[OSM-talk] Graphical generation of Garmin maps from OSM data

[Jochen Topf]

On Wed, Dec 20, 2006 at 03:05:21PM +0000, Nick Whitelegg wrote:
> To: talk at openstreetmap.org
> From: Nick Whitelegg <Nick.Whitelegg at solent.ac.uk>
> Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2006 15:05:21 +0000
> Subject: [OSM-talk] Graphical generation of Garmin maps from OSM data
> 
> Been thinking about building further on the osmgarminmap XSLT 
> transformations and using them to develop some sort of GUI tool for 
> generating .img files from OSM data. Such a GUI tool would aim to have a 
> WYSIWYG interface where you can preview what the map would look like on 
> the GPS before actually uploading it.
> 
> I can see two ways of doing this:
> 
> 1. A standalone tool which downloads data from OSM, allows the user to 
> configure the look and feel of the map, then upload the map to the GPS.
> Advantages: could all be done in one step; Windows users would not even 
> need cgpsmapper and sendmap as these are available as a DLL which could 
> just be linked in.
> 
> Disadvantages: there is the need to download a standalone tool.
> 
> 
> 2. A web based approach; user views an area on OSM then selects "prepare 
> Garmin map". Some sort of AJAX interface could then be used to configure 
> the map visually before uploading to the Garmin.
> 
> Pros: mostly done through the web. My Freemap server already has the 
> cgpsmapper binary installed allowing generation of .img files (I asked the 
> cgpsmapper guy about whether that was ok and he said it was fine for non 
> commercial use); Freemap could act as a proxy, grabbing OSM data under my 
> login name.

I just asked the cgpsmapper guy the same question. If you had written
your email an hour earlier...

I am not sure about the legal side here because OSM maps can be used
commercially even if you (or whoever would run the web service) doesn't
do it commercially. So I want to be really sure the cGPSmapper guy
understands what he is getting into.

On the other hand it might be an option to buy a commercial license
of cGPSmapper for this web service. We would only have to do it once.

> Cons: user would still need to download sendmap to actually send the .img 
> to the device.
> 
> Any thoughts on these options?

Whatever we do, the user has to download something, either the
application or sendmap. So that doesn't change anything. But it would be
more effort to write a Windows/Mac/Linux application than to do it as a
web service. Especially when you think of all the upgrade issues.

So I would definitely go with the web service. In fact I could imagine
the main OSM slippy map having a button which says: "Download this map
for your Garmin". When you click on that it will send you to your web
service where you can either just use the default settings and click on
the download button or you can change some settings before doing that.

I am not sure about the options stuff. XSL transformations are slow. And
cGPSmapper also needs some time. So I'd prefer we had preconverted stuff
which we only have to send out. Maybe we can do both. Prerenderd maps
for the usual options and if you have special needs you'll have to wait
for the map to get converted.

Jochen
-- 
Jochen Topf  jochen at remote.org  http://www.remote.org/jochen/  +49-721-388298