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A primer on Common GIS Data Formats

Contributed by Glenn Letham (GISuser editor)
13 September 2004

Spatial data products made available via free download via the Internet
(http, ftp) are found in a variety of common [and uncommon] formats. This
document serves to introduce the user to some of the commonly found data
formats.

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ASCII

(American Standard Code for Information Interchange). Data in this format is simply a line-by-line listing of information in
text format that takes on a geographical meaning when the listing contains positional coordinate information. Text
information can be easily imported into most GIS and CAD-based software programs and it is this flexibility that drives
storing some point data sets in this format.

ARC/INFO® Export format (.e00 extension)

An Export file is an ARC/INFO coverage that has been converted to an ASCII text file in order to make it accessible to
ARC/INFO systems on different platforms. They are not intended for compression, but have become popular as
exchange files. In order to convert an .e00 file to an ARC/INFO coverage or ArcView GIS shapefile, you must have
ARC/INFO or the Import software distributed with ArcView GIS.

DEM (USGS)

A DEM file is organized into a series of three records, A, B, and C. The A record contains information defining the
general characteristics of the DEM, including its name, boundaries, units of measurement, minimum and maximum
elevations, number of B records, and projection parameters. Each B record consists of an elevation profile with
associated header information, and the C record contains accuracy data.

DGN (Intergraph/Microstation)

Design files are sequential, variable-length files with variable-length records for the Design File Header, file set-up
information, graphic elements, and non-graphic data. User-defined elements begin with the fourth element. Design files
are typically designated with the extension ".dgn."

Drawing Interchange File (.dxf)

The Drawing Interchange file (DXF) format, is an industry standard interchange file format used to transfer data between
CAD and GIS applications.

DWF

Design Wb Format developed by Autodesk... DWF preserves the fidelity and integrity of designs and allows anyone to
access the complex design data without the originating design application. DWF files are easy to create and post to the
web, and they support up to 60 million dpi. DWF data can be created using Autodesk products and the DWF Composer
or read using the Free DWF Reader. See www.autodesk.com/dwf

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ESRI_Coverage

A coverage is a proprietary vector format used by ESRI software. Coverages are the original storage format for ArcInfo.
Coverages are a collection of files located in multiple directories.

ESRI Shapefiles (.shp)

A shapefile stores non-topological geometry and attribute information for the spatial features in a data set. A shapefile
consists of a set of 3 mandatory files, along with several optional files. Each file in the set shares the shapefile name with
a different extension. The main file (*.shp) stores the geometry and must always have an index file (*.shx). A dBASE file
(*.dbf) stores all the attributes of the shapes in the main file. Additionally, a projection file (*.prj) stores the projection
information.

ESRI Interchange (.e00)

The ESRI E00 interchange data format allows all spatial and descriptive information for vectors and rasters to be
combined into a single ASCII file. The file can be used to move themes into and out of ESRI software.

ESRI GRID

The Arc/Info Binary Grid format is the internal working format of the ESRI Arc/Info Grid product. It is also usable and
creatable within the spatial analyst component of ArcView 3.x. It is a tiled format with run length compression capable of
holding raster data of up to 4 byte integers or 4 byte floating data.

GDF

GDF means Geographic Data Files, It is a standard data exchange format and a data model (a complex data model). It is
used to describe road networks & road-related data and is an international standard ISO/TC204 / CEN/TC 278. The GDF
3 and GDF 4 specifications can be found HERE

Geodatabase

This is a new data model introduced by ESRI with ArcInfo 8. It consists of a comprehensive Access format database
(.mdb) with different interrelated features. It allows to assign “behavior” to data by relating different feature classes inside a
single database file.

GeoTIFF

The Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), developed by Aldus Corporation, is an industry standard for data storage and
data transfer across operating system environments and applications. A GeoTIFF takes the TIFF format a step further
including geospatial information (such as projection, datum, etc.) in the file. USGS DRGs are commonly found as TIF or
GeoTIFF format.

JPEG 2000

JPEG 2000 is a new image coding system that uses state-of-the-art compression techniques based on wavelet
technology. Its architecture should lend itself to a wide range of uses from portable digital cameras through to advanced
pre-press, medical imaging and other key sectors. See http://www.jpeg.org/jpeg2000/

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MIF (MapInfo Interchange format)

Proprietary data format used by MapInfo desktop GIS. Often associated with MIF/MID pairs of data. MIF/MID is
commonly used to translate to/from MapInfo, whereas .TAB data is used directly by MapInfo.

MrSID (.sid)

MrSID is an acronym for Multi-resolution Seamless Image Database, a powerful wavelet-based image compressor,
viewer and file format for massive raster images. These data can be viewed in a variety of GIS software applications. For
more info see www.lizardtech.com

SDTS

Developed by the USGS, the purpose of the SDTS is to promote and facilitate the transfer of digital spatial data between
dissimilar computer systems, while preserving information meaning and minimizing the need for information external to
the transfer. Details HERE

SHP

ESRI's .shp format, also known as "shape format" or "shapefiles," is used with ArcView, a popular GIS package of the
early 1990's. Shape format has been openly published by ESRI and is widely used for data interchange in GIS.
Shapefiles usually consist of three similarly named files with differing extensions: a .shp, .shx and a .dbf file. The .dbf file
is a dBase database system format file that is used to store data attributes for the drawing. (Soure: Manifold.net) See the
specifactions HERE

TIFF with a World File (.tif, .tfw)

The Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), developed by Aldus Corporation, is an industry standard for data storage and
data transfer across operating system environments and applications. It is one of the most versatile bitmaps available. A
world file (.tfw) accompanying the .tif file contains spatial information about the data. These are common for USGS DRG
data (aka. topo quads)

TIGER/Line (.tgr)

Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing system (TIGER) - see US Census bureau

USGS_dem (.dem)

United States Geological Survey Digital Elevation Model data format. These data can be viewed in a variety of GIS
software applications. Additional information about the USGS DEM format can be found from usgs.gov.

