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My changeset is still open but I've closed Potlatch 2 which I used to make my edits. Where and how can I change the comment?

I believe it's too easy to make mistakes here. In Potlatch 2, upon the first "Save" I get prompted for a comment but all following edits are added to the same changeset with that same comment. Any further saves don't prompt for a comment so I'm stuck with that first comment which likely wasn't really descriptive. Apparently, I can press "C" but not if I've already closed the session. I can review my history but not edit it, at least not on the web, even if the changeset is still open. Or can I?

asked 13 Apr '13, 14:06

orivo's gravatar image

orivo
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accept rate: 0%

edited 13 Apr '13, 14:22

aseerel4c26's gravatar image

aseerel4c26 ♦
32.6k18248554


As far as I know you cannot (easily) change a changeset comment after it was first saved.

Regarding "C": Nearly - you can hit C to close the current changeset (still open) of the same editor session (without closing Potlatch2 in the meantime). Doing so will ask for a new comment (for a new changeset) when you next hit "save".

If you need to correct (somehow) a comment made while editing an object you can create another changeset with the right comment (and touch the object again to list the changeset in the object's history).

If you would use the offline editor JOSM it is differently: per default a new comment for each save is asked.

See also the previous questions about the same topic:

permanent link

answered 13 Apr '13, 14:21

aseerel4c26's gravatar image

aseerel4c26 ♦
32.6k18248554
accept rate: 18%

edited 13 Apr '13, 14:29

1

I understand (and I've seen those previous questions but they didn't address this specific case). It would be nice if this could be added to the web interface: The ability to edit a comment (and maybe other attributes, too) while the changeset is still open.

(13 Apr '13, 14:42) orivo
1

If you're geeky enough to worry about the correctness of your changeset comments you should probably be using JOSM.

(13 Apr '13, 14:50) Richard ♦
1

Good point. I guess I'm not (and I know now how to do them correctly). I'm just suggesting this to make it easier for new users. In my specific case, I deleted a bunch of buildings. They have recently been torn down (not reflected in the satellite imagery yet). But my comment only says "Added new playground". Anybody who reviews this change may not understand why the buildings were deleted.

(13 Apr '13, 19:08) orivo
1

Changing a changeset comment (closed or not) after it has been uploaded will probably never be implemented, as that would mean changing data that people may already have downloaded. Which would mean either that people must redownload or that they have mismatching data. This is only advisable in extreme cases (for example when "redacting" existing data because of licence issues).

And if even Potlatch's main author suggests JOSM for your usecase, he may be worth listening to :)

(13 Apr '13, 21:33) Vincent de P... ♦

Users might have accidentally included private or wrong information in the comment, hence wish to go back and edit it.

(18 Feb '18, 22:53) jidanni

@jidanni - something that wasn't possible in 2013 when this question was asked but is not is simply to add a comment to the changeset discussion. That's visible in the same places that the changeset comment is, and can be used to provide extra or corrected information.

(18 Feb '18, 23:01) SomeoneElse ♦

@SomeoneElse yes but that would create

Comment 1. Bla, [Embarrassing personal information], Bla

Comment 2. Please don't look at the above Embarrassing personal information.

Whereas it would be more ideal if after the edit there was just

Comment 1. Bla, Bla

Also "just ask staff to remove it for you" might merely deepen the embarrassment.

Indeed the user might end up posting a request for removal to a public request board, increasing exposure...

(18 Feb '18, 23:33) jidanni

@jidanni: if you have accidentally posted private information to a changeset, ask the system administrators to remove it. Of course, this removal could be detected by everyone because our dataset is full open.

(19 Feb '18, 07:31) aseerel4c26 ♦
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question asked: 13 Apr '13, 14:06

question was seen: 10,388 times

last updated: 19 Feb '18, 07:31

NOTICE: help.openstreetmap.org is no longer in use from 1st March 2024. Please use the OpenStreetMap Community Forum