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New mapper here, currently just playing around with maps of my neighborhood. Am having difficulty understanding when it's appropriate to add tags directly to a feature, and when to add a separate point (and/or tags) to the feature. I've done some reading and watched some videos, but am still unsure. Any help would be appreciated!

ETA: Is it necessary to create a point for an address of a building, or should that info be included on the feature instead?

asked 01 May '15, 15:19

GoGayleGo's gravatar image

GoGayleGo
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accept rate: 0%

edited 01 May '15, 15:25

2
(01 May '15, 17:40) neuhausr

I am also new and have seen it done both ways. The wiki page http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Addresses also states that it can be done either way.

I would think that consistency within a local geographic area will be the better policy. Looking at the changesets (assuming you are using a consistent username) attributed to you both styles seem to be being used in the area of Baltimore you are mapping.

It appears that previous mappers in your area have adopted a style of assigning single values to the ways of buildings where there is one housenumber per building and to nodes where there are multiple housenumbers per building.

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answered 01 May '15, 15:45

Ashley%20Laurens's gravatar image

Ashley Laurens
260119
accept rate: 40%

Thanks Ashley!

Yes, I'm using a consistent username, and have only done a few changes thus far (I'd like to do more, but became paranoid that I wasn't doing things correctly). I think I may have added nodes to some buildings I "shouldn't" have, which is why I've stopped to ask the question. I also wondered about using nodes when multiple housenumbers per building are at play, so thanks for addressing that too.

(01 May '15, 15:55) GoGayleGo
1

Ok. Had another look at the Arbutus Fire Station I see you've updated a couple of times. I do see a problem in that you are 'double documenting' by having data in the feature (i.e. in way http://www.openstreetmap.org/way/174393132) and in a node created just to hold data (i.e. node http://www.openstreetmap.org/node/3485419135). In a case like this where there is an existing feature, which contains some data you could have just added the address data to the feature as additional tags or you could do what you did and add a node. Doing both should be avoided because of redundancy issues.

(01 May '15, 16:12) Ashley Laurens

This is exactly when I realized the problem. I have updated the Fire Station and some restaurants to move the info to the feature, then deleted the node.

(01 May '15, 19:46) GoGayleGo

This is what I do:

If it's a house, I include the address information with the house.

If it's not a house, I include the address information with the business occupying the building.

I never use the address node, it seems like overkill to me, but if it's been mapped with the address node in your area, you may want to use the node so it'll be consistent.

Happy mapping! :)

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answered 01 May '15, 16:04

AmaryllisGardener's gravatar image

AmaryllisGar...
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accept rate: 0%

Thanks Amaryllis! Yes, seemed like overkill to me too.

(01 May '15, 16:08) GoGayleGo
2

I think that if a building has just one address then put the address details in the building. If there are two users (commercial, administrative or otherwise) I put the organisation specific data into a node for that organisation.

An example of how I did it is at http://www.openstreetmap.org/way/341995888 which is our local fire & ambulance station. Here they are run by two organisations but in my town share a building. This does mean that if you search for 110 Bilton Steet (the building's address) you do get 3 results. The building, the fire station and the ambulance station.

(01 May '15, 16:18) Ashley Laurens
1

That sounds good too, Ashley.

(01 May '15, 16:20) AmaryllisGar...

That's the idea--the address can be derived from the building/enclosing area for any POIs inside.

(01 May '15, 17:43) neuhausr
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question asked: 01 May '15, 15:19

question was seen: 3,211 times

last updated: 01 May '15, 19:46

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