JOSM/Plugins/WMSPlugin

This WMS Plugin allows you to fetch images from any WMS source, and display them as a background image (a layer) within JOSM. Also supports using Metacarta's Map Rectifier to display rectified/warped images.

Do not use copyrighted material, unless you have the permission to do so! For details see the Licensing section below!

Download wmsplugin.jar

Installation

Follow the general procedure: JOSM/Plugins#Installation. After successful installation, you should see a new WMS entry in your main JOSM menu.

Use a WMS Server

• Load / Download openstreetmap data and go to your favorite area
• Zoom and pan to exactly the area you are interesting in (at the extents of the display)
• Click the menu option "WMS → Landsat" (or whatever named WMS server you want to use) This should cause it to fetch an image which appears as a layer within JOSM.
• Bring your openstreetmap data to the front, by clicking the data layer again (click the layer button of the "left toolbar" for showing a list of layers if you don't see it in the top right)
• Zoom out a little bit to see where it fits within your map data (and to force a refresh of the data)

You may need to adjust your map colours ('Edit' menu -> 'Preferences') to be darker or lighter, to contrast with the images you are using.

Add "Your Own" WMS Server

Again, make sure you are allowed to see the WMS server data for openstreetmap!

To add your own WMS Server, use the Menu: 'Edit' menu -> 'Preferences' and click on the WMS tab. Now you can add / remove WMS server URL's. WMS server typically can provide different projections, subsets of data, etc., so you may need to experiment with the URL settings to get the best results.

Licensing

You should not trace over maps, aerial photography, or satellite images from any source, unless the images are public domain, or otherwise compatible with our OpenStreetMap License.

Tracing over an image is generally regarded to be creating a derivative work of the underlying image. This is also the case for aerial photographs as well for (more clearly copyrighted) finished maps.

If the images are copyrighted, or if you are unsure of the copyright status of the images, from a particular source, then you must not use those images for tracing/correcting maps for OpenStreetMap.

Sources you can use

• NASA Landsat - Public Domain low resolution satellite imagery

• NPEMaps - Out-of-copyright maps from 1950's or earlier from http://www.npemap.org.uk/

• Yahoo! Aerial Imagery - Special Permission - We have been given special permission to derive our vector map data. This is isn't actually available as a WMS source, but with a bit trickery you can make it work. Happily this is available as another JOSM plugin: See JOSM/Plugins/YWMS

Sources you can't use

• Microsoft VirtualEarth - Copyrighted!
• Google satellite or map tiles - Copyrighted!
• Yahoo satellite or map tiles - Copyrighted!