Editing How-To

From Cyclopath

Cyclopath is a geowiki, which means the map designed to be edited by users, at any time, to keep it up to date and accurate. New users need not be hesitant about making an edit as soon as they find something missing or incorrect. Editing a map is not as simple as editing a text page, so it may take a little time and patience, maybe even some frustration, to learn how to edit Cyclopath for the first time. But there are resources on this page and other users available to provide assistance, so there is no better time then the present to start.

[edit] Editing basics

[edit] Editing for New Users

First thing to do is watch the easy to follow video below, and review the other material on this page.
Now, try making the edit on the map, see what happens. Unless you press the Save button the map won't be effected. If you are unsure of your changes, or are just practicing, you can just press Discard and your changes will be discarded. Or you can just navigate away from the map (you will be warned of unsaved changes).
If you think your changes are correct, go ahead and press Save. There is no need to be overly concerned that you are introducing a mistake to the map. Errors are easily fixed, and changes are easily reverted (reversed), if necessary.
If you are unsure, ask to have someone check your edit (after you save):
A good way to do this is is add a feedback to your revision. Click on the Recent Changes panel. You will see a list of revisions. If you haven't changed your view on the map, your revision, with your user name (or ip address) should be at or near the top, otherwise, if you just saved your changes, click on 'all revisions' and you should see your revision listed. Click on your revision, then click the Write Feedback button. Enter something like, 'this is my first edit, someone please review', or, 'I'm not sure of my edit, could someone please check to see I did it right', or any other question you have.
Your feedback will appear on http://groups.google.com/group/cyclopath-users, and any answers to your query will also appear there (so you should monitor the site). If you were somehow unable to follow the previous 'feedback' instructions (above), you can make your post directly to this Google group. Just include your user name on the map (or ip address), and describe the location you made the changes.
Even if you do not ask, do not be surprised if some provides feedback on one of your revisions, or maybe reverts it. Experienced users often check recent changes, and correct any problems, you should get polite feedback explaining what the problem was. However, don't assume your revisions will get checked! If you're not sure, please ask.
If you realize you messed up on an edit (after saving), and can't really figure out how to correct it, you can find your revision (see above), click on it and press Revert Revisions. Or you can ask someone to revert your revision.
You can subscribe to the group (http://groups.google.com/group/cyclopath-users) as an email list, that way you don't have to keep monitoring the site.

[edit] Commonly Used Features while Editing

Map Zoom: Zooming to the appropriate level is important to do while editing the map. To locate something, or see connected blocks on the map, you can zoom out. When making a specific edits, it's important to zoom in so you can see the local environment clearly, and know you're doing the edit correctly. There are a number of convenient methods for changing the zoom level:

In the upper left corner is a vertical control with a plus and a minus buttons at the ends. Press the plus button will zoom in, and minus will zoom out.
That same control has a vertical line with hatch marks. Each hatch mark will take you to a specific zoom.
holding the alt key and hitting the plus/equals key or the minus key will allow allow you to zoom in or out in step at a time.
holding the alt key and press a number key will take you to a specific zoom. (Note: on a mac you may have to use the numbers on the numeric keypad).

New editors should zoom all the way in, or one or two steps from the closest zoom, while making actual edits, until the user gets more comfortable at finding the appropriate zoom for each type of task.

Connectivity Tool: When adding blocks, it's important to make sure they are properly connected. With the connectivity tool on, you can mouse over a block, and it and all block connected to it will light up, blocks not connected to the block over will not light up green. Toggle on/off by going to the switch in the Control Panel, or by press the 'c' key.

Aerial Photo: Useful for identifying the geographical locations of a feature. Turn on when needed, and off when the photos are obscuring the map features too much. You can also change the opaqueness of the blocks against the photos, and change which photo set to use. Toggle on/off by going to the switch in the Control Panel, or by press the 'p' key.

[edit] Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are a convenient way to switch tools, toggle switches and change zoom, among other things. This page has been updated to included the shortcuts keys, a complete list can be found at Shortcuts.

[edit] Editing Points and Regions

The easiest edit to make is to add a point. A point could be anything that may be useful for bikers. It could be a restaurant, water fountain, grocery store, scenic overlook, laundromat, etc. To add a point, locate where the place is on the map, and zoom in. Use aerial photo ('p' key) if necessary to pinpoint the spot. If the point doesn't already exist, select the Add Point tool (or press 'a'). Click on the spot where the point should go. In the popup box, type in the name of the point, and press Create. The point is now created. Click on the point details, and enter tag or tags that categorize the point, such as restaurant, food, library, coffee, chinese, bar, etc. Press the plus button next to the tags box for each tag (add each tag separately). When done, press the Save button (you can add other points/edits before saving).

Points are public (private points are coming) so don't add points like 'home', 'work', or friend's houses, etc.

