[OSM-talk] Thoughts about Map Features and Maplint

[Ed Loach]

> ... from which Map Features could be auto-generated because we
> don't
> want to maintain the information in two places.

I agree entirely. Maintaining the information in two places would be
OTT (over the top, in case this is a UK specific phrase: too much,
unnecessary, etc). 

But then you'd have complaints on the wiki that those with svn
accounts aren't adding all the new features. 

There is no ideal solution.

I think the choices are that either you maintain the key (as in
important, rather than key related, though there may be overlap)
pages on the wiki in a format which is easily parsable, or you have
a validation XML file which keeps itself distinct from the wiki and
is maintained separately.

I personally feel that having a perl script which generates
validation tests based on the wiki is probably better than a wiki
which relies on other people to replicate those suggestions they
think are valid into the validation tests.

Having said that I've still got on my to-do list some way of
defining a wiki page to allow "numeric keys with optional units"
types. This is partly but not solely based on the "maxspeed=number"
assuming kph existing entry. This isn't the case in reality as
people map what is there (and some think to add the mph, or knots,
or whatever unit). This was compounded by me driving on the A120 out
of Harwich the other day where there are many signs telling European
drivers the km/h equivalent of the mph posted limits which don't
agree with those suggested in our wiki - they round to 5km/h for
example and I was driving to quick to note whether that was always
nearest, or always down, or what. 

Ed