Adding/editing places

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<!-- PLEASE CONSULT WM TEAM MEMBERS/ADVANCED USER DOCUMENTORS BEFORE MODIFYING THIS ARTICLE. IF YOU ARE A DOCUMENTOR WITH A REGULAR USER LEVEL, PLEASE USE THE DISCUSSION PAGE. -->
 
== Polygons ==
 
== Polygons ==
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===What is a polygon?===
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A polygon outlines the shape of an object on the map. It is both a fundamental component and initial process in the creation of a place object.  
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A polygon outlines the shape of an object on the map. It is also the first process in adding a place tag.
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===How do I create a polygon?===
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To create a polygon select 'Edit map' from the menu bar and choose 'Add place'. To add a polygon to an old place or to edit an existing polygon, select 'Menu' > 'Resize outline (polygon)' in the place window. Alternatively, right click the polygon of place object and select 'Resize outline (polygon)' from the context menu.
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To create polygon select 'Edit map' from the menu bar and choose 'Add place' from the drop down menu.  
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To add a polygon to an old place or to edit an existing polygon, select 'Menu' in a place tag and choose 'Resize outline (polygon)' from the drop down menu. Alternatively, right click the polygon of place tag and select 'Resize outline (polygon)' from the menu.
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A polygon must have at least three points (corners) and three sides (edges) to be a manipulable shape. To be useful and accurate as an outline marking a place, points can be dragged by holding down left-click and more points can be added by mousing over an edge and clicking the emergent point. Surplus points can be removed by clicking them and selecting 'Remove'.
  
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===What area of a tag should I mark with a polygon?===
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You should ensure a polygon only outlines the immediate area of the place you are marking. Never overlap an adjacent area that is not part of the place. For example, you can mark the outline of a building's structure or you could mark the outline of the building's surrounding property, this should always depend on what you are marking. Always ensure a place is marked clearly and accurately so it can be distinguishable as an independent place object.
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You should only create a polygon that outlines the immediate area of the place you are tagging. For example, you can mark the outline of a building's structure or you could mark the outline of the building's surrounding property, this should always depend on what you are tagging. Don't overlap an adjacent area that is not part of the tag.
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Also keep this in mind if you are using Beta, if you do mark the object directly (and not it's grounds or property) be sure to check the building icon box in the edit menu. This will ensure the object's polygon will depict an individual building in the Map View.  
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Satellite/aerial images show places photographed at varying angles because they represent three-dimensional (3D) information. Since Wikimapia's mapping system is two-dimensional (2D), it is recommended you add polygons that are 2D in nature. This means you should [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthophoto "orthorectify"] or mark a place's 2D footprint where it converges with the object's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadir nadir] (base) on the ground level or data plane which serves as the "canvas" for displaying visual mapping information. Avoid marking 3D elements of the obliquely photographed object such as the perspective projection of its sides and summit. This is especially important when plotting out tall buildings, like skyscrapers, where the visible perspective of its sides in a photograph might be very pronounced.
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For tags that include external grounds, the box should not be checked, otherwise the boundaries of the polygon will represent a 'building'.
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[[Category:Wikimapia User Guide (en)]]
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== Titles ==
 
== Titles ==
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== Descriptions ==
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The title is the name identified with a place object. You should always add the officially recognized name of the place you are marking, and if by chance this is not apparent, you may add the most popular or widely used name for the title. Anything which is not part of a place's name should be included in the description section instead.
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== Street/Addresses ==
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== Building checkbox ==
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== Categories ==
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A tag should have at least one '''category''' to increase the utility of WikiMapia. Nearly all of the most common categories have specially designed little icons that are displayed in [[Beta Help: Map types|Map view]] as a visual aid. A very select group of categories, including 'lake' and 'park', [[Beta Help: Map types#Map|change the color]] of their polygons in Map view.  
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{|
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Titles should be written clearly, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthography without errors], according to national [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literacy language rules]. Titles should be written in one language which corresponds to chosen a language page.
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==Category filtering==
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Another feature of categories is that they can be used to "filter" out all tags except the type the user is interested in finding. For example, if a user wanted to find a hotel in an area, they would [[zoom]] in or out as needed to see their geographical area of interest, go to the Categories menu, and either select 'hotel' from the menu or type it in the search field and click on the word 'hotel'. WikiMapia will then display all tags (up to the 100 largest) that have had the category 'hotel' added by previous [[User Guide: Other users|editors]]. If a category does not have a specific icon, a red dot will appear for each tag in that category instead. When filtering, the icons or red dots will appear in Map view or in Satellite view, whichever the user happens to be using. These tags can then be moused over or clicked on by the user for further investigation.  
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For languages which use [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_case case distinction], titles should be begin with a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalization capital letter] but must not end with a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_stop full stop or period] (e.g. London). In some languages of name should have [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quotation_mark quotation mark].
  
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Without a category, this system will not identify a tag for the user, even if the category word is used in the Title. So it is up to the editors to include their tags in a category.
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To add a title, select 'Menu' > 'Edit this page' in the place window. You should add the official name in the 'Title' text entry box.
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[[Image:Categories.jpg|right]]
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==Assigning a category to a tag==
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== Descriptions ==
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Whether you are creating a tag or modifying an existing tag, the procedure for adding a category is the same. With the editing box open, look below the Description field. Five icons, each with a text label, appear there. One is "Category"; click on it, and it should display "Categories: add category", and (if any) the tag's previously added categories. Click on "add category", and a list of the top 30 most commonly used categories and their icons should appear. If the category you want appears on this list, click on it and it will be added to the tag's categories. If the category you want does not appear in the list, type the in the search field below the list and a selection of possible matches will appear. If your category appears, click on it and it will be added to the tag. If your category cannot be found, try different words for it until something apppropriate appears. Once you have have added the category or categories you wish to assign to the tag, don't forget to click 'Save.'
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A description is an important cornerstone of a place object in Wikimapia because it conveys a place's history, uniqueness or strangeness through words. Descriptions don't have to be detailed but they must be descriptive; two or three lines of trivia is more useful to a visitor than an empty place window. Remember, only factual information relating to the place object marked is allowed.
  
