent will tell you how many countries/states are currently available under the name of the region/continent.
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Browse the list of countries/states to see if the one you're looking for is present.
Note: If the country/state you're looking for isn't present you will have to manually add it.
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Select the desired country/state.
Adding a New Country/State
Adding a new country/state is a simple process. You must have a GitHub account.
To add a new country/state:
Go to the OSM Welcome Tool homescreen.
Click on contributing guide in the opening paragraph at the top. This will bring you to the tools GitHub page.
From here you can add a new language, a new region and add or update your welcome message template.
Scroll to the Add a new region section.
Follow the instructions.
You will need a GeoJSON of the region, a flag of the country it's in, and the name of the region.
Add a Region Name/Flag
Go to the region's config file and edit the file. Make sure you are signed in to GitHub. You will have to make a fork of the original file to make your changes which will be reviewed at a later time. You will only have to do this once.
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Find the correct spot for your region and add it to the file. You can copy the syntax of the other files as a reference. Don't worry about adding the OSMCha ID. They will take care of that.
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Click on Commit changes to submit your proposed edits.
Add your GeoJSON File
Create a GeoJSON file (see the How to create a GeoJSON section for instructions)
Enter the following format followed by your markdown message in the text window.
name: name of the template
title: Subject line that is sent to the editor
Intro {{mapper.displayName}}
This will auto-add the editor's OSM username to your message.
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Name your file: regions/YAML
e.g. colorado/en
Click Commit changes and submit your proposed changes.
Create a Pull Request once the above have been added and the devs will take it from there.
Once your changes have been made you should see a Create pull request option on the page. Submit a pull request for each change.
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The approval process may take some time.
How to Create a GeoJSON
There are a few different tools you can use to get a GeoJSON file of a region. Some of these make it easy to find/create the file while others require you to find the relation ID for the feature before you can create the file. Below are a few examples of tools you can use.
Overpass(Turbo/API)
Overpass Turbo has the ability to query for your boundary relation and export it as a GeoJSON file.
Overpass API(JOSM) has the ability to query for your boundary and download it in JOSM. You can then open the relation to find the relation ID.
Note: The query language can be a little confusing and takes some practice to learn. See the (overpass training).
This tool lets you create a custom GeoJSON file of different countries around the world.
To use this tool:
Click on the country you want to a GeoJSON file for.Note: The selected country will be highlighted. You can't zoom in on the map.
Select your resolution on the left hand side (low, medium, or high).
Note: The resolution you choose will determine the level of detail your GeoJSON file has. Keep in mind how large your file is. That might determine the resolution level you can use.
Click on Build Custom GeoJSON in the bottom right corner of the map to create your file.
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Sending a Welcome Message
You're almost ready to send your first welcome message, but first you need to learn how the list page works.
List Page
This page is pretty straightforward, but it has a few built in features that aren't apparent at first glance.
These features include:
The map
The bar graph
The list of mappers
The Map
The map shows the area/region you are looking for new mappers in. The map is interactive and will let you zoom in/out to see where you are in the world.
The Bar Graph
The bar graph helps you keep track of who has been welcomed in this area/region and who has not. It also has the option to adjust the timeframe by months so you can see stats over a period of time.
Mappers
This is the list of the new mappers in this region/area. It tells you:
How many have been welcomed.
When the list was last updated.
Their username.
Must be logged in to view their profile.
When their account was created.
When their first changeset was.
Clicking on the link will let you view the changeset.
How many changesets they've made.
Clicking on the link will let you browse all of their changesets.
What editing platform they were using.
Their location.
This sometimes includes specific details. e.g. English(United States)
Sending a Message
To send a welcome message:
Make sure you are logged in.
Click on the username you wish to send a welcome message to.
This will take you to a profile page for that user.
Find the Send a welcome message section.
Here you can write a custom message to welcome the new user and link additional resources to help them learn more about OSM.
Some things that are good to include in your message are:
Thanking them for their contributions and welcoming them to OSM.
Linking resources like: OSM wiki (map features, country page, etc.), community channels, learn OSM, etc.
Giving them ideas on how they can contribute. (Maproulette, HOT tasking manager, etc.)
Etc.
Click Load message in osm.org to pull your message into OSM.
Here you can preview your formatting and make additional changes before sending it to the editor.
Click on send to send your message.
Go back to the OSM Welcome Tool and click on username has been welcomed.
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Example Message
Note: Update this message as needed to reflect your region/area. It is up to your discretion to include feedback for the editor or not.
Hello {{mapper.displayName}},
Welcome to OpenStreetMap(OSM) and thank you for your contributions to the map!
As a new mapper on OSM you may have a lot of questions about what to map and how to map it. Here are some useful links to help you get started:
* OpenStreetMap's US Chapter runs a [Slack](https://slack.openstreetmap.us/) server. Slack is a collaboration tool for OSM mappers, organizers, and developers. This is a very active forum and the best way to get in touch with other local mappers in the United States.
* I highly recommend using the OSM [wiki-pages](https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/). If you're not sure how to map something within the editor of your choice, the quickest solution is to look at [Map Features](https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Map_Features) on the wiki. For more complicated questions you can ask/search on the [forum](https://community.openstreetmap.org/) or the #tagging channel on Slack. You can learn about the importance of a quality changeset comment [here](https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Good_changeset_comments).
* [learnOSM](https://learnosm.org) is a good place to learn more about OSM. Instructions are available for using the iD browser editor and the more advanced JOSM editor.
* Want to see who’s mapping near you, or want to see how much you’ve been doing yourself, check out the maps at [resultmaps.neis-one.org](https://resultmaps.neis-one.org/).
* If you are a business owner and want to learn how to add OpenStreetMap to your website, check out the site [Switch2OSM](https://switch2osm.org/)
If you’re wondering what to map next, we encourage you to look for things in your area that are missing or may need to be updated. Reaching out to your local community is also a great way to learn about projects in your area. There are also platforms like [Maproullette](https://maproulette.org/dashboard) and the Humanitarian [HOT](https://www.hotosm.org/) [tasking manager](https://tasks.hotosm.org/) that have projects for everyone to work on!
Remember to have fun and let us know if you have any questions!
Happy mapping!
The Profile Screen
The profile screen shows you a lot of the same information as the mapper list with a few differences.
This includes:
Their username
You can see when they created their account, how many regions they've worked in and you can check if they've been welcomed and repied.
Options to view their OSM profile, see their profile on HDYC and to switch to the next user in the mapper list.
A list of their changesets.
This gives you an overview of each changeset with the option to view them using different QC tools.
The message box.
This lets you customize and send your welcome message.
A timeline of when their account was created and their changesets.
