[Talk-ca] OSM GeoBase import project.

[James Ewen]

On Thu, Dec 25, 2008 at 12:46 PM, Steve Singer <ssinger_pg at sympatico.ca> wrote:
> > Are these people actively
> > working with each other, and perhaps others with other skills to bring
> > to the table somewhere in a dark office somewhere? Or perhaps is there
> > no progress being made towards completion of this task?
>
> I think some progress is being made, probably by individuals when they have
> spare cycles to devote to this.

I have seen some output from some of these people, so there is
progress of some type, but is there a consensus or at least some type
of structure in place between these individuals so that there is no
duplication of effort?

> > Compile a list of datasets that are to be imported into OSM.
> > Create a set of attributes that need to be attached to each dataset entry.
> > Create scripts or whatever to convert the GeoBase data into OSM format.
> > Get after making the import happen.
>
> Review the wiki pages under
> http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/GeoBase_Import, some of this has been
> started.  Particularly for the political boundaries, NRN and NHN.  The
> attribute mappings could probably use some more attention.
>
> Michel sent a link to a .osm file he generated with the poltical boundaries.
> I'm unsure what needs to happen to take this to the next step.
>
> There is an initial geobase2osm script for the road network  in the OSM SVN
> repository, I've been working on a few enchancments to it but it still needs
> more work before we start importing samples and we have some open questions as to how we want to
> represent some things in OSM.

So, some of it is happening, but according to the wiki we should be
discussing it here. You're pointing me to the wiki for the discussion.
I would think that a little more discussion would be better. Sam's
been doing all the discussing, with an occasional interjection here
and there from others.

If someone is working on a script to convert GeoBase data to OSM
format, a quick note dropped here would let others know, and perhaps a
couple of people sharing ideas could bang out a workable script in a
shorter time frame. I know I can get stuck on projects, but a quick
chat with another person, and suddenly that blockade goes away...

BTW, I notice that snowshed has been tagged as being equivalent to an
OSM tag of bridge:snowshed. It would be more appropriately converted
to tunnel:snowshed, as snowsheds are covered structures that may or
may not be open on one side, protecting the roadway from avalanches.
Much more like a tunnel than a bridge.

There are a few features that we'll have to get after the OSM
foundation to support... Winter roads are a major concept that needs
to be implemented. There are a number of roads that only exist after
freeze up around here. It will be interesting to see a roadway
rendered that simply passes from land to water with no bridges or
ferries or such. It would make some of those southerners scratch their
heads!

James
VE6SRV