Integration of OpenWebGIS with “OSM Buildings” JavaScript library

OpenWebGIS is the new open web GIS - Geographic Information System. It is a free and open source project. You can use the extensive mathematical functionality to calculate and analyze your data, you even can create real 3D map. Using OpenWebGIS, you will get online GIS at your disposal, it may be similar in functionality to some desktop GIS. You can get some ideas of the OpenWebGIS possibilities, if you read the articles from this list: http://openwebgis.livejournal.com/10393.html. And you can also view this list of videos.  In OpenWebGIS an interesting and remarkable “OSM Buildings” JavaScript library for visualizing OpenStreetMaps building geometry on interactive maps has been integrated.

In order to add the “OSM Buildings” Layer on the map you must first click on the button:

in the upper right corner of the map. This button has the title: "OSM Buildings. Click for visualizing OpenStreetMaps building geometry …". After that in the list of layers on the left of the map there will be the new  “OSM Buildings” layer. See the Figure 1 to get more information.

Figure 1.

In this figure 1 you see the centre of Paris. After adding “OSM Buildings” layer you can hover over any building which you are interested in, click and get comprehensive information about it (See Figure 2). 

Figure 2.

When using “OSM Buildings”, you should consider that this library for creating buildings geometry uses OpenStreetMap Tags such as "height" and "levels". But only 1.54% of the buildings in OSM have a height specified. 3.11% has a known number of levels. This information is taken from here http://taginfo.openstreetmap.org/keys/?key=building#combinations. That is why you will not be able to see “OSM Buildings” everywhere in the map. As a rule it is functioning in the centers of large cities.

 Why may it be convenient to use the possibility of "OSM Buildings" in OpenWebGIS? Perhaps because in OpenWebGIS you can not only look at beautiful 3D models of buildings (See Figure 3) but also to impose on them the layers with pictures, captions, display the results of your calculations, interpolation, etc. (See Figure 4).

Figure 3.

 

Figure 4.

 For example, as it is done on this map of OpenWebGIS: http://opengis.dlinkddns.com/gis/opengis_eng.html?openwebgis=aEP3d1sMVfAtszYOjQJLGdBO

In OpenWebGIS you can use your own base layers and above them you can draw OSM “3D” buildings as it is shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5.

Please see  the result on this map. In this Figure 5 and map you see the centre of Berlin.

Some users expressed negative opinions about OpenWebGIS interface - it is old-fashioned, ill-favored and uncomfortable, but OpenWebGIS allows users to customize the interface according to their preferences and save it for future sessions. So please have a look at the video, which shows the principle of self-configuration interface in OpenWebGIS:

or read in more details: http://openwebgis.livejournal.com/9902.html. As a result your interface and map will look like it is shown in Figure 6 and on the map by this link.

Figure 6.

In the nearest future in OpenWebGIS there will be some other useful “OSM Buildings” functions. 

Developer of OpenWebGIS,  Fedor Kolomeyko.