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  "path": "/user/Koreller/diary/408451",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-01T17:21:09.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.openstreetmap.org",
  "tags": [
    "Building drawing tips, a perfect guide",
    "JOSM",
    "JOSM editor",
    "buildings_tools",
    "JOSM shortcuts",
    "Keep the history",
    "Shrinkwrap"
  ],
  "textContent": "I really love JOSM, and the more I use it, the more I discover that it offers some very useful features… that some of you may not be aware of ! Even if some are less useful, simply knowing they exist opens up the possibility that you might find them useful!\n\nI’d like to show them to you here.\n\n_This diary post is a follow-up to my previous one on JOSM: Building drawing tips, a perfect guide._\n\n## 1st manipulation: Use JOSM\n\nIt is essential to use the JOSM editor, which enables a wide range of manipulations, particularly when combined with other plugins, especially the “buildings_tools” and “utilsplugin2” plugins!\n\nSee JOSM shortcuts.\n\n## 2nd manipulation: F to follow (`F`)\n\nYou can follow another way by pressing `F`, but you must first place a node along the other shape to indicate where to follow it.\n\n## 3rd manipulation: Angle tracing (`A`)\n\nBy pressing `A` (Draw nodes) and then `A` again (to activate the “angle” mode of the Draw nodes tool), you can create angles of 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°… press again `A` to disable the angle mode.\n\nVery precise angles can be useful for creating accurate geometric shapes.\n\n## 4th manipulation: Transfer history (`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`G`)\n\nTo transfer the history, select both objects – the old one and the new one – and press `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`G`. Both objects must be of the same type (two ways, two nodes or two relations).\n\nTransferring history makes it easy to follow the recommendation to Keep the history.\n\n## 5th manipulation: Drawing buildings parallel to other buildings\n\nTo quickly draw a building parallel to other objects, simply select another building (or two reference points) and create the new building.\n\n## 6th manipulation: Parallel (`Shift`+`P`)\n\nUsing `Shift`+`P` you can create a shape parallel to another that maintains the proportions (smaller or larger). Using `Ctrl` in the same time, allow you to adjust the distance of the parallel way more precisely.\n\nCombined with other tools, this can be very effective, for example when mapping a grass area around a footway.\n\n## 7th manipulation: Distribute nodes (`Shift`+`B`)\n\nDistribute Nodes, `Shift`+`B`, allows you to distribute nodes at equal distances between the first and last nodes. It makes it very easy, for example, to create a perfect row of individual trees.\n\n## 8th manipulation: Object Intersection (`Shift`+`I`)\n\n`Shift`+`I` allows you to create an intersection between two objects, creating a shared node without altering the straight lines of the objects, resulting in flawless intersections.\n\n## 9th manipulation: Set buildings size (`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`B`)\n\nSetting a building width (`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`B`) is useful for creating shapes of the same width, which can also be merged for other purposes. You must reset the value to “0” to use the tool without width constraints.\n\n## 10th manipulation: Symmetry (`Alt`+`Shift`+`S`)\n\nThe symmetry tool (`Alt`+`Shift`+`S`) allows you to move objects symmetrically relative to another.\n\nIt is quite similar to the Mirror tool (`Shift`+`M`).\n\nThis is very useful in combination with `Ctrl`+`C` followed by `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`V`.\n\n## 11th manipulation: Shrinkwrap (`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`W`)\n\nThe Shrinkwrap plugin allows you to create a new shape that encompasses the selected shapes (`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`W`). Very useful for creating a single `building=yes` shape that encompasses all `building:part=yes` shapes.",
  "title": "Drawing shapes in JOSM, little-known shortcuts"
}