[OSM-dev] Josm Bookmarks WAS: JOSM plugin for direct serial read

[80n]

On 12/2/06, Nick Hill <nick at nickhill.co.uk> wrote:
>
> Whilst on the subject of Josm features, I have noticed a few issues new
> users
> can have with Josm.
>
> [1] (a)Not have Java installed
>      (b)have incorrect version of Java.
>
> [2] Not be able to find their location in Josm to start editing.
>
> [3] Not have properties box visible to see that ways, segments and nodes
> have
>      name/value pairs.
>
> I have made some initiative to overcome these issues;
>
> [1] (a) On windows platforms, if a user downloads a .jar file then double
> clicks
> on it, it refers to Microsoft's web site which unhelpfully tells users
> Windows
> can't open such a file. It then refers users on to another site which in
> turn
> refers users to arj software. Most unhelpful, and perhaps reflects
> Microsoft
> discouraging cross-platform compatible programs.
>
> I have proposed a solution to this. I discovered that you can append any
> rubbish
> to the beginning of a jar file without changing it's behaviour so long as
> that
> 'rubbish' doesn't contain the PKzip magic number. It is therefore possible
> to
> prepend a small (200k) windows executable to the front of a jar then call
> it
> .jar.exe. That executable can check for a suitable installation of java
> before
> invoking the program, if necessary download & install the necessary
> version of
> Java. 'java -jar myapp.jar.exe' will work normally.
>
> Whilst the problem persists on Microsoft Windows, the problem will solve
> itself
> with GNU/Linux as distributions will typically include the SUN JVM by mid
> 2007.
>
>
> [2] I have noticed new users have trouble finding their location in Josm.
> I have
> been considering creating a citysearch bookmark for Josm, using a
> heirachial
> list of country/locality/city/town.
>
> It wasn't until I started looking at the Josm code that I realised there
> was a
> zoomable map of the world in the download box. The zoomable map of the
> world
> looks really cool, but is of a low resolution, and users tend to select a
> much
> bigger area than would be advisable. A recursive bookmark index of the
> world's
> towns may be easier to use, and take the user much closer to home.
>
> Initially most useful for JOSM would be a citysearch bookmark if the data
> were
> available. In the longer term, a bookmark based on OSM data would be good,
> as
> this will encourage structured naming of areas. I can see a problem wit
> this;
> localities are named with points, where they are in fact areas. It is not
> possible to accurately derive an area heirachy (eg
> UK->England->London->Lewisham->Catford) from OSM data.
>
>
> [3] Josm is of limited practical use without the properties box visible.
> In
> fact, it is dangerous for new users to use Josm if they can't see the
> properties
> box as they may assume odd nodes around are placed in error if they can't
> see
> they represent a place of interest, or a name of a town. They are inclined
> to
> click on them and delete them as part of a well intentioned but misled
> clean-up
> operation. Also, ways all have direction. Being aware of the direction of
> ways
> is essential if you will be making a good map. I suggest Josm by default
> shows
> direction arrows on segments and has properties, layers, current selection
> and
> command stack visible. The user can always turn them off, but I feel the
> directionality of ways and properties of objects are so fundamental, they
> shouldn't be hidden.


This is all good stuff.

It would be helpful to new and experienced users if JOSM used different
colours to differentiate between nodes with no attributes and nodes with
attributes.


Nick Whitelegg wrote:
> > Hello Imi,
> >
> > I'm quite keen to add the direct serial port read functionality to JOSM
> as
> > it would enable people to use one application to read from their GPS and
> > create new data for OSM. I'm thinking of my particular OSM user-base of
> > interest (walkers) in particular. I'm quite happy with the gpsbabel/josm
> > approach but I'd imagine that new users could be attracted to the
> project
> > if they have just one piece of software for the whole process.
> >
> > I tried emailing the other guy who's doing this but haven't had a
> response
> > yet. Is it worth me carrying on with it or would I just be duplicating
> > effort?
> > (the approach I would take is the cross platform 'GPSylon' Java library
> > for GPS serial communication)
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Nick
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > dev mailing list
> > dev at openstreetmap.org
> > http://lists.openstreetmap.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/dev
> >
>
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