GIS file formats are used in a wide variety of industries thanks to its wide range of applications and high versatility.
There are many examples of tools that use this kind of technology in our everyday lives; one of the most popular examples would likely be Google maps.
Google maps allow us to use smart devices. With the information conveyed by the device’s location in the form of a GIS file, the software can triangulate your exact location and even provide directions to your intended destination.
The Top Most Used GIS File Formats In 2020
There are two primary formats of data that are used when interacting with GIS information systems: raster and vector.
If you have two sets of data and you need to have them work with each other, then you will need to convert one of them to be the same file type as the other.
This is done through file conversions and special software to help in converting the files to the intended file type.
Raster File Formats Used in GIS
Raster files breakup geographical information by portraying the world on a flat surface divided into regularly shaped grids of cells. These file types are particularly well-suited to display continuously variable data.
It is easy for computers to interact with and modify, and it can display information in great detail. Many different file types commonly use raster data.
Portable Network Graphics Or PNG:
PNG files have been around for a very long time. They are still popular because they provide very well compressed and lossless raster file compression.
It is capable of displaying images in full 64-bit color, and it is easily recognizable thanks to the well-known file extension “.PNG.”
Joint Photographic Experts Group Or JPEG 2000:
You’ll find these types of images available in several different file formats: *.jp2, *.j2c, *.j2k, or *.jpx are all possibilities. It is an open-source raster file format that provides options for both lossless and lossy file compression.
JPEG File Interchange Format (JFIF):
.jpg or.jpg files are some of the most popular types of image files used in computer systems. They are great at storing full-color images, and ArcCatalog only recognizes.jpg files by default.
Vector File Formats Used in GIS
Several other file formats are used to represent vector data. Vector data represents geometrical shapes by expressing them as different types of geometry so you can easily map geographical features in the computerized environment.
Shapefiles: Convert Kmz To Shp so you can work with the popular shapefile format. This is a popular type of file format that is particularly well-suited at storing the location, shape, and attributes of various geographical features. These files are by far the most common type of geospatial file that is used in any industry. They are made up of several different files.
.SHP: this is a mandatory ESR I file that primarily conveys the geometry of the features it describes. Every shapefile will have its own. SHP file used to display the vectors.
.shx: this type of file is used for AutoCAD shape index positions and is involved with searching forwards and backwards within the database.
.dbf : at point data and object identification numbers are stored in these files used commonly in databases. These are viewable using Microsoft Excel
.prj : this is a metadata file that helps to catalog record and projection system of a shape file.
.xml: another metadata file that is openable using a text editor.
.sbn: this is a spatial index file that can help to enhance the efficiency of spatial queries
.sbx: these files are similar to .SBN files
.cpg : these plaintext files describe the encoding used for the shape file.
