[Imports] How to merge data to keep object histories when doing small-scale import?

[Josh Doe]

On Tue, May 24, 2011 at 5:09 PM, Andrew Guertin <andrew.guertin at uvm.edu> wrote:
> What is the best way to merge the data I'll be importing with the data
> that's already there? For example, I have building outlines that are
> much better than what's already there, but some buildings have tags
> (amenity=library, tourism=museum) that my imported data doesn't.
>
> Further, when changes are made to the university's data source, I'd like
> to be able to re-import and not lose any changes people have made to OSM.
>
> Finally, there's the matter of history, which I'd like to be able to
> keep if possible.

I've been working on a JOSM plugin that does exactly what you're
asking, however it's not quite ready yet. I'd say another couple of
weeks before it's usable:
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Conflation/Nodes

> I'm most familiar with JOSM for editing OSM data, but I've also used
> Merkaartor and Potlatch. In none of them could I find a way to, for
> example, replace all the nodes in one way with a copy of the nodes in a
> different way, but keep the first way's id, history, and tags.

If you don't want to wait for the plugin to be ready, the utilsplugin2
JOSM plugin does what you're looking for with the Replace Geometry
command:
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/JOSM/Plugins/utilsplugin2#Replace_Geometry

Good luck! And if you have any Java experience I'd be glad to have
help on the plugin. :)

-Josh