GeoNames Forum

Question :
We are using geonames data on our website and we would like to have a backlink to a geonames record where our users can move and update a wrong entry. Is this possible?

Answer :
Sure. Geonames is supporting links of the following pattern :

http://www.geonames.org/<geonameId>/<name>.html

where <geonameId> is the integer id of the geonames database entry. You find the id in the database download and in the webservice.
There is also an optional parameter "zoom" if you want the google map to be displayed in an other zoom level (default is 3).

Example : http://www.geonames.org/3123709/eibar.html

If you don't know the name a default page name like '/geonameId/index.html' will also work.

The previous link is deprecated but still supported :
www.geonames.org/maps/geonameId=<geonameid>
http://www.geonames.org/maps/geonameId=3123709

Hi Marc,

Thanks for this!

May I suggest a few improvements?

1. OpenID integration
I noticed users have to register to contribute, and OpenID would be a big help so that users dont have to go through the usual reg process.

2. I notice the links like "Insert new name" only have thumbnails, but no text link is present.
For usability and accessibility could we have these links spelled out? Like "Insert alternative name in your language" or sg like that.

3. Would it be possible to do "Insert new name" via a service, so the user does not have to leave the site, and my local geonames db is updated as well?

Cheers,
G

Hi Giorgio

1. I have started to include OpenId with OpenId4Java, but there were some problems with the xml libraries they require. It basically broke our other webservices and I didn' t have neither the time nor the interest to fix this OpenId4Java lecacy issue. I will have a look again when I have found a clean implementation in java.

2. Admittedly the user interface is outdated and in need of redesign. The overview map for instance could now be done directly with googlemaps as they have this feature now included in the API. Do you want to propose a new design?

3. An REST webservice API to automatically insert/update features exists. I can send the documentation link to you if you are interested. I only want trustworthy people to use it, so their is no link to the doc on the site.

Best

Marc

Hello Marc,

I'm trying to move Le Pui-en-Velais (GeoNameId : 3002465) to its correct location, but I haven't enough user level (username: olegueret).

Could you please either move it (to 45.04365306378654, 3.885244131088257 -the cross between "Rue Sant-François Régis" and "Rue du Bessat"-) or increase my user level?

(there are other nearby populations I would like to ammend like Aiguilhe and
Espaly-Saint-Marcel)

Thank you in advance!

I have increased your userlevel.

Marc

marc wrote:

I have increased your userlevel.

Marc

Thank you!

I'm trying to move the Guernsey point from '49.58333, -2.33333' (middle of the sea) to '49.45, -2.58' (center of guernsey) but I don't have permission.

Hi,

Could you please change name of the city Nur-sultan to Astana
https://www.geonames.org/1526273/nur-sultan.html

The city was renamed recently:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/14/kazakhstan-to-change-name-of-capital-from-nur-sultan-back-to-astana

https://eurasianet.org/kazakhstan-capital-reverts-to-astana-ending-brief-stint-as-nur-sultan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astana