User:Moweez/Place categories

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Place categories

The Place categories used in Waze are not always directly applicable in BeLux, for they are global categories. At this time, it is not possible to adapt these categories to local customs.

Waze has several major categories, which in turn includes quite a number of sub categories. If you choose a main category within WME, you automatically get to see the sub-categories to choose from. It is also possible to directly type in a category. If you cannot find an applicable sub category, just use the main category and add the missing category i front of the name in the alternate name field.

This overview shows the categories used for the Waze Places, with a description and a guideline for mapping. . In general, a point is used, unless the Place is large, significant and distinctive for drivers to help visual orientation. Read more under When to use an Area Place.

Note that circumstances may require a different approach. The different regions use a different locking strategy (see table below). In any case counts: if a Place needs more protection, a higher lock level can be used.

Regional differences

Regional guidelines
	Flanders	Brussels	Wallonia	Luxembourg
lock	If a lock is required, the minimum lock level is described in the tables below.	Places may be locked at L3 or higher when considered completed. In any case do not do not reduce the lock of complete POIs.	Places that are considered complete, aka contain all relevant information available, are locked to L3, to prevent unwanted edits.	Places that are considered complete, aka contain all relevant information available, are locked to L3, to prevent unwanted edits.

Categories

Parking Lot

Sub-category	Description / Examples	Naming	type	min. Lock
				Fl	W
Parking Lot	For distinctive parking areas	{Name}	area	2	3

Car Services

Sub-category	Description / Examples	Naming	type	Lock ≥
	check out the Regional Guidelines		*	**
Gas Stations	Use the Brand and official name. If there is a locally different name in use, put it in alternative name field. The use of the picto ⛽️ before the name is optional	{Brand} + {Name}, e.g., ⛽️ Shell VanPé	area	3
Garage / Automotive Shop	Technical inspection, Tire center, Independent garage, Body Shop. Official brand, choose dealer	{Brand} + {Name}	point
Car Wash		{Name}	point
Charging Stations	Essent 20kW (2)	{Provider} + {MaxPower} + ({Amount}	point	3

* if the place is larger than 500 m² and distinctive/helping visual orientation, you can use an Area type. See the Regional Guidelines for details
** If the place needs to be protected, a higher lock level can be applied. See the Regional Guidelines for details

Transportation

Sub-category	Description / Examples	Naming	type	Lock ≥
	check out the Regional Guidelines		*	**
Airport	You can replace "airport" in the name with the picto ✈, but the picto should be in front	{Name}, e.g., Brussels Airport ✈ Brussels	area	3
Bus Station		Fl?: {Location} + {Name} Br, Wal & Lux: -in large cities: {station name} + ({operator}) -outside large cities: {city} + {station name} + ({operator})	area
Ferry Pier			area
Seaport / Marina / Harbor			area
Subway Station	Underground Station for or Metro. Put the city name in front of the station name if different	Fl?: {City} + {Station Name} Br, Wal & Lux: {station name}	point
Train Station	e.g., Station Antwerpen	Fl?: "Station" + {station name} Br, Wal & Lux: {station name} alternate name: "Station" + {station name}	area
Bridge	Use only to represent a named road bridge with local or navigational significance	{Name}	area
Tunnel		{Tunnel Name}	area
Taxi Station			point
Junction / Interchange		Junction {Name}	area
Rest area			area
Carpool spot
others / without sub category	all other POIs belonging to transportation, and not to car services. Examples:
	Car Sharing & Bike Sharing Stations	{operator} + {station name}	point

* if the place is larger than 500 m² and distinctive/helping visual orientation, you can use an Area type. See the Regional Guidelines for details
** If the place needs to be protected, a higher lock level can be applied. See the Regional Guidelines for details

Professional and public

For public buildings or services such as fire departments, town halls and the like, we set the location of the name after the name, e.g., Stadhuis Antwerpen. For Organisations that have several locations, specify the location after a hyphen, after the general name of the organisation, e.g., UZ leuven - campus Gasthuisberg.

Sub-category	Description / Examples	Naming	type	Lock ≥
	check out the Regional Guidelines for details		*	**
Cemetery			area
City Hall	local name use	{Municipality}	area
College / University			area
Conventions / Event Center			area
Courthouse			area
Doctor / Clinic	Use this category for non-urgent medical care. See for urgent medical care Hospital / Medical Care below		point
Embassy / Consulate			point
Emergency shelter			point
Factory / industrial			area
Fire department		{City} {department}	area
Government	Only large ones are Area		point
Hospital / Urgent Care	Hospitals, First Aid Posts and other places that offer emergency aid. Use Doctor / Clinic for non-urgent medical care		area
Information point			point
Kindergarten			point
Library		{City} {location}	point
Military			area
Offices			point
Organization or Association			point
Police Station		{City} {department}	area
Prison / Correctional Facility			area
Post Office			point
Religious Center	Big centers are often well recognisable and can be drawn as Area		point
School			area

* if the place is larger than 500 m² and distinctive/helping visual orientation, you can use an Area type
** If the place needs to be protected, a higher lock level can be applied

