[OSM-talk] Attribute Editor update

[Christopher Schmidt]

On Mon, Dec 04, 2006 at 05:31:52PM +0000, Robert (Jamie) Munro wrote:
> SteveC wrote:
> > is the code and instructions available?
> 
> Surely the instructions are still the same:
> * Go to http://labs.metacarta.com/osm/
> * Browse the map and go visit somewhere you know (shift drag to make a
> zoom box)
> * If you see a road that doesn't have a name, click on it, and you are
> given the option to edit.
> 
> > * @ 04/12/06 02:08:31 PM crschmidt at metacarta.com wrote:
> >> With feedback from rjmunro, attribute editor has received some updates:
> >>  * always add a 'name' tag, even if one didn't exist before.
> >>  * make 'highway' selection a dropdown, and make it available if 
> >>    it wasn't before.
> >>
> >> You can see the changes at
> >> http://labs.metacarta.com/osm/osm_edit.cgi?way=3996601 , where 3996601
> >> is the ID of the way you wish to edit. And of course, edits are in your
> >> own name, now that you're required to type a username/password for the
> >> edits.
> >>
> >> If you have any feedback as to how you would like to see the mini-client
> >> proceed, please feel free to send it along.
> 
> Once again fantastic work from crschmidt - we need to get his work on
> the main home page. Some more ideas from me:
> 
> Finding roads to edit
> =====================
> * Don't search unless you are zoomed in quite a lot

Is there a zoom level you have in mind? I removed that limitation for
debugging, but it's a single line of code to bring it back. I've set it
to zoom 10 for now.

> * Don't show multiple results - just show the one nearest the click. If
> two are very near, then give an error, let the person click again.
> Giving a list of search results of unknown roads is no use at all
> (unless you can do the next thing)
> * Ideally, highlight the road being edited with a PNG overlay or something.

I probably can't do a png overlay, and vectors in OL are still in
development. The problem with only returning a single result is that way
too often, a rail line creeps into the results for reasons I don't
understand. 

> General Stuff
> =============
> * Populate your Mapnik database automatically when an update is made as
> well as the master backend, and then do your "don't use cached" thing to
> make the changes instant.

Yep, that's on my todo list for next weekend.

> * Remember this is the interface for people who live there and don't
> have any technical skills, or a GPS or anything. Hide all but the name
> and highway tags unless the user clicks on advanced or something. Don't
> baffle the user with thing like "Way id 2130940892439842". You and me
> know what that means. To the average user it means "This is too
> technical for me - I can't possibly put the name of my street here - it
> might break".

For the 'normal user', should it show the existing tags, but not the
interface to create new ones? Or should it only show name/highway tags?

> * Perhaps once someone has clicked on a way, they might want to report a
> problem for an experienced editor to sort out, rather than name it -
> e.g. this road (i.e. way) is too long - part has one name and part has
> another, or it's missing a side road or whatever. Some sort of add a
> note feature would be useful. Ideally we need somewhere else a system
> for experienced editors to find and fix these at random, preferably
> e-mailing the reporter back to ask if that's an improvement.

This sounds like the OSMNotes system that Nick is building, so I'll wait
until we come up with a way that this should be done in general before I
go ahead and implement anything.

Regards
-- 
Christopher Schmidt
MetaCarta