LoMaps + MapsForge V4

[karlchick]

@voldapet

Thank you for raising the PR.

Regarding: Point 5

John's JohnThorn maps are raster maps, so there is no theming possible within the LocusMap app...

the OAM maps now include (for UK maps) an additional tag:

<!-- OS_OpenData -->
<osm-tag key='os_open_data' value='crags' zoom-appear='13' />

which renders the OS crag data, so from a theme point of view it is very simple to include... but of course there (presumably) was some considerable scripting effort for the map generation to merge in the OS open data.

Attached is an example of using OAM maps before and after OS crags were included.

[voldapet]

@karlchick

JohnThorn Maps are standard Mapsforge Vector maps (in V3 version I think). So I think it might be possible to create a good map with "GB/OS  style".

We are planning a gradual improvement of LoMaps and I can agree that it might be useful to add some non-OSM data, but there is no precise plan at the moment.
 

[karlchick]

@karlchick
Point 4
- the LoMaps V3 was generated as 512x512 tiles and zoom or area is really "shifted" in comparison of 256x256 V4 tiles. There were minor changes in `zoom-appear` attribute for some elements. But it was mainly for zoom-levels 9 - 10 (I think). Do you have some specific requests to change the zoom-appear for certain elements?

Point 7, re:Point 4
In OAM most of the natural land features (that can cover large areas) appear from zoom level 12, but in LoMap v4 these are appearing at later zoom levels:

From Z13: beach, cliff, desert, fell, heath, marsh, scree, shingle, valley

From Z14: barerock, earthbank, grassland, sand, rock, wetland

Can these appear from Z12? In fact OAM has sand appear from Z10.

At the moment the map goes very bare when zooming out from Z13/Z14 compared to OAM, see attached.



...and few more requests...

Point 8
Can we include "surface" tag for "highway" and "natural" elements?
I think only tracktype is included, but often only "surface" is set in osm. Being able to differentiate sealed surfaces is very useful to many map users (e.g. using pushchairs, cycles, wheelchairs).


Point 9
Is it possible to include 10m contours? And make contours appear earlier too? E.g. major from Z9, medium from Z10,  minor from Z12.  See attached for comparison of LoMap v4 with OAM at Z12.


Point 10
Can we have "peak_dist" available, this allows the theme to bring peaks into view in sensible order and avoid cluttered view, also to have text size varying based on peaks significance, see attached example, note how LoMap v4 map has all peaks same size font. Note that peak_dist values need to override the default peak appear zoom levels to introduce peaks gradually from Z9 to Z12, see OAM tagmapping file as an example.

[karlchick]

Point 11
I'm missing a lot of tidal mud areas around some of the British coastline, see attached comparison of OAM vs LoMap v4.

OAM have mapped natural=mud + tidal=yes to be treated the same as wetland=tidalflat.

Can something be done to include mud+tidal in LoMap v4 maps? E.g. treat as wetland=tidalflat, or include natural=mud + tidal=yes...

[john_percy]

1. The latest beta (4.15.1.2_1097) downloads but won't install for me. Do I need a gold or silver subscription?
EDIT: Aha! The latest "normal" version which I have installed is a higher version number.
2. What advantages will these latest maps have over OAM ones, particularly if you collaborate in unifying tag mapping etc.?

Sent from my moto g(6) plus using Tapatalk

[karlchick]

Point 12
Since my theme for v4 is currently targeting OAM I am naturally comparing how OAM abd LoMap v4 maps differ.

I've just remembered that landuse for residential areas is very different in Lomaps, which provides "lm_landuse". This tag uses its own method to establish residential areas, but this results in rather approximate areas, see attached which compares building up residential area using various landuse values (RED) in OAM vs using lm_landuse in LoMap (BLUE).

Can we have the missing landuse=residential tag value?

[karlchick]

Point 13
I have also noticed that LoMaps draws the coastline differently, sometimes pruning parts of the land off. Perhaps LoMap coastline is using some method similar to residential landuse?

The result seems less accurate.

See attached example, bottom is OSM, left is OAM, right is LoMap.

[karlchick]

2. What advantages will these latest maps have over OAM ones, particularly if you collaborate in unifying tag mapping etc.?

For me, I see the advantage that LoMap will have over OAM is they will include different tags, e.g. designation (PROW at last!), building=cathedral, horse, and (to be checked, but hopefully) a carry over of the combined network names when they follow the same sections of ways.

[karlchick]

@karlchick
Point 1
- make sense, added
BTW: are there any standard symbols or styles that indicate designation in the UK maps?

Point 2
- added but I'm not sure if tags access_land, public_cycleway, green_lane will be used ...

@voldapet
@Menion
Much appreciate you adding these requests to LoMaps, especially points #1 and #2, when can we expect an updated set of maps with these additions included?

[john_percy]

As far as I can tell none of the hiking trails in England that were present in the previous version are showing up in the new map of England with the beta using either the internal theme or the available theme.xml downloaded from GitHub.




POSTSCRIPT: It seems to be connected with routes which have neither osmc nor sac_scale. Changing line 1246 to test for sac_scale=hiking|~ makes some routes show.

