I’m trying to produce maps to print in a booklet as a hiking guide.
I have a GPX trace, and I’m using a PDF exported (shared) from OSM as the background layer.
I have a hike that is 160 Km long that I have in GPX format.
In a word, my problem is getting the GPX to show over the OSM background in the PDF export.
The OSM map in PDF format has the advantage of being scalable and therefore consistently zoomable and this is important for me so that my printed maps dpn’t get bitmappy when I zoom in.
So I don’t really want to use anything else than this “OSM PDF”.
I imagine that there is a method for combining the GPX with the OSM map before exporting the PDF.
I have uploaded my GPC trace but I can’t get it to show over the OSM map.
I have a suspicion that I have missed something really simple.
Otherwise, I ask myself, what’s the point of uploading a GPX trace if I can’t get it to display ?
So tell us how you exactly produce your PDF file … via Sharing feature or Export feature on the main site openstreetmap.org ?
Be sure whether that output are only bitmap tiles in one PDF, or is that a PDF with real vector graphic elements?
In the latter case you can try to load that PDF in Inkscape or similar to add another layer there with your GPX file, I suppose.
Do you already know other renderers that can produce PDF or SVG?
What I’m looking for, …
A GPX trace on a scalable background.
I have looked at the list you mentioned (http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Edit_GPS_tracks …)
Yes, these apps allow me to display GPX on a background, but No, the backgrounds are all bitmaps. (Therefore not scalable, therefore not what I’m looking for.)
I produce the PDF by clicking on the Share button on the right side of the screen (i.e. Not the Export button on the top left part of the screen.)
Then, in the export Format dropdown box, I choose PDF.
Then I click the Download button to save the PDF to disk.
So Yes, I do have a scalable background but No I don’t have a GPX trace on top of it.
I think maybe my problem starts here :
I would like to be able to show my GPX on top of my OSM bacground (on the OSM site) and I can’t even do that.
I can’t understand why OSM allows me to upload my GPX traces and does not provide me with a way to visualise them on an OSM background.
That’s why I’m thinking I’ve missed something basic.
I’m looking for an option on the site that says something like “Add GPX layer” or “Display Custom GPX traces”, and I can’t see anything like that.
Remember that the purpose of the OSM map tiles and the GPX uploads is help in the population of OSM database; it isn’t to provide end user map rendering services.
I know that OSM says that it is not a map-rendering service but,
if you look at what OSM actually does with the Share function,
it does actually render a map.
(Or am I misunderstanding what you mean by rendering a map ?)
OSM provides scalable PDF maps that I find perfectl… if only I could get my GPX to show up.
The basic PDF output is beautiful as it is. Nothing to add, no customisation required.
Other “solutions” involve Inkscape, SVG, …
I’m thinking that the extra programming required to enable such an option would not be massive.
OSM already does - almost - exactly what I need.
So I think the cost would be very small compared to a colossal benefit.
You’re telling me that JOSM will “do that”.
Isn’t that overkill ?
Using an app to workaround what I would consider a “missing option”.
I’m also thinking that suggested alternative - via JOSM - would increase server activity much more than adding a GPX overlay to a Shared PDF.
And as for bandwidth …
(OK, that’s just me thinking, I haven’t done the math…)
Not to mention the learning curve …
JOSM isn’t exactly “Fingers in the nose” is it ?
The JOSM tutorials I’ve seen seem to have been written by a JOSM guru for people who are already familiar with JOSM concepts, vocab, interface…
In other words, people who don’t need the tutorials.
Does JOSM have an option for exporting to a a scalable PDF ?