v3 new feature: undelete (database) object

[sun-geo]

A general core mapping idea is to hold and save the object history.
For example if you want to make existing building outlines more precise (maybe because there are background pictures with higher resolution available) it is recommend to use the existing outline and modify them instead of breaking the object-history by deleting & adding objects.
Similar behavior could happen if there are deleted objects by mistake (maybe accidently done from new osm-users) it would be nice to have an option to undelete these objects.

JOSM has a function which is called "undelete object" and is doing a nice job.
Please could you implement similar function?

[sun-geo]

Thank you for not closing this request/idea immediately and classifying it as "considering". :-)

Of course, I see this function not on the iD-main-window, so that the standard iD-user will not be bothered with too many options/functions. Maybe it could be located somewhere in expert/advanced section, or somewhere close to the raw-editor or even at that area where the raw-raw-editor (bulk tag copy/paste function) is doing operation.

By the way, would the implementation be quite crafty and time consuming?

[quincylvania]

@sun-geo I think the idea is great! I'm just not sure how or when this could fit into iD.

[mmd-osm]

Undeleting objects in JOSM isn't exactly straightforward: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/JOSM/Plugins/Undelete says you need to supply an object id first, and identifying such an object id not that easy: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Find_the_id_of_a_deleted_node

Undelete support in the API is on the Top Ten Tasks list, btw (see https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Top_Ten_Tasks#OSM_API_deleted_items_call). Without proper backend API support, this will be quite difficult to implement in a user friendly way.

[sun-geo]

Undeleting objects in JOSM isn't exactly straightforward:

I agree, it isn't straightforward.

Maybe this is the first idea of a panel how the GUI for such a function could look like:

• left side a field for inserting object ID, of the object you want to restore
• the usual "i"-button to send the iD user to your mentioned osm-wiki article (https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Find_the_id_of_a_deleted_node)
• a drop down menu for Node / Way / Relation element selection
• a download button, to restore the object
• and a zoom-to-object button, for showing and zooming to the object
  (the last 2 could also automatically combined)

The whole panel of course should be hidden by default, and somewhere could be a show button (or a show/hide switch)