[edit] Editing blocks

[edit] Video tutorial

Please note that the editing video tutorial is out of date to the current map. The functions/tools should be the same, but are located in different places:

The tool bar shown in the upper right, and the buttons below it are now in a smaller, floating toolbar in the upper left corner of the new map.
The Save, Undo, etc., buttons will appear in this tool bar window with the first edit.
Some tools are accessible in the pulldown menu in this floating toolbar window.
Switches like Connectivity, Regions, Sticky Intersections, and Aerial Photo are now in the Control Panel tab.

[edit] Basic panel

Name: Give the common name for the road or bike path, if you know it. Bike paths alongside road that don't have a designated name can have the road name, with trail added to it. If you don't know the name or there is no name, leave it blank.
Type: Pick the type that best fits the block, otherwise pick other.
Tags: Tags provide provide specific attributes to blocks (also for Points, Regions and Routes). For details click tagging. Some common tags to be added when appropriate:

closed : Add if the road or path is temporarily closed for construction.
prohibited : Add if it's a freeway, or a private road, where bikes aren't allowed.
unpaved : Add if it's a gravel or dirt road/path.
bikelane : Add if there is a striped bike lane (or lanes) on the roadway. Do not add a parallel bike path block, unless there is also a bike path adjacent to the road.

Threads: See Discussions
Estimated rating: This is the the bikeability rating the system estimates you would give.
My rating: The bikeability rating you actually give. See Rating objects for more details.
Notes: Add a note to provide any kind of information about the block(s) that would be useful to bikers.

[edit] Advanced panel

Direction

Indicates whether the road is two-way or one-way, and in which direction. Click "Change" to rotate through the possibilities. If a street is one way for vehicular traffic, but has bike lanes for both directions, set to two-way.

Bridge level

If two blocks pass over/under but aren't drawn as such, twiddle this. Blocks with higher values are drawn on top of ones with lower values.

Speed limit

Total number of lanes

e.g., if it's two lanes one way and one the other, put 3. Count only motor lanes.

Width of outside lane

The width of the outside motor lane. Don't include the shoulder or bike lane, if any. (Internally, 12 feet is used if lane width is unknown.)

Usable shoulder space

Include width of shoulder plus width of bike lane. Emphasis on usable: don't include door zone or space encumbered by other obstacles and hazards. Suggestions:

Knowing the shoulder width is more important on faster/busier roads.
If you want to code shoulder width in the system, carefully measure a couple examples on your bike route to (tape measure, or use your feet, or use your body height) to gauge how close your estimates are. After you "calibrate" your estimates, just use your estimates to code shoulder widths.

[edit] Geometric editing

Key points about blocks:

Blocks in Cyclopath are segments of roads, highways, bike paths, sidewalks, etc.
Every block consists of two endpoints (or endpoint vertices). Endpoints can be dragged to lengthen and shorten a block.
An endpoint is usually an intersection with other blocks (endpoints connect to endpoints); a free endpoint means the road/path just ends, as in a dead end.
A block with two free endpoints is meaningless to the map; Every block should be connected.
Usually, there should only be a single block between intersections, unless an attribute changes mid-block, like a paved road turns into an unpaved road.
Vertices provide shape to a block. A block with no vertices (besides endpoints) is a straight line. Any number of vertices can be added to a block, then dragged to shape the block.
Intersections consist of the endpoints of two or more blocks that are connected together. With sticky intersections switched on, you can drag the entire intersection at once, which means you are moving the endpoints of all the connected block at once. With sticky intersections switched off, you can drag one block's endpoint away from an intersection, so it's no longer connected.

Notes regarding aerial photos:

Aerial photos are useful in identifying the location of feature, but may not be completely up to date. Turn on use switch in Control Panel, or press the 'p' key to toggle on/off.
The map should represent streets and trails logically and in a way that is useful for navigation; it is not necessary to match the aerial photos precisely.

Moving vertices: Vertices shapes a block. Click on a vertex to select it, then drag it around. When dragging endpoint vertices, it's useful to tick the "connectivity" box to make sure things are connected as you expect. You can select and move multiple vertices at once. Hold the Ctrl key (Command key on Macs) to select multiple vertices on the same block. Double click anywhere on a block to select all vertices. Drag one of the vertex, and all selected vertices will move in unison.
Adding & deleting vertices: You cannot add or delete endpoint vertices. To add a vertex, select a block, click the Add Vertex tool (or press the 'v' key), then click on the block where you wish to insert a new vertex. You can then drag it into place. You can continue to add and drag new vertices (on the same block), until you select another editing tool. To remove a vertex click on that vertex and press the "Delete" key.
Adding blocks: Click on the New Block tool (or press the 'b' key), then click approximately where you wish to place the new block. Drag the endpoint vertices to move the block into place. Keep in mind that blocks will not automatically connect unless you drag one endpoint vertex near to another endpoint vertex, so they snap together. Use the "connectivity" checkbox to see if you've made the proper connections for an intersection. Crossing one block over another will not create an intersection, nor will dragging an end of one block to the middle of another.
Creating intersections: Move the blocks in question so they form an X or a T where the new intersection is desired. Choose the New Intersection tool (select from pulldown menu, or press the 'x' key), move the mouse near where you want the new intersection, check that the highlighted blocks are the ones you want to connect and the grey bubble is centered on where you want the intersection, and click to create the intersection.
Merging blocks: Select two or more of the blocks you wish to merge (see section on selecting), then click the "Merge Blocks" button under Advanced. You can only merge blocks which form a continuous string not intersected by other blocks.
Connecting blocks: Click on one of the blocks. Click and drag the end vertex from the unconnected end of one block to the end vertex of the other unconnected block.
Splitting one block into two: Select the block you wish to split, choose the Split Block tool (select from pulldown menu, or press the 'z' key), and click on the block where you wish to make the split.

