[OSM-talk] Area tags in Overpass API

[Tobias Knerr]

On 24.03.2013 17:01, Martin Raifer wrote:
> The wiki (and thus also taginfo) has information about where a tag can
> be used on, but not whether the tag defines an area or not. See the
> following examples:
> 
> * natural=cliff has onWay=true and onArea=true and defines a way as an
> area, if the way forms a closed loop.
> * name=* also has onWay=true and onArea=true, but does not define any
> way as an area.
> * highway=* has onArea=false, but if combined with area=yes (or any
> other area-defining tag) the way is still an area.

Well, the first example is the one that contradicts my expectations. I
assumed the general rule was that only area-only tags (including
area=yes) can turn a closed way into an area.

I did not know that there were actually features that can be linear, but
where a closed way nevertheless represents an area by default and you
need an area=no if you want it to be linear. If that is accepted
practice, though, then the wiki does indeed not have enough data to make
the distinction.

Tobias