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Is it OK to combine my various trips (recorded using a Garmin Nuvi 1300) into one big trace and upload that file?

My time is limited and it is easier to save and upload one file than to save and upload multiple files. For instance, I could take all of my trips from one month -- whether in the city or in the countryside, whether driving or walking -- save them as one file and upload it. Would that be a complete waste of time and storage? Is it helpful at all? Maybe given how OpenStreetMap works it doesn't matter if the info is in one file or many

The reason I ask is that my time is limited. The easier it is for me, the more I will upload. One big file is easy. One file per trip, leg, or day is not as easy. For instance I just came back from a trip to Germany, Denmark and Sweden which included driving, walking and riding boats, buses and trains. I could easily take all the info, combine it and upload it with some brief description. However, to upload each individual day or leg would take too much time, especially if I have to split walking from driving from riding the train, bus and boat.

Of course Germany, Denmark and Sweden are well mapped and so I am not so worried about those areas as I am about less developed areas like rural Philippines.

asked 14 Jul '14, 15:12

Bruce%20in%20Iloilo's gravatar image

Bruce in Iloilo
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accept rate: 0%

edited 14 Jul '14, 15:19

You can upload zip files, I believe - that might be what you're looking for.

(14 Jul '14, 15:34) SomeoneElse ♦

Bruce are you able to examine your traces after an upload and make some corrections after a week or so ? Wouldn’t an upload day by day, make things easier despite the limited amount time? Or even stack them in your PC and add them later without the pressure of time ? But thoroughly controlled and corrected.

(14 Jul '14, 16:05) Hendrikklaas

So it sounds like one big file that combines a variety of transportation methods and hundreds of kilometers is both OK and useful.

In fact, from the comments and my very, very limited knowledge, I guess that it makes no difference whatsoever whether I upload the info as one big file or multiple files. I guess that OSM's program just converts the one big file into the individual points that are displayed on whichever tile or part of the map the editor is looking at. It doesn't matter that the traces continues beyond that area or that the traces combine walking, driving and riding a train.

It is not the time it takes to upload (though given internet speeds and electricity reliability that can sometimes be an issue). It is my time preparing and uploading the data. It is quicker and easier just to dump all the undifferentiated information into one file and upload it. I spend less time at my computer sending one file than I do sending multiple files, one for each individual trip. Therefore whether it is zipped or not is not an issue.

That being said it is good to know that I can upload a zip file as well as the raw gpx file.

(15 Jul '14, 06:04) Bruce in Iloilo

In short: yes, you can. Like SomeoneElse suggested zip them to save upload time.
I do so, too since I just don't have the time to go through hundreds or thousands of km of gpx logs and weed them out. Mapping all the collected data takes enough time already.

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answered 14 Jul '14, 17:19

malenki's gravatar image

malenki
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accept rate: 6%

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question asked: 14 Jul '14, 15:12

question was seen: 6,903 times

last updated: 15 Jul '14, 07:18

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