submitted 1 month ago by pr06lefs@lemmy.ml to c/openstreetmap@lemmy.ml

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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/22847797

Osmand doesn't appear to be able to locate street addresses. Like if I input something like "123 4th Street" all it can do is offer some cross streets, which may be miles away from my intended location.

Is there a way to augment it's data so street addresses work? Maybe there's a service I can add?

Similarly, it doesn't know the names of many businesses.

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[-] schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 1 month ago

You can check on openstreetmap.org whether the data is on OSM at all. If it isn't, you can add it yourself, there are many ways to edit OSM and tutorials where you can learn it. The specific documentation for address keys is here: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:addr:*

In general, OsmAnd definitely does support searching for house numbers if they are correctly mapped in OSM. I've done it many times and tried it out just now too. So if it can't find any house numbers in the area you're looking at, that probably means they are just not on the map yet. OSM is and will always be a work in progress.

[-] pr06lefs@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 month ago

Why are people manually inputting addresses instead of periodically updating with something like the national-address-database.

[-] InsertUser@en.osm.town 8 points 1 month ago

@pr06lefs @schnurrito @openstreetmap

Because not everyone lives somewhere where open data exists. Even that map of a single country shows that
~40%(?) of the country is missing the relevant data.

[-] infeeeee@lemm.ee 5 points 1 month ago

And the license maybe not compatible in some states:

Seven (7) Dark purple states may have data that is not in the public domain including: Hawaii, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oregon, South Carolina, and South Dakota.

[-] bbbhltz@beehaw.org 4 points 1 month ago

People are working on it https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Import/United_States_Addresses

[-] schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 month ago

In some places that can be, has been, or is done, in others not, for various reasons including license compatibility, data quality, maintainability (how do you reliably detect whether a data point is already there), etc. There is plenty of information about imports and other automated edits and the rules surrounding them on the OSM wiki.

[-] bbbhltz@beehaw.org 2 points 1 month ago

That means the area where you're looking hasn't been mapped. You or somebody needs to add the street address and businesses.

You can add POIs with Osmand and lots of other software. Everydoor is straightforward for adding businesses.

[-] bbbhltz@beehaw.org 2 points 1 month ago

Here is a street in my town that has house numbers

But one street over, no house numbers!

[-] GravitySpoiled@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 month ago

Nice!

Opportunity for you to map it ☺️

[-] bbbhltz@beehaw.org 3 points 1 month ago

I'll get to it. I can take that street when I walk home from work and do it. I already did 90% of my own street and it is the longest one in my town.

[-] pr06lefs@lemmy.ml -3 points 1 month ago

I wish it was more up front about not having address search capability. Its a waste of time for someone expecting to replace google maps, taking the time to install the app and then it turns out they can't find anything.

[-] bbbhltz@beehaw.org 6 points 1 month ago

OpenStreetMap is community-driven. Sometimes businesses are more up-to-date on OSM than GMaps, sometimes they just don't exist. Someone would need to start mapping the area and maybe start a local group.

When I look up something and don't find it, I add it. When I'm bored I use StreetComplete and EveryDoor and Vespucci to. If I go to a friend's place, they get an address. My work place? They get a fence and a tree.

There is a local group where I live. They do meetups to map the things you wouldn't think need mapping (electrical things, fire hydrants, etc.). The right volunteers can easily create a better map than GMaps... But someone needs to get the ball rolling.

I guess you're heading back to GMaps, though.

[-] pr06lefs@lemmy.ml -1 points 1 month ago

yeah if I'm in my car and I need to go to a place

[-] infeeeee@lemm.ee 3 points 1 month ago

Than you just map it, and next time it will be on the map. On commercial map services it's much harder to do this.

[-] pr06lefs@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago

Oh I just map it without using gmaps? How's that work?

[-] pietervdvn@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago

You are not allowed to use Google Maps for this. Ther is copyright protection on it.

How does it work? You go there and note down the addresses.

[-] pr06lefs@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago

You go there

lol

[-] infeeeee@lemm.ee 3 points 1 month ago

You can use another service to navigate there. And than do your own survey, and add the addresses to osm. You are not allowed to copy from Google, but it's not because of us, but it's in Google's terms of service.

After your initial survey you won't need to use Gmaps again. And if you survey the neighbors, not just your original destination, maybe you can help others in the future.

Also mapping is fun! Try it, you will know better your area.

[-] sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.today 2 points 1 month ago

I prefer Organic Maps these days but I must admit that Magic Earth searches addresses quite well

[-] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 month ago

The way i do it is use gps-coordinates.net and after getting gps coords i put those in osmand

this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2024

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