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Using QGIS to apply a 1777 style to today's OpenStreetMap data

manuelclaeysbouuaert.be

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Re: Using QGIS to apply a 1777 style to today's OpenStreetMap data

#21

Post by ssl232 »

I dabbled in web-based mapping a couple years ago and found the tech stack to be really quite polished. Starting from a database of features from e.g. OpenStreetMap hosted in a Postgres-based PostGIS map server, and geographical boundaries via special shape files, you can write XML files representing the features you wish to see on each layer of the map (using SQL queries intended for PostGIS), and CSS-like style files representing how the features should look. You then set up a tile server (Apache or nginx or whatever) that generates tiles on demand and performs caching. Finally you use a JavaScript library to provide the "slippy map" that users can drag around.

All of these layers of the tech stack have FOSS implementations; indeed most of the most widely used ones are FOSS. And then there's QGIS (also FOSS) to do most of this in a similar fashion, but offline.

As merely a dabbler having a bit of fun, it's rather excellent I must say. It would be interesting to hear from anyone working in this field professionally as to how the FOSS tools measure up.

Re: Using QGIS to apply a 1777 style to today's OpenStreetMap data

#22

Post by dspillett »

ktpsns wrote: post #11
WesolyKubeczek wrote: post #8

The old maps had way better contrast, it seems.

Modern Google/Apple maps are incredibly low contrast and I don't know why. Seems like they want to have streets and land stand back to make room for features such as pin locations, buisness markings (advertising) or dedicated layers such as traffic. I really don't get it. Here in Germany, in the last century, "road atlases" were a thing, big maps with great overview and detail maps which were basically at maximum con…

I've noticed on Ordnance Survey's online maps, the contrast seems lower when printing caps of the 1:25K maps (I take custom paper versions of planned routes out with me, in case both my own nav and my tech options fail) from the new version of their online offering (which us hold-outs have recently been force upgraded to). Though it doesn't look noticeably different on-screen.

Re: Using QGIS to apply a 1777 style to today's OpenStreetMap data

#23

Post by m_eiman »

gelatocar wrote: post #5
pachico wrote: post #4

I've always been fascinated by old cartography. How did they even have such precision? Which tools did they have? And how did they store the information?

just in case you haven't already seen it, David Rumsey's website is the most amazing collection of historical maps. https://www.davidrumsey.com/

The Swedish government has about a million (literally!) historical maps available online, unfortunately it seems the interface is only in Swedish…

https://historiskakartor.lantmateriet.se/

Here's an example, a regional map from 1654 including Gothenburg:

https://historiskakartor.lantmateriet.se/hk/viewer/internal/...

Re: Using QGIS to apply a 1777 style to today's OpenStreetMap data

#25

Post by iggldiggl »

pieno wrote: post #19
tuyiown wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One explanation would be that roads are not the useful information on modern map, you search for you POI or address, and then query an itinerary, and then you have a very contrasty road, the one you need. I suspect just looking at maps to find your way is a more and more cornered case.

This was indeed a very deliberate choice by Google, and they have been blogging about it since at least 2011[0]. There are quite some blog posts by Google and others discussing the evolution in online maps from the high contrast design focused on roads and cities, to more “fluid” designs where there is a bit more room to show buildings, forests, waterways and other landmarks that are more suited for exploration rathe…

> where there is a bit more room to show buildings, forests, [...]

? What forests and what buildings, though? The 2009 - 2011 changes are fine, I guess (indeed I don't need the roads that prominently as they were in the 2009 examples), but at some point beyond that they did jump the shark somewhat with their changes.

My personal pet peeve is that at zoom level 14, all distinction between built-up areas and non-built up areas [1] disappears and you're looking at just one indistinct mess of hazy streets on a grey back background and you can't even really tell the shape of a city from looking at that. Individual buildings only come in at zoom level 17, by which point you're already quite zoomed in, and forests remain stubbornly hidden.

Google has the somewhat better POI integration and traffic information, but when I want to actually look at a map for orienting myself or getting a feel for an area, I much prefer Openstreetmap's style.

[1] At least where I live, the further distinction between forests and non-forested open spaces is rather rudimentary – a few random areas of fields and other open spaces are correctly shown in some sort of ochre at zoom level ≤ 13, but large areas are simply all drawn in green regardless of whether they're actually forests or not.

Re: Using QGIS to apply a 1777 style to today's OpenStreetMap data

#26

Post by mjbrownie »

ssl232 wrote: post #21

I dabbled in web-based mapping a couple years ago and found the tech stack to be really quite polished. Starting from a database of features from e.g. OpenStreetMap hosted in a Postgres-based PostGIS map server, and geographical boundaries via special shape files, you can write XML files representing the features you wish to see on each layer of the map (using SQL queries intended for PostGIS), and CSS-like style fil…

I've recently started working in this space. Loads of applications in research, Ag tech and environmental science and it's mostly using this tech stack (as well as GeoServer.) Definitely a nice change from my typical ecommerce/saas work. Working with some long term geo/surveyor types and they seem happy with the open source offerings.

Re: Using QGIS to apply a 1777 style to today's OpenStreetMap data

#27

Post by severak_cz »

WesolyKubeczek wrote: post #8

The old maps had way better contrast, it seems.

Because old map was printed on paper and main data displayed was the map itself.

New digital maps are shown on screen and main data is mostly something else and map itself is used as a backdrop for it.

Re: Using QGIS to apply a 1777 style to today's OpenStreetMap data

#28

Post by widerporst »

xxswagmasterxx wrote: post #14
ktpsns wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Modern Google/Apple maps are incredibly low contrast and I don't know why. Seems like they want to have streets and land stand back to make room for features such as pin locations, buisness markings (advertising) or dedicated layers such as traffic. I really don't get it. Here in Germany, in the last century, "road atlases" were a thing, big maps with great overview and detail maps which were basically at maximum con…

OsmAnd has a German Road Atlas style: http://docs.osmand.net/docs/user/map/vector-maps#road-style And the OSM map also has different stlyes, like this traffic style which highlights important roads: https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=13/52.4205/10.7808&layers...

The Transport Map on OSM highlights bus lines, not important roads.

Re: Using QGIS to apply a 1777 style to today's OpenStreetMap data

#29

Post by pachico »

stop50 wrote: post #6
pachico wrote: post #4

I've always been fascinated by old cartography. How did they even have such precision? Which tools did they have? And how did they store the information?

they usually used triangulation, the same as today. they select an line as the startimg point and measure it exactly as possible(doesn't need to be long) and then you can calculate the rest with the measured angles of the area you want to measure. The rest is replicating it on paper with the required factor.

Thanks! It still a bit unclear to me but I'll dig more. Cheers

Re: Using QGIS to apply a 1777 style to today's OpenStreetMap data

#30

Post by pachico »

gelatocar wrote: post #5
pachico wrote: post #4

I've always been fascinated by old cartography. How did they even have such precision? Which tools did they have? And how did they store the information?

just in case you haven't already seen it, David Rumsey's website is the most amazing collection of historical maps. https://www.davidrumsey.com/

No, I wasn't aware of that, thanks! I can really see how you can get hooked by something like this.
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