topic Re: shapefile examples in ArcGIS Mapping and Charting Questions

shapefile examples

DennisCooper — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 16:43:54 GMT

I am looking for some examples of shapefiles (DBF,SHP,SHX,SBN) for latest version. I am having difficultly locating examples on the website. Thanks.

Re: shapefile examples

MicahBabinski — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 17:22:50 GMT

Hi Dennis,

Do you mean the latest version of ArcGIS Desktop software? Or the latest version of the shapefile specification? If you just need some random example shapefiles try visiting your favorite Open Data Site. Here are two of mine:

Home | HIFLD Open Data

City of Portland Open Data Site

Micah

Re: shapefile examples

DennisCooper — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 19:52:33 GMT

Micah,

Thanks for those references.

Here is my situation. I have some software that reads a SHP file. I understand the spec has changed with regards to locations. In particular, I believe the level of precision in LAT, LON data has changed. Further, the change is with respect to this particular format (example for LAT): NDDMMSS.SSS

I have gone to the two web sites you referenced below and have been looking through the available data and so far all the data is in decimal degrees, which doesn’t help.

Thanks again,

…Dennis

Re: shapefile examples

DanPatterson_Retired — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 01:13:56 GMT

The shapefile technical description can be accessed here

http://support.esri.com/en/white-paper/279

and directly here

http://downloads.esri.com/support/whitepapers/mo_/shapefile.pdf

and it remains the same since 1998.

In any case, a shapefile whose coordinates are in geographic coordinates are recorded in decimal degrees and no other variant like degrees, minutes, seconds or degrees decimal minutes etc.

Coordinates in planar units are most likely in meters although feet are used for some projections in the U.S (and historically elsewhere).