acrosscanadatrails's diary
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Live Broadcasting using OSM on Tinychat.com :)
Hi all,
I've started my work with Across Canada Trails.
Tomorrow (later today) at 3pm PST Tuesday will be the 'Official Launch'
Right now im screen-casting what i am doing (creating the route using mapsource)
I'll be showing people how they can use OSM data to create routes and share them on bikemap and how to donate their tracks.
I'm on a microphone, so when people join in, they are free to ask questions and comment as im working.
I'll use Potlatch/JOSM/Kosmos/Marble Desktop and all the tools available to work with :)
This is my 1st time trying this out, so it's a test run. (pre-launch show)
If anyone is up right now, feel free to join in :)
cheers,
Sam
url http://tinychat.com/acrosscanada
Coordinates:Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:48:47 +0000 in English (English)
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Land Information Onfario - Trails Sample
So i made a little same area of the trials data.
I think i still need to update the big chart.
I have the tags i used posted to my main google docs chart, that's because the list of features is gonna be BIG and un-managable with the wiki.
I just the 'Validator' plugin with helps, as it squaks when something isn't right.
Like duplicate nodes...
I probably need to use the python script.. as now i know how (kind of) to edit it.
...
I put it as highway=path
http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/way/44817089
the 'LIO:surface' tag wasnt' added. In some of the source tags it's listed as 'Grass/Natural' for example. Which is rather ambiguous. So the area needs to be physically surveyed anyway (to get more features)
Coordinates:Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:38:29 +0000 in English (English)
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The Surfing Capital of Canada - Tofino, BC
I did some mapping while up here, ... a little break from the Canada Import conversion fun.
I mapped out some paths to the beaches and added more points in town. The next one around will probably want to draw in outlines of buildings.. but for now the points are in there... so its good.
Added in some bus stops, and main attractions.
There is a new development that has been just finished... i wish i could stay here longer. :( ... i'll leave that for someone else.
I went whale watching, and saw lots of islands, and some that i put in there. (and a few Grey Whales too). Some of the islands were natural=wood right up to where it would be coastline... but there were lots of reefs that all need to get mapped, as well as the buoys that are around to help boaters.
... it would be cool if there was a way that boaters with their GPS's could submit their depth readings and have then posted a nodes with the depth number, as these help give an idea of where water is at.
.. i think thats the idea with the openseamap project.
Oh ya, subject line. With regards to surfing as a sport. Its generally understood that these ideal surging spots do NOT get mapped. So just listing the beach name is (whats physically on the ground).
What's cool is that you can see all the rocks now, and how that help form these beaches, and awesome waves.
Thats all for now,
Sam
Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:52:24 +0000 in English (English)
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added GeoBaseNHN (rivers) in tofino, BC
Cool.. it rendered so FAST...
anyway, from all that UUID discussion... it's listed.
Please let me know if it meets your approval :)
cheers,
Sam
Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:51:26 +0000 in English (English)
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Canada Import Status (CanVec data)
Hi all,
This is long over due. But here we go.
1 - I have the canvec-to-osm data conversion utility script, which is still in beta 'cause there are some more known errors. (spot checks need to be done)
2 - I have converted the data for the tiles for the whole 082 area, and for the 031 area.
So you can download the .zip files and view the .osm files that are included.
3 - If you want to help copy in the data, your welcome to (ideally it's local area mappers who can verify the data) that should be the ones copying in the data.
... just as you should really only be editing your own area where you have actually been. ('cause you know it the best)
If you want editing access, all you need todo is just ask on the talk-ca discussion list, and i'll be happy to add you to the list of editors.
4 - the cities listed are; Ottawa, Montreal, Kingston, Barrie areas
To view that tiles you would like you can use the slippy map on the NRCan site.
http://geogratis.gc.ca/geogratis/en/product/search.do?id=28954 (
And if you have any requests for tiles to be converted, please let me know, and i'll move requests to the front of the que for conversion.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Am70fsptsPF2dG1ZN1YwMmZCVDhDOHZpbUNmOGlvWGc&hl=en
Coordinates:Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:53:29 +0000 in English (English)
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Dear OSM users : trac.openstreetmap.org
http://trac.openstreetmap.org/wiki
re: [OSM-talk] Please
I guess I'm guilty of this too :(
I'm so exited to see new stuff and cool new features added to this site, so i just send off an email to talk@openstreetmap.org about what i'd like to see.
When really, the talk@ discussion should only be used for a 'light' discussion, and to share links of where people can find more information. So for example, if i wanted to make a recommendation, i would do so first by submitting a ticket, then ....
http://trac.openstreetmap.org/ticket/2337
When really, just like any other website, in order for technical things to happen. (Ie. this trac.openstreetmap.org link to be more visible on the home page.) And actual BUG needs to be reported. This way, it's a process where those people who have the technical ability to make it happen can do so.
Since there's only 24 hours in a day, and those programmers DO sleep sometimes, they gotta prioritize their time to deal with 1 issue at a time. This Bug tracker does this, and helps to identify which feature additions to be working on.
