The OS OpenSpace API is now out of ‘closed’ status and available to external developers, still running as an alpha test service. I registered for an API key today which duly arrived by email: this is the key that ties our main website URL to an OS account to monitor usage statistics and must be specified in all calls to the API from our pages.
The documentation is also available now, along with code snippets to illustrate how to accomplish commonly required tasks such as displaying markers with default or custom icons, polygonal shapes and routes etc.. I always produce downloadable route files for our backpacking routes in MapTech (specifically for Memory Map) and general GPX formats, so my main task will be to write a program to produce the required OpenSpace javascript automatically from one of those files. This will save me a lot of time and effort in Photoshop.
I quite liked the simple outline maps that I produced before, but this will show the routes on detailed OS maps and hopefully give readers useful and extensive functionality via the OpenSpace map controls as well.
That’s my work cut out for a while!.
16 Comments
interesting to see how this initiative pans out VG
Talk about fraternising with the enemy!.
I’ve been slaving away and already written most of the conversion program: this converts the MM GPX file into javascript statements that produce the OpenSpace map layer with the route overlaid on top. I just need to extend it now to extract the GPX POIs (points of interest) and produce an icon overlay.
for that I’d expect at least a freebie from them.
Or perhaps 1/2 hr supermarker sweep style in ths OS map shop
GeoffC
If you want to save yourself some time and effort and use the Multimap Open API OS Landranger maps instead, you can use the code on my site e.g. at http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/maps/map1_5fw.shtml
The code on those pages pulls the route in from a GPX file, so no need to program the points into the code on your map pages.
The Multimap version looks fine, I was looking at your online maps the other day after seeing your Usenet post.
Too late though!. I’ve just got the program working for GPX conversion to OpenSpace route and icon overlay data. I have one working prototype at the moment for the Buttermere Fells backpack - to view the map window just click the little OS 1:50,000 icon right at the top of the report.
We should blogroll each other I think!.
I am very interested to see this thread. I have been trying to find the best way of showing routes on OS maps with Anquet mapping (if possible) on my walking log (www.whitecottage.org/walking.htm). It would also be good to geotag photos onto the routes. I have been experimenting with EveryTrail.com and these are my results - see http://www.everytrail.com/profile.php?user_id=333 - which I have started to put on my walking log. This links GPS routes and photos on Google Earth. Has anyone experimented with this or had any success? Presumably it should be possible using OS Opensource.
OpenSpace will certainly do what you want. I’ve already got my route display working on OS maps complete with custom icons. It has facilities for annotating those icons with popups that can contain any formatted HTML you like, including hyperlinks and images.
Looking at your everytrail pages, I see you have your route available in GPX format, presumably direct from your GPS device since Anquet doesn’t support GPX - the only text format it supports is AEF. For the route you need some programming to convert one of those formats to OpenSpace coordinates and wrap it in javascript.
If you want to discuss any of this, email me via the Contact page on our main site (reached by clicking the logo at the top of the page).
This is Anquet’s reply to my query. It looks as though it will be exactly what I was looking for.
Dear Mike,
We are announcing a new WEB Service in a few months which does what you’ve just asked for and people do at EveryTrail but more specialised for the outdoor enthusiast.
It is called Anquet MARS and allows you to automatically display your routes on your website superimposed on proper OS 1:50K maps with the route profile (plus other information like route card etc etc). The service is free if you do less than 10,000 map impressions per month.
It’s very simple, you just upload your routes from Anquet. You simply call a widget or a set of APIs (depending on the level of flexibility you want) from your website.
We are nearly at Beta stage. You can see a Alpha version of the APIs in use here (its Alpha, i.e. page in development - look, feel and design will change over the next few months as it gets slicker):
http://www.anquetmapserver3.co.uk/Mars/Default.aspx
If you’d like to be Beta user of ours let us know. We are looking to go public release after April.
Kind Regards
- Akil
Commercial Director
Anquet Maps
t: 0207 099 5258
e: akil.chomoko@anquet.co.uk
A further message from Anquet:
“There are licensing implications with putting OS mapping on your website. You would need to contact the OS directly regarding the restrictions on publishing their copyrighted material.
As you create the routes the route data is free from publishing restrictions. I.e. as anquet route/waypoint files contain no mapping but just text and waypoint positions you can put these on your website.
The anquet software is available for free so people can use these. The 10m resolution aerial photography mapping is free to download as well.
http://www.anquetmapserver.co.uk/
Regards
Daniel”
Knowing Anquet’s track record they will almost certainly keep it proprietary and in-house, accepting only routes in their own formats, at least initially. They’ve always been like that. I bet you have to be a registered buyer of their products too.
