How can I display OSM tiles using Python?
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?
Answer
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