(personally) im now becoming a bit of a (basic) programmer, since i created canvec2osm. The conversion script that takes all the Natural Resources Canada data from one dataset 'CanVec', and converts it into OSM format, making it nice and need in a handy folder.
So once i start making the .osm files available, people start complaining about issues. ie. things not tagged correctly, or things not showing up as they should. For me, i can handle it. I just take each bug as it happens and fix it.
The point is, if i was working on the main OSM site, and responding to errors, i would need to work with a talented team, where others know how to fix the problem. So it wont be all me. Then i would need to record in better detail what bugs im fixing, and how i resolved the problem. (and others could respond saying that it was already handled on another ticket, so that ticket would be closed)
So anyway, PLEASE help out the programmers of this site, by filling out bug reports, and searching to see if it was already asked.
I'm just checking the 'RoadMap' section, so then it gives you a feel for what is to be expected for the later versions of this site.
http://trac.openstreetmap.org/roadmap
Happy Mapping,
Cheers,
Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails
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Webfind: [Tool] Compare Google Maps to OpenStreetMap
Just doing a google search to see whats the latest out there, and found this.
http://www.cognitivecombine.com/2009/08/tool-compare-google-maps-to-openstreetmap/
It's cool, 'cause it shows how far we've gone in the details. .. and gives a quick glimps what what else of a 'basic-map' is still needed to be physically surveyed. And it also shows Yahoo maps as an option to view also.
I contacted the author, and just wanted to share it here as i haven't seen it before, and maybe it can be added to the wiki list (if there is one)
Cheers,
Sam
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New Meet-up group for Vancouver Island
I figured it was worth the $ to set it up. As it's all nicely organized.
.... my other aim for that site is that they use OSM as there location map :)
Since my goal is to map Vancouver Island (all of Canada Actually, but i'm starting smaller) i think it'll be helpful to have.
I'll also post it to the wiki. Im not exactly sure how to get a meet-up posted on the wiki list. But i think the main idea for having it on an external site is to that it attracts others who might not be familar with the wiki.
I'll be directly messaging the local area mappers, so its a way to connect.
I'll copy from the other OSM meet-up groups to get a better idea of what to write in the description.
http://www.meetup.com/OpenStreetMap-Vancouver-Island-Mappers/
Any feedback is welcome :)
And oh ya, i added a bit more to the proposed Cycling Trail, it renders nicely as a red dashed line on the opencyclemap :)
Coordinates:Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:41:52 +0000 in English (English)
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Fixing the Nanaimo Area Data Import
Still working on fixing the Nanaimo area data import.
What happened was this.
The data was imported, however it was imported in correctly, as the roads intersect with duplicate nodes.
Also, the data has road names listed in CAPS rather than OSM standard, and didnt have any "attribution=*" tags imported.
Because there is so much other data in the area, and other mappers have been at work fixing up the area. .. it was easier that i just copy over the converted GeoBaseNRN roads, to the area.. then manually delete the roads.
There's only a few thousand, so it's not that much. :)
If anyone wants to help, let me know that we can coordinate efforts. :)
Cheers,
Sam
Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:52:37 +0000 in English (English)
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SOTM - Canada - Ottawa September 27
Hi everyone,
I put up a Google Calendar event for this, as i think it's time for an SOTM for Canada. With so much going on, we need to have some kind of a forum to share and exchange ideas.
Since i haven't been to a SOTM before, i don't know anything about how to set it up. Fortunately, it'll all be free as there are no costs at all for this :) So that's the easy part.
I think that this one will be held with more remote activity, since the users in Canada are 6 time zones across, the country and mappers working all over the world.
So I think that we can use uStream.tv (it wasn't used that much for SOTM - Amsterdam) but could be useful here.. since our power users are remote... I don't think everyone would fly to Ottawa just for it :)
If anyone has ideas,
Please share,
Thanks,
Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails
Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Thu, 06 Aug 2009 22:59:10 +0000 in English (English)
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Added Docside Green Construction area
This area seems to be in permanent construction mode :)
There is TONNES of discussion on the Greater Victoria Cycling coalition discussion list about it. ...
So i'm working on mapping what is PHYSICALLY listed.
The discussion is that the area could be defined as 'recreation' or a 'transportation corridor'
Where both are needed, it seems the city more opts to want to work on the 'Recreation Parks' over the cycling as a transportation.
So anyway, the 'detour route' is actually much better for cyclists. ... if the pavement of TYEE road would be solid filled in with cycle lane markings.
The solution: Everyone uses the same map :)
Cheers,
Sam
Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:36:41 +0000 in English (English)
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Almost 2 million edits!
hi all, just wondering who will be the 2 millionth editor :)?
A big pat on the back for all the 1,999,999 other edits :)
Cheers,
Sam
Current number is 1999573
Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:28:54 +0000 in English (English)Comment on this entry | Reply to this entry | 2 comments
Adding Points from the Big Bus Tour - Victoria
I figured i'd finally take the city bus tour of the city. And learned a few new things while i was at it.
I'm thinking of having it as a route=bus_tour for the relation, any ideas?
Anyway, I also dropped in more canvec data, so you can see lighthouses and piers.
rocks (waterway obstacles) show up on the Garmin, so thats handy for boaters. :)
Next week im hosting a mapping party, so hopefully we can get downtown fully mapped.
