I'm in the process of generating tiles with generate_tiles.py and I'd like to write a Python app to display them instead of having a web interface. Does anything like that already exist or is there information somewhere on how to write such an app myself?
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You can look/edit your map using a desktop application like Tilemill or QGIS (I can't really guess why are you generating tiles if it is not for a web application).
Tilestache has an internal webserver you can use for testing, it's easy to get it running just using config files.
A few pointers to get you started (or keep you busy for a few weeks):
Server side libraries and applications
- TileStache: very easy to use tile server and tile cache
- Mapnik: underlying library behind tilestache and tilemill
- TileLite: lightweight Python tile-server
- MapOSMatic: written in Python/Django + mapnik ?
Client side libraries
- Leaflet: client side library a lot like Google Maps API
- OpenLayers: makes it easy to put a dynamic map in any web page
- Wax: adds common utilities to minimal mapping libraries
- Modest maps: a simple platform to build upon
- Mapstraction: common interface for numerous javascript mapping libraries
Tools for custom map creation
Markers
- MakiIcons: A clean point of interest icon set made for web cartography
- Map Icons Collection: 700 free icons to use as placemarks
Some related videos from PyCon2012
- A gentle introduction to GIS
- Making maps with Python
- Spatial data and web mapping with Python
- Making interactive maps for the web
Some interesting applications to get you inspired:
- 8bitcity: if Google Maps was running into an Atari 2600 River Raid cartridge
- OpenWhateverMap: a patchwork of different rendering styles
Paulo Scardine
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someone suggested that mapOsMatic should be removed from the list because according to his experience it is not a usable library and the web service is very buggy. I can't confirm but looks like the project is not very active right now. – Paulo Scardine Nov 25 '13 at 03:36
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Quoting the OP:
I'd like to write a Python app to display them instead of having a web interface
I have the same request (more specifically, I need to show an interactive map within an already existing GTK+ desktop application), I didn't see the question answered here, so I went to look for direct reference information. There I see three options:
- if you're on KDE: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/KDE_Marble
- if you're on GTK+: http://nzjrs.github.io/osm-gps-map/
- again in GTK+: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Libchamplain
Paulo Scardine very complete overview focuses on web interface, and does not mention them.
mariotomo
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