misconfiguration of mkgmap

mkgmap offers the possibility to set a preferred language.Selecting a specific language, e.g. German, as first language, has some unintended consequences.

–name-tag-list=name:de;name

will use German names whereever they are available for historical reasons. If you want to use current names for NAVIGATIONAL use, you should prefer local names by setting

–name-tag-list=name

Please check these language settings carefully as there are complaints about misconfigured Garmin maps which are displaying historic streetnames.

It is easier to check language settings than to edit the whole map in order to make it usable for misconfigured Garmin maps.

Yours FK270673

So you mean, name:de is used for historic street names? This should not be.

In Germany, name:de (if exist) should be the local name.

Example:

name=München
name:de=München
name:en=Munic

Chris

In Czechia, Hungary and Poland, name:de (if it exists) is NOT the local name.

Example:

name=Karlův most
name:cs=Karlův most
name:de=Karlsbrücke
name:en=Charles Bridge
name:fr=Pont Charles
name:hu=Károly híd

Which name do we want to display on Garmin maps?

Do you want to display the German name or the local name for navigational use?

What should we do with all the other bridges and streets which are tagged with traditional German names?

Wenzelsplatz or Václavské náměstí?

If the name is a a historic name, and no longer in use, then I think you should use the old_name tag. Maybe specify the language as well, eg old_name:de=Karlsbrücke

A dispute about the duty to use traditional German (and other language) names as name:de or old_name:de would start a PERMANENT edit war that divides our community and makes proper rendering impossible.

We are NOT talking about the right to use some specific nametags which are suggested by the Wiki. We are talking about GARMIN maps and their preference settings.

It’s not mappers’ duty to tag names according to misconfigured mkgmap options, it’s the duty of mapmakers to set their preferences carefully.

I’m not clear what the problem is.
Is it that someone is setting name:de tags in OSM data to the wrong thing? In which case this is an OSM problem, not a mkgmap problem.
Alternatively, is it that if you use the mkgmap setting --name-tag-list=name:de;name when compiling maps for countries that are not Germany, you end up with German labels? In this case, isn’t this exactly what you would expect? If you want local names, just don’t use the --name-tag-list option.

In some cases, places, streets and buildings have been renamed for political reasons. There is still a dispute how to deal with traditional names used by minorities.

You are right! Some people are surprised to see that!

Your are right! There are some people who like to remember traditional (German) names and some other people who didn’t expect them.

I am trying to tell this! It is much easier to consider this option.

OK, so you’re just warning people to be careful with how they use mkgmap’s --name-tag-list option? Fair enough.