[Proj] esri shape files

Frank Warmerdam warmerdam at pobox.com
Thu May 26 20:19:57 EST 2011


On 11-05-26 05:50 PM, support.mn at elisanet.fi wrote:
> Hello,
>
> is there any document what should be put in the .prj or .sbn file
> that should go with the esri shape files? and does any program
> really trust or use what is in it?
>
> This link seems to give some information
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shapefile#Shapefile_projection_format_.28.prj.29

S. L.

The .sbn is part of a spatial index, and needs to be in a fairly particular
format which I don't know.  Beyond software built on ESRI libraries, I
believe Safe Software's FME also supports it, though my shapelib does not.
It has nothing to do with coordinate systems and so is not really relavent
to this mailing list.

As previously noted the .prj file should contain the coordinate system in
ESRI "Projection Engine" format, which is closely related to OGC Well Known
Text format.  Among others GDAL/OGR based software packages can utilize
the .prj file which I transform internally into what I think of as "OGC
Well Known Text".  Please don't just dump not-quite-ESRI WKT into the .prj
file.  It will mess me up!

Best regards,
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
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