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What File Formats Can I Use for Polygon Uploads on Restor?
What File Formats Can I Use for Polygon Uploads on Restor?

At Restor, we work with a variety of geospatial data to power our platform and help users manage their restoration and conservation projects. Understanding the different file formats and their capabilities is important when working with Restor.

Updated over a week ago

This guide provides an overview of some of the most common geospatial file types and how they can be used on the Restor platform. It's important to note that Restor currently supports single-polygon uploads per file. If you need to upload a file with multiple polygons, please reach out to our support team at support@restor.eco for assistance.

Geospatial File Formats: An Overview

When working with geographic data, it's important to understand the different file formats available and their unique characteristics. Here's a comprehensive guide to some of the most common geospatial file types:

Shapefile (.shp)

The Shapefile is a popular vector data format developed by Esri. It's made up of several component files that work together:

  1. .shp - This is the main file that stores the feature geometry.

  2. .shx - The index file that stores the index of the feature geometry.

  3. .dbf - The dBASE table that stores the attribute data for each feature.

  4. .prj - The projection file that stores the coordinate system and projection information.

  5. .sbn and .sbx - Optional files that store the spatial index of the features.

  6. .fbn and .fbx - Optional files that store the spatial index of features for faster drawing.

  7. .ain and .aih - Optional files that store the attribute index of the active fields in the .dbf table.

  8. .atx - Optional file that stores the attribute index for faster attribute queries.

  9. .ixs - Optional file that stores the spatial index.

  10. .mxs - Optional file that stores the spatial index for multi-patch features.

Not all of these component files are required, but they can be present in a complete Shapefile dataset. The core required files are the .shp, .shx, .dbf, and .prj. The additional files provide optimization and indexing capabilities to improve performance when working with the data.

Shapefiles are widely supported by GIS software and mapping platforms, making them a versatile choice for sharing and working with spatial data. Learn more about Shapefiles on the Esri Shapefile documentation page.

KML (Keyhole Markup Language)

KML is an XML-based file format used to display geographic data in mapping applications like Google Earth and Google Maps. KML files describe features such as placemarks, images, polygons, 3D models, and more. KML files can be opened in a text editor or specialized GIS software. Learn more about KML on the OGC KML documentation page.

KMZ (Compressed KML)

KMZ is the compressed version of a KML file. It packages all the necessary components (KML file, images, models, etc.) into a single ZIP-compressed file. KMZ files are more compact and easier to share than individual KML files.

GeoJSON

GeoJSON is a lightweight, open-standard format for representing simple geographical features along with their non-spatial attributes. GeoJSON supports various geometry types like points, lines, polygons, and multi-part features. GeoJSON files are written in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) and can be easily integrated into web-based mapping applications. Learn more about GeoJSON on the GeoJSON.org website.

Understanding the differences between these file formats and their use cases can help you choose the right format for your specific needs when working with geographic data.

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