Data Conversion Can your data be read by me? Can my data be read by you? What software do you use? Are there any standards for data conversion?

Common File Formats: DXF SDTS USGS DEM USGS DLG ArcInfo EXPORTArcInfo IMPORT ArcView SHAPE files Standard Data Transfer System Digital Elevation Model Digital Line graph AutoCAD engineering format.shp.shx.dbf

NSDI sets standards!!! SDTS: Spatial Data Transfer System All Federal agencies produce data in this format. ArcInfo supports this standard: SDTSIMPORT Several processes must be run before you can run SDTSIMPORT. winzip Tar SDTSIMPORT SDTS2COV.aml SDTS2ARC.aml

AutoCAD format (DXF) Pretty straight forward BUT: If the AutoCAD file is in color and layers there may be some other files in the info directory that need to be joined. (X_code, A_code) Arc:\DXFINFO = inventories the layers in the DXF file Arc:\DXFARC = opens a dialogue to convert the layers

USGS DEM Digital Elevation Model: Converts to a grid Is converted in both ArcInfo and ArcView DEMLATTICE or or DEMGRID DEMGRID SDTS2ARC.aml

USGS DLG Converts a Digital Line Graph to an ArcInfo format Can use the tool: DLGARC or or STDS2COV.aml STDS2COV.aml

ArcInfo formats To IMPORT (To open a coverage from someone else) a.e00 file format to a coverage, grid, or others: a.e00 file format to a coverage, grid, or others: Arc:/ IMPORT auto Arc:/ IMPORT auto To EXPORT (To give to someone else) a coverage, grid, or other items a coverage, grid, or other items to a.e00 file to a.e00 file Arc:/ EXPORT auto Arc:/ EXPORT auto

ArcInfo Shape files Shape files must have at least 3 different files with the same name to make them valid. same name to make them valid..shp file.shx file.dbf file

TIGER/LINE data TIGER/Line 2002 (Bureau of the Census) Topologically Topologically Integrated Integrated Geographic Encoding Encoding and Referencing Referencing system The TIGER/Line files are a digital database of geographic features, such as: roads, railroads, rivers, lakes, political boundaries, census statistical boundaries, etc.

Other formats: Adobe Illustrator Postscript RTL PIC to DXF PIC to DXF

LAB # 1 The purpose of this lab is to develop your skills in file conversion. In GIS there are data stored in many different types of format. In this lab you will be asked to download and convert 4 different types of data to an Arc/Info format. Then, try the 1 additional file types: All the files are located at: _instruct/ftp_files assign1_g.dem Counties.zip Try to convert a SDTS format file G zip.exetar.exesdts2arc.exeWINZIP assign1_topo.e00 NV_BND.DXF