Kml to shp

Converting KML files to shapefiles in ArcGIS with the KML to SHP tool Author: Jason Parent ([e-mail]) Date: May 3, 2008 Modified by: Robert McCann Modified on: June 6, 2008 Modified by: Charles Morton Modified on: August 24, 2009 The purpose of the Convert KML to SHP tool is to convert Google Earth kml files to shapefiles. The output shapefile will contain feature names, descriptions, and Google Earth folder as attributes. The coordinate system of the output shapefile is in geographic coordinates (WGS84). The kml file may contain any number of points, lines, and polygons. The script will create a shapefile for the feature type of interest. If the kml file contains more than one type of feature, you will need to run the script once for each feature type that is to be converted to a shapefile. When digitizing in Google Earth, it is recommended that you store all features intended for a given shapefile in a single folder. You can do this by using the following procedure: • • • Create a folder in the google Table of Contents by 1) right-clicking on My Places, 2) click Add, and 3) click Folder. Add features to the folder by clicking on the folder so that it is highlighted. Then proceed to create polygons, lines, or points. When finished creating features, save the entire folder as a kml file by 1) right-clicking on the folder, 2) select "Save As", and 3) change type to kml. Individual features may also be saved as kml files.

About the script… The KML to SHP tool is a python (version 2.4) script that has been set up to work from within the ArcToolbox of ArcGIS version 9.2 or later. The script will not work with ArcGIS 9.1 since it does not use an equivalent version of python. The script is designed to read kml files generated by Google Earth version 4.2 (Nov 13 2007) or later and may not read kml files generated by earlier versions. The script cannot convert kml files generated in Google Maps. Before you can run the script in ArcGIS, you will need to