How to Edit a Shapefile

Shapefiles are map files produced by GIS software.

Shapefiles are map files produced by a number of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GIS software systems are important assets to the environmental, engineering and town planning industries as they help us understand more about the land on which we live. Both polygon and polyline Shapefiles can be simply edited and exported in multiple formats on a free online platform called Map Shaper.

Instructions

1. Connect to the Internet, open your Web browser and navigate to the MapShaper website.

2