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diff --git a/docs/customising/fms_and_mapit.md b/docs/customising/fms_and_mapit.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..c02609404 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/customising/fms_and_mapit.md @@ -0,0 +1,63 @@ +--- +layout: page +title: How FixMyStreet assigns reports to bodies +author: dave +--- + +# How FixMyStreet assigns reports to bodies + +<p class="lead"> + When you add a <a href="{{ "/glossary/#body" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">body</a> + to FixMyStreet, you specify which <a href="{{ "/glossary/#area" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">areas</a> + it covers. The areas are typically defined by administrative boundaries: these + are <em>not</em> part of FixMyStreet, but are made available through our + service called <a href="{{ "/glossary/#mapit" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">MapIt</a>. +</p> + +Note that MapIt tells FixMyStreet what administrative boundaries a point lies +within: it does not actually draw the maps (by default, FixMyStreet uses +<a href="{{ "/glossary/#osm" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">OpenStreetMap</a> for that). + +## How this works + +When someone places a pin on the FixMyStreet +<a href="{{ "/glossary/#map" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">map</a> +to report a problem, FixMyStreet sends the +<a href="{{ "/glossary/#latlong" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">lat-long</a> +coordinates of that position to MapIt. MapIt responds with a list of the areas +that the pin lies within. FixMyStreet then looks in its own database to find +all the bodies that cover that area, and the +<a href="{{ "/glossary/#contact" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">contacts</a> +(which are usually email addresses) that you have added for each of +those bodies. Because each contact is associated with a +<a href="{{ "/glossary/#category" | relative_url }}" class="glossary__link">category</a> +of problem (for example, "Potholes" or "Graffiti"), FixMyStreet can build a +list of all the problem categories that *can* be reported at this location. In +fact, this list appears as the drop-down menu ("Pick a category") on the +report-a-problem page. + +This means that your FixMyStreet installation must be able to connect to a +MapIt service which knows about the administrative boundaries in your part of the +world. [See below](#boundaries) for more about setting this up. + +## Detailed flow: location → map pin → drop-down menu + +![FMS bodies and contacts]({{ "/assets/img/fms_bodies_and_contacts.png" | relative_url }}) + +<a name="boundaries"> </a> + +## How to set up the area boundaries + +The type of boundary data you need depends on a number of factors, but will +probably be one of these: + + * ["Everywhere"]({{ "/customising/boundaries/#everywhere" | relative_url }}) -- you can run FixMyStreet without a specific boundary + * [Simple approximate area]({{ "/customising/boundaries/#approx-area" | relative_url }}) -- that is, just one area around the place you need + * [Simple approximate areas]({{ "/customising/boundaries/#approx-areas" | relative_url }}) -- as above, but for multiple areas + * [Accurate OpenStreetMap data]({{ "/customising/boundaries/#mysociety-mapit" | relative_url }}) -- the preferred option + * [Accurate data that isn't on OSM]({{ "/customising/boundaries/#accurate" | relative_url }}) -- if you have your own boundary data, for example + +If you're not sure which is for you, read through the +[whole page about admin boundaries]({{ "/customising/boundaries/" | relative_url }}). + + |