I started to map Beaver lake park, it's not for bicycles, just foot traffic and horse riding... on designated trails.
One big trail is a 10k walk. .. i didn't walk that this time, as I would have to have got their in the morning sometime.

A little break from thinking about the oodles of work with canvec2osm :)

cheers,

Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails

I added some walking trails for mount Tolmie. .. hopefully i got the tagging right, i'll see in a few days what renders.

I remembered to turn on the GPS while on the bus from Victoria to Tofino,BC

My gps, the GPSMap 60c gets less than 10 meters accuracy while on the bus. .. so it looks like it helps in mapping with greater detail.

Especially the area mid-island Port Alberni,BC where going to Tofino its up in the mountains, and the road is VERY curvey. ... so it's not the GPS out of wack :)

Anyway, getting ready to do the test import of GeoBaseNHN2osm (hydro network)
so then people can start complaining :) ... and maybe i would need to re-do it.

Cheers,
Sam

Hi,
osm.wiki/GeoBaseNHN_Map_Features
I have the script ready for the geobaseNHN2osm program which will convert the GeoBase NHN data to osm. And so, im looking for feedback on the chart (link above) for any feedback, so then i can upload a sample area. I think it's right, but need to be sure. There are still lots of tags that need to be created.

Hopefully you can help out some :)

Cheers,
Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails

Hi all,
(actually yesterday) version 0.05 is now available.
All of the map features have been entered in, and full details of the Building & structures feature and the Transportation features, along with lots of others are complete.

Special thanks to all those who are working on editing the charts, and refining them to be the best they can be. :)

For the next version, the hydrography features should be available. This is a prefix for the GeoBase NHN as it's still being worked on. But has similar feature identifiers ... and all needs to be tagged.

Comments are encouraged and welcome as always.

osm.wiki/Canvec2osm

Cheers,
Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails

I've been working on the script to get to 300 or so map features which are available for import from the Canadian Government.

osm.wiki/CanVec_OSM_Map_Features

Please let me know if see anything that needs fixing.
It's not perfect yet, but its getting close.

For now, none of this same data should be imported, (as it's still in Beta stage)

Cheers,
Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails

I haven't actually sat through the whole movie... cause its a many part story. Rather long winded and twisted with some bits of excitement. Just like this tag!

So once upon a time in a land known as 'Node', there millions (perhaps billions?) of Nodes.

These aren't the ordinary Nodes, no. They live inside of a vast array and are connected in many WAYS, and have many, many, Relations. Some of which are good.

Everyone in this land of Node, all has name tags. So when we great eachother, we know who eachother is.
Some NODES have the same name, so how do we tell eachother apart? We all have many middle names. And unlimied number of names, actually.

So our native language is written in the 'name' field and the translation is written in the 'name:en'.

So all were happy. :)

Yet, along a creative node, that was rather 'smooth' in his/her way.
Like a yellow-brick-road, that dorithy walked on, it's was rather smooth.
The bricks were all 'shiny' and smooth to the touch.
Along came tin-man, (another other Node) on his tricycle... and got to go Way Way ahead. .. and said "hey, this road is not smooth! my joints are all getting bent ! as im jumping with all these bumps. .. I got to get some shalks for this tricycle!"

So the tin-man, went and went to the bicycle=shop in with his tricycle, and said.. "
"Hey! I want some shalks!" so the mechanic got out the jumper cables.... ..
"NO! I want my ride to be smooth, this trycle needs to be like bicycle_type=mtb"
So the mechanic gets out the grinder...
"No! I want the ride to be smooth!"
"Ok" said the mechanic.
So the mechanic went to the back, and got on the drivable rotery road sander, and said "Follow me"

So then the tin-man continued on his trycle, after the mechinic drove down the yellow brick road to sand it down.

… See full entry

Hi,
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/across-canada-trails

If anyone is interested to watch, im now recording a couple of shows about OpenStreetMap. .. until 2pm PST

Cheers,
Sam Vekemans

Hi all,

The NTS Tile 084 is the 2nd tile has been successfully complete.
A big congratulations goes out to user osm.wiki/User:Stevens

You can see on the GeoBase map what the area covers,
http://geobase.ca/geobase/en/browse.do?produit=cded&decoupage=50k&map=084

and can see on OSM the southwest corner
osm.org/?lat=56.11&lon=-119.638&zoom=10&layers=B000FTT

This is a whole lot of roads, so this process will be slow & steady. This area would otherwise be VERY difficult to map.