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==Removing a category from a tag==
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To add a description, select 'Menu' > 'Edit this page' in the place window. You can add information about the place object in the 'Description' text entry box.
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At times, you may find a tag that has an inappropriate category. To remove this category, select the tag, select 'Edit this page' from the menu in the upper left corner as usual, and position your mouse cursor over the offending category (below the Description field). A small red box with the word 'remove' will appear to the right of the category. Click remove, and the category will vanish. Once you are satisfied with the tag, click 'Save'.
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The category 'Not approved' is automatically added to tags created by users who are not signed in. This category can only be removed by UL1s and UL2s, who are, of course, indicating their approval of the tag by removing the 'Not approved' category.
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== Street/Addresses ==
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Street/addresses is a special feature which links a place object with a road object. Therefore, both object types will share a common association much like the address of a building with its street. Road objects linked to place objects can be viewed in the place object's window and place objects linked to road objects can be viewed in the road object's window.
  
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==Common categories==
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To add a street/address, select 'Menu' > 'Edit this page' in the place window. In the edit window, click on 'Address' under the description. A new section will appear where you can add a street name and a building number. To link an existing road object, enter the first few characters of its name in the 'Street' text entry box. A list of road objects with similar characters will be presented in the drop-down list. Choose your street from this list or if it is not available, add its name (you can add the road object later). If your place object has a building number, add it in the 'Building number' text entry box.
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The vast majority of natural and artificial objects tagged by WikiMapia's editors fall into a surprisingly small number of categories. Currently the most used category is 'village', followed by 'school'. In the Categories menu, the editing box category list, and in the filtering input box, the number in parantheses beside the category name is the total number of tags worldwide in that category. Some categories have been made into "synonyms" of others. For example, if a user chooses the category 'graveyard' for their tag, upon saving it will be assigned the 'cemetery' category.
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==Under-categorization==
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You can view the addresses of all place objects linked to a specific road object by clicking on the street name in the place object window.
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Most tags have no category at all, which is unacceptable. Most of the remainder have just one, which may or may not be the appropriate number of categories. For example, just having the category 'village' is fine for a village, as is a footbridge categorized as 'footbridge.' In other cases, such as 'school', an additional category would be appreciated by users. WikiMapians have created ancillary categories, which function as adjectives to modify the basic noun-type categories. In the case of 'school', additional categories, such as 'primary education' or 'secondary education' can be used to distinguish [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_school elementary schools] from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_education high schools]. Or a school might have been deemed a landmark by the local government, so adding the category 'landmark' to the tag might be appropriate.  
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==Over-categorization==
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== Building checkbox ==
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It is not a good idea to add too many categories to a tag. For example, you may be tempted to add every amenity your town or village possesses to the tag. But your town is not a restaurant, a park, a school and a highway, it's just a town. Label the places within the town with their own tags, and add those categories to them. Adding categories that have icons and/or a color in Map view causes conflicts in those features.
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As Wikimapia is a mapping website, it is important to distinguish different object types on the map. One of the most crucial aspects of a good map is to differentiate buildings from non-buildings. If the place you are marking is a building then you should check the building check box in the edit window.  
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==Over-used categories==
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Certain categories are overused by inexperienced WikiMapians. For example, it is not good idea to assign every single building on a university campus to the category 'university'. This clutters up the map with little [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortarboard mortarboard] icons and does not help users locate and identify universities when zoomed further out. Use ones like 'dormitory', 'classroom', 'lab' or 'office', alone or in combination, instead.  
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Some categories may seem superfluous to you, and you are not obligated to include them. For example, the category 'building' does not have be routinely used since everything humanity has made that doesn't move or lie flat on the ground is a building of some sort or another. Assigning a tag to the 'building' category may be useful in certain cases, but a tag can be complete without it.
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To mark a place object as a building, select 'Menu' > 'Edit this page' and click 'Building' under the description section. In the new section, check the check box next to the 'This place is a building' label. Place objects which are buildings will be identified with a 'This place is a building' label under the description section in the place window. In addition, the place object's polygon will be rendered with a darker grey shade, which is only viewable in the 'Map view'.  
  
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==Deprecated categories==
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For place objects which are not buildings (e.g. parks, lakes, external grounds etc.) ensure the building check box is <u>not</u> checked, otherwise the entire polygon will be incorrectly rendered as a building and will conceal actual place object buildings within it in the 'Map view'.
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Many categories are determined by the WikiMapia community to be useless, and are phased out by a number of methods. For example, filtering for the category '[http://www.wikimapia.org/beta/#lat=16.972741&lon=78.75&z=3&l=0&m=w&tag=28278 thinking]' shows that there are a handful of tags, all in India, with that category. Since their are so few of them, a single concerned editor could simply edit those tags to remove the unwanted category.  
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Other categories with too many tags to manually change may be merged into a single category or may be totally erased by the admins, usually after a discussion in the forum. When a category is erased, it is replaced by the category '----'.  
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== Categories ==
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Categories are labels that classify place objects according to their place type or function. A place object must have at least <u>one</u> category and this is especially necessary when searching for specific place objects via the category search tool. Categories also enrich place objects visually by displaying icons and/or different polygon colours. The latter can only be viewed in the 'Map view'.
  
