[Openstreetmap] GPS point submission format

[Jono Bacon]

Hi,

> agreed your general method is better than the current one but C and 
> simple program don't really go together ;-)  May I suggest Perl or 
> Python are used for rapid development (and fixing) with excellent 
> portability.  Not that it matters really anyway because my next 
> suggest might lead to several different ways of adding the data via 
> one clean interface
>
This is dependent on who writes it. If the first throught he post is a C 
hacker, it will be a C program.

> I believe this problem is best served with an xml-rpc or soap 
> interface.  The file uploaded can be a simple xml file (so can be 
> debugged by hand and modified using any of the tools available to us)

I agree here. I think XML was designed for this  very purpose. You need 
to be able to collect data like this:

 - Go out with your GPS and a program that will automatically plot the 
information into a usable XML file.

 - When you get back to your computer, you should be able to click on a 
button that will upload the XML file to server where it will be 
processed automatically and added to the database.

 - Alternatively, if you have a net connection while out with the GPS, 
you could automatically drip feed data into the database via a web service.

The key here is simplicity and automation. All of this needs to be 
available in a simple to use client so the layperson can contribute to 
OpenstreetMap.

As for the database type, there does need to be a searchable and usable 
database and the database type is only really of interest to the 
OpenstreetMap hackers as it will ultimately be transformed into an 
accurate graphical map.

    Jono

-- 
Jono Bacon - http://www.jonobacon.org/
Writer / Journalist / Consultant / Developer