Drawing shapes in JOSM, little-known shortcuts I really love JOSM, and the more I use it, the more I discover that it offers some very useful features… that some of you may not be aware of ! Even if some are less useful, simply knowing they exist opens up the possibility that you might find them useful! I’d like to show them to you here. _This diary post is a follow-up to my previous one on JOSM:Building drawing tips, a perfect guide._ ## 1st manipulation: Use JOSM It is essential to use the JOSM editor, which enables a wide range of manipulations, particularly when combined with other plugins, especially the “buildings_tools” and “utilsplugin2” plugins! See JOSM shortcuts. ## 2nd manipulation: F to follow (`F`) You can follow another way by pressing `F`, but you must first place a node along the other shape to indicate where to follow it. ## 3rd manipulation: Angle tracing (`A`) By pressing `A` (Draw nodes) and then `A` again (to activate the “angle” mode of the Draw nodes tool), you can create angles of 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°… press again `A` to disable the angle mode. Very precise angles can be useful for creating accurate geometric shapes. ## 4th manipulation: Transfer history (`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`G`) To transfer the history, select both objects – the old one and the new one – and press `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`G`. Both objects must be of the same type (two ways, two nodes or two relations). Transferring history makes it easy to follow the recommendation to Keep the history. ## 5th manipulation: Drawing buildings parallel to other buildings To quickly draw a building parallel to other objects, simply select another building (or two reference points) and create the new building. ## 6th manipulation: Parallel (`Shift`+`P`) Using `Shift`+`P` you can create a shape parallel to another that maintains the proportions (smaller or larger). Using `Ctrl` in the same time, allow you to adjust the distance of the parallel way more precisely. Combined with other tools, this can be very effective, for example when mapping a grass area around a footway. ## 7th manipulation: Distribute nodes (`Shift`+`B`) Distribute Nodes, `Shift`+`B`, allows you to distribute nodes at equal distances between the first and last nodes. It makes it very easy, for example, to create a perfect row of individual trees. ## 8th manipulation: Object Intersection (`Shift`+`I`) `Shift`+`I` allows you to create an intersection between two objects, creating a shared node without altering the straight lines of the objects, resulting in flawless intersections. ## 9th manipulation: Set buildings size (`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`B`) Setting a building width (`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`B`) is useful for creating shapes of the same width, which can also be merged for other purposes. You must reset the value to “0” to use the tool without width constraints. ## 10th manipulation: Symmetry (`Alt`+`Shift`+`S`) The symmetry tool (`Alt`+`Shift`+`S`) allows you to move objects symmetrically relative to another. It is quite similar to the Mirror tool (`Shift`+`M`). This is very useful in combination with `Ctrl`+`C` followed by `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`V`. ## 11th manipulation: Shrinkwrap (`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`W`) The Shrinkwrap plugin allows you to create a new shape that encompasses the selected shapes (`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`W`). Very useful for creating a single `building=yes` shape that encompasses all `building:part=yes` shapes.

#JOSM for advanced users: Just saw this in the latest edition of the @weeklyOSM
www.openstreetmap.org/user/Koreller/diary/4084...
Lots of fancy shortcuts to make your editing faster and more accurate, especially for mapping buildings.

#OpenStreetMap

7 days/1250 miles ago CAST premiered #ShahrzadTalebi & my piece for #LineUponLine. Video: Brussels touchdown+liftoff.
7p tonight @ #WaveArchive #Tucson improvised #cartography returns, music w/Jeffrey Gordon Evans, Hannah Joyce, & Steev Hise.

#ASynesthetesAtlas
#expandedCinema #maps #OpenStreetMap

Tagging a pub that doesn't allow under 18s after 8pm I was at the pub, and noticed they had a sign indicating no under 18s after 8pm. How would this be tagged in OpenStreetMap? I know there is min_age but I haven’t seen any examples of a conditional minimum age depending on time.

