[Update 20180923: continued from here]
The OSM “Rails Port” is now running on my server, and I have successfully connected to the api via JOSM and rebuilt my test-version of my planet, Rahet.
It took me an entire week of googling and meditating before I solved the port problem. Ultimately, I was looking in the wrong place for clear documentation about it – I was hoping someone would write about it from the perspective of Rails, but finally I found the documentation that made it possible on the Passenger website, buried in an example. There’s a line that belongs in the apache config file, “PassengerRuby /usr/bin/ruby2.3” (or whatever version).
And that made all the difference.
Here’s the link: MAP. [UPDATE 20210530: that link is broken – the test server is closed down. I am running a “live” planet for multiple users based on this original, at arhet.rent-a-planet.com]
So now you can look around. It’s just the “out-of-the-box” OpenStreetMap website (AKA Rails Port), with some minimal customization where I could find where to do it easily. I’ll continue working on that. I might actually disable the iD and Potlatch editing tools – I always use JOSM, and if it ever reaches a point where I’m allowing or inviting others to edit, I would make JOSM-use a prerequisite, I’m certain. JOSM, with its steep learning curve, seems like it would be a good way to “filter” people on the question of how serious they’re taking a project.
There are a number of features that don’t work. I would like to figure out a way to disable the user sign-up page. That’s a kind of vulnerability for the types of use I’m intending for this set-up. Meanwhile, I’ve disabled in a rather inelegant way by “breaking” the sign-up page (by changing its name inside the appropriate folder on the app/views/user path).
I’m happy.
I’ll write up how I figured out the coastline problem, tomorrow, and begin working on deciding what features to retain versus which to change in the Rails Port (i.e. think about customization).
[Update 20180923: continues here]
Music to map by: Run The Jewels, “Talk To Me.”