[Proj] ogr2ogr to convert KML files into ESRI Shapefiles?

[Frank Warmerdam]

On 11-03-03 06:50 AM, Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
> As the subject says, I am trying to convert  KML files into ESRI
> Shapefiles. I use a command like this:
>
> 	ogr2ogr -f "ESRI Shapefile" rst31_tyid2_2.shp rst31_tyid2_2.kml
>
> I get the following error:
>
> ERROR 1: Attempt to write non-point (LINESTRING) geometry to point shapefile.
> ERROR 1: Terminating translation prematurely after failed
> translation of layer DATA from RST (use -skipfailures to skip errors)
>
> Indeed the kml file does have a<linestring/>  component. It is a path
> defined by WGS84 latitudes, longitudes and altitudes. I'm sensing this
> is a problem for shapefiles. Is there a reasonable solution?

Roger,

This question would be better addressed to the GDAL/OGR mailing list
(gdal-dev at lists.osgeo.org).  I imagine the problem is that the kml file
has a mixture of geometry types in it, perhaps points and lines?  Shapefiles
can only hold one type of geometry - in the above case likely established
by the first geometry written to the file.

You will need to do something like:

   ogr2ogr out_points.shp your.kml -skipfailures -nlt point
   ogr2ogr out_lines.shp your.kml -skipfailures -nlt linestring
   ogr2ogr out_poly.shp your.kml -skipfailures -nlt polygon

Good luck,
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