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Certain general classes of categories have usually been found to be unhelpful and typically are removed. These include personal names, surnames, names of towns and cities, abbreviations, acronyms and others which are either ambiguous, overly specific, or obvious.  
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To add a category, select 'Menu' > 'Edit this page' and choose 'add category' in the category section. Select the most appropriate category from the list or if it is not available, enter the name of your desired category in the 'Search categories' text entry box. A list of categories will appear depending on the characters you enter.
  
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Remember that categories exist to help users find things, not to overwhelm them with clutter nor to force them to guess what obscure category to filter by.
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There are two important points to remember, never use two or more categories as combinations to indicate one category, and only the most appropriate category that best describes the immediate function of your place object should be used. Secondly, do not add extra categories for secondary places/services found within your place object if they can be marked as place objects themselves. This restriction also applies to adding categories for products/services; only categorize the place marked, not something found within it.
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==Translating categories==
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Each category may be translated to every [[Supported languages|language Wikimapia supports]]. When displaying category names, Wikimapia gives preference to language you choose as your interface language. If category name appears in a language that is not your default, this means that the category has not been translated into your language. To translate the category (or edit an existing translation), you need to find a tag with this category (consider using category filter to do this) and click on category name and the filtering window will appear. Make sure 'en' is selected from the language list at the bottom. In the menu in the upper left, choose 'Add another language', choose your language, and provide a Title and Description much as one would when translating a regular tag. You must be a UL1 or UL2 to do this. Title and description in English can not be edited.
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When searching for categories other than most used ones, translated categories are followed by a specific language code, according to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ISO_639-1_codes ISO 639-1 code] to indicate which language it belongs to. If word is in your language, but there is no such code (meaning it's in English database), you should avoid using this category. Instead, you should search for an equivalent category in English (or other language you know) and translate it properly to your language. Then use this category in your tag. We would appreciate if you report in [[Beta Help: Forum|forum]] this ''possibly'' wrong word in category system, so that admins can take it out of English database, if necessary.
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==Creating categories==
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In the very unlikely event that the category you wish to add does not yet exist in WikiMapia, and you are a UL2, you may create a category by opening a category filtering window, selecting 'Add new category' and filling out the Title and Description fields. If you are not a UL2, and even if you are, it would be best to ask in the forum if creating the new category is a wise course of action. Once the new category is created, it must await action by the the admins to be filterable.
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As of 2012, there are only five category moderators ArnoutSteenhoek, bio2935c, GILLIES, Martin67, Pica.
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[[Category:Wikimapia User Guide (en)]]
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[[Category:Terminology|Category]]
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== Photos ==
 
== Photos ==
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A '''photo''' (or '''photos''', '''photograph(s)''') are images that assist in describing places in WikiMapia that words cannot accurately express. We encourage you to upload photos that will help describe places, and make WikiMapia tags even more worthwhile. However, we do have some rules, mainly because WikiMapia does not wish to, nor allow its users to violate copyrights; nor should photographs and images be used to bypass WikiMapia's policy of [[neutral point of view]].
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Photos are an integral part of describing a geographic location and this is apparent in sites like Flickr and Panoramio and applications such as Google Earth and Picasa. Wikimapia enables you to enjoy photos of places by allowing you to add them to their respective objects.  
  
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==How to Upload a photo==
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To add a photo, click 'Menu' > 'Add/manage photos' in the window. You can upload an image from your computer or you can add the URL of an image hosted on another website. Please note that photos must be related to the object and you cannot submit copyrighted material.
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Click Menu > Edit > Add/Manage Photos.
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Every image uploaded from your computer is stored on WikiMapia and accessible using a URL for the small thumbnail image and the large image. After adding the image, you can get it's URL by right clicking on the large image and copying it's URL. To reuse this image on other tags, simply paste the image URL into the "Enter photo URL".
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To add a photo to ''street'', it is necessary to open the description of object which has the address with this street, and to click the road name. Click 'Menu' > 'Add/manage photos' in the window.
  
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==Copyrights and WikiMapia==
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== Comments ==
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As WikiMapia's content is user-driven, we recommend that you provide your own photographs and images. This means that you are the author of the photos or images, and therefore you own the copyright to them, you are providing them under a user license, or you are releasing them into the public domain. If you do not attribute a license to your photos, then WikiMapia will assume that the photo(s) you submit are copyright of the uploader ''if and only if you have taken the photograph''.
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The comments section, which is available in all Wikimapia objects, allows you to make a comment or add an opinion about the tagged object. Comments which are political, critical, evaluative or express opinions are acceptable <u>if</u> they do not breach site policy. This is the only place where you can state an opinion which does not belong in the place object's article because it is outside the scope of Wikimapia's [[Neutral Point of View]] policy.  
  