Shopping and services

Sub-category	Description / Examples	Naming	type	Lock ≥
	check out the Regional Guidelines for details		*	**
Arts and Crafts			point
ATM	Use the translation for ATM, followed by the brand, e.g., "Geldautomaat SNS Bank"	ATM {Brand}	point
Bank / Financial		{Brand}	point
Bookstore			point
Car Dealership	In case there is a gas station, use Gas Station as the primary category unless they have different opening times	{Brand} {Name}	point
Car rental	Rental-car facilities and returns, including at airports, should be marked as a Point with the “Rental Car” Place category. If the return location is a normal Parking Lot, then mark it with the Parking Lot category and the building with the Car Rental category		point
Convenience Store	like a kiosk		point
Currency Exchange			point
Department Store	like De Bijenkorf?		point
Electronics			point
Fashion and Clothing			point
Flowers			point
Furniture / Home Store			area
Gifts			point
Gym / Fitness			point
Hardware Store			point
Jewelry			point
Laundry / Dry Cleaning			point
Market		{City} {Location}	area
Music Store			point
Personal Care			point
Pet Store / Veterinarian			point
Pharmacy			point
Photography			point
Shopping Center			area
Sporting Goods			point
Supermarket / Grocery	Delhaize. Intermarché, Lidl	{Brand} {Location}	point
Swimming Pool	solely public swimming pools		point
Toy Store			point
Travel Agency			point

* if the place is larger than 500 m² and distinctive/helping visual orientation, you can use an Area type
** If the place needs to be protected, a higher lock level can be applied

Food and Drink

Sub-category	Description / Examples	Naming	type	Lock ≥
	check out the Regional Guidelines for details		*	**
Bakery			point
Bar	Note: a "Plaza" is not a Place (in French) but a food court/food market.		point
Coffee shop			point
Dessert			point
Fast Food	McDonald's may include drive-thru, then draw Parking Lot Road		point
Food Court	Can be used for a caterer or a wholesaler		point
Ice Cream			point
Restaurant		{Name}	point

* if the place is larger than 500 m² and distinctive/helping visual orientation, you can use an Area type
** If the place needs to be protected, a higher lock level can be applied

Culture and Entertainment

Sub-category	Description / Examples	Naming	type	Lock ≥
	check out the Regional Guidelines for details		*	**
Art Gallery			point
Casino			point
Club			point
Game Club			point
Movie Theater			point
Museum			point
Music Venue			point
Performing Arts Venue			point
Racing Track			area
Stadium / Arena			area
Theme Park			area
Theater			point
Tourist Attraction / Historic Site	If the place functions as a landmark it may be represented as an Area Place		point
Zoo / Aquarium			area

* if the place is larger than 500 m² and distinctive/helping visual orientation, you can use an Area type
** If the place needs to be protected, a higher lock level can be applied

Other

Sub category	Description / Examples	Naming	type	Lock ≥
	check out the Regional Guidelines for details		*	**
Construction Site	Construction sites are not necessariliy mapped but it may be useful for editors checking roadworks under way. Ask your Country Manager in case of doubt		area
	General category for all landmarks you can't find an existing suitable category for; add the missing category in front of the name	{missing category} {Name}	point

* if the place is larger than 500 m² and distinctive/helping visual orientation, you can use an Area type
** If the place needs to be protected, a higher lock level can be applied

Lodging

Sub-category	Description / Examples	Naming	type	Lock ≥
	check out the Regional Guidelines for details		*	**
			point

Bed & Breakfast			point		point
Camping / Trailer Park			point		area
Cottage / Cabin			point		point
Hostel			point		point	F1 hotel Waalwijk; Used for Motels and Inns in the BeLux.
Hotel			point		point

* if the place is larger than 500 m² and distinctive/helping visual orientation, you can use an Area type
** If the place needs to be protected, a higher lock level can be applied

Outdoors

Sub-category	Description / Examples	Naming	type	Lock ≥
	check out the Regional Guidelines for details		*	**
Beach			area
Golf Course			area
Park			area
Playground			point
Plaza			area
Pool			area
Promenade	Probably not used in the BeLux
Scenic Lookout / Viewpoint			point
Ski Area			area
Sports Court			area

* if the place is larger than 500 m² and distinctive/helping visual orientation, you can use an Area type
** If the place needs to be protected, a higher lock level can be applied

Natural features

Sub-category	Description / Examples	Naming	type	Lock ≥
	check out the Regional Guidelines for details		*	**
Farm	Farmlands should never be mapped as areas. Editors should remove farmland areas immediately.??		point
Forest / Grove			area
Island			area
River / Stream	Use only if water itself is visually obvious to drivers on nearby roads.?? Features under approximately 20 meters wide will not be visible in the Waze app. Handy tool for drawing rivers: street to river		area
Sea / Lake / Pool	Use only if water itself is visually obvious to drivers on nearby roads.??		area
Canal			area
Swamp / Marsh			area
Dam			area

* if the place is larger than 500 m² and distinctive/helping visual orientation, you can use an Area type
** If the place needs to be protected, a higher lock level can be applied

Tools

• WME Place Interface Enhancements (WMEPIE) Script adding functionality Places,such as showing the size and possibility to resize area Places, buttons to zoom and center, quick categorization, auto set address, verify link with GM, etc.

Install and description

Discussion on the forum.

• WME Split POI script This script adds a button to the WME that allows you to split or cut Places from the category Natural Features into two, keeping the specifics. Can be used for all Natural Features like Island, Sea/Lake/Pool, River/Stream, Forest/Grove, Farm, Canal, Swamp / Marsh, Dam

Description and discussion on the forum

Install

• WME Color Highlights Adds color highlighting to Places according to their status and type. Shows rivers blue in WME.

- Install

- Discussion on the forum

• WME Toolbox can select and filter Places, and show the area size. And many more other tools, see Toolbox
• Place Browser

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