We are using a system of 'RoadMatching'. In short; This is where we take the existing OSM roads, compare it with what exists in the 'to-be-imported' file, we then do an 'invert-selection', and only import the roads which are not already in OSM.

The process isn't perfect, however, it does answer the main concern of OSM mappers; To not undermine the work, and have geobase as an 'addition too', rather than a replacement.

This discussion is still on-going on the talk-ca list, so your all invited to check the archives, and join in the discussion with your ideas.

Notes and results are all being recorded on the Wiki page.
osm.wiki/Geobase_NRN_-_OSM_Map_Feature

Cheers & great work!

Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails

Hi all,
It's short notice, but i wanted to see if i would get a response.
I'm going to be broadcasting live on my channel
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/across-canada-trails

And depending on who shows up, the topic will be about that.... general discussion about OpenStreetMap and the GeoBase Import project. ... and the Across Canada Trails project.

This is a sample run, which is why i didn't create a wiki page for it and call it a conference.
I know that some of you might miss it, i'll be recording it and replaying it on the channel. For others to see it later.

If it works out, then I'll do another one, (promote it better). :)

Cheers,
Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails

Hi all,
I'm going through the super big list of many types of map features that may or may not get imported to OSM. ... some stuff might not be needed.
So im going through it all and adding in the OSM Tags that should be used IMO.

If you find anything that should be changed or better represented based on the description, for some of it that im not sure, i add a '???' to it. For some of it, i think i need to make a new page on the 'proposed map features list'

osm.wiki/CanVec:_Buildings_and_structures

For now i'm just working on the "Building and Structures" type of CanVec soup.

Cheers,
Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails

Hi all,
I have a set of detailed Map features which comes from the Government of Canada - Natural Resources department. These might help in further describing the features.
osm.wiki/CanVec_OSM_Map_Features#CanVec:_Buildings_and_structures_.28BS.29

Check out the examples... perhaps i can make wiki pages for each type and enhance the description... ie. landuse=residential ???

Lemme know
Cheers,
Sam

Hi all,
A quick update for you all for whats going on on the talk-ca list.

The Canadian Geopolitical boundaries database has been imported, it was done just before new years. ... this covers for the provincial boundaries. :)

Samples for test areas is going great, using a Roadmatcher program were it only shows roads which are not present in OSM, so then work would be needed to manually merge in the data.

We have had more discussion with the Source of the Data (Natural Resources Canada), trying to figure out how they can help, and to answer all questions and keep discussion going.

I'm working on the chart of the OSM Map Features list
osm.wiki/CanVec_OSM_Map_Features
so far there are 311 different map features, in the set of 11 distribution themes of CanVec. These themes match up with the GeoBase data.

For most of these map features, we already have an OSM tag standard. But for some of it, we will need to make up some new tags... tag:extentions.

Right now, the listing is rather mixed... so dont bother trying to fix it. I still need to add in there all of the feature descriptions.

Thats all for now,
Cheers,
Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails

Hi all,
Ive been translating a bit from the Austria Import project
osm.wiki/WikiProject_Austria/Import_plan.at
As we can learn from the experiences of others.

I notice that each wiki project starts out in the native language of the region.

I was wondering if there is any kind of standard for translating the pages.

ie. Showing "EN: Before the title text"
As it's kind of hard to create a full and always uptodate wiki page in the other languages, as the native language page gets updated faster.

I would image an option would be to have a separate browser window open so to direct compare?

Thanks,
Sam

P.S. Oh ya, for the GeoBase update, im working on that Importing Government Data wiki page, but i think i'll change it to 'Importing Bulk Data'

The difference between this import and others is that the original source is also being updated on a yearly basis. So an update file of the changes will be available. ... So I try to make the wiki page reflect that.

On the talk-ca list, we have lots of great discussion going on. You can go through it if you like...

One idea that i'm floating is this:

Import all the Data which is available as NODES
each of these nodes would have the attributes of the broken down polygons, and lines, and different points.

This would essentially make it a 'connect-the-dots' game, for areas which already have OSM data.

This way, when updates of government data is available, just nodes get imported.

These nodes wont get rendered, as they contain tags that renders do not understand.

Once the Canadian Node import is done, then the different map features (Points / Lines / Areas) can be imported, starting with tiles that don't have any OSM data.
Then when we get to tiles that have just a bit of road data, we can import everything BUT the roads.. and leave it to the local area mappers to 'connect-the-dots'
then when in even more complete areas are ready to take the import, the mappers can be selective as to what they like to import, and the rest, and be made by connecting the dots.

