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Preferences > Display Settings

Various settings that influence the visual representation of the whole program. Display settings are grouped into several tabs 'GPS Points', 'OSM Data', 'Colours', 'Look and feel'. Some settings are only displayed in expert mode.

GPS Points

Settings to do with the display of GPS Points. These settings control the display of track points if you use JOSM with GPS traces loaded in from a local file, or everybody's trackpoints downloaded from the OpenStreetMap server.

You can cause lines to be drawn between raw GPS points.

The size which GPS points are displayed in can be changed from standard to large.

Track and Point Coloring

There are different ways to colorize gps-tracks.

When choosing one of Velocity, Direction or Dilution of Position, a legend is displayed in the top right corner of the map view if the gpx-layer is the current active layer. Example:

OSM Data

Settings to do with map data layers shown in JOSM (ways/nodes etc)

You can cause an arrow to be drawn at the end of each segment, to show the direction in which the segment was drawn. You can also choose to have that arrow drawn only at the end of the way instead. Also, for some ways that have direction dependent tags (like oneway) oneway arrows can be shown.

You can choose to show the boundary of downloaded data. When downloading an area you get and see all the data within the rectangular bounding box you chose. This includes complete ways extending outside that box. It therefore becomes difficult to distinguish which areas contain full or partial data. If you check the "Draw boundaries of downloaded data" box, yellow hatching is drawn over all the areas into which data has not been fully downloaded. You should avoid adding or editing data in areas of yellow hatching as it may duplicate already existing data or conflict with data you don't see.

You can choose to display inactive layers in a different color.

In addition to these, the option to switch from "wireframe" to "paint" view can be found on the 'View' menu

Auto filters can be enabled here and the key to be used for the autofilter can be chosen.

Colors

Color choices. These largely relate to display of OSM data layers too. You can change the color scheme for the display of nodes, ways, background, etc. "Paint style" options all relate to the non-wireframe view ('View' menu option)

Look and Feel

Some overall options for the behavior and kind of display.

Show splash screen at startup

. The splash screen shows the loading of the modules and plugins during when JOSM starts. When ready, JOSM shows an informative welcome page with current news. This Startup page cannot be suppressed.

Show user name in title

. A name entered in the Connection Settings is displayed in the Title bar above the Main menu.

Show object ID in selection lists

. Additional to an objects name its unique id is shown in lists of objects.

Show object version in selection lists

. Additionally the objects version number is shown in lists of objects like the Selection panel.

Show node coordinates in selection lists

. Additionally shows for nodes their coordinates.

Show localized name in selection lists

Show localized name in selection lists, if available.

Modeless working (Potlatch style)

Do not require to switch modes (potlatch style workflow). The [Modeless Working] option modifies the click behavior when editing. It transits between modes in a more automatic way, similar to the online flash editor Potlatch.

Dynamic buttons in side menus

Display buttons in right side menus only when mouse is inside the element.

Display ISO dates

Format dates according to ISO 8601. Today's date will be displayed as YYYY-MM-DD instead of your local date format.

Use native file choosers (nicer, but do not support file filters)

Use file choosers that behave more like native ones. They look nicer but do not support some features like file filters.

Reverse zoom with mouse wheel

Check if you feel opposite direction more convenient.

Intermediate steps between native resolutions

Divide intervals between native resolution levels to smaller steps if they are much larger than zoom ratio.

Zoom steps to get double scale

Higher value means more steps needed, therefore zoom steps will be smaller.

Look and Feel

You can choose the overall theme, current options are : Metal, CDE / Motif, Windows, Windows Classic.

Language

Choose the language for the user interface of JOSM.

Additional Tabs

Plugins might add additional tabs.

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