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'''Keep in mind that just because something is freely available (on the web, in books, or your friend's pictures, et cetera) does '''NOT''' mean it is public domain, nor yours to upload to WikiMapia.''' If the images are in the public domain, please state the reasons why in a comment, and provide a source (a link from Wikipedia's photo page, for example) stating why this is so. You cannot submit any work other than your own creations into the public domain, unless it falls under a category defined by law as public domain.
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These are comment types which are '''not''' permissible:
  
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If any (free) licenses exist which permit modification of the image, then please attribute the owner/supplier of the work with a source, as defined in the license agreement. "Derivative works" (collages and/or modifications of copyrighted images) are still the copyright of the original author, and does not give you the right to submit the work as your own.
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*Offensive comments (e.g. racist, sexist, discriminatory, negative comments attacking freedom and rights etc.)
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*Comments revealing personal data or invading privacy
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*Comments with harmful or pornographic links
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*Chat (comment exchanges) and comments completely unrelated to the tagged object
  
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If there is any debate or lack of proof about the copyright or attribution of the image, the image will be [[Deletion|removed]] from WikiMapia.
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To add a comment, enter your text in the comment text entry box at the bottom of an object's window and click 'Send'. Unregistered users shall be prompted to add a commentator name in the 'Your name' text entry box. You must also keep in mind that if you choose a '''derogatory''' commenter's name, despite the nature of the comment is fair the comment will still be removed by the [[Advanced Users]].
  
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The comment guidelines can be found [[Comment Guidelines|here]].
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[[Category: Terminology]]
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==Comments==
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Comments are where you can, well, make comments about a place. If you wish to express your personal opinion, this is the right spot for it, and not in the place description. Information that is also outside the scope of [[Neutral Point of View]] information to the WikiMapia article is also welcome in the tag, although keep in mind that unwelcome, offensive, meaningless, talk between users, or unrelated comments will be [[Deleted|removed]]. However, if you have information that should be in the description, please feel free to [[Editing Places|edit]] the tag.
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Comments live at the bottom of each place tag, and they are supposed to be written in the same language as the main page. To add a comment, click directly on the “add your comment in <Language>” message and then type in your comment. If you have not registered you will also need to add your name. When you’re done, click the Send message button (or Cancel).
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On existing comments you will also see the comment’s author, a couple of voting buttons (green up-thumb and red down-thumb), and the net good/bad vote count. If you created the comment yourself these buttons are greyed out, so you can’t vote for your own comment!
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==Comments Q & A==
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===What can I write in a comment===
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The basic rules are the same as for what you can write in the place tag’s main description field, except that here you are welcome to express an opinion. What this means is that (for example) you can say that you think this pizza place has the best pizza in town, or you thought the art gallery was really worth visiting, or you didn’t like the way you were treated at the bus station. It does not mean that (for example) you can write offensive or abusive comments, or engage in political or religious discussions, or use it as a place where you exchange messages with your friends. The basic point here is that the comments are supposed to be about the place itself, and not something else entirely.
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===How do I delete a bad comment?===
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You can vote for or against a particular comment by clicking the green up-thumb or the red down-thumb. When a comment has enough negative votes it gets tagged as "abusive", and is not immediately displayed.
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This does not actually delete the comment, however. Only advanced users are able to permanently delete comments (by clicking the “stop” button), and then only those comments with a net negative vote count. If you see a comment that should be deleted, please bring it to the attention of the Forum; there should already be a topic in the "Correction Support" section for this. Be specific about which place tag and which comment(s) are offensive and we’ll see what we can do, but please translate non-English comments for us.
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===Why are the authors of some comments shown as blue links, but others are just black?===
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The names in blue are registered users (and you can click on them to see that user’s profile), whereas names in black are unregistered users.
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[[Category:Wikimapia User Guide (en)]]
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[[Category: Terminology]]
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== Nested places ==
 
== Nested places ==
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=Parent & Child tags=
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Nested places is a term used for place objects marked within place object buildings. This feature should be used for office units, apartments and tenant units which are found inside buildings. A host place object is known as a 'parent' and a place object marked inside it is known as a 'child'. Please note that only 'parent' place objects with the building check box checked can contain nested places ('child' place objects).
  
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Parent & child tags are special place tags that are linked to each other. Parent tags contain child tags nested within them. This form of tagging is suitable for marking places that are located inside larger places.  
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To add a nested place, open the window of the 'parent' place object and select 'Add place (company, shop, etc.) to this building'. From the child edit window, you can choose to add a new 'child' place object (called embedding) or you can add an existing place object as a 'child' (called binding).  
  
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[[Image:Child List.jpg]]
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To add or embed a new place object, simply fill out its details in the text entry boxes of the child edit window, much like the process for a standard place object.
  
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There are two methods to link child place tags to parent place tags. There is the '''''embedding''''' method and there is the '''''binding''''' method.  
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To add or bind an existing place object, select 'Click to add existing place to this place' in the child edit window. Select your desired place object from the drop down list and click 'Bind'.
  