Does anyone have any feedback on this idea?

Thanks,
Sam

P.S. im working on the CanVec chart which has 11 themes with 90 different entities. The rest of it should be available from the GeoBase download set.
osm.wiki/CanVec_OSM_Map_Features

edit: Just nodes (All GeoBase/CanVec) to get imported for the 10 most complete tiles
For the 10-100 partially mapped tiles, everything but the roads would get imported, and the roads would get imported as nodes only
For all the other tiles: everything gets imported.
For updates: only nodes gets imported.
Coastline (thats already in OSM) would not be imported, (that is only a section of the NHN) the rivers/marsh etc. would all get imported.

Hi all,
I revised my note and sent it off to the 45 users who have a wiki page, and see those 10 users who are arround me. my hopes is that this version is much nicer.
Does anyone know how to contact more users around?
My one idea is to use my settings and move my location to somewhere else, and then i will see another 10 closest users. I can do that in various places.
Is there another option?

Thanks,
Sam

**
Hi there,

In case you didn't know, we now have acess to [[GeoBase]] data!

We (the [http://lists.openstreetmap.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/talk-ca talk-ca discusion list]) are now looking at ways to
use it to our (openstreetmap community) best advantage.

A sample of the kinds of data which is available to us, is shown on
the [[Ibycus Topo]] garmin map.

You are welcome to join in on this viberant discussion.

My apologies if my previous post(s) were miss understood, updates are
often made on the [[GeoBase Import]] discussion tab.

Sincerly,

Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails
***

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-wftl-show

.. pritty cool to watch.
it'll be available later as a recoding of the show.

Sam

Hi all, were getting some great discussions going on on the talk-ca discussion list. :) With many questions being asked.

For those of you out there thinking about Importing government data, (Linz people?) and others, and for those familiar with the back-end OSM database programming, your input is greatly appreciated.

We have people with varing levels of OSM knowledge, and varing levels of the whole GIS concept and work with it in their field. A lot of it is based here in Canada, but since this is a global project, and the announcement has been translated into other languages. We do want to make sure that we 'build on the shoulders of giants' so we don't repeat mistakes and lessons of the past.

Cheers,
Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails

Hi all,
I've been busy trying to make sure that everyone in Canada knows about the GeoBase import project.
I began sending messages (on here) to the different users I find that are contributing, so to make sure that all past contributors are aware. For new contributors, it's rather obvious when looking sat the Canada wiki page.
I also posted on the talk discussion list, as well as on OSGeo discussion.
I see that the announcement has been translated to Hebrew & German, if you see anywhere else it's been posted, please let me know. :)

Trying not to be a pain about this, but it's important that 2 things happen.
1 - that we put our heads together, to find a solution which can be duplicated across the board for all future imports.
2 - that everyone (who wants to) knows whats going on, making the process transparent, as this is the awesome power of Wiki.

Cheers,
Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails

P.S. mapping wise, i saw that there are many parks that even with the Ibycus topo showing over the OSM data, has lots more work to be done :)

Hi all,
Because not all users are all the discussion group of Canada, i felt it necessary to post this up here.

osm.wiki/GeoBase_Import
(copied from the page)
***

Agreement Announcement (18 November 2008)

Announcement
The October OpenStreetMap Foundation meeting was held Tuesday 28 October 2008. The encouragement of GeoBase and their enthusiasm for OpenStreetMap led to their legal analysis of the licenses and a finding of compatibility. It was proposed that the GeoBase data be included in OSM based on the license compatibility and the aligned GeoBase and OpenStreetMap goals of providing free geospatial data to as wide an audience as possible. The proposal was passed by the board.
The OpenStreetMap community, the OSM Foundation and particularly Canadian contributors to the OpenStreetMap community have anticipated this announcement for some time. I'm sure that you will all join me in thanking GeoBase, the Foundation and the Canadian points of contact for their patience, persistence and vision.

Scope
The importance of this announcement is hard to over-state. The agreement between GeoBase and OpenStreetMap marks the contribution of government data from the second largest country on the planet, the largest country in the western hemisphere and the country with the longest coastline on the planet. The GeoBase data set is rich and diverse including the National Road Network, National Hydro Network (surface water), Geopolitical Boundaries, Elevation data and Satellite imagery. The scope of this contribution is unlikely to be surpassed in geographic area.

… See full entry