OpenStreetMap
So I tried out some house numbering near my home. I'm not keeping it. Not that it's ugly. It's that the patch was clearly not planned to handle more than three digits. In my area, 4+ digits civic numbers are the rule, not the exception (think about it: if a city has numbers in the 10,000, that means there are at least nine house numbers with 4+ digits for every one that has three or less...). Unfortunately, 4-digit numbers are barely. I'm not even going to test five digits.
Discussion
ߡߙߌߣߊ߲ ߞߊ߬ ߝߘߊ߫ Julio_Costa_Zambelli ߟߊ߫ 1 October 2008 at 05:54 ߘߐ߫
I am not sure if I am getting your idea the right way, but if the problem is the way the numbers are rendered in Osmarender (in those small circles), do not worry. The data of the numbers location is still there, so when an address georeference feature is developed (supposing it is not already done) all of us will be able to use it (In my opinion over a Mapnik render).
Cheers
ߡߙߌߣߊ߲ ߞߊ߬ ߝߘߊ߫ hkucharek ߟߊ߫ 1 October 2008 at 09:43 ߘߐ߫
You don't map for the renderer. If some useful data isn't rendered nicely, it is a renderer's problem. Give the renderer guys a hint where to look at. But don't remove useful data from the database just because it isn't rendered nicely by one, some or all renderes.
ߡߙߌߣߊ߲ ߞߊ߬ ߝߘߊ߫ Circeus ߟߊ߫ 1 October 2008 at 17:43 ߘߐ߫
As far as I am concerned, of course I map for the renderer. Without a renderer, the data is useless! What use is text that you can't read because you don't have a program that can? What use is a CD without a CD drive?
However, I also map for me, and if something I'm adding causes more display problems than anything else (here by not being very legible and simultaneously risking obscuring other features, an issue I already run into everywhere with labels overlapping icons), then I won't leave it in.
ߡߙߌߣߊ߲ ߞߊ߬ ߝߘߊ߫ Julio_Costa_Zambelli ߟߊ߫ 1 October 2008 at 22:22 ߘߐ߫
As you sure notice, many things are not rendered in the Mapnik render displayed at the homepage of OpenStreetMap.org (Supermarkets, Pharmacies, Fuel Stations, etc.). I do not think that is a problem, since so many things will make the map not useful or at least visually unatractive (and yes, that is an important thing).
The house numbering will be an excellent example of something that may visually overload the Mapnik render. I have not found any map that shows the numbering in a visual way. All the maps that have this kind of information respond to address queries, Georeferencing them.
Finally, the advantage with this project, is that you can always take the data and make a render the way you like it.
Cheers
ߡߙߌߣߊ߲ ߞߊ߬ ߝߘߊ߫ hkucharek ߟߊ߫ 2 October 2008 at 07:22 ߘߐ߫
As I pointed out, talk to the render guys about this problem. As said above, housenumbers may not be a vital information for map rendering, but for other applications of the osm-data.
Surely, proper rendering of house numbers isn't trivial. Maybe just render first and last numbers of houses in a block or something like this. Maybe you should put this issue into the osm forum http://forum.openstreetmap.org/
ߡߙߌߣߊ߲ ߞߊ߬ ߝߘߊ߫ hkucharek ߟߊ߫ 2 October 2008 at 07:29 ߘߐ߫
Something to read:
osm.wiki/index.php/Proposed_features/House_numbers/Karlsruhe_Schema
ߡߙߌߣߊ߲ ߞߊ߬ ߝߘߊ߫ Circeus ߟߊ߫ 2 October 2008 at 11:43 ߘߐ߫
I know about that page. If I didn't, my additions would not show up to begin with (it's that scheme that's implemented AFAIK). The only thing I'm really not clear is how to use the associatedstreet relationship (documentation of relations on the wiki for mappers is very, very badly done IMHO)
ߡߙߌߣߊ߲ ߞߊ߬ ߝߘߊ߫ LivingWithDragons ߟߊ߫ 3 October 2008 at 12:40 ߘߐ߫
You said: "Without a renderer, the data is useless!"
But, mapping for just the renderer, means making the data open is useless.
What if I make a map for Canada that renders the house numbers(tweaked for lots of digits). Well for your area I've got to go and collect all the house numbers myself. Then if I add them in, will you delete them because your just paying attention to Osmarender and don't know about the map I'm making?
Also the online map is not the only thing data is used for, as mentioned you can search for some things that aren't even rendered. Potentially the data could be used without any graphics, I might want to search for my street and be told how many shops were close to me.
The way to deal with problems you notice is to inform the people who manage that renderer. It's interesting how mapping issues are flagged up when a system is used across the world. It would be simpler if everyone drove on the left side of the road.