It sounds like you have to upload the route from the Anquet software itself to their website, again in keeping with their penchant for putting themselves in control of everything, rather than giving flexibility to the user.
I had a look at the alpha-test demo but it’s too early to comment really. At the moment the user has very limited control of the map.
You can download routes now from their site (provided you have registered) and you can convert them using software such as GPS Utility at no cost. Hopefully, with their ‘Mars’ system, you will be able to do the same with tracks.
I have now heard back from the OS. They reply as follows re my query about licensing requirements for embedding OS maps on personal websites:
“Dear Michael
Thank you for your email dated 13 February 2008 regarding the use of Anquet mapping on a website.
The Anquet product is licensed for your personal use only and will not extend to use on a website. However, subject to you obtaining separate permission from Anquet, our Internet Licence will allow you to put scanned copies of the Anquet product on your website.
Our Internet licence allows licensees to show raster or bitmap images, for example gif or jpeg, of map extracts up to 200 cm2 at source scale for an annual licence fee. Up to 10 x 200 cm2 extracts can be placed on a web site for our minimum annual licence fee of £47.50 plus VAT. Additional 200 cm2 extracts are charged at an extra £4.75 plus VAT each.
If you require this licence please download the application form shown on this page of our website:
http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/business/copyright/docs/L0105_M.pdf
Or alternatively you can request to be sent a paper copy to complete and return.
As an alternative, OS OpenSpace is a free Ordnance Survey service that allows you to embed Ordnance Survey maps covering England, Scotland and Wales in your web applications using our Javascript® application programming interface (API). You can build your own web application as long as it is non-commercial and complies with the OS OpenSpace Developer Agreement. Further details can be found on our website at http://openspace.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/openspace/index.html.
Thank you for contacting us about this matter, I hope you find this information useful.
Regards
Emma Cutler
Senior Service Advisor
Customer Service Centre, Ordnance Survey “
Dear Michael Elcock, Geoff C et al
Anquet MARs will support GPX as well. The system will also automatically generate a route profile and route card for display. The routes, although stored on the Anquet server will belong to the user who uploaded them, unless they want to release it to the public across all our partners. The upload function can be located on your website as well as being hosted on our website when we officially launch MARS.
The response from Emma Cutler of OS, it about our standard Anquet Maps product, when you export out a map image for static mpeg use on your site and does not relate to the Anquet MARS solution.
The idea behind Anquet MARS, is that it makes the publishing of routes simple (and free for personal users i.e. under 10,000 impressions), as you don’t need to seek a publication license from the OS as we have already put and paid for such as license.
I hope this helps your discussion. If you need further information don’t hesitate to contact me directly.
Kind regards
Akil Chomoko
Commercial Director
Anquet Maps
0207 099 5258
akil.chomoko@anquet.co.uk
Akil,
Thank you for your input, I’m sure your system will make life easier for many personal walking websites.
I’ve also noted that the latest Anquet software will output routes in GPX format directly to a file, which is a big step forward for sharing routes among users with diverse software systems.
Hi Geoff & Michael.
Being a bit of a technophobe, what does “under 10,000 impressions” mean? Does it mean 10,000 maps? Or is it 10,000 waypoints (and I have no idea at all how many waypoints there are on my LEJOG route!)
What I find stupifying in all this arcane discussion is that at last the OS are letting people display their routes on OS mapping. So why don’t they just bite the bullet and let us display our own maps on our own websites. It amounts to the same thing, surely? And I am sure that even I will be able to do that with a little coaching! All this talk of ‘API’ ‘Javascript’ ‘AEF’ ‘GPX’ ‘Alpha’ ‘Beta’ leaves me totally stunned - not being able to understand a word of it!
I am a native English speaker yet they seem to be talking in tongues! Why can’t they get real and discuss this in ways the average bloke on the Clapham Omnibus can understand? Why are they making it so innaccesible by this form of language?
Alan,
‘Impressions‘ is indeed a strange term to use, I’m not sure exactly what it means either. It could simply mean ‘map images’ or, more likely, ‘map tiles’ which is the mapping area unit that the OS always use because it reflects the actual amount of mapping data displayed regardless of window size.
Certainly the OpenSpace arrangement seems to be a grudgingly made gesture by the OS, it would be vastly easier (for them and us) to let us create the maps ourselves and display them, but they would see that as surrendering the crown jewels.
Given the current situation though, the OpenSpace usage is entirely within the realm of computer science and only webmasters with a modicum of programming knowledge are expected to be using it. There is no desire to be elitist, that’s just the way it is. Terms like API, GPX, javascript are required knowledge to understand and use the process.
With regard to the terms Alpha and Beta testing, guilty as charged!. I’ve been in computers for so many years I just use terms like that without thinking!.