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The '''''embedding''''' method is suited to marking places that do not require polygons. This is ideal for places whose delimitation is difficult or impossible to determine within the boundary of the parent tag due to severe overlapping etc. This is also applicable to vertically constructed or multilevel buildings, such as high-rise residential apartments or office buildings.
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Child place objects will appear in a nested list in the 'parent' place object's window.
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The '''''binding''''' method is perfect for adding child tags whose boundaries <u>can</u> be defined within the parent tag. This is fitting for tenant-type places that exist in one building under the same roof (eg. shopping malls, retail parks etc.) or for existing tags that were marked before the parent building. In either case, the emphasis of this method is the inclusion of existing tags to be marked congruously on a singular level, floor or storey, within the boundary of the parent tag.
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===How to create and link an embedded child tag===
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#Ensure the parent building checkbox has been ticked. [[Image:Building Checkbox Checked.jpg]]
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#Select [[Image:Add Child.jpg]] located in the window. A new window will open ready for entering embedded child tag details. Once completed, click "''Save''". It's as simple as that!
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===How to bind existing child tags===
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#Ensure the building checkbox has been ticked in the parent '''and''' child place tags. [[Image:Building Checkbox Checked.jpg]]
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#Make sure the polygon of the parent tag encompasses the polygon of the child tag i.e. the boundary of the child tag '''must not''' breach or be larger than the parent tag's boundary.
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#Select [[Image:Add Child.jpg]] located in the window.
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#Select [[Image:Existing Child.jpg]] located at the top of the window.
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#Choose the desired child tag from the dropdown list and then click on the "''Bind''" button.<br>[[Image:Child Dropdown List.jpg]]
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You will have successfully linked a child tag to its parent tag, using either of the methods explained above.
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When a parent tag is open, you will then be able to view all child tags listed under "''In this building''"<br>[[Image:Child List.jpg]]<br>Clicking on a child tag will open its window. The layout of the child tag is identical to that of a regular tag except for the header [[Image:Child Location Note 2.jpg]] Clicking on the parent tag's blue label will navigate back to the parent tag's window.
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The benefit of the '''''binding''''' method is that child tags can be easily unlinked from parent tag to become separate tags.
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===How to unbind a child tag===
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To disconnect a child tag from its parent, simply select [[Image:Unbind 3.jpg]] from the child tag's menu.
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This only works for child tags nested within parent tags using the '''''binding''''' method, it does '''not''' work for embedded child tags because they only exist within parent tags. The removal of a embedded child tag from its parent can only be done by deletion.
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== History ==
 
== History ==
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==Deleting Places==
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The history shows all edits made to an object since it was created. Each saved edit is known as a revision, and each revision is stored as a version number with a brief overview of the editor's name, edits made and date of edits in the history.
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Wikimapia has a feature to mark places for deletion. When marking them, the user is challenged with the question "Why you want to delete this place?" in the form of a multiple-choice question. Possible responses are listed at [[User Guide: Deletion criteria]].
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Sometimes we come across place tags that seem to conflict with the guidelines we use when creating tags. Perhaps they are “my house”, or the rectangle is much too large, or there is abusive language, or the photo(s) are inappropriate, or ... ... . Surely these place tags do not deserve to be in Wikimapia, and they should be deleted immediately, if not sooner? Well, maybe; and maybe not!
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In general we should use the same guidelines when deleting places as we do when creating them, but there are some additional things to consider when deleting. For example, the place may have been vandalized (title/description deleted or changed, incorrect or silly stuff added, moved from where it was originally placed, etc. etc.), it may have been added in an incorrect language, there may be other language pages that do not deserve deletion, the possibilities are almost endless.
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Golden Rule #1 with deletions is that your first thought should always be to correct the place tag’s information to make it a useful contribution to Wikimapia. So, first rest your mouse cursor over the place tag’s Menu and check some things: Is there an edit history? Is there a resize history? And check the bottom right corner for other languages.
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If the place tag contains incorrect information, or maybe a mix of abuse or spam along with some good, then just edit it and put in the correct information. Or if a previous version was vandalized (Many vandals replace good, well described places with single word profanities or other rubbish.) you can restore that one (click on History, Prev, Edit and Save).
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If you are 100% sure the location is wrong, just move it. If you can not move it to the right location, create a new tag in the right place, copy the required content from the old (wrongly placed) tag to the new one, and then delete the old one.
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If the place tag already contains multiple languages, things can be even more complicated, since you really ought to consider (and do something reasonable with) those contents as well.
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Some place tags are written in a language that is different from what it claims to be. Most commonly the English-language page contains non-English text. These are not grounds for deletion, however; you can read about this situation in the Languages section of this User Guide.
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==What kinds of place tags are most often deleted?==
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If none of the above considerations are relevant, how do you determine whether to delete a place tag? In my experience the vast majority of deletable place tags fall into one of the following categories:
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# “My house”, “I live here” - For personal houses, the thing to remember is that local conditions are different from place to place. In the US and Canada all personal homes are to be deleted, unless they meet the full criteria in the Adding section of this User Guide. In places like India, properly sized homes that have a person's full name and/or instructions on how to find their house are not deleted. [On the other hand, we would delete a place like "Nandini's House" because we assume that there's more than one woman named Nandini in India.]
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# Too big – the rectangle is MUCH too large for something that claims to be a single building, and there is no way to tell which specific building inside the rectangle is intended to be the actual described place.
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# Duplicates - Two or more tags for the same place. One of them should be edited and improved (if possible) and the other(s) deleted.
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# Inappropriate language - Places with offensive or abusive language.
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# Advertising or spam.
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# Political or religious content that cannot be effectively removed by editing - e.g. the whole tag is a partisan statement.
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If there is any other problem with the place tag, don't hesitate to bring it up in the Forum. The forum's [http://wikimapia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1440  Place Deletion Requests thread] is a long and ongoing thread about deletion discussions.
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==Deleting Places Q & A==
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===How do I delete a place?===
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*If you are an unregistered or very new user (a UL0), you cannot delete a place. UL1s may delete unprotected places, and UL2s may delete protected places.
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*To delete a place, please first remove any offensive language in the Title or the Description. If the polygon is disruptive, please change it to be less so, if possible. This prevents the offensive information or disruptive polygon from remaining visible during and shortly after the deletion period and from appearing in search engine results.
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*Otherwise the mechanics are quite simple: just select the “Delete place” option from the place tag’s menu, and then click the Ok button.
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===How many places can I delete per day/week?===
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To access an object's history select 'Menu' > 'History' in the object's window.
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That depends on your user level and how long you have been registered. Initially you can only delete a handful per week, but this limit will increase ([http://wikimapia.org/forum/?t=250 forum thread 250]). So be patient!
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===I found some places that should be deleted, but I can't delete any more since I am only a level 1 user. What should I do?===
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== Deleting Places ==
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If they are in urgent need of deletion, you can bring them to the attention of the Forum. Just post a message in the Correction Support section and tell us exactly why they should be deleted, and please translate non-English tags for us so we can determine for ourselves whether we agree with your assessment. If they are less urgent, you can just change the title to include the phrase “Marked for Deletion”. There are a number of level 2 users who regularly search for places like this and delete them, if warranted.
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Some place objects in Wikimapia are not satisfactory because they do not contain useful or interesting information. Then there are other place objects which do not describe places or are offensive, defamatory or hurtful in nature. If you encounter place objects like these, you should always attempt to correct them first. If they cannot be corrected, and they meet the deletion criteria of the [http://wikimapia.org/special_pages/guidelines/ Wikimapia Guidelines], they should be deleted.
  