[karlchick]

Point 14
By overlaying LoMap over OAM map I noticed a missing building=sports_centre, see attached.

Link to osm item: https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=18/51.74991/-2.22494

[voldapet]

@karlchick

Point 1 /2
Updated maps (with additions in tag-mapping file) should be available in second half og April

Point 7
I always wooried to add not neccesary data into lower zoom because the size of meta tiles and speed of rendering. But
- I agree that that cliff, valley could appear in zl10
- I'm still not convinced that the rest should be available from zl12 but it has minor effect, so added

Point 8
Do you want to render a surface type in the map? Or you want to use a surface as fallback if tracktype isn't defined? What surface type you'd required? https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:surface

Point 9
I'm sorry, but are you really sure that the contours in <Z12 have any practical benefit for hikers/bikers?

Point 10
That's a great feature. Honestly, I didn't even know it is available in OAM. I have already discussed some peak priority with one of my colleagues a few months ago and we definitely like it. We'll add it to our TODO list of further improvements.

Point 11
I see. I added `tidal=yes` and `natural=mud`

Point 12
The `lm_landuse` item should contain a combination of the original `landuse=residential` and the custom areas generated from the building location. IIRC, there is a logic where small areas are removed from the dataset. Frankly, I would prefer to avoid adding `landuse=residential` because of duplication of data. I'll check (later) the simplification factor and also the filtration of small areas...

Point 13
It's very likely caused by old coastline data. It should be improved in the next version of LoMaps...

Point 14
Thank you. Buildings reviewed and some missing are added

Current changes available as https://github.com/asamm/lomaps-mapsforge/pull/4/files

@john_percy
Thank you! It seems that the new theme displays only routes with the defined `osmc:symbol` tag and there is no fallback for IWN, RWN, etc without `osmc:symbol`. I'll improve it

[karlchick]

@karlchick
Point 8
Do you want to render a surface type in the map? Or you want to use a surface as fallback if tracktype isn't defined? What surface type you'd required? https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:surface

Point 9
I'm sorry, but are you really sure that the contours in <Z12 have any practical benefit for hikers/bikers?

Point 12
The `lm_landuse` item should contain a combination of the original `landuse=residential` and the custom areas generated from the building location. IIRC, there is a logic where small areas are removed from the dataset. Frankly, I would prefer to avoid adding `landuse=residential` because of duplication of data. I'll check (later) the simplification factor and also the filtration of small areas...

Point 8
If you want to align with OAM surfaces, that would make our lives as theme creators alot simpler, here are the OAM tag mapping settings:

<osm-tag key='surface' value='paved' equivalent-values='hard' renderable='false' zoom-appear='8' />
<osm-tag key='surface' value='asphalt' equivalent-values='concrete,cement,metal_grid,brick,chipseal,interlock,plastic,granite' renderable='false' zoom-appear='8' />
<osm-tag key='surface' value='compacted' equivalent-values='fine_gravel' renderable='false' zoom-appear='8' />
<osm-tag key='surface' value='smooth_paved' equivalent-values='concrete:plates,concrete:lanes,paving_stones,paving_stones:30,paving_stones:20,bricks,cement,metal,wood' renderable='false' zoom-appear='8' />
<osm-tag key='surface' value='rough_paved' equivalent-values='unhewn_cobblestone,cobblestone,stone,grass_paver,cobblestone:flattened,sett' renderable='false' zoom-appear='8' />
<osm-tag key='surface' value='gravel' equivalent-values='pebblestone,woodchips' renderable='false' zoom-appear='8' />
<osm-tag key='surface' value='raw' equivalent-values='ground,dirt,grass,sand,earth,mud,clay,saltrock,stone,dirt/sand,soil,trail' renderable='false' zoom-appear='8' />
<osm-tag key='surface' value='winter' equivalent-values='ice,snow' renderable='false' />
<osm-tag key='surface' value='unpaved' equivalent-values='unpaved_minor' renderable='false' zoom-appear='8' />

Point 9
I think having the major and then major and medium gradually introduced earlier provides the following benefits:
  1. You can visualise the landscape over a wider area, see how hills/mountains lie with respect to other landscape features like  lakes and roads etc.
  2. The map doesn't suddenly become very blank.
I can understand how this might have been desirable with older phones with limited resources, but most modern phones now easily cope with this in OAM maps.

Point 12
I dispute that landuse=residential is duplication, the lm_landuse tag is not the same ways/shapes. I really would prefer to use landuse=residential instead of lm_landuse since it matches OSM and also matches the other corresponding OSm tagged ways, e.g. schools, grass, parking etc. I find that lm_landuse=residential often cuts across a lot of other ways, or is completely missing for large parts of villages, or includes areas that are not residential.  E.g. see attached which compares LoMap and OAM residential areas (beige areas).

[karlchick]

Point 8
Something else about surface tags, in OAM they are also provided for the above surface mappings for several other types of ways, like natural=beach/desert/wetland/sand. Making it possible to render pebble beaches and gravel banks differently.

[john_percy]

@voldapet
Looking at hiking and foot networks on the England map, it seems to me that the names and/or refs for foot routes are missing, unlike for hiking routes. I don't think it's just a v4 problem, and I don't think it's due to the theme.