Tips to open OSM file
Can't open the OSM file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open OSM files as well as a list of programs that support OSM files.
OSM file extension
| File Name |
OpenStreetMap Map Format |
| File Developer |
OpenStreetMap |
| File Category |
GIS Files |
The OSM file is supported on 3 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the OSM files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the OSM file on each system platform.
What is OSM file?
The file with the extension OSM is the GIS Files file type. It was designed by OpenStreetMap. Additionally, the GIS Files category contains 255 of other files. OpenStreetMap Map Format is supported by 3 operating systems. These systems consist of Linux, Mac OS, Windows, although it may occasionally be found on another system, it will be non-functional. The Merkaartor application is recommended to open the file. It was released by Jean-Philippe Lang. There are also 3 alternative programs to handle the OSM file. You can use FME Desktop, GeoVisu, GPX Viewer in case Merkaartor cannot be used.
How to open OSM file?
The most common problem when using OpenStreetMap Map Format is that a specific OSM is not associated with the program. Thus, when you open OSM, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. This can be quickly resolved by following the instructions below.
The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the OSM file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.
Step 1. Install Merkaartor
The first step is to check if the computer has the Merkaartor program installed. This can be achieved by typing Merkaartor into the operating system search engine. In the absence of an appropriate program, its installation in the vast majority of cases will fix the problem. Below you will find a list of applications that support OSM files.
Programs to open OSM file
Remember to download programs supporting OSM files only from verified and safe sources. We suggest using the websites of software developers.
Step 2. Create association of Merkaartor with OSM files
However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the OSM file to open in the Merkaartor application, but you can set it manually. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. The window will show, among other things, the type of the file and the information by which the program is used to launch the file. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. The program should be visible in the window, otherwise it should be selected manually using the "Browse" button and the program installation directory should be indicated. However, it is important to check the "Always use the selected program ..." box, this will allow you to permanently associate the OSM file with the Merkaartor application.
Step 3. Update Merkaartor to the latest version
The fault may also lie with the Merkaartor program, it is possible that OpenStreetMap Map Format requires a newer version of the program. In this case, use the Jean-Philippe Lang website or update the program from the application.
Step 4. Check for the following problems with the OSM file
If the above steps do not help, you can assume that the file itself is not correct. The most common file problems are:
The OSM file may be unusually small compared to the original file. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the OSM file. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. A virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. If this is not possible, you can use the online scanner. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our OSM file. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover OSM files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
A typical compatibility error - the program does not support the older version of the OSM file. On their websites, developers usually offer free solutions to such problems, e.g. in the form of a conversion program or an older version of the program.
There can be many reasons for this. The repair method must be adapted to the type of file and damage. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular OSM file corruption. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact OpenStreetMap
The program indicates that the file is encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted OSM files cannot be played on other computers than the one on which they were encrypted, they must be decrypted before using on another device.
The operating system protects files in some locations (e.g. the root of the system partition) against unauthorized access. While there is usually no problem reading such a file, it may not be possible to save it. Copying the OSM file to another location will fix the problem.
This can happen on a file that does not support multiple access. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Closing other programs should help. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file OSM to close. However, some background programs may block the OSM file while scanning. If nothing helps, please reset the device.
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