Web front end/How to upload a GPS trace/Troubleshooting

I have uploaded a GPS trace but nothing has happened on the map

When you upload a GPX file the points are extracted and inserted into the database. We do not however automatically create streets, paths or other map features based on your uploaded files. To add map features you (or somebody else) can use an editor to draw them using the GPS traces as a guide by viewing them as a background layer. (For more information see: Q:Why aren't my GPS traces shown on the maps? or Q:How are uploaded traces (GPX files) from my GPS device used in the OpenStreetMap editing process?)

How can I view my uploaded traces?

Once your GPX file has been uploaded to the database, you will be able to...

• See your trace listed on the GPS traces tab of the website
• Edit the map using your trace as a background (press edit beside any trace)
• Please see the documentation of the OSM editor which you are using for how to use GPS traces. Just some hints:
  • For editing in Potlatch 1: Convert the GPS track to ways.
  • See your trace among all the others, while editing an area
    • In iD it will soon be integrated into the gps layer.
    • In Potlatch 2 toggle 'GPS' (use the button, or press 'g')
    • In JOSM on the download dialogue window, select Raw GPS data under Data sources and Types.
• Use the API to fetch your trace among others within given bounding box

Note: Your have to upload your gpx trace as a public trace to be able to see it directly in the iD editor. Otherwise, You have to download it and check "Local GPX file" checkbox in Map Data section.

What are GPX file tags?

Note: Tagging traces is completely separate from tagging OSM data itself. Yes, we use confusing names in openstreetmap.org!

When uploading GPX files, tags provide a simple way to describe your GPS traces. They make your GPX file findable with a single word and allow you to group the trace alongside other similar traces. For example, all the traces tagged 'Melbourne' are listed at www.openstreetmap.org/traces/tag/Melbourne. Please note that tags are case-sensitive - so Melbourne and melbourne may supply different results.

Each file can have many tags, and you can enter as many as you like with commas (",") between them. Usually the tags are the names of countries, cities and other places your trace concerns.

My uploaded trace has "PENDING" next to it. Why?

The trace is waiting for processing and insertion into the gps trace database. This usually takes less than 15 Minutes. At busy times (especially weekends), there can indeed be a wait before your trace is added to the database. You don't need to wait for this to start mapping, however:

• If you're using iD just drag'n'drop the gpx file onto the editor area.
• If you're using Potlatch, find the 'edit' link to the right of your track (in the GPS traces listing), and click this - not the usual Edit tab at the top.
• If you're using JOSM or another offline editor, just load the track from your hard drive.

Why do I get bad signal / traces in city centres / near big metal buildings?

For a GPS to work and achieve some accuracy it needs to receive at least four satellite signals. Often when in city centres there are many tall buildings that can block these signals and stop the GPS from being able to work out where it is. There may also be multi-path effects from the material making up the buildings around you, whereby signals bounce off them so the receiver actually thinks it is somewhere in the buildings around. Another factor that can affect this is the number and position of satellites that can be seen at the time of logging; trying the route on another day or a different time of day may give better results.

See also: Accuracy of GPS data.