[OSM-talk] Left and Right - a proposal

[Richard Fairhurst]

Aurelien Jacobs wrote:

> The same way we shouldn't map for renderers, we also shouldn't
> map for editors !
> If editors are somewhat complicated at setting relations,
> the should be improved...

Great - looking forward to your patch! Please use K&R brace style but  
with function declarations braced on the same line, and indent with  
hard tab width of 4, kthx.

>> 2) The generic left-right scheme proposed below.
>>
>> Left/Right Scheme
>> -----------------
>>
>> I propose that it be possible for features to be tagged using a  
>> generic
>> left/right scheme, with left and right being relative to the  
>> direction
>> of the way.
>>
>> So you might have a road way with a node somewhere in the middle with
>> (for example):
>> left:highway=bus_stop
>> right:parking=pay_and_display
>>
>> And a way which forms part of a canal might have (for example):
>> right:mooring=24h
>> left:embankment
>
> How do you specify the distance from the middle of the way ?

I don't see that you need to. It is by definition at the edge of the  
way (canal, road, whatever). If there's a width tag set on the way,  
that gives you the information. If not, well, surely that's the first  
priority.

> How do you render a node which has a right:highway=bus_stop tag and  
> which
> belongs to several ways ? (at an intersection for example)

A bus stop where you have to stand in the middle of a junction to  
catch the bus? This I have to see...

<sticks hand out, gets flattened by car approaching from other  
direction>

> [auto-reversing]
> The problem with this is that as long as an editor without this  
> feature
> is still in use somewhere, it will get us into trouble. (and some  
> people
> tend to use old versions for a long time)

No, that needn't be a problem. The offline editors will all have to  
be upgraded to cope with API 0.6 anyway, with access from old  
versions denied, so this feature could just be introduced at the same  
time. And obviously with Potlatch upgrading isn't an issue.

Gerv, I think it's a good plan.

cheers
Richard