Import Guide Lines
Actually the import guidelines,
along with the Automated Edits code of conduct, should be followed
when importing data into the open street map as they embody many
lessons learned throughout the history of Open Street Map. Imports should be
planned and executed with more care and sensitivity than other edits, because
poor imports can have significant impacts on both existing data and local
mapping community. The Data Working Group is tasked by the OSMF to
detect and stop imports that do not comply with guidelines. So, not following
these guidelines may put your account at risk of being blocked.
Imports
should not be seen as an alternative to building the mapping community,
running mapping parties and generating publicity to engage with more
contributors. Of course, all of this is open to discussion, such as on the imports mailing
list and this discussion page.
Process
If you think your
city/county/state/country government, a non-profit, or some other organization
or person has great data that could be used to improve the quality of Open Street
Map, here's what you need to know, starting with a quick overview of the
process. Most of these areas are expanded in further sections of this page and
on related pages.
Step 1 - Prerequisites
1. Gain familiarity with the basics of
Open Street Map, including editing, such as adding details of your neighborhood.
2. Review what can go wrong with
imports.
3. Identify data you'd like to import.
This might be street centerlines, building outlines, waterways, addresses, etc
and the data license requirements.
Step 2 - Community Buy-in
a) It is recommended that before any
actual work is performed on the import that contact is made with the community
to see if there is interest in importing the data. Different geographic areas
in OSM have different acceptance levels for imports. The exact same kind of
data set might be welcomed in one area and be rejected in another.
b) Discuss your plan. Email the OSM
community to notify them of your plans, including a link to your wiki page. You
can do this with an email to (at a minimum) imports@openstreetmap.org,
talk-(your country)@openstreetmap.org, and the OSM group specific to the area
directly impacted by the import (note that you must join the lists at https://lists.openstreetmap.org/ before
mailing to them). This will help gain the benefit of past experiences, which
may include having already reviewed the data you're considering for import.
Check for local user groups, local chapters, and country-specific
mailing lists.
c) Be prepared to answer questions from
the community. Discuss with the community the suitability of each layer for
importing. Some data can be readily imported without much difficulty, while
others are far more difficult (e.g. street centerlines). Also some are broadly
accepted for import, while others haven't had much consensus (e.g. parcel
boundaries).
d) More complex and large-scale imports
should be reviewed with the assistance of more technically-oriented and
experienced OSM volunteers.
e) You must not import the
data without local buy-in.
Step 3 - License approval
1. You must obtain proper
permissions and licenses to use the data in OSM from the data owner. If the
license of the data is not compatible with the Open Street Map Open
Database License, you cannot use the data. Many localities already have
progressive open data policies. Others have data policies that are almost open,
but have conflicts with issues like prohibitions on commercial use or
requirements for attribution. Sometimes, getting permission to use data, even
if the existing license might seem prohibitive, is as simple as asking the
appropriate authority if they are willing to comply with the terms of the Open Street
Map Open Database License. See Import/Getting Permission for
example emails that touch on important issues. See also ODbL Compatibility for
a quick view of some compatible and incompatible licenses of data to import.
Step 4 - Documentation
1. You must register your
permissions and project by adding a line to the table at Import/Cataloger.
2. You must write a plan for
your import in the OSM wiki. Create a wiki page outlining the details of your
plan. This plan must include information such as plans for how to convert the
data to OSM XML, dividing up the work, how to handle conflation, how to
map GIS attributes to OSM tags, how to potentially simplify any data, how
you plan to divide up the work, revert plans, changeset size policies, and
plans for quality assurance. An example for this can be
found at Import/Plan Outline
3. If required by the data owners,
you must add an acknowledgement to the list of Contributors.
Step 5 - Import Review
1. You must subscribe to
the imports mailing list and post a review of your import
to imports@openstreetmap.org. Don't upload any data until the project has been
reviewed first. Note that the imports-us@openstreetmap.org list (or any other
local imports list) is not considered authoritative, and is not a
substitute for approval from imports@openstreetmap.org.
2. If possible, prepare the data and
make it available for review.
Step 6 - Uploading
1. Follow your plan.
2. Track your progress.
3. Provide updates to the community on
your efforts.
4. Let everyone know when you're done.
5.
You must use
a dedicated user account.
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