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It is helpful if you center WIKIMAPIA on the place(s) you wish to be deleted, [[zoom]] in to an appropriate magnification and then copy the exact URL(s) visible in your browser's navigation window.
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To delete a place object, select 'Menu' > 'Delete place' in the place object's window. You will be prompted to choose a deletion reason; it is important to note that you are obligated to confirm deletion only for the reason chosen. The place object will enter a deletion period, after which it shall be deleted. The duration of the deletion period varies and depends on your user level.
  
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If you have a long list of such "please-delete" URLs to submit in the relevant forum, then please submit them grouped together in fives with each group separated by one line.
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Remember, only delete a place object if it cannot be reclaimed into something acceptable. The wilful deletion of a good place object is forbidden.
  
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===How long does it take for a Deletion Request to be completed?===
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== Undeleting/Place restoration ==
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When you complete the "How do I ..." steps above, the place is in fact not deleted immediately. It is instead flagged for deletion after a certain time has elapsed. This period of time varies, and depends on the user level of the requestor and on whether the tag is approved or non-approved. Non-approved places will disappear quicker than previously approved places, and requests by more privileged users will be completed more quickly than those of less experienced users. Until the deletion request has been completed it is still possible to cancel the request; afterwards the place will only be visible in the Deleted Places layer (although even from there it is possible to Undelete it).
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If you think if a tag has been wrongfully been deleted, you can restore the tag by undeleting it. You'd first need to select 'Deleted places' option from the [[User_interface#Map_type| Map type]] menu, the Map type menu is situated at the top-left of the screen, when you click on the Map type menu a drop down list will appear. The 'Deleted places' option will appear on the tenth row, select it and deleted places will start to appear on the map in square boxes.  
  
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===How long does it take for a "deleted" place to actually disappear entirely?===
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When you find the tag which has been deleted, click on the tag and hover the mouse arrow on the 'Menu' text and it will show a drop down menu. When you see the text 'Undelete; click on it and it will give you the option to write a brief explanation as to why the tag was wrongfully deleted, but this is '''''optional'''''. It is recommended however to write one as to clear up any misunderstandings, then you can go ahead by pressing the 'Undelete place' button which is situated at the bottom left of the tag. It takes about 2-3 minutes for a tag to be restored on the map.
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There is no specific period. Places that have been deleted remain visible in the View->Deleted places layer for a period of time (so they can be undeleted, if the deletion was in error or malicious), and only after that do they disappear entirely.
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===Someone deleted my place. Is there a way to find out why that happened? Is it possible to register for notifications if someone requests deletion of certain places?===
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== Languages ==
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There is no way to be notified. But we can help you by semi-protecting your places. Then they can be deleted only by advanced users. You can undelete them and post their locations in the Vandalism section of the Forum with a request for protection.
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As a website handling global mapping data, it is understandable and inevitable Wikimapia has drawn large worldwide interest. With this in mind, Wikimapia provides a multilingual interface for visitors fluent in different languages. Visitors can enjoy reading object articles from every corner of the world in their own native language without having to worry about foreign language barriers.  
  
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===How do I know if one of my places has been deleted?===
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There are two ways to add a language to a place object. Firstly, you can select 'Menu' > 'Add another language' in a place window, or you can select 'edit info in other language >>' in a place object's edit window. Choose your desired language from the list of over a hundred choices available and proceed to add your language as normal.  
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There is no direct way to find out, but if you are a registered user, you can sort though your Created places by pressing the blue number next to it. If you have any deleted creations, then the words "deleted" will appear in red next to the title of the tag you had created. Deleted places still contribute to your “Created places” count.
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===In China, there are many place tags marked ?????(cn). Should I delete them?===
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To read a place object article in another language, simply click the blue country code at the bottom of a place window. If a desired language is not available, this means the place object has not been translated yet.
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No, you should not delete them. When you see question marks like that, it almost certainly means that it is written in a character set that you do not have loaded on your own computer. And there is an important point to note here: If you do not understand it (''you cannot read the language because you do not speak it''), then you should '''not''' delete it!
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==See also==
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== Wikipedia link ==
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*[http://wikimapia.org/wiki/Deletion Deletion]
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If your new place has a Wikipedia entry, it goes here. If your new place does not have a Wikipedia® entry, don't invent one just so you can put it in this field. This field is optional. When the place has a valid Wikipedia® page in that language with an appropriate title, update the Wikimapia title so that the Wikipedia® entry and the Wikimapia entry are the same.
  
