[OSM-newbies] How to convert NAD83 to latitude/longitude?

[Andy Allan]

On Dec 30, 2007 3:58 AM, Kelly Jones <kelly.terry.jones at gmail.com> wrote:

> It seems weird to have to download an application (or use Flash) just
> to upload a few nodes, plus I couldn't get JOSM nor Merkaartor to
> compile on my machine. Is there a direct upload interface?

Yes, you can PUT to the API, that's how the applications work and
that's what it's there for. But be very careful what you are doing,
it's much better to use an editor to help avoid making mistakes and do
error checking and so on. Using the API directly is rarely necessary.

> I looked at some recent GPX tracks
> (http://www.openstreetmap.org/traces) and they are in XML format, but
> I wasn't sure if I could/should upload nodes with names, tags, etc.

GPX tracks are completely separate from the OSM data. If you put
tagged data into the GPX uploads, it doesn't appear in the main
database or in any maps or anything else.

> Is there an easy way to upload nodes that come
> public-domain-but-not-GPS sources?

No, since every source is different. Also, if we make it too easy
people will start grabbing non-PD sources (e.g. derived from other
maps) and upload them too!

Usually, for reasonably-sized datasets it is converted using scripts
to .osm format and then can be checked and uploaded with JOSM. Larger
data sets may need their own batch-upload tools, but you really need
to check and be careful. Again, either talk@ or dev@ are suitable
venues for further discussion.

Cheers,
Andy