idea Import KML attributes in ExtendedData nodes in ArcGIS Pro Ideas

Import KML attributes in ExtendedData nodes

jessemaps — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 21:45:50 GMT

The Kml To Layer tool does not import data attributes contained in a KML file. Handling attributes should be an important function of a file import utility in the leading GIS software.
The KML spec for including attributes in KML GIS data is here: https://developers.google.com/kml/documentation/extendeddata

Re: Import KML attributes in ExtendedData nodes

BruceHarold — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 19:17:48 GMT

Hello Jesse

Data Interoperability extension supports reading typed data from schema and schemadata elements in KML/KMZ files.

More frequently we see untyped data in description objects i.e. HTML, this can be extracted using the approach in this discussion.

KMZ/ KML to Layer Improvements; Preserve Attribution

JeffBishop — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 16:03:00 GMT

When we import a KML/KMZ using the "KML to Feature" tool, we lose all of the attribution of the features. Only the name of the feature is preserved. I hear Global Mapper can do this and I also hear the Interoperability Extension allows this, but we have no licensing for either and I was hoping such a basic feature would be made available by ESRI.

Re: KMZ/ KML to Layer Improvements; Preserve Attribution

jcarlson — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 21:01:31 GMT

It's a nice idea, but part of the problem is that KML/KMZ is a non-tabular format. Some programs may behave otherwise, but an individual feature in a KML/KMZ can have any number of attributes unique to itself within the ExtendedData element.

I imagine it was a development decision to just keep it simple, rather than potentially have a massive table with mostly null values.

Still, maybe something like "attributes to keep" as an option in the tool would be nice, so the tool could look in the ExtendedData element for "<Data name="your-attribute"> and pull out the value. It would be a good enhancement.

Re: Import KML attributes in ExtendedData nodes - Status changed to: Under Consideration

MargaretCrawford — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 19:43:05 GMT

The development team is researching the use of KML ExtendedData attributes for the KML To Layer conversion tool.

Re: Import KML attributes in ExtendedData nodes

DanielMurillo — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 21:06:04 GMT

Hello@MargaretCrawford Is there any BUG or EHN number we can keep on checking to see the advance of this?

Re: Import KML attributes in ExtendedData nodes

MargaretCrawford — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 16:49:21 GMT

Hi @DanielMurillo, you can track the issue with BUG-000126776

Re: Import KML attributes in ExtendedData nodes

KoryKramer — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 19:19:57 GMT

@DanielMurillo it may be easier to just follow this idea. We strive to keep statuses updated and accurate. But here is the link to the bug that Margaret cited: https://support.esri.com/en-us/bug/the-kml-to-layer-tool-does-not-honor-the-attributes-for-bug-000126776

(Note that we typically don't keep ideas open that are legitimately bugs. I think there is some nuance that understandably makes this a perceived bug and in order to address that, we would need to address this idea.)

Re: Import KML attributes in ExtendedData nodes

DanielMurillo — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 20:38:52 GMT

Hello @MargaretCrawford and @KoryKramer for the info provided.

We will tell the customer to kudo this idea and hopefully this will be catched in any version soon.

Re: Import KML attributes in ExtendedData nodes - Status changed to: In Product Plan

DrewFlater — Sat, 07 Dec 2024 00:11:07 GMT

Support for ExtendedData attributes in KML is being added to the ArcGIS Runtime KML parser that is in use across Esri products. KML To Layer is being actively worked on for the last several months to support this parser. We are hoping this will be complete in the near term, perhaps the ArcGIS Pro 3.5 release.

Re: Import KML attributes in ExtendedData nodes - Status changed to: Implemented

MargaretCrawford — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 18:59:15 GMT

This idea has been implemented in Pro 3.6 with the new KML to Geodatabase tool

While the tool is called KML To Geodatabase, you can output to shapefile, memory, and any geodatabase format. And the tool supports converting KML attributes in an Extended Data node to individual attribute fields.

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/conversion/kml-to-geodatabase.htm