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[[Category:Wikimapia User Guide (en)]]
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== Protect ==
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If a place object has been the target of vandalism (e.g. a genuine article is repeatedly placed for unjustified deletion), you can request its protection by contacting an [[Advanced Users|Advanced User]]. You can request protection in this [http://wikimapia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=164 forum topic] or you can contact an Advanced User directly through PM. Only advanced users can enable protection on place objects.

Latest revision as of 11:45, 11 February 2014

Contents

[edit] Polygons

A polygon outlines the shape of an object on the map. It is both a fundamental component and initial process in the creation of a place object.

To create a polygon select 'Edit map' from the menu bar and choose 'Add place'. To add a polygon to an old place or to edit an existing polygon, select 'Menu' > 'Resize outline (polygon)' in the place window. Alternatively, right click the polygon of place object and select 'Resize outline (polygon)' from the context menu.

A polygon must have at least three points (corners) and three sides (edges) to be a manipulable shape. To be useful and accurate as an outline marking a place, points can be dragged by holding down left-click and more points can be added by mousing over an edge and clicking the emergent point. Surplus points can be removed by clicking them and selecting 'Remove'.

You should ensure a polygon only outlines the immediate area of the place you are marking. Never overlap an adjacent area that is not part of the place. For example, you can mark the outline of a building's structure or you could mark the outline of the building's surrounding property, this should always depend on what you are marking. Always ensure a place is marked clearly and accurately so it can be distinguishable as an independent place object.

Satellite/aerial images show places photographed at varying angles because they represent three-dimensional (3D) information. Since Wikimapia's mapping system is two-dimensional (2D), it is recommended you add polygons that are 2D in nature. This means you should "orthorectify" or mark a place's 2D footprint where it converges with the object's nadir (base) on the ground level or data plane which serves as the "canvas" for displaying visual mapping information. Avoid marking 3D elements of the obliquely photographed object such as the perspective projection of its sides and summit. This is especially important when plotting out tall buildings, like skyscrapers, where the visible perspective of its sides in a photograph might be very pronounced.

[edit] Titles

The title is the name identified with a place object. You should always add the officially recognized name of the place you are marking, and if by chance this is not apparent, you may add the most popular or widely used name for the title. Anything which is not part of a place's name should be included in the description section instead.

Titles should be written clearly, without errors, according to national language rules. Titles should be written in one language which corresponds to chosen a language page.

For languages which use case distinction, titles should be begin with a capital letter but must not end with a full stop or period (e.g. London). In some languages of name should have quotation mark.

To add a title, select 'Menu' > 'Edit this page' in the place window. You should add the official name in the 'Title' text entry box.

[edit] Descriptions

A description is an important cornerstone of a place object in Wikimapia because it conveys a place's history, uniqueness or strangeness through words. Descriptions don't have to be detailed but they must be descriptive; two or three lines of trivia is more useful to a visitor than an empty place window. Remember, only factual information relating to the place object marked is allowed.

To add a description, select 'Menu' > 'Edit this page' in the place window. You can add information about the place object in the 'Description' text entry box.

[edit] Street/Addresses

Street/addresses is a special feature which links a place object with a road object. Therefore, both object types will share a common association much like the address of a building with its street. Road objects linked to place objects can be viewed in the place object's window and place objects linked to road objects can be viewed in the road object's window.

To add a street/address, select 'Menu' > 'Edit this page' in the place window. In the edit window, click on 'Address' under the description. A new section will appear where you can add a street name and a building number. To link an existing road object, enter the first few characters of its name in the 'Street' text entry box. A list of road objects with similar characters will be presented in the drop-down list. Choose your street from this list or if it is not available, add its name (you can add the road object later). If your place object has a building number, add it in the 'Building number' text entry box.

You can view the addresses of all place objects linked to a specific road object by clicking on the street name in the place object window.

[edit] Building checkbox

As Wikimapia is a mapping website, it is important to distinguish different object types on the map. One of the most crucial aspects of a good map is to differentiate buildings from non-buildings. If the place you are marking is a building then you should check the building check box in the edit window.

To mark a place object as a building, select 'Menu' > 'Edit this page' and click 'Building' under the description section. In the new section, check the check box next to the 'This place is a building' label. Place objects which are buildings will be identified with a 'This place is a building' label under the description section in the place window. In addition, the place object's polygon will be rendered with a darker grey shade, which is only viewable in the 'Map view'.

For place objects which are not buildings (e.g. parks, lakes, external grounds etc.) ensure the building check box is not checked, otherwise the entire polygon will be incorrectly rendered as a building and will conceal actual place object buildings within it in the 'Map view'.

[edit] Categories

Categories are labels that classify place objects according to their place type or function. A place object must have at least one category and this is especially necessary when searching for specific place objects via the category search tool. Categories also enrich place objects visually by displaying icons and/or different polygon colours. The latter can only be viewed in the 'Map view'.

To add a category, select 'Menu' > 'Edit this page' and choose 'add category' in the category section. Select the most appropriate category from the list or if it is not available, enter the name of your desired category in the 'Search categories' text entry box. A list of categories will appear depending on the characters you enter.

There are two important points to remember, never use two or more categories as combinations to indicate one category, and only the most appropriate category that best describes the immediate function of your place object should be used. Secondly, do not add extra categories for secondary places/services found within your place object if they can be marked as place objects themselves. This restriction also applies to adding categories for products/services; only categorize the place marked, not something found within it.

