6.1 HOT Export Tool

This section provides:

  • An overview of the HOT Export Tool
  • Step-by-step instructions on downloading data (such as shapefiles) from OpenStreetMap using Export Tool

Overview

HOT Export Tool allows users to download OSM data by specifying tags, area of interest, and file type. Learning resources and walkthroughs can be found at the HOT Export Tool Learn page.

Resources and Training Materials

This section features a selection of resources targeted at project managers, trainers, or even self-learners on the topic(s) outlined above.

The following presentation(s) can be used to lead a training or workshop.

The following section is designed to serve as self-paced material that can be used both during trainings, and by self-guided learners.

Using the HOT Export Tool

Tools and Technology Needed:

To get started, open an internet browser and go to: https://export.hotosm.org/ To use the HOT Export Tool, you will need to log in using your OSM username and password, by clicking the red “Log In” button in the top right-hand corner.

Select ‘Create’ in the top menu.

Select an AOI on the map by searching a place, uploading a .geojson, or drawing an area in the map to the right. To draw an area of interest, zoom in and find a location of your choice (i.e. Zwedru, Accra). Once you have zoomed in to your area of interest, select the box tool from the Tools Menu on the right. Click one corner to start drawing a box, then select the opposite corner to complete the box. This is your AREA OF INTEREST that will be downloaded.

On the left hand side of the window, fill out the “1 Describe” options:

  • Name: “[YOUR OSM USERNAME] Test Export”
    • For example, “jessbeutler Test Export”
  • Description (optional)
  • Project (optional)
    • For example, “Government Inclusion Project”

Select preferred file type in the ‘Formats’ tab. If downloading data to use in a GIS program, try downloading a .shp file.

In the ‘Data’ tab, select the types of OSM data to export. Recommend types to try: ‘Education’, ‘Government’, ‘Healthcare’.

In the ‘Summary’ tab, select ‘Create Export’. While processing, a “Running” status will show. Processing time depends on export size. Once completed, the file will be available for download & sent to your email.

This process will take several minutes to process.

When the export process is completed, the ‘Status’ bar will be updated to ‘COMPLETED’. Download the file by clicking on the file link, as highlighted below. For shapefiles, open the downloaded .zip folder and save it to a folder of your choice on your computer. You can now use the shapefile in a GIS software such as QGIS.