After more consideration, I’m thinking `min_age:conditional=18 @ 20:00+` with `min_age=0` is the best way to tag this. I've also raised this in the community forum. community.openstreetmap.org/t/tagging-a-pub-that-doe... #OpenStreetMap

🥳 🌎 State of the Map US is the mappiest event of the year! The conference unites mappers, technologists, data advocates, and leaders from across sectors, including government, academia, nonprofit, and industry.

Join us in Madison in June🦩 openstreetmap.us/events/state...

#SOTMUS26 #OpenStreetMap

🥳 🌎 State of the Map US is the mappiest event of the year! The conference unites mappers, technologists, data advocates, and leaders from across sectors, including government, academia, nonprofit, and industry.

Join us in Madison in June🦩 openstreetmap.us/events/state...

#SOTMUS26 #OpenStreetMap

Top tip when making for #OpenStreetMap go both directions along each street. Today on the return along a street I found a defibrillator and some house numbers for flats I couldn't see on the first pass along the street.

Kruunuvuoren kartta StreetComplete-sovelluksessa. Kruunuvuorenlammen luonnonsuojelualueen alueella on jäljellä vain muutama avoin tehtävä. Ylhäällä näkyy 800 aiemmin ratkaistua karttatehtävää ja 200 tänään ratkaistua.

Sama kartta, mutta nyt ratkaistuja ja lähetettyjä tehtäviä on pyöreät 1000!

Olipas kiva käydä kävelemässä Kruunuvuoressa ja samalla täydentää karttaa!

#OpenStreetMap #StreetComplete

Original post on mapstodon.space

📆 2010 : Das Open-Source-Kartenprojekt "#OpenStreetMap" hat inzwischen eine Größe und Qualität erreicht, die sich mit professionell erstellten Landkarten messen kann.

Das Projekt erhält auch Unterstützung von vielen #Behörden und öffentlichen Einrichtungen. So liefert die Stadt Augsburg […]

RE: https://mapstodon.space/@OSM_tourism/114189160451495322

Warum #OpenStreetMap 🤔❔

#DID #DUT #DigitaleSouveränität

Details über Mondlandungen in Marble

Aus aktuellem Anlass : in #Marble https://marble.kde.org/install.php gibt es auch den #Mond 🌙. Einzelne denken auch schon über #OpenStreetMap Daten dafür nach https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Moon

#Artemis

Fixing an #OpenStreetMap note and then closing the note is deeply satisfying! And OSM notes are also the easiest way for anyone to improve the map. You don't need to know anything about tagging schemas, editors, whatever. Just provide a natural language description, and maybe add a photo.

#OpenStreetMap Local Chapters and Communities Congress 2026 https://www.openstreetmap.org/user/rphyrin/diary/408430

#OpenStreetMap tiles for eInk displays hpsaturn.com/openstreetmap-tiles-for-...

I was at the pub tonight, and noticed they had a sign indicating no under 18s after 8pm. How would this be represented in #OpenStreetMap? I know there is min_age but I haven't seen any examples of a conditional minimum age depending on time.

flyer for Eric Theise's A Synesthete's Atlas performance at Guild Cinema, Albuquerque, Thu 9 Apr 2026, 7p, w/Kenneth Cornell & Clifford Grindstaff. Includes a background map of Albuquerque, headshots of Theise & Cornell, and the Guild Cinema logo.

1 point's not a line, 1 date's not a tour.
9 Apr, performing @ #GuildCinema #Albuquerque w/ #KennethCornell & #CliffordGrindstaff. Been in the Guild's audience, never on stage; thrilled to share w/these 2.

#ASynesthetesAtlas #DukeCity #improvisation #expandedCinema #maps #cartography #OpenStreetMap

@haraldkliems do they share data with #OpenStreetMap?

Uber ran on OpenStreetMap data. Hollywood noticed. 🎬 #TBT to OSRM’s cameo in Showtime’s “Super Pumped” — Travis Kalanick pitching open-source routing at Google HQ. Based on a true story. 🗺️ #OpenStreetMap #OSRM

Our #UNMaps Community Ambassador, Lucy, building capacities of young mappers and promoting hashtag#opendata mapping and generation in Kenya! 🇰🇪 💙🌍🗺️

Screenshots from Lucy Kago's LinkedIn.
www.linkedin.com/posts/lucy-k...

