Key:osmc:symbol

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osmc:symbol
Description
Machine-Readable representation of route symbol that is used as waymarker or on guideposts Show/edit corresponding data item.
Group: properties
Used on these elements
should not be used on nodesshould not be used on waysshould not be used on areasmay be used on relations
Requires
Useful combination
See also
Status: in use

osmc:symbol=* is machine readable equivalent of symbol=*, both describe route symbol that is used as waymarker or on guideposts

Machine-Readable Description of Hiking Path Symbols

This renderer specific tag was invented to automatically render symbols for hiking and riding routes on the OSMC Reit- und Wanderkarte and is understood by the OSMC map generator for Garmin maps. The idea is to compose the symbol from different input graphics and text components. This tag is intended to be read by rendering software and, thus, completes rather than invalidates the symbol=* tag which should contain a human-readable description of the symbol.
Mapping of this key has seen steady growth, and appears to have outgrown the original renderer specific purpose. Instead, it is used generically for a machine readable description of any trail blazing symbol for any renderer.

The basic syntax of the tag is:

osmc:symbol=waycolor:background:foreground:foreground2:text:textcolor

with the subparts:

  • waycolor - Name of the color in which the route path itself should be painted. (Please note that the color white is not allowed on the OSMC map.)
  • background - Graphics describing the background of the symbol. For most symbols a simple single-colored background will suffice but more complex patterns are allowed. (For example: use "white" for a simple white background)
  • foreground (optional) - Main graphics of the symbol, generally a geometric figure and a color, e.g. "blue_bar". The image will be overlayed over the background image and should therefore be partly transparent. This field can be empty if a text symbol is used.
  • foreground2 (optional) - A second foreground image can be used to depict multicolor markings or to repeat the symbol.
  • text (optional) - Text to print over the symbol. This and textcolor may be omitted when not needed. For proper rendering it should not be longer than 3 letters. Prefer to use simple letters only, exotic ANSI/UTF-8 glyphs might not be supported by some tools and produce vastly different results.
  • textcolor (optional) - Name of the color in which to print the text. Should always be present if a text is used.

Subparts can be left empty or may be left out if they are unneeded. The minimum configuration is a waycolor and either a foreground or some text and a background.

Restrictions on possible combinations

The very flexible basic syntax with many optional parts has some issues that have been discussed several times. For example, it's not always possible to clearly distinguish if a given part is a foreground or a text.

Therefore not every tool supports all possible combinations, e.g. in Waymarked Trails the background subpart must not be omitted (but can be left empty) and a text must always be preceded by a (possibly empty) foreground subpart.

In order to achieve that an osmc:symbol value can be understood correctly and rendered in a similar way on as many maps as possible, it was proposed to stick to the following restricted syntax, which is (as of June 2025) supported by all known tools:

waycolor:background[:foreground[:foreground][:text:textcolor]]]

This results in the following preferred options:

waycolor:background 
waycolor:background:foreground 
waycolor:background:foreground:foreground2 
waycolor:background:foreground:text:textcolor 
waycolor:background:foreground:foreground2:text:textcolor

The missing option of a text without a foreground has been omitted to make the parts of the description uniquely identifiable. Note that this doesn't result in any restriction as an empty foreground can be added:

waycolor:background::text:textcolor

Other combinations might be found on existing objects and might be (partially) supported by the various applications.

Examples


In order to be truly useful to renderers, the number of different values for the subparts should be kept small. Always try to approximate the symbol of your hiking route using existing values first. If you need a frequently used symbol you can suggest it on the discussion page. Don't just add a osmc:symbol to a hiking route because it looks good on the map. osmc:symbol should always reflect the route symbol that is used as waymarker or on guideposts to give the direction.

Values

waycolor

Label background

simple round circle frame
     black black black_circle
     blue blue blue_circle
     brown brown
     green green green_round green_frame
     orange orange
     purple purple
     red red red_round red_circle red_frame
     white white white_round white_circle
     yellow yellow yellow_circle yellow_frame

Label foreground

Shape blue yellow red green black white orange
arch red_arch black_arch white_arch
backslash yellow_backslash red_backslash green_backslash
bar blue_bar yellow_bar red_bar green_bar black_bar white_bar orange_bar
bowl blue_bowl yellow_bowl green_bowl
circle blue_circle yellow_circle red_circle green_circle black_circle white_circle
corner blue_corner yellow_corner red_corner green_corner white_corner
crest red_crest black_crest
cross blue_cross yellow_cross red_cross green_cross black_cross white_cross
diamond blue_diamond yellow_diamond red_diamond green_diamond black_diamond white_diamond
diamond line white_diamond_line orange_diamond_line
dot blue_dot yellow_dot red_dot green_dot black_dot white_dot orange_dot
drop red_drop
drop_line red_drop_line green_drop_line
fork blue_fork yellow_fork red_fork green_fork black_fork
hiker hiker white_hiker
horse green_horse black_horse
L blue_L yellow_L red_L green_L
lower blue_lower yellow_lower red_lower green_lower white_lower
pointer blue_pointer yellow_pointer red_pointer green_pointer black_pointer white_pointer
rectangle blue_rectangle yellow_rectangle red_rectangle green_rectangle black_rectangle white_rectangle
rectangle line yellow_rectangle_line black_rectangle_line white_rectangle_line
red diamond black_red_diamond white_red_diamond
right blue_right yellow_right red_right green_right black_right white_right orange_right
slash blue_slash yellow_slash red_slash green_slash
stripe blue_stripe yellow_stripe red_stripe green_stripe white_stripe
triangle blue_triangle yellow_triangle red_triangle green_triangle black_triangle white_triangle
triangle line green_triangle_line black_triangle_line white_triangle_line
triangle turned blue_triangle_turned red_triangle_turned green_triangle_turned
turned T blue_turned_T yellow_turned_T red_turned_T green_turned_T white_turned_T
x blue_x yellow_x red_x green_x white_x

Other shapes

  • shell_modern
  • shell
  • ammonit
  • mine
  • heart
  • tower
  • wolfshook

Label text color

black blue brown green orange purple red gray white yellow

Maps that show osmc:symbol

Tools

These are web-based tools to test osmc:symbol tagging without uploading to OSM:

Possible tagging mistakes

This Overpass query finds some osmc:symbol's that may not work in Waymarked Trails.

See also

  • symbol=* - Human-Readable Description of Route Symbols that are used as waymarkers or on guideposts
  • wiki:symbol=* - OpenStreetMap Wiki Symbol References of Hiking Path Symbols
  • trailblazed=* - Markings on outdoor paths and trails by signs, markers, poles, cairns or in another way
  • information=guidepost - Used to mark a guidepost/signpost
  • colour=* - The colour associated with the object