Knowledge Base

Category: Carlson GIS
Topic ID: 715
Title: importing .shp files with associated ESRI .prj files
Created: 2011-11-09Last modified: 2011-11-09
Carlson can read and use .prj files that define exactly where the data is located. ESRI can write an intended projection file that contains a projection different then the location of the data. This is a 2 step conversion setup by ESRI which Carlson is not allowed to execute. Carlson can do a 1 step conversion by reading the .prj definition and converting to the system defined in 'Drawing Setup'. Carlson is working with ESRI to acquire the ability to read pre-projected .prj files and execute the two step conversion. If you open your .prj files in Windows Notepad and the file starts with 'PROJCS', this projection file defines an intended system other then where the data is actually located in the .shp file. If the .prj file starts with 'GEOGCS', the .prj file defines were the data is actually located and Carlson will perform a transformation during import to the system defined in 'Drawing Setup' if necessary. Without a .prj present the .shp file will be imported in the x,y location defined in the .shp file (projection unknown). If the .prj file is a pre-projected file the .prj will be ignored and the data will come in at the x,y defined in the .shp (projection unknown). 

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