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Anyone know how to import KML files into OpenStreetMap?

asked 17 Aug '11, 22:06

br55's gravatar image

br55
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You can't import KML files directly into OpenStreetMap, but you can probably trace over them in one of the editors available. Merkaartor can open KML files directly, and if you convert the file to GPX JOSM can display it.

Even if you do convert your KML file to GPX, you won't be able to upload it to OpenStreetMap's traces, since it won't contain time stamps. This is done deliberately so that only traces gathered using a GPS receiver, rather than traced from an existing map, can be used as source material. Information traced from existing maps will be derived from those maps and carry their copyright, making them unsuitable to use as a source for OpenStreetMap.

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answered 17 Aug '11, 22:46

Jonathan%20Bennett's gravatar image

Jonathan Ben...
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edited 17 Aug '11, 23:08

Merkaartor seems to only import points, not paths?

(19 Oct '22, 03:49) brightj

You can also convert it with gpsbabel adding fake time:

#!/bin/bash
for file in *.kml; do 
  gpsbabel -i kml -f "$file" -x track,faketime=20120901000001 -o gpx -F "${file}.gpx"
done
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answered 24 Oct '12, 19:01

int_ua's gravatar image

int_ua
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edited 24 Oct '12, 19:02

You can load a KML file as a vector background layer in Potlatch and then choose which features from it to merge into the main layer. There is more information in the wiki.

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answered 02 Oct '12, 21:29

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TomH ♦♦
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accept rate: 20%

This works with Potlatch 3. It works with both paths and points. It doesn't seem to import labels of the objects, though?

(19 Oct '22, 03:58) brightj

How can one keep some attributes of the KML file when bringing them into openstreetmap? I want to bring in some bus stop data for example, and I'd like to keep the stop names with each stop without retyping them.

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answered 04 Dec '12, 20:26

Nate_Wessel's gravatar image

Nate_Wessel
261
accept rate: 0%

I've had some luck with this site, which provides several conversion capabilities.

http://www.gpsies.com/convert.do

If anybody has any warnings about this source, please speak up.

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answered 03 Oct '12, 02:37

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metricrider
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question asked: 17 Aug '11, 22:06

question was seen: 78,967 times

last updated: 19 Oct '22, 04:09

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