How do I import an official conservation boundary without timestamps?

Help and support
1

I am (with permission) importing the boundary description of a local conservation area. To do this, I converted an ESRI shapefile to GPX, but I can’t upload this to OSM because the original boundary description does not contain any timestamps. Is there an accepted/common way to deal with this situation? It seems like this would be a common issue, but I couldn’t find an answer searching the forums.

2

Hi.

You should check Import/Guidelines - OpenStreetMap Wiki first.

Then, you don’t want to upload those boundaries as GPX. The GPX database of openstreetmap is meant exclusively for tracks, from survey.

You can overlay your data in JOSM for example, and then you’ll need to create the boundaries as relation, probably sharing members with other boundary relations, in the OSM database proper.

The specifics are quite dependent on the local community habits, that’s why following the Import Guidelines is really important.

Regards.

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3

Concur with @utilisateur about following import guidelines.

That said, if you are using the JOSM editor there is an Open Data plug in that allows you to import your shape file as a separate layer. From there you have a number of options depending on what data is already in OSM and the procedures you find comfortable when editing OSM.

If there is nothing already in the area that need conflagration with the conservation area (easiest condition), you can simply copy the area from the shape file layer to the OSM layer then change all the tags to match OSM conventions. If an older or incorrect version already exists in OSM then you will want to do a “replace geometry” operation which will maintain history. If there are other boundaries that interact in anyway with the conservation area then you will need to manually deal with those too.

1 Like
4

Thank you very much, especially for the pointer to the guidelines.

I currently use the Potlatch editor, but will try again to get JOSM working on my system.

5

In my case there is no existing version of the boundary in OSM, though this new boundary will share some segments with an existing and adjacent conservation area.

Thanks for the plug-in tip. Once I get JOSM working, I’ll try it.