[OSM-talk-ie] Introduction for new Irish OSM map viewers

[Brian Hollinshead]

I did a talk recently to staff in the RCB Library and Arcive and yesterday
to staff of Eneclann and the family history Centre. I find I am being
repeatedly asked how a new Irish user of OSM learn how best to use it and
how to know what search and other features are included. With this in mind
I have prepared the following draft introduction but am still hoping one of
has either has or can refer me to a better one. If you can't then please
suggest improvements to mine.

openstreetmap.org
Main page: search by name of townland, parish, barony etc or street or
village etc
search for pharmacy in dundrum or post office in Dalkey or fast food in
Finglas or police in Howth or supervalu in Malahide or mcdonalds in Dun
Laoghaire or acaun or Athy parish.etc

to share a web page image with a marker, Use share icon on the right,
select include marker, slide map so marker in correct position,  copy text
in box https://www........., paste in email. On arrival of email, clicking
on link will display same map area at same scale with same marker. Use it
to share locations of burial grounds, churches etc.

To print a copy of the screen, without using save screen shot, use share
icon again. for full screen select download as .png or .jpeg or .pdg  or
.svg format. For partial screen  select set custom dimensions and drag
window to required area. map.png file will appear in download folder.

To see how a bus stop, graveyard or any other feature has been described
and tagged on either Standard or Cycle or Transport map. Zoom well in on
required feature and select map data. After all feature have gone blue,
click on blue line of feature. details will appear in box on left. REMEMBER
to switch off map data before moving map.

For route choices: select bent arrow icon beside search box.

To view mapped boundaries that enclose a chosen point: A splendid and
powerful feature rarely seen in other mapping apps.  Zoom well in to the
point of interest, select ? icon on the right, (query features), if it
remains black zoom in further, click on an empty space on the map, not on a
line. After a short pause a list will be displayed of all relevant drawn
boundaries with a link for each. Click on link of your interest to display
that boundary on the map.

Cycle map layer: Shows different types of cycle lanes, Bicycle repair
shops, Bars to lock bicycles to and whether they are covered. Roadside
pumps and drinking stations. Roadside local authority tyre pumps and
spanner sets.

Transport layer: Llike the rest it is incomplete, shows bus routes, bus
stops with ref no. routes numbers, whether it has a bench or a shelter and
dimpled pavement markings. Also Luas, Dart, railways and some Bord na mona
rail lines.

Different web page: histosm.org shows various historical and archaeological
features, perhaps 6,000 in Ireland, list of types and numbers displayed on
screen varies as you zoom in or out. Clicking on a marker will display
further details.

Different web page: townlands.ie Lists some 61,000 townlands, 2,500 civil
Parishes, as well as baronies and DEDs, with about 67,000 individual maps.
Search by using search box or by drilling down by County, by  ed/ded, by
civil parish to townland. Lists neighbouring townlands in case some
relative was buried over the border from where they lived. 122,000 direct
links by townland to 1901 and 1911 Census pages in the National archives.
Data for those boundaries can be downloaded in a variety of formats for
further use. No payment required but attribution to townlands.ie and to
openstreetmap contributorsis a MUST DO.

Different web pages: maps.openstreetmap.ie and
maps.openstreetmap.ie.oocmaps are under reconstruction by a volunteer at
present. These have  various overlays of all-Ireland historic maps and
boundaries