[edit] Photos

Photos are an integral part of describing a geographic location and this is apparent in sites like Flickr and Panoramio and applications such as Google Earth and Picasa. Wikimapia enables you to enjoy photos of places by allowing you to add them to their respective objects.

To add a photo, click 'Menu' > 'Add/manage photos' in the window. You can upload an image from your computer or you can add the URL of an image hosted on another website. Please note that photos must be related to the object and you cannot submit copyrighted material.

To add a photo to street, it is necessary to open the description of object which has the address with this street, and to click the road name. Click 'Menu' > 'Add/manage photos' in the window.

[edit] Comments

The comments section, which is available in all Wikimapia objects, allows you to make a comment or add an opinion about the tagged object. Comments which are political, critical, evaluative or express opinions are acceptable if they do not breach site policy. This is the only place where you can state an opinion which does not belong in the place object's article because it is outside the scope of Wikimapia's Neutral Point of View policy.

These are comment types which are not permissible:

  • Offensive comments (e.g. racist, sexist, discriminatory, negative comments attacking freedom and rights etc.)
  • Comments revealing personal data or invading privacy
  • Comments with harmful or pornographic links
  • Chat (comment exchanges) and comments completely unrelated to the tagged object

To add a comment, enter your text in the comment text entry box at the bottom of an object's window and click 'Send'. Unregistered users shall be prompted to add a commentator name in the 'Your name' text entry box. You must also keep in mind that if you choose a derogatory commenter's name, despite the nature of the comment is fair the comment will still be removed by the Advanced Users.

The comment guidelines can be found here.

[edit] Nested places

Nested places is a term used for place objects marked within place object buildings. This feature should be used for office units, apartments and tenant units which are found inside buildings. A host place object is known as a 'parent' and a place object marked inside it is known as a 'child'. Please note that only 'parent' place objects with the building check box checked can contain nested places ('child' place objects).

To add a nested place, open the window of the 'parent' place object and select 'Add place (company, shop, etc.) to this building'. From the child edit window, you can choose to add a new 'child' place object (called embedding) or you can add an existing place object as a 'child' (called binding).

To add or embed a new place object, simply fill out its details in the text entry boxes of the child edit window, much like the process for a standard place object.

To add or bind an existing place object, select 'Click to add existing place to this place' in the child edit window. Select your desired place object from the drop down list and click 'Bind'.

Child place objects will appear in a nested list in the 'parent' place object's window.

[edit] History

The history shows all edits made to an object since it was created. Each saved edit is known as a revision, and each revision is stored as a version number with a brief overview of the editor's name, edits made and date of edits in the history.

To access an object's history select 'Menu' > 'History' in the object's window.

[edit] Deleting Places

Some place objects in Wikimapia are not satisfactory because they do not contain useful or interesting information. Then there are other place objects which do not describe places or are offensive, defamatory or hurtful in nature. If you encounter place objects like these, you should always attempt to correct them first. If they cannot be corrected, and they meet the deletion criteria of the Wikimapia Guidelines, they should be deleted.

To delete a place object, select 'Menu' > 'Delete place' in the place object's window. You will be prompted to choose a deletion reason; it is important to note that you are obligated to confirm deletion only for the reason chosen. The place object will enter a deletion period, after which it shall be deleted. The duration of the deletion period varies and depends on your user level.

Remember, only delete a place object if it cannot be reclaimed into something acceptable. The wilful deletion of a good place object is forbidden.

[edit] Undeleting/Place restoration

If you think if a tag has been wrongfully been deleted, you can restore the tag by undeleting it. You'd first need to select 'Deleted places' option from the Map type menu, the Map type menu is situated at the top-left of the screen, when you click on the Map type menu a drop down list will appear. The 'Deleted places' option will appear on the tenth row, select it and deleted places will start to appear on the map in square boxes.

When you find the tag which has been deleted, click on the tag and hover the mouse arrow on the 'Menu' text and it will show a drop down menu. When you see the text 'Undelete; click on it and it will give you the option to write a brief explanation as to why the tag was wrongfully deleted, but this is optional. It is recommended however to write one as to clear up any misunderstandings, then you can go ahead by pressing the 'Undelete place' button which is situated at the bottom left of the tag. It takes about 2-3 minutes for a tag to be restored on the map.

[edit] Languages

As a website handling global mapping data, it is understandable and inevitable Wikimapia has drawn large worldwide interest. With this in mind, Wikimapia provides a multilingual interface for visitors fluent in different languages. Visitors can enjoy reading object articles from every corner of the world in their own native language without having to worry about foreign language barriers.

There are two ways to add a language to a place object. Firstly, you can select 'Menu' > 'Add another language' in a place window, or you can select 'edit info in other language >>' in a place object's edit window. Choose your desired language from the list of over a hundred choices available and proceed to add your language as normal.

To read a place object article in another language, simply click the blue country code at the bottom of a place window. If a desired language is not available, this means the place object has not been translated yet.

[edit] Wikipedia link

If your new place has a Wikipedia entry, it goes here. If your new place does not have a Wikipedia® entry, don't invent one just so you can put it in this field. This field is optional. When the place has a valid Wikipedia® page in that language with an appropriate title, update the Wikimapia title so that the Wikipedia® entry and the Wikimapia entry are the same.

[edit] Protect

If a place object has been the target of vandalism (e.g. a genuine article is repeatedly placed for unjustified deletion), you can request its protection by contacting an Advanced User. You can request protection in this forum topic or you can contact an Advanced User directly through PM. Only advanced users can enable protection on place objects.

Retrieved from "http://wikimapia.org/docs/index.php?title=Adding/editing_places&oldid=4328"
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