[Talk-GB] NaPTAN station codes

Dave F. davefox at madasafish.com
Wed Oct 27 00:32:33 BST 2010


On 26/10/2010 10:04, Dave Stubbs wrote:
> On Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 9:11 PM, Andy Mabbett<andy at pigsonthewing.org.uk>  wrote:
>> On 25 October 2010 12:47, Ed Avis<eda at waniasset.com>  wrote:
>>> Shaun McDonald<shaun at ...>  writes:
>>>> I have been adding the three letter short code as the ref tag when I have been
>>>> editing around stations. e.g. http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/node/9779990
>>> OK so 'ref' is the de facto convention for this three-letter code.
>> Wouldn't it be better to have a unique key?
>>
>> If not, why not?
>>
>> (Genuine question; I'm relatively new to this.)
>>
> The contents of the ref tag is generally the publicly used reference
> code for an object. For roads that'd be M1 or A303 etc. For stations
> it'd be the three letter code that's in all the timetables and gets
> printed on online booking receipts etc.
>
> There's no harm in using ref for this as it doesn't really conflict
> with anything else and it's what the key is for. To do a special key
> would be a lot like doing a special key for station_name -- there's
> little point and it just makes it harder for everyone to remember what
> the keys are :-)

I disagree. It should be 'station_code' which is de facto, as used on 
Wikipedia & even on National Rail Enquiries.

Using that unique descriptive key clarifies what it is your trying to 
describe & makes it *easier* for everyone to remember..

Cheers
Dave F.



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