#HumanitarianMapping
#OpenStreetMap
#GIS #YouthInTech
#UNMappers #GiveBack

lyer for Eric Theise's A Synesthete's Atlas performance at Wave Archive, Tucson, Sat 4 Apr 2026, 7p, w/Jeffrey Gordon Evans, Hannah Joyce , and Steev Hise. Includes a background map of Tucson, headshot of Theise, and the Wave Archive logo.

Post-Austin/CAST I'm touring #ASynesthetesAtlas through AZ, NM, & CO. First up: Sat 4 Apr 2026, #Tucson @ #WaveArchive, loaded program w/locals #JeffreyGordonEvans, #HannahJoyce , & #SteevHise in various configs.

#experimental #improvisation #expandedCinema
#maps #cartography #OpenStreetMap #foss4g

Osterspaziergang & Streuobst erfassen? / Easter walk & recording orchard trees? geoobserver.de/2026/04/01/o... #gistribe #gischat #fossgis #foss4g #OSGeo #spatial #geospatial #opensource #mapping #opendata #osm #openstreetmap #gis #geo #geoObserver pls RT

Buenas madrugadas ☕️😊☕️

Hoy a las 19:00 CDMX hablaré un poco de lo que he hecho a favor del conocimiento libre.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAWS...

#FreeSoftware #SoftwareLibre

#OSM #OpenStreetMap #Programación

♻️ openstreetmap: Government data can be wrong. You should be able to fix it.

🏳️‍⚧️ Happy Trans Day of Visibility! 🏳️‍⚧️

#tdov #TransDayOfVisibility #OpenStreetMap #OSM #gischat

State of the Map US 2026 The Mappiest Event of the Year

🎫 Have you gotten your tickets yet for #StateoftheMapUS? Snag 'em before the May 1st price increase!

openstreetmap.us/events/state...

#OpenStreetMap #OSM #SOTMUS #SOTMUS2026 #TicketTuesday

State of the Map US 2026 The Mappiest Event of the Year

🎫 Have you gotten your tickets yet for #StateoftheMapUS? Snag 'em before the May 1st price increase!

openstreetmap.us/events/state...

#OpenStreetMap #OSM #SOTMUS #SOTMUS2026 #TicketTuesday

Original post on mastodon.social

He creado un grupo de trabajo en Zulip dedicado al mapeo colaborativo del municipio de Málaga. El objetivo es que sirva de punto de encuentro para mapeadores locales interesados en colaborar en proyectos concretos.

El grupo se centra en iniciativas locales específicas y no funciona como un foro […]

Am I the only one for who @openstreetmap is not working in @librewolf ?

Maps are simply not displayed, I get a grey background, even with all privacy options turned off.

#openstreetmap #librewolf

Government data can be wrong. You should be able to fix it.

🏳️‍⚧️ Happy Trans Day of Visibility! 🏳️‍⚧️

#tdov #TransDayOfVisibility #OpenStreetMap #OSM #gischat

Original post on mapstodon.space

#OpenStreetMap Daten für das #DRK und #ÄrzteOhneGrenzen ⚕️ www.drk.de/hilfe-weltweit/wie-wir-h...

#Hotosm : Mapping projects for areas around the world 🌏 where data is needed to help save or improve lives https://tasks.hotosm.org/

#MSF […]

Why become a member of #OpenStreetMapUS? Our members say it best:

"I am a GIS professional. I teach spatial analysis, storymapping, and collecting spatial data. #OpenStreetMap is an important base layer for critical cartography.”

Join today: 🔗 openstreetmap.us/get-involved...

#MemberMonday

And if you think European / #openstreetmap based maps and #navigation aren’t up to date or complete for your area or for favourite POI’s, just be proactive and make some improvements.

For example directly on www.openstreetmap.org or with accessible apps like streetcomplete.app or every-door.app