fagan2888 / web-map-maker

Quick map maker for simple print and online maps, adapted from LA Times

web-map-maker

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We make a lot of maps at the Los Angeles Times. So we made this tool to help us make them faster. It uses Mapzen's Tangram mapping engine to render OpenStreetMap data as vector tiles. It then bakes out your map into an static image.

This tool is still very much a work in progress — please report any bugs you find using GitHub issues!

Try it out on the demonstration page.

Getting started

You don't need much to get up and running. Download this repo and make a config.js file (we provided a template here), then put it in the "js" directory. A Bing API key isn't necessary to use the map maker; only for geocoding and location search. You can also define initial coordinates or zoom so you can start the map in your preferred location each time.

It should look like this:

var configOptions = {
    'bingAPI': 'Your API here',
    'attribution': 'Author name, ',
    'initCoords': [34.0425, -118.24], // Los Angeles
    'initZoom': 14
}

You should also get a Mapzen key and update it in the map-styles.yaml file.

Then you're ready to run the mapmaker. The easiest way is to fire up a simple python server (obviously you'll need python) with this command:

python -m SimpleHTTPServer 8000

The app will be hosted at localhost:8000 by default.

What you need to know

Because we've developed this as an internal tool for use at the Los Angeles Times, it's really geared toward our use as far as styles and workflow. But it should be customizable and we're open to suggestions that would help make it better for others to use, too.

Chrome is the only supported browser right now.

Also check the issues tab.

Web vs. Print

We make maps for the internet and the print edition. We've currently darkened the colors for our print styles a bit. And some of the roads get larger too. We also handle all print labels in Adobe Illustrator (for now) so the "print" style creates an unlabeled map.

"PX" stands in for "pixel" and "col" stands in for "column" of which the Los Angeles Times prints six per page.

Make this better

Have any ideas? File an issue, fork this repo or contact [email protected] with thoughts, concerns or questions.