Importing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data in Google Earth
Thousands of shapefile maps can be downloaded for free from the following websites, including country shapefiles, shapefiles at province or state level, and other administrative boundaries maps. The shapefile (or ESRI shapefile) format is a geospatial vector format, and is one of the most commonly used map formats. Create interactive maps. May 14, 2013 For those on a budget, Esri offers a personal use license for $100 per year or you can download QGIS, an open source GIS software for free. If you simply want to be able to view the geographic and attribute data for a shapefile, there are several shapefile viewer options out there, both desktop shapefile viewers and an online shapefile viewer. Calc is part of the free Open Office suite. Shape Viewer - A simple but useful free application for quickly opening and browsing shapefile maps. StatPlanet - Web and desktop based software for creating interactive maps, using embedded maps or external shapefiles. See also the demo.
Tutorial Contents
Prerequisites
- Absolutely no programming skills needed!
- For this tutorial, you will need Google Earth Pro installed on your computer. If you are a non-profit organization, you may qualify for a free license of Google Earth Pro. See eligibility requirements and apply for a Pro grant here. If you are not a non-profit or do not qualify, you may buy Google Earth Pro or download a 7-day free trial here.
Let's Get Started!
- Open Google Earth Pro.
- Download the following datasets for use in this exercise: Rivers_in_SEAsia_shapefile.zip and LandCover_in_SEAsia_grid.zip to your computer. Unzip both files into a folder on your computer.
Import a GIS shapefile, or other vector dataset
- Select Import.. from the File menu.
- Select your data's file type from the Files of type menu. For this example, choose ESRI Shape (*.shp) from the file type menu, select Rivers_in_Southeast_Asia.shp, and click Open.If you have MapInfo .tab data, choose MapInfo (*.tab) from the Files of type menu, select your TAB file and click Open.
- A message will appear, stating that the file contains more than 2500 features and could cause application performance degradation.When you see this message, you can choose to import just a sample, restrict to your current view, or import all.
- Click the Import all button.
- A message will appear, asking if you would like to create a Style Template. Click Yes.First alert fa260 manual professional. Be sure to choose a code you have not used before.If you cannot find the Master Code, you can set one with your Installer Code. This should give you a prompt wherein you can enter your new security code.In the next Style Template Settings dialog box, you will create a style template for the rivers, which will include colors, labels, and icons.
- Under the Name tab, choose the field in the shapefile that you would like to use for the name labels for the data in Google Earth. You can use the preview table to view which field contains the content you would like to use for the labels.For this example, select “NAM” in the drop-down menu. This is the field in the shapefile that contains the names of the rivers.
- Under the Color tab, select to Use single color, and click on the color swatch to the right. This causes the color settings to appear.
- In the Select Color dialog box, choose a color for the river dataset. For this example, select a blue color, and click OK.
- Under the Height tab, keep Clamp features to ground selected. This will keep the rivers clamped to the ground, following the terrain.
- Click OK to finish your style.
- A dialog box will appear, asking if you would like to save the style template you just created. If you wish to save it for future use, click Save. Otherwise, click Cancel. For this example, click Save.Your GIS data has been converted to KML, and the data now appears in Google Earth. Notice how the KML is also listed in the Places panel under your Temporary Places folder. To save it in Google Earth for future sessions, select and drag this file to your My Places folder before closing Google Earth.Once you have imported your vector dataset, you can optimize your files and limiting the number of points displayed at higher alititudes, by using the Regionate tool.
- Save your imported vector dataset as a KML, then choose Regionate under the Tools menu.
- Realtek audio drivers for windows xp 32 bit. For the Input file, browse for your saved KML file. Then choose an Output folder where you want to save the regionated files.
- Check “Open regionated files when done” and click Regionate. Now, as you zoom in, you'll see increasingly more points.
Import GeoTIFF, or other raster dataset
- To import a raster dataset, select Import.. from the File menu. Select the appropriate file format from the file type menu at the bottom, select the file you want to import, and click Open. For this example, select file type GeoTIFF (*.tif), select the LandCover_SEAsia.tif file, and click Open.
- In the New Image Overlay dialog box that appears, give a name to your raster overlay, and click OK.Because the raster dataset in georeferenced to a coordinate system, it is automatically placed in the appropriate location. The land cover GeoTIFF has been imported into Google Earth and is located in the Places panel.If your imported image is larger than the maximum size supported by the hardware, you will be given several choices:
- Click Create Super Overlay.. to import large images and have them automatically split into tiles and scaled according to your zoom level.
- Click Scale to rescale to the maximum size supported.
- Click Crop to view only a full resolution subset of the image.
In addition to importing GIS data into Google Earth Pro, you can also use many other tools and software programs to convert GIS data to KML files for use in Google Earth. GIS software, like ESRI ArcGIS and MapInfo, have tools to export GIS data into KML format for use in Google Earth.- ogr2gui, a free utility that converts many formats, including shapefiles to KML.
- shp2kml, a free utility that converts shapefiles to KML.
- MapWindow GIS has Shape2Earth, a tool for converting GIS data to KML.
- ESRI ArcGIS contains tools in the ArcToolbox (Conversion Tools > To KML) for converting vector and raster GIS data to KML.
- Arc2Earth is an extension for ArcGIS that converts GIS data to KML. The Arc2Earth Community Edition is a free tool that has lower limits than the full version.
- MapInfo Professional has a MapInfos Professional Google Earth Link Utility.
Discussion & feedback
Have questions about this tutorial? Want to give us some feedback? Visit the Google Earth Outreach Discussion Group to discuss it with others.
What's next?
- See all tutorials.
