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Hi all,

The street names in Accra are changing. The page https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:name suggests that old_name is the right tag to use to preserve the previous name.

Despite the street signs having been changed already, the old names are still widely used. So it makes sense for the old names to remain visible on the map, alongside the new name. For instance, say for the next 5 years, it would be ideal to see

new name (previously old name)

on the map. If this has an "expiration date", the the name might change to "new name" after that.

Any thoughts on how this should be handled?

Thanks! Bjoern

asked 25 Oct '15, 14:22

bjohas's gravatar image

bjohas
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accept rate: 0%


While there is a tag "start_date", this cannot be used for name changes. It is meant for the start of the feature. As long as there is no such tag, you cannot create a map that has the "new name (previously old name)".

Furthermore the current map rendering is only triggered by data changes or style changes, not by times hidden in the data. So it won't work even with a tag indicating the start_date of the new name. Still, such a tag can be useful.

You should still tag the current name in "name" and the previous name in "old_name". Please do not put "new name (previously old name)" in the name tag, as that is NOT the name of the street.

You could propose a tag for the start_date of the current name, but that's about it. What else would you like to do ?

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answered 25 Oct '15, 16:47

escada's gravatar image

escada
19.0k16166302
accept rate: 21%

3

I'd agree that using "new name (previously old name)" in the name field makes no sense. Renders, routers et al that read the "name" field are perfectly capable of reading the "old name" field too. If a particular renderer doesn't do that and you'd like it to, try and influence the people in charge of the renderer. For OSM's "standard" map that's https://github.com/gravitystorm/openstreetmap-carto/issues .

However, creating map tiles (perhaps based on OSM's "standard" map) isn't that difficult these days, and maintaining such a map for one city wouldn't take a huge server. See https://switch2osm.org/serving-tiles/manually-building-a-tile-server-14-04/ for more details.

(25 Oct '15, 19:18) SomeoneElse ♦

Do you know whether nominatim picks up the old name? At least it's discoverable in that way then, even if it doesn't actually render.

(25 Oct '15, 21:15) bjohas

A search for "Callow Park" finds http://www.openstreetmap.org/way/129252704 , so probably.

(25 Oct '15, 23:18) SomeoneElse ♦

according to the development page it does. You find a list of all "names" that are recognized by Nominatim on that page

(26 Oct '15, 04:16) escada

Sounds like old_name is correct to use. Have you considered putting the new names as official_name?

If everyone uses the old name and not the new name for a street, you could make a case for the name tag to be the old name. However you have a problem that the map might look "wrong" for people (since it doesn't have the 'new name'), nor the name "on the ground"

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answered 26 Oct '15, 09:53

rorym's gravatar image

rorym
5.4k1449100
accept rate: 11%

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question asked: 25 Oct '15, 14:22

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last updated: 26 Oct '15, 09:53

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