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This is a tutorial for creating interactive maps on Wikipedia for lines, using OpenStreetMap data, available on a compatible Open Database License. This is designed for transit routes, but is easily applicable for creating maps of roads, rivers, and other linear objects. For maps of shapes (neighborhoods, parks, historic districts, campuses, and most other present-day sites), see Wikipedia:Creating shape maps from OpenStreetMap data.
This tutorial requires basic knowledge of:
If you need help please use the talk page, User talk:Ɱ, or Module talk:Mapframe.
There are three methods you can use to find the route data you want for your map:
The first thing to try is the easiest. There's a possibility your data is already linked and you're ready to map. Create a test map in your sandbox. You'll need to use ((Maplink)) together with the Wikidata ID of the route/line. As an example: ((maplink|frame=yes|type=line|id=Q928157)) If it displays, great. You can use the map and add parameters to make it display to your liking. If the map data does not populate, the below methods are straight-forward and reliable:
If you already know how the relation would be tagged, the OSM Relation Analyzer can be more convenient:
There are two ways to embed the route into an article, both using the ((maplink)) template:
If the route has a Wikidata item and the OpenStreetMap route relation already has a wikidata
tag set to that item's QID, you can embed a map of the route directly onto a Wikipedia article as external data. Use the ((maplink)) template, setting the |id=
parameter to the QID, such as Q88466277. Normally, changes to the route in OpenStreetMap are reflected in the article within about two days.
Example: ((maplink|frame=yes|frame-width=180|id=Q126163|type=line|zoom=10|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#00933C|text=[[New York City Subway]] ((NYCS|4)) train))
Using map data on Wikimedia Commons:
"license": "ODbL-1.0", // ODC Open Database License v1.0
and save the page.|from=COTA10.map
, or manually, like seen here.Example: ((maplink|frame=yes|frame-width=180|frame-height=270|from=COTA8.map|type=line|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#0e2c6c|text=[[Central Ohio Transit Authority|COTA]] route ((COTA link|8))))
If the route changes in OpenStreetMap, repeat steps 1 through 3 to update the existing Wikimedia Commons map data page.