Question

Converting a .txt file (or csv file) into shapefile

Asked by: subirc

Is there any way to convert csv (or text files) to shape files (.shp / .shx / .dbf) . I have perl scripts that generate 100s of  CSVs (or .txt files, whatever I want) and I am looking for a script that will convert these tabulated text files into shp files.  The text files (or the CSVs) have lat / long corrdinates in them along lot of other data. Is it possible to write/download a script that will automatically convert this files ? I can run a crontab to automate the process but I wonder whether there is an script that exists.........


Thanks a lot......!!!!

Subir.

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Asked On
2004-07-19 at 14:21:02ID21064009
Tags

csv

,

shapefile

,

file

,

convert

Topic

GIS & GPS Programming

Participating Experts
4
Points
500
Comments
8

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Answers

 

by: CWisePosted on 2004-07-20 at 09:30:06ID: 11594631

Are you using ArcGIS 9?  Does your data have XY information?  The easiest way is to do it is to go into ArcMap through the tools pull down menu and select the "add xy data" option.  A dialog comes up that will walk you right through it.  In Arc9 you can also go into catalog and use a model builder to create python scripts.  I have used this for putting spatial indexes on our data, not for creating shapefiles.
If you do alot of data conversion and need to automate your processes I recommend you use FME (Feature manipulation Engine).  I use it here for all my data conversion processes.  You can download a trial of it.  Good Stuff.

 

by: subircPosted on 2004-07-20 at 15:45:45ID: 11598208

hi! Cwise,

I am using ArcGis 8.3. I have downloaded the trial version of FME as you suggested. I opened the translator (FME Universial Translator) and I found that it is asking me for a Source format / dataset  & a destination format/dataset.
Now I put  "text file" as the source file format and selected the .txt file as the source dataset. I put "shape file" as my distination format but don't know what to put as destination data set. Need help!!!

Yes, my .txt file has 22 columns in it out of which 10 & 11 th coulmn holds the lat & long values respectively.

Thks,
Subir

 

by: imarshadPosted on 2004-07-21 at 02:07:03ID: 11600625

If you have ARCView it can be done very easily....
Please do tell me if you require it in ARCView......

Imran Arshad

 

by: CWisePosted on 2004-07-21 at 04:56:52ID: 11601595

Imarshad is right for a quick dirty.  If you look at my first comment I walk you through that.  You file is comma seperated right (.csv)?  I will walk you through this in FME.  

     Start up FME workbench.  Go to the "Use the workspace wizard" and hit OK.  Choose the "..." button and choose the extension column to sort the different file types.  Scroll down and select the .csv (Comma seperated Value) and hit OK.  Next go find your file.  If you look under the settings button you can make sure certain things are passed such as field names in the first line, striping qoutes, etc.  Under the destination format choose ESRI shape.  Just toggle through the rest of the dialogs until it creates a workbench file with an input and an output file.  There are two things I recommend you do from here.  The first is to set your destination shape file directory so it knows where to put the file and the coordinate system you want this information in.  You can leave the coordinate info blank, but I out of habit always force it to ours.  
     The last step is to add the 2D Point filter.  This lets FME project the X&Y or Lat/Long coordinates.  I have included a screen capture of this.  If you go to the gallery tab on the bottom left of your screen, then choose manipulators you will see 2DPOINTADDER.  You can just double click on it.  Now connect you input csv file to the 2DPOINTADDER and connect the "point" feature in the filter to your output.  At this point you are done.  Save you work and push the "export as .fme" button next to the save button.  The .fme file will be place in the same folder and this file can be run from a batch.  That way if you ever have to run this again you can set it up a a scheduled task.  Straight throu Arc is alot less work up front, but I do not think there is a way to set it up as a batch in Arc yet.  To call out an .fme file from a batch use the following example:

cd "Program Files\FME SUITE"
fme.exe S:\FME_MERGE_DGN\Automation\sewer\MM_to_shp.fme



 

by: CWisePosted on 2004-07-21 at 05:00:42ID: 11601621

Sorry about the screen capture.  I guess you are not able to attach images.

 

by: subircPosted on 2004-07-23 at 09:03:45ID: 11622751

Thanks CWise,

I think I did manage to do it. But here is something that suprised me. I was not sure whether I did that right, maybe the screen capture would have helped me. I connected the input csv file to the input of the 2DPointAdder and output arrow from the 2D point adder to the shape file (my final output). When I did that all the columns headings in the csv input showed up on the diagram. Is that normal ?  My email is subirchowdhury@yahoo.com, incase u have a screen capture.

But Thanks a lot anyways!!!
I guess I can figure it out from here.

 

by: Fionageo80Posted on 2009-05-22 at 01:11:11ID: 24448709

Hi is there anyway to do that but using Java(programmatically)?

 

by: indigoblue3Posted on 2009-11-13 at 06:02:04ID: 25813902

Hi Imran,

Could you explain how to do this in ArcView (ArcGIS)?

I have many .csv files which I would like to add as xy data and save as a shapefile with the same name as the original .csv file.

Many thanks.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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