[OSM-newbies] Startup mapping questions

[Piet Stevens]

Hi,

I have been fascinated by the openstreetmap project, but now I have the
following questions:
a. working with JOSM vs with Potlatch: I have found working with Potlatch
easier. I have been unable to get a Yahoo background to JOSM because where
to find wms plugin? The chippy5000 etc... path is never available.

b. when uploading traces with Potlatch, I receive immediate feedback on
whether the upload succeeded, and I can see all traces I have uploaded, so
it is easy to keep track. I cannot find such functionality in JOSM. But
then, if I want to work on those traces in JOSM, when I download from OSM
into JOSM, I get no traces. Why? Is that normal? When JOSM uploads, does it
upload any traces?

c. what happens if I edit an area with JOSM and upload, and before I see
anything on the map, I also edit this area in Potlatch? Which set of data
will be there?

d. for one area that I have added ways to, some of them come from JOSM and
some from Potlatch. Does that explain the difference in color? Some ways are
darker grey than others. See the area around lat 31.24 and lon 121.56.

e. I started to add tags to ways. It is not clear whether I should copy the
tag to every way that makes up 1 street, or whether it is enough to add the
tag to 1 way.

f. I am uploading traces and ways in Shanghai, China. We have residential
streets with 2 lanes in each direction and a middle divider. Should I call
that a residential street or not?

g. I understand that for dual carriageways, the points should be in pairs. I
find that difficult to do. I usually put a way in one direction, to ensure
all the ways point in the right direction, and then at the end of the trace,
I turn back, and put ways in the other direction. Is there an easy process
to ensure the points are always in pairs?

h. in JOSM, I find it difficult to delete a point or a way. Can someone
re-clarify the instructions? (select way, shift-click on point, delete does
not seem to delete the way)

i. I have a case where 1 street is currently made up of 2 ways, but I cannot
seem to join them as per the instructions. I select one way, and then
shift-clicking on the other should join, but nothing happens. Any idea why
that could be?

g. We also have elevated highways on top of normal streets. I understand I
should put these on different layers. But do I then put 2 ways on top of
each other, with the normal street (layer 0) wider than the elevated
highway? How to do that?

Any help on these would be appreciated.

Best regards,

Piet
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