[OSM-newbies] Help Needed regarding data transfer from GPS to JOSM

[SomeoneElse]

On 24/01/2011 13:17, Ishtiaque Ahmed wrote:
> Hello Ael,
>
> We finally could upload the gps file after a number of attempts. Now 
> we can see the taces over OSM. However, the waypoints that we tagged 
> with our GPS unit are not being shown on the map. Is is normal? Or we 
> are missing something?
>
> -ishtiaque
>

Maybe it might help if I described the normal process that I go through 
when uploading GPX traces with waypoints in them?  This method uses 
Garmin's Mapsource software - I've been assured that you can use 
"gpsbabel" to do exactly the same thing (and I'm sure that someone could 
post or refer you to step-by-step instructions using that).

The first thing that I do is to plug the GPS unit into a PC.  The PC I 
use (Windows 7 FWIW) has Mapsource installed; I believe some USB drivers 
also loaded too.  I don't need to put the Garmin into any special mode 
(such as you'd need to do to access the SD card as USB Mass Storage).

Run Mapsource.  In there, select the "transfer" menu then receive from 
device.  There are four tickboxes on that screen; you'll definitely want 
to retrieve waypoints and tracks.  Note that if you've already got a 
document open in Mapsource this will retrieve into that document, so you 
probably would want to do "File / New" first.

Next, select the waypoints tab and check that there are only the 
waypoints that you want to upload in there.  I think that from new 
Garmin devices may ship with locations of their offices as example 
waypoints, so you'd definitely want to delete those.

Next, look at the tracks tab and delete ones tha tyou definitely don't 
want to upload (e.g. containing just a few trackpoints).  When you're 
happy, do File / Save As / GPX and give it a sensible name.  Next, for 
each track that you do want to upload I'd open the big GPX, delete the 
other tracks and save as "that track name".gpx.  I find it easier to 
upload and edit one track at a time; other people might do it differently.

I then upload those tracks to OSM by going to 
http://www.openstreetmap.org/traces/mine and logging in if not already.  
It's important to ensure that any edits that you do incorporate other 
data already in that area.  I tend to use the on-line editors rather 
than JOSM, but the same principle applies - data from your GPS track and 
the trackpoints and waypoints it contains need to be merged with 
existing data, and where they disagree about the position of something 
you'll have to use your judgement as to which is correct.

As an example, here's a track that I've uploaded but not yet edited:
http://www.openstreetmap.org/user/SomeoneElse/traces/909159

If you click "edit" against that you'll see lots of orange spots, which 
are the waypoints (you'll need to zoom in somewhere to see what's going 
on).  The names in yours should be whatever name you ave them, or 001, 
002 etc. if you just accepted the default names when you added them.

I'd normally go on and edit this in one of the online editors.  As 
you're using JOSM the next bit won't apply, but I'm sure someone can 
provide details.

When editing the map, some of these waypoints shouldn't be added 
directly (e.g. (zoom in and look at the right-hand end of the trace) the 
one numbered DOA028947 - that's just where my car was parked) - I'll 
just delete those.  Some however indicate that some feature is to be 
added - the comment against SOV028948 means "there's a footpath runs 
north and south from these road".  I didn't walk along either, but I'll 
add a stub to the map for later survey.  However, most waypoints won't 
get turned directly into nodes on the map.  If a waypoint indicates that 
there's a gate on an existing path, I'll add a node to the path 
indicating the gate and delete my waypoint.  If you do need to turn a 
Garmin-collected waypoint directly into a node you'll need to "click to 
unlock" and then delete tags (such as "wpt_description") that don't mean 
anything to OSM and shouldn't be left on the node.

Anyway - I hope this background helps.  Also, of course, there's lots of 
information available here:
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Beginners%27_guide

and from the pages that it links to, including
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Beginners_Guide_1.3.3.1
for JOSM ("download the area corresponding to a GPX file").

Cheers,
Andy