[edit] Tasks

[edit] Adding a block

Add only one block per intersection. If you stretch a block across existing blocks, no intersections are created. This is desirable if there are bridges or tunnels (it's a good idea, but not strictly necessary, to adjust the bridge levels in these cases). Add a separate block between each actual intersection or create a long, spanning block, then break it at each intersection. In either case also you need to create breaks (intersections) at each crossing block, unless it's a bridge.

Do not create more than one block between each intersection (such as long stretches of trails that have no cross streets). You can make a single block any required length, and shape it just by adding more vertices. Use more than one block between intersections only if you need to change properties (ie, where it goes from paved to unpaved).

[edit] Shaping a block

Vertices let you shape the block. Click on a block you want to add vertices, then click on the 'add vertex' tool (or press the 'v' key). Click somewhere on the block. When the vertex (small square) is created you can drag the vertex and the block will bend and stretch. You can add another one by clicking on another spot (on the same block) and drag it. When you're done adding vertices, click on another tool, like the pointer tool (first one from the left). It's best to do this if you're just moving vertices, otherwise you run the risk of adding another vertex every time you try to move one, which becomes a big mess.

[edit] Adding a bike path/trail along a road

So, you know of a bike path/trail that is not on the map. But, how do you add it? I'm going to try describe the process I use below. This may sound rather complicated, but it's not too bad once you get the hang of it.

First, make sure the trail does not already exist, especially trails alongside roads, where the trail can be right on top of the road, even a close zoom levels. Check the entire length, as it's common (and acceptable) for people to add just the portion of a trail they know about. Decide how you want to deal with what's there (replace, add to, leave it be, etc.), just as long as the you don't end with duplications, or lose existing comments.
Click on the "create new block" icon in the icon bar in the upper right (it's the third icon from the left, says "new" and has a squiggly line). In Cyclopath terminology, any segment of a road or path between two end points (typically intersections) is a block.
Click roughly in the area where you want to add the new block, don't worry too much about being precise since we'll move the endpoints anyway.
- A short block with two end points should appear.
Click and drag one of the end points to where you want the block to end. Typically, end points will become intersections with roads or bike paths, but some trails could terminate at an endpoint.
Click and drag the other end point to the other end of the path.
Shape the block (if the path isn't a straight line in the real world). See section above on shaping blocks. If the trail is alongside a road, make the trail parallel to the road, but far enough away so it is distinguishably from the road at larger zoom levels, whenever possible. Do not try to exactly match the aerial photos.
Create connectivity with the new block and existing blocks. In order for the routing algorithm to work you will need to tell the map where your bike path (the new block) intersects existing blocks.
- Click on the "connectivity" box in the upper right (in reality I have this clicked all the time). Now, when you place the mouse over a block that block will "light-up" in green. Also, all of the adjacent blocks that the map knows are connected will also light-up in green. Important: just because 2 blocks intersect visually does not mean that the mapping program knows they are connected. You need to check with the connectivity tool.
- Check to make sure the newly added path is connected to all of the other blocks it crosses (you'll know it's not connected if a cross-block doesn't light up in green when you hover over the path near the cross-block). If you encounter any cross-blocks that are not connected do the following:
  - Choose the New Intersection tool (rightmost, says "new" with a cross)
  - Move the mouse near where you want the new intersection
  - Check that the highlighted blocks are the ones you want to connect and the grey bubble is centered on where you want the intersection
  - Click to create the intersection.
Code the Type of the new block you created.
- Select the block. To select multiple blocks of your new bike path, so you can code them all in one step, see Selecting Objects.
- In the Block Details section, click on the Type pulldown menu, and select the appropriate choice (Bicycle path, in this example). You can also rate the path (see Rating Objects).
- Name the trail if you know its name. If there is not an official or well establish name for the trail, it's commonly named for the road it follows; by simply by adding "trail" (no quotes) to the road name (leaving out directional indicators; E., W, etc). Also common is using a major lake or river it runs by, or a major park it runs through (again, adding "trail"). Avoid changing the name of the trail too often; only enough for it to make sense for giving route directions.