• Collect data for the area you want to map with this OpenStreetMap book and eBook
• Create your own custom maps to print or use online following our proven tutorials
• Collaborate with other OpenStreetMap contributors to improve the map data
• Learn how OpenStreetMap works and why it's different to other sources of geographical information with this professional guide

Who This Book Is For

This book is the perfect aid for geographic-information professionals interested in using OpenStreetMap in their work and web designers and developers who want to include mapping in their sites, and want a distinctive style. It is for you if you have a need to use maps and geographic data for work or leisure, and want accurate, up-to-date maps showing the information you're interested in, without details you don't need. If you want to use maps for navigation and want more or less detail than traditional printed maps give this book is perfect for you.

What You Will Learn

• Learn how to gather geographic information using inexpensive consumer GPS equipment
• Use digital photography and voice recordings to speed up the surveying process
• Add geographic features to the OpenStreetMap database, using one of three editors
• Check the map data for errors and other problems using various tools
• Collaborate with other mappers working in the same area as you
• Use maps made using OpenStreetMap data on a mobile device
• Create customized maps of any area showing only the features you want
• Import OpenStreetMap data into a traditional Geographic Information System (GIS)

In Detail

Imagine being able to create accurate maps that look how you want them to, and use them on the Web or in print, for free. OpenStreetMap allows exactly that, with no restrictions on how or where you use your maps. OpenStreetMap is perfect for businesses that want to include maps on their website or in publications without paying high fees. With this book in hand you have the power to make, alter, and use this geographical data in a collaborative way from anywhere on the Earth.

OpenStreetMap was started because most maps you think of as free actually have legal or technical restrictions on their use, holding back people from using them in creative, productive, or unexpected ways. This book will allow you to take control of your own maps and use them smoothly. This book introduces the reader to the OpenStreetMap project and shows you how to participate in the project, and make use of the data it provides. No prior knowledge of the project is assumed, and technical details are kept to a minimum.

In this book, you'll learn how easy it is to add your neighborhood to OpenStreetMap using inexpensive GPS equipment, or even no GPS at all. You'll find out how to communicate with other mappers working in the same area, and where to find more information about how to map the world around you.

Once you have your area mapped, you'll learn how to turn this information into maps, whether for use in print or online, large or small, and with the details you want shown. The book describes several rendering methods, each suited to different types of map, and takes you through a tutorial on each one.