USGS_doq (.sws, .ses, .nws, .nes)

Data in this format are in a native USGS single-file format. They are really a BIL format without a separate header file.
You can't view images with these extensions directly in ArcView and/or ArcInfo. However, the Washington State
Geospatial Data Archive has excellent information about how to manipulate these images so that you can view them in
ArcView and/or ArcInfo.

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Common GIS/CAD file extensions (Source: ESRI Tech. Support)

- adf - ARC/INFO coverage data file

- agf - Atlas GIS native binary geodataset file

- ain - attribute index file

- aih - attribute index file

- alg - ER Mapper algorithm

- aml - ARC/Info AML file

- apr - ArcView Project File (ODB format)

- avl - legend template file (ODB format)

- avp - palette file (ODB format)

- ave - Avenue script

- avx - ArcView extension file (ODB format)

- ai - Adobe Illlustrator picture file

- bat - DOS batch file

- bil - image file (band interleaved by line)

- bip - image file (band interleaved by pixel)

- blw - world file for bil image

- bmp - Windows bitmap image file

- bpw - world file for bip or bmp images

- bsq - image file (band sequential)

- bqw - world file for bsq image

- c - C programming language source code filename

- cat - UNIX hyperhelp supporting file

- cgm - Computer Graphics Metafile

- cls - geocoding classification file

- cnt - help file contents

- dat - generic data file extension dat - INFO attribute file

- db - Object Database File (also ODB)

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- dbf - dBASE tabular data file

- dbf - Shapefile attribute table file

- dbg - problem debug log file

- dcp - default codepage file

- dct - geocoding dictionary file

- dec - UNIX hyperhelp supporting file

- def - defaults file (North Arrows, Layout Templates, etc) (ODB format)

- dem - Digital Elevation Model file

- dgn - Design drawing file (Intergraph)

- dir - INFO directory manager file

- dlg - Digital Line Graph file

- dll - Windows Dynamic Link Library file

- doc - MS-Word, MS-Wordpad document file

- dtd - UNIX hyperhelp supporting file

- dwg - Drawing file (AutoCAD)

- dxf - Drawing exchange file

- e00 - ARC/INFO export file

- ecw - ER Mapper Enhanced Compressed Wavelet

- eps - Encapsulated PostScript

- ers - ER Mapper raster file format

- exe - DOS/Windows executable file

- fbn - spatial index file for read-only datasets

- fbx - spatial index file for read-only datasets

- fls - Windows help supporting file

- ftg - UNIX help supporting file

- fts - UNIX help supporting file

- gen - ARC/INFO UnGenerate format

- gfw - world file for gif image

- gif - image file (CompuServe)

- hdr - header file (for ArcView extensions or TIF images)

- hlp - Windows help file

- htm - WWW file (hypertext markup, 3-character DOS version)

- html- WWW file (hypertext markup language, UNIX version)

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- ico - Icon file

- idx - geocoding index for read-only datasets

- img - ERDAS Imagine image file

- ini - initialization file

- ixc - geocoding index for read-write coverages

- ixs - geocoding index for read-write shapefiles

- jpg - image file (Joint Photographic Experts Group)

- key - geocoding matching keys (ODB format)

- lin - ARC/INFO lineset symbol file

- lnk - Windows shortcut icon link file

- mat - geocoding matching parameters file

- mcp - image file (MacPaint)

- mid - MapInfo interchange format (always paired with "mif")

- mif - MapInfo interchange format (always paired with "mid")

- mrk - ARC/INFO markerset symbol file (not compatible w/ArcView)

- mxc - geocoding index for read-write coverages (ODB format)

- mxs - geocoding index for read-write shapefiles (ODB format)

- nit - INFO table definitions file

- ndx - fonts index file (UNIX only)

- nls - Codepage language files

- odb - Object Database ASCII file (ODB format)

- pat - geocoding pattern recognition file

- pdf - preferences definition file

- pif - Windows program information file (for DOS programs)

- pps - processing set codes

- prj - projections definition file

- ps - PostScript file

- rlc - image file (run-length coding)

- rs - image file (raster snapshot | Sun rasterfile)

- sbn - spatial index for read-write shapefiles

- sbx - spatial index for read-write shapefiles

- shd - ARC/INFO shadeset symbol file

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- shp - Shapefile (stores feature geometry)

- shx - Shapefile (stores file lookup index)

- sid (MrSID)

- stn - geocoding standardization file

- tab - lookup file

- tbl - geocoding support table

- tif - image file (Tag Image Format file)

- tfw - world file for tif image

- tmp - temporary file

- ttf - TrueType font file

- txt - text file (usually ASCII)

- xbm - image file (X Bitmap)

- wmf - image file (Windows Metafile)

- wld - world file for CAD datasets

- wri - Windows Write.exe file

Some Suggested weblinks:

- JPEG2000

- ESRI SHP file format

- The SDTS data standard

- OpenDWG

For a comprehensive explanation of some popular GIS related file extensions, see http://www.grime.net/gistools/a-z.htm

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