GSoC2012ProjectsOnDemandTransformationOfOSMDataProposal

Description

Open Street Map (OSM) is a valuable and free source of geographical data backed by a large number of volunteers mapping the world. However, the usage of this data is not trivial. The central website offers only a 'raw' data format. GIS systems have their own dataformats. An on-demand transformation step is missing which can be filled by (interoperable) Web Services such as the 52°North Web Processing Service (WPS).

The primary goal of the project is to convert OSM data from its raw form (*.osm, *.xml files) into a usable internal representation used by WPS, such that the data may be easily exportable into GIS formats. It is suggested that a FeatureCollection (from Java-based GeoTools) representation would probably be best for this project.

This project will be divided into three main components:

• User Interface component - this is a visual component where the user can select a portion of a map that he/she intends to convert between formats
• Data Preprocessing component - this is a backend/systems component which is in charge of taking an OSM data file and converting it into an internal representation understandable by WPS
• Data Postprocessing component - this is a backend/systems component which is in charge of taking the features selected by the user, doing any sanity checks/processing, then performing the final conversion into a GIS format specified by the user

The final product from this project is intended to be a plugin for WPS with the three discrete components as mentioned above, designed/organized in such a way that it will be easy to migrate this into the core WPS should 52°North wish this to be a core feature.

The input format will be any valid OSM files, which are primarily XML-based but may also be PBF-based. Such files may involve data for the entire planet, or discrete regions; the plugin should be able to handle both sizes. While the primary focus of the project will be to translate the OSM/XML data into a usable format understandable by the WPS, investigation of the conversion of the PBF file format may be a possibility as time permits.

The two main output formats that are desired for the conversion process are: Shapefiles and GML files.

Current Status/Progress

Project submission phase

Feedback/Discussion/Comments

Development details

TODO

Original Proposal

Timeline

• April 24 - April 30 - Learn how to use GeoTools API
• May 1 - May 14 - Set up local development version of 52°North WPS, and examine WPS documentation
  Examine plugin system and possibly write sample dummy plugin and test within WPS
• May 15 - May 21 - Discuss mockup/layout for the User Interface component
• May 21 - Coding starts for GSoC 2012
• May 21 - May 28 - Initial mockup of each component
  Preliminary specifications for each component drafted
  Preliminary specifications for overall project drafted
• May 28 - June 18 - Data Preprocessing phase
• June 18 - July 16 - User Interface phase
• July 13 - Midterm evaluations deadline
• July 16 - July 23 - Data Postprocessing phase
• July 23 - July 30 - Break (DEFCON)
• July 30 - August 6 - Data Postprocessing phase (cont.)
• August 6 - Preliminary Project Completion deadline
• August 6 - August 20 - Testing/Documentation phase
• August 20 - Coding stops for GSoC 2012

Milestones

• May 21 - Preliminary UI design/mockup completed
• May 28 - Preliminary specifications created; component blocks created to satisfy unit tests
• June 18 - Data Preprocessing component complete (blog post)
• July 16 - User Interface component complete (blog post)
• August 6 - Data Postprocessing component complete (blog post)
• August 13 - Project complete
• August 20 - Testing/Documentation complete

Metadata

• Topic created by: SarahHarvey
• Topic created on: 2012-08-24

• osmtransform ui workflow:
  

• osmtransform ui mockup:
  

• osmtransform ui mockup rough (small):