B4J Question How to implement OpenStreetMap in B4J

bvonlaar

Member
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Longtime User
Hello,
I developed a simple GIS App to visualize collected field data by importing CSV files. It was planned to publish for free, but as you know changed googlemaps to a kind of payTV.
For developers with non profit interest it is quite riskfull to give it free in a full functional version there I would have to give out my own api-key otherwise the user would see
first a blank screen until he change the key. However I don´t like it and so I´m searching for alternatives.
Bing maps aren´t a real alternative. Also by reading the user conditions it seems to me that they are on a similiar way like Google.
Now I came to Openstreetmaps. It isn´t optimal there the air pictures aren´t available and some regions of earth are quite underrepresented.
The missing details can be compensated there also polygon objects can be imported easy via CSV-files.

Now the question, how can I implement OpenStreetMap and I need access to the GPS coordinates in WGS 84 (ETSR 4326) format.
Has anyone experience with it?

Thanks in advance,
Benedikt
 

marcick

Well-Known Member
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Longtime User
If you want instead to remain with Google, you can distribute the app with your API Key and limit the usage to remain inside the free monthly quota.
What I have stated is that as you open the app and load the map, Google counts one call to the map API. Then you can zoom, pan as you want with no additional counts.
Play with the console to verify this.
I dont' how many user are you pointing to, but if you limit the usage for example to 50 calls per day, you can have 50 user that open the app per day. Maybe it is enough.

The only little unpleasant aspect is that you must anyway create an account and give Google your billing information with credit card also.
But as you stay below the free quota you will receive invoice from Google with 0 to pay.
 
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bvonlaar

Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
If you want instead to remain with Google, you can distribute the app with your API Key and limit the usage to remain inside the free monthly quota.
What I have stated is that as you open the app and load the map, Google counts one call to the map API. Then you can zoom, pan as you want with no additional counts.
Play with the console to verify this.
I dont' how many user are you pointing to, but if you limit the usage for example to 50 calls per day, you can have 50 user that open the app per day. Maybe it is enough.

The only little unpleasant aspect is that you must anyway create an account and give Google your billing information with credit card also.
But as you stay below the free quota you will receive invoice from Google with 0 to pay.

For my purpose I have allready a google account and I gave also billing information and credit card. But this isn´t the intention. The planned tool I like to be free, because
GIS could be very helpful to solve problems. There exist for example Quantum GIS as opensource, but this is to fat for beginners.

The number of users I can´t estimate and there is the great risk. I know only that it is a worldwide problem and I don´t know how many people will use it.
Therefore I´m looking for an alternative.

I tested also the Google counts on the map API, I can´t confirm what you say, but maybe I made a mistake. From loading to zoom in I had 3 counts.
However I didn´t like it and I need another way. For myself I can controll my activities.
 
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bvonlaar

Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
Oh ... need to verify it. I'm sure of what I say but things may be changed.
Anyway did you see this ?

https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/jopenstreetmaps-library.89089/

Sure I didn´t see it :). Before I started the thread I searched for OpenStreetMaps, only three hits, but not this one you refer.
I will check it with quiet and it could be that the problem is solved.

Well, in the past days I read actual the conditions and I didn´t find the thing of 50 shots free per day. This I had also in mind when they entered last year the thing
with the not payable API key. But English isn´t my mother language and missreadings are possible in my case.

Much thanks!!!!
Benedikt
 
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