Preferences > Plugins

Plugins extend the core functionality of JOSM. The list of JOSM plugins explains which plugins are available and with what kind of functionality they extend JOSM.

Most JOSM users don't work with the bare JOSM core only. They usually install a set of at least 3-5 plugins.

Please, install only the plugins you need. Plugins will probably rise the chance of code errors and some combinations might even not been tested.

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Installing plugins

1. Launch the Preferences dialog.
2. Select the tab Plugins.
3. Click on Download list to download the list of available plugins.
4. Tick the checkbox for every plugin you want to install.
5. Click on Update plugins.

JOSM will download and install the plugins. You have to restart JOSM to load and activate the newly downloaded plugins.

Manually updating plugins

1. Launch the Preferences dialog.
2. Select the tab Plugins.
3. Click on Download list do download the list of available plugins.
4. Tick the checkbox for every plugin you want to update.
5. Click on Update plugins.

JOSM will download and install the most recent version of the selected plugins. You have to restart JOSM to load and activate the newly downloaded plugins.

Automatically updating plugins

On start-up, JOSM attempts to update the plugins

• if JOSM itself has been updated since the last plugin update. This is called the version based update mode.
• if a certain periode of time has elapsed since the last plugin update. This is called the time based updated mode.

In both cases, JOSM offers to update the currently active plugins and you are advised to run the updates by clicking on Update plugins. You may also skip updating, but be warned, that installed plugins could be incompatible with the new JOSM version and that they might either fail to load or fail to work as expected.

Select Do not ask again and remember my decision if JOSM should always try the selected action without asking for confirmation. If you select this checkbox, JOSM won't display this dialogue any more.

In the preferences you can define the policy for both updating plugins modes.

1. Launch the Preferences dialog.
2. Select the tab Plugins.
3. Click the tab Plugin update policy.

• Select the radio button Ask before updating if JOSM shall ask before updating plugins in version and/or time based update mode.
• Select the radio button Always update without asking if JOSM shall automatically update plugins without asking.
• Select the radio button Never update to disable version or time based automatic update. JOSM will skip automatic update at startup if this policy is selected.

The interval in days for the time based updated mode can be set below the radio buttons (default=30).

Manually installing plugins

If the automatic way does not work, you can install plugins manually by putting the .jar files in the plugins directory under the JOSM directory

• Under Windows, this is in C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\JOSM\plugins.
• Under Vista, the plugins are located in C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\JOSM\plugins.
• On a Mac you will find the JOSM directory in the user directory /Users/username/.josm/plugins. The point "." in front of ".josm" indicates that this folder is invisible. To show the contents of this hidden folder, use the Finders Go to folder menu command (Cmd+Shift+G), and enter "~/.josm") in the dialog that pops up. Drag any plugins you'd like to install into the plugins folder.
  (You can also copy the plugin files using the command line.)
• On a Linux system you will find the JOSM directory in the user directory /home/username/.josm/plugins. The point "." in front of ".josm" indicates that this folder is invisible. To show the contents of this hidden folder, use the file manager and enter "~/.josm" in the address line (if no address line is visible just try to enter a letter and hopefully a popup to enter the address will open). Alternatively it is possible to "show hidden" files and folders in the file manager, using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+H. Drag any plugins you'd like to install into the plugins folder.
  (You can also copy the plugin files using the command line.)

Now restart JOSM and the plugins should show up in the plugin list under Edit -> Preferences -> Plugins.
Activate the Plugins, click on OK to save the preferences and restart JOSM once more.

See also

• List of JOSM plugins
• Plugin Help

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