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Victoria_mapping_party
That's all for now,
Sam
Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:37:56 +0000 in English (English)
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Added more geobase roads esquimalt
Hi,
I added more roads to the area, and as predicted a few new mappers popped up, so now i just need to be carefull when working, and just work on a small area at a time, then grab the latest, just incase someone else is working at the same time.
Hopefully by the end of the week i should have the GeoBaseNHN sample rivers and water which isn't yet shown, as examples. It's just hard when there is no roads to get a good grasp on the other features. When new mappers look at the area and see all the other features. They would want to put in the roads. (Not knowing that im going to.
So the best bet is to get the road layer in 1st, then get all the trails that i can import. After that it's more OSM - unique POI that gets placed in.
That's all for now,
A litle scatter-brained on this entry, i know :)
Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:59:18 +0000 in English (English)
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Added roads around mill bay shawnigan lake area
I added more roads in the area, so then it would be easier for me to add in the canvec data. So far i just added in the natural=peak's and the parks.
This is still part of the sample area.
Me thinks that it's getting close to launch of the script :)
Cheers,
Sam
Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:40:18 +0000 in English (English)
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Connecting National / Regional / Local / Unofficial paths
Im working on making this cyclemap better for the area im working on.
Im not 100% sure about how i tagged it, i've added in fences and a few dirt paths through the grass, where it would be relatively easy to make it gravel or paved and have it as a cycle route.
This intersection is rather dangerous. .. and confusing to cyclists. ... people dont know that there are great paths through Cuthert Holmes Park, that makes a nice connection to Colquitz Trail system.
The Highway renders a little wide, so i need to fix that, there is actually an embankment from the highway to the cycleway on the south of the trans Canada Highway.
More work for next time. :)
Coordinates:Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:43:58 +0000 in English (English)
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Bringing Back Memories from my 1st cycling trip
Hi All,
I went and mapped out a bit of Sooke, BC built more from what the other mapper did before me.
This was the spot where i 1st started using the GPS, and figuring out how it works ... back before i learned about OSM. .. and the spot where i had a flat and had to walk the bike. ... and lost all the GPS Tracks from those first couple weeks :(
So i remembered all the great things to see and do in town. And now there on the map.
My hopes is that one day the Trans Canada Trail will connect to this town.
For some reason the bike shop didn't render.. hum, gotta investigate.
Once the rest of the stuff gets imported, it'll be easy to see what amenities are left to map, ... things that visitors would want to see. Then i'll go back there and give a printout of the map to the bike shop, for visitors.
That's all for now.
Cheers,
Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails
Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:01:22 +0000 in English (English)
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The Province of Ontario - NRN data is now imported
Wow,
This is awesome, big thanks goes out to SteveS for importing all the data for the Road network..
The area im pointing to is South-Central, Ontario Popular cottage country for the city dwellers.... all who migrate north for the long weekends.
My guess is that we will start seeing more mappers all over, once they find out this is here :) ... Hopefully, i'll get this CanVec data imported so then it will 'clear the trails' for mappers to start listing cycleways and hiking trails. (among other things)
... great for the geocachers out there too :)
Great work!
Coordinates:Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:36:09 +0000 in English (English)
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Mapping Langford, BC
I took a short bus ride to the community of Langford, BC
So while i was there i found that they have a Langford City Trolley Service which takes you all around the town. ... I was planning on mapping the park, but did the whole ride 1st.
I marked alot of the trolley stops. .. but will wait to map out the relation route until after the geobase import of the area. There's lots of other features that will be imported with the CanVec stuff, so that's why it looks a little funny (as i already know what will and will not be imported (off by heart).
I mapped out the trail connection where i was told by a local on the trolley that there was no access to the lake from the south west corder, and it was all private property.... I guess that local hasn't been to the lake in some time :)
i looks like there is alot of construction, and that area will be built up in the next year. So i'll have to be back later.
On the northeast corner, the trail continues... but i didn't have time.
Instead, like an avid mapper. .. I went back on my tracks to make sure everything was tagged right, and to make a cleaner trail more accurate.
I got about 5 meter accuracy for most of it :) Garmin GPSMap60Cx
I've contacted the other local mapper, so they know were i left off and whats next on my list to map, if i dont get back there sooner. :)
Coordinates:Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:30:32 +0000 in English (English)
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Some crazy Guy On a Bike Fixed up Cranbrook, BC
What is this?
Some crazyguyonabike thought it would be cool to take along his GPS and record where all the local area cycleways are and note down what it said on signs, and noted where the Bikeshop; washrooms and shelters are. ... and get this...
decided to actually share this information on the web for everyone to see, and perhaps fix if THEY see errors. Then, as a courtesy, to go ahead and contact me to see if i'm still working on the mapped area.
Good greef :)
Have A super day,
Sam Vekemans
Across Canada Trails
BTW, i still have the rest of the 'wooded areas' and 'waterways' to import, as well as the GeoBase roads. (im keeping the named="0" roads there on purpose)
Coordinates:Posted by acrosscanadatrails at Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:52:05 +0000 in English (English)
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