topic Re: Shapefile to Well know text (WKT) in Data Management Questions

Shapefile to Well know text (WKT)

ClaireKolaja1 — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 20:01:26 GMT

Please let me know if this should be posted somewhere else.

I need well know text (WKT) information to download data from another source.

I have a shapefile that represents zip code polygons; what tool or process can be used to create WKT information for each of the polygons? I am using ArcGIS Pro 3.1.0 and the largest dataset has ~1500 zip codes.

Thanks, C

Re: Shapefile to Well know text (WKT)

JohannesLindner — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 20:21:04 GMT

You can use the Calculate Field tool to calculate a text field with this Python expression:

!Shape!.wkt

Re: Shapefile to Well know text (WKT)

Bud — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 21:04:24 GMT

I remember doing something similar: Field Calculator to get JSON text

I made the mistake of making my text field too small. The JSON text wouldn't fit.
So if you run into any issues, that might be something to check.

Re: Shapefile to Well know text (WKT)

VinceAngelo — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 13:53:28 GMT

The shapefile limit on character width (254) means you can only reliably store ~10 vertices in a dBase file. Rectangles and hexagons are possible; countries, states, counties, and even circles are not. Zipcodes would need to be dumped to CSV or processed in memory, because they could not possibly be stored in a shapefile.

- V

Re: Shapefile to Well know text (WKT)

ClaireKolaja1 — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 22:07:57 GMT

Hi, my apologies, I am just getting back to this task. Do you have a link with more information on how to do that (dump to a CSV)? I have not done that before.

V/r, Claire

Re: Shapefile to Well know text (WKT)

ClaireKolaja1 — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 22:09:35 GMT

Ah, thank you for sharing this! If I was using point data this would be the way to go. I will keep this in mind if the project decides to move forward that way.