This app is only available on the App Store for iOS devices.
iPad Screenshots
![View shapefiles free online View shapefiles free online](/uploads/1/2/5/0/125067340/695879241.png)
Description
iGIS - The world's first and leading iOS GIS.
True GIS functionality is now available on the iPad! Your iPad. Your data. Your maps.
iGIS represents a new era in mobile GIS solutions by enabling users to load, view, investigate, create and export their own data over a background of map service imagery.
Importing data is easy with our unique data import facility supporting Mac, PC and Linux or via the USB cable. ESRI Shapefiles (.shp) are supported at the moment.
Great for field work as your spatial data is stored on the iPad, so there is no need for an Internet connection to see your data. We also support over 3000 projections, so there is no need for data re-projection.
We include support for multiple layers of points, lines, and polygons and imagery – all styled as you like.
Add comments to your maps - A point layer is added with a name and description field. You can add or edit any of your layers - and even define your own data entry forms with dropdown lists for codes, etc.
Export your layers to ESRI shapefiles for use back in your enterprise.
Other features include:
- Great speed, using our multi-threaded map renderer.
- Support for large datasets.
- Add your own imagery
- Import and export of ESRI Shapefiles.
- Display current GPS location in your chosen projection ( + compass)
- Zoom to current location
- Zoom to data extent
- Map Pan, zoom in, zoom out
- Changeable drawing styles for a layer: size, color, transparency
- Set the draw order and visibility of map layers
- Set the zoom scale for layers via a simple slider
- Select and interrogate feature attributes via point and click
This application is designed for GIS professionals and an understanding of some basic GIS concepts such as layers, shapefiles, projections etc, would make using iGIS simpler. Please let us know if concepts in iGIS are unclear.
We know there’s a lot more functionality that we haven’t included. Let us know what features you’d like to see added or improved.
iGIS can use the GPS in the background. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
Thanks for your interest,
The Geometry Team
True GIS functionality is now available on the iPad! Your iPad. Your data. Your maps.
iGIS represents a new era in mobile GIS solutions by enabling users to load, view, investigate, create and export their own data over a background of map service imagery.
Importing data is easy with our unique data import facility supporting Mac, PC and Linux or via the USB cable. ESRI Shapefiles (.shp) are supported at the moment.
Great for field work as your spatial data is stored on the iPad, so there is no need for an Internet connection to see your data. We also support over 3000 projections, so there is no need for data re-projection.
We include support for multiple layers of points, lines, and polygons and imagery – all styled as you like.
Add comments to your maps - A point layer is added with a name and description field. You can add or edit any of your layers - and even define your own data entry forms with dropdown lists for codes, etc.
Export your layers to ESRI shapefiles for use back in your enterprise.
Other features include:
- Great speed, using our multi-threaded map renderer.
- Support for large datasets.
- Add your own imagery
- Import and export of ESRI Shapefiles.
- Display current GPS location in your chosen projection ( + compass)
- Zoom to current location
- Zoom to data extent
- Map Pan, zoom in, zoom out
- Changeable drawing styles for a layer: size, color, transparency
- Set the draw order and visibility of map layers
- Set the zoom scale for layers via a simple slider
- Select and interrogate feature attributes via point and click
This application is designed for GIS professionals and an understanding of some basic GIS concepts such as layers, shapefiles, projections etc, would make using iGIS simpler. Please let us know if concepts in iGIS are unclear.
We know there’s a lot more functionality that we haven’t included. Let us know what features you’d like to see added or improved.
iGIS can use the GPS in the background. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
Thanks for your interest,
The Geometry Team
What’s New
Ratings and Reviews
2 Ratings
Got worse
I used to use this during graduate school and found it to be a handy tool. I recently tried it again for a project after not opening it for a couple of years.
The interface seems polished. Unfortunately, the app is much less capable than it used to be. Many things I touch (for example, changing symbology) inform me that I need to subscribe to do. This is a surprise, since I originally paid for this app. Furthermore, several shapefiles I tried to load from the Natural Earth dataset failed to load with a message that the CRS selected was wrong (it wasn't). Finally, some complex shapefiles that did import displayed with weird artifacts that I don't see in the desktop programs QGIS or ArcGIS.
Overall, I'm pretty disappointed and wish I could get the old version back.
The interface seems polished. Unfortunately, the app is much less capable than it used to be. Many things I touch (for example, changing symbology) inform me that I need to subscribe to do. This is a surprise, since I originally paid for this app. Furthermore, several shapefiles I tried to load from the Natural Earth dataset failed to load with a message that the CRS selected was wrong (it wasn't). Finally, some complex shapefiles that did import displayed with weird artifacts that I don't see in the desktop programs QGIS or ArcGIS.
Overall, I'm pretty disappointed and wish I could get the old version back.
Total garbage!!!
Waste of money. Could not be more frustrated with this piece of crap app. Does not load shapefiles spits out error after error. All spatial files work fine on my computer but not on this garbage. DON'T BUY!!!
Outstanding, powerful and easy to use mobile GIS
View Shapefiles Free Pdf
Discovering iGIS has made field data collection much easier than using professional surveying equipment. It works with standard data file formats, is simple to use even for newbies, and is very reliable. I wish I new about iGIS before spending money on Trimble Juno 5's. the web site mentions providing 'pro' options for a fee, but they are apparently not available yet.
Information
Download Shapefile
Requires iOS 8.0 or later. Compatible with iPad.
- iGIS Pro 1 year subscription$31.99
- iGIS Pro - 1 month subscription$9.99
Supports
View Esri Shapefiles Free
Family Sharing
With Family Sharing set up, up to six family members can use this app.