[talk-ph] Tagging suggestion: Use the branch=* tag!

[Eugene Alvin Villar]

If you check out this link maning gave, you can see that it's used
outside the Philippines, too:
http://taginfo.openstreetmap.de/keys/branch#values

I checked out the usages in the UK and they are apparently using it to
tag Underground (subway) branch lines. I have yet to check the usages
in other countries.

I'll try to bring it up to the tagging mailing list. But anyway, I
think we can use it as long as we are consistent. We can always rename
the tag if the international OSM community decides otherwise.


On Wed, Apr 27, 2011 at 2:08 PM, Rally de Leon <ralleon at gmail.com> wrote:
> 'name:branch' is just something I invented. Besides the reasons as I already
> stated earlier (like bunching of similar tag by natural sorting-order of
> josm), I hesitated using plain 'branch' tag earlier because I'm afraid it
> may be reserved for other generic/universal purpose in osm (that I'm not
> aware of and produce conflict later...) and I'm too lazy to do research. :-)
>
> Now it appears no one is using or will be using 'branch' other than the PH's
> definition of a shop's "branch name or code".
>
> ok then, let's adapt 'branch', just rename all name:branch you'll find while
> editing, and let's hope it becomes adapted by osm. :-)
>
> (no problem with garmin map, since we treat both branch & name:branch as
> valid tags in the style filter, until such time we renamed all name:branch
> for consistency).
>
>
> On Wed, Apr 27, 2011 at 12:04 PM, Eugene Alvin Villar <seav80 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> So does everyone agree that we should use "branch" instead of
>> "name:branch" as the key for the tag?
>>
>> (I prefer "branch" because it's faster to type with autocomplete: "br")
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 4:08 PM, maning sambale
>> <emmanuel.sambale at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Nothing on the wiki, but, it used even outside the PH (although more
>> > than half is here in the PH):
>> > http://taginfo.openstreetmap.de/keys/branch#values
>> > http://tagwatch.stoecker.eu/Philippines/En/top_undocumented_keys.html
>> >
>> > On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 3:59 PM, Rally de Leon <ralleon at gmail.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >> ok lang ako with plain branch, it's easier to type.  I have no problem
>> >> typing it on josm editor, since it's autofill, once it detects the
>> >> presence
>> >> of at least one name:branch tag in your work area.
>> >>
>> >> 'name:branch' is just a personal preference because name & name:branch
>> >> shows
>> >> in sequential/alphabetical order on JOSM. It's nicer to look at, and I
>> >> like
>> >> the name-association approach in our other openstreetmap. eg. the way
>> >> we use
>> >> place:ph which appears close to other place tags (i like the fact that
>> >> closely-related-tags tend to bunch together) :-)
>> >>
>> >> anyway, whatever is agreed upon, i'll follow. (what's the approach of
>> >> other
>> >> osm people worldwide or they don't care about the branches?)
>> >>
>> >> On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 3:18 PM, maning sambale
>> >> <emmanuel.sambale at gmail.com>
>> >> wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>> I agree with all your points, perhaps we can start adding the branch
>> >>> tag to all common POIs (jollibee, mcdo, etc.)? But why use the
>> >>> name:branch instead of just the branch tag?
>> >>>
>> >>> Of course, I will follow whatever we agree as a group. ;)
>> >>>
>> >>> On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 3:13 PM, Rally de Leon <ralleon at gmail.com>
>> >>> wrote:
>> >>> >
>> >>> >
>> >>> > On Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 11:14 AM, maning sambale
>> >>> > <emmanuel.sambale at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> +1 for adding the branch tag.
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> @Rally, is there any additional benefit for using the "name:branch"
>> >>> >> key?
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> In the garmin map, it shows as Name - Branch.
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >
>> >>> > For garmin map, the plan is to add "name" + "-" + "name:branch" when
>> >>> > the
>> >>> > map
>> >>> > is compiled, so that it's more convenient to search for a particular
>> >>> > shop
>> >>> > while you're mobile. (need not look at the properties of every poi
>> >>> > on
>> >>> > the
>> >>> > 'search results' to see if you got the correct address). I'm sure
>> >>> > gps
>> >>> > users
>> >>> > know this, and this is the reason why many contributors put the
>> >>> > branch-name
>> >>> > after the shop's name.
>> >>> >
>> >>> > So why separate (if we will combine them altogether again for garmin
>> >>> > map)?,
>> >>> > because others may want to extract all the Jollibee's, Metrobanks,
>> >>> > Mecury
>> >>> > Drugs, 7-Eleven's etc. It's much much easier to filter out a
>> >>> > specific
>> >>> > brand
>> >>> > (for whatever purpose it may serve, eg. market study).
>> >>> >
>> >>> > If in the future, I want all my Shell Stations to have a unique
>> >>> > custom
>> >>> > Icon,
>> >>> > all I have to do is filter out all name=Shell & amenity=fuel on the
>> >>> > style
>> >>> > section. If we encourage contributors to put so many different
>> >>> > name-branch
>> >>> > combinations, we might miss out a few branches in the process.
>