Key:*:type

Suffix *:type
Description
A key suffix to define the type of the main value.
Group: properties
Used on these elements
See also
type=*
Status: in use
taginfo: *:type

This page describes a key suffix rather than a simple key.

The *:type=* suffix is occasionally used as an add-on tag to specify a "variant" of a feature category.

<key> = <some_value>; <some_value>:type=*

For example, for categorization of man_made=tower objects use tower:type=*.

There are two competing schemes for describing "variants" of the feature category. The suffix-based scheme, as above, adds the *:type=* suffix to the key feature name, as in tower:type=*. The alternative, more common one, simply uses the feature key value as the category key itself: for example, industrial=* specifies variants of landuse=industrial.

Scheme formats

When devising new tagging approaches, consider using one of the formats:

Suffix-based format

• <key> = <some_value>; <some_value>:type=*

Here are some uses of this schema with sample values in parentheses:

• amenity=post_box, sub-classified by post_box:type=* (pillar, lamp, wall, ...)
• amenity=parcel_locker, sub-classified by parcel_locker:type=* (circular, cabinet, parcel_box, ...)
• man_made=tower, sub-classified by tower:type=* (communication, lighting, bell_tower, observation, ...)
• emergency=fire_hydrant, sub-classified by fire_hydrant:type=* (underground, pillar, dry_barrel, pipe, wall, ...)

Value-based format

• <key> = <some_value>; <some_value>=*

Here are some uses of type within the current schema with sample values in parentheses:

• amenity=studio, sub-classified by studio=* (audio, video)
• aeroway=aerodrome, sub-classified by aerodrome=* (public, military, private, ...)
• aeroway=navigationaid, sub-classified by navigationaid=* (adf, vor, vor-dme, waas, ils, ...)
• natural=volcano, refined with volcano:type=* (stratovolcano, shield, scoria, ...) and volcano:status=* (active, dormant, extinct, ...)

Alternative approaches

Additional keys can be used in cases where there is more than one major sub-classification, or for consistency with similar objects:

• man_made=pipeline, sub-classified by substance=* (water, drain, sewer, telecom, gas, ...)
• man_made=pumping_rig, sub-classified by substance=* or content=* (oil, gas, oil;gas, ...)
• man_made=reservoir_covered, please discuss possible replacements here
• natural=tree can be classified using leaf_type=* (broadleaved, needleleaved, mixed, leafless, ...) or botanical taxonomy tags genus=* and species=*.

Top values

See also taginfo

LOADING TAG LIST...

See also

• type=* – Type of a relation