topic Re: Problems converting SHP to KML files in ArcGIS Mapping and Charting Questions

Problems converting SHP to KML files

HilaryAndersen — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 19:27:58 GMT

I'm having problems converting shapefiles to kml files using the toolbox - conversion tools - to kml - layer to kml function in ArcGIS 10.4.1. All of my layers are projected to WGS_North_American_1983, but only one of my layers opens accurately in GoogleEarth. The other layers are all empty when opened in GoogleEarth, but have long attribute tables in the original SHP file.

Help is appreciated!

Re: Problems converting SHP to KML files

HilaryAndersen — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 20:50:50 GMT

Converting the projection to WGS1984 doesn't solve the issue either.

Re: Problems converting SHP to KML files

SteveCole — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 22:16:42 GMT

Google Earth Pro (which is free) can natively import ESRI shapefiles. You can always try importing your shapefile that way and then exporting it out as a KML/KMZ file.

Steve

Re: Problems converting SHP to KML files

HilaryAndersen — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 20:39:10 GMT

Hi Steve,

Having the same problem importing .SHP files into Google Earth Pro. The files appear to be empty. Other workaround ideas? File is really small - has only two rows in the attribute table.

Thanks,

Hilary

Re: Problems converting SHP to KML files

SteveCole — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 23:20:24 GMT

Hillary, are you expecting only two features in the shapefile? I only ask that because sometimes the shapefile table can have a different number of records than the file with the feature representations and that can mess up the shapefile. Is is a shapefile you can ZIP up and share here to Geonet?

Steve

Re: Problems converting SHP to KML files

HilaryAndersen — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 12:47:51 GMT

Hi Steve, Here is the zipped file. Please let me know if you have any problems accessing the file. I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on what could be causing the problems.

Thank you!

Re: Problems converting SHP to KML files

SteveCole — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 03:31:19 GMT

Sorry for the delay- your link is blocked by my work firewall. I looked at the shapefile and I think that's where the problem is. Your shapefile has a defined projection of Web Mercator, and I'm guessing Google Earth doesn't know what to do with that projection. In Arcmap, I gave my data frame a world geographic projection (WGS1984) and then exported your original shapefile using the data frame projection for the shapefile projection instead of its Web Mercator. I was then able to successfully import your shapefile into Google Earth Pro without issue.

Hope that helps!

Steve

Re: Problems converting SHP to KML files

HilaryAndersen — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 17:55:29 GMT

Thank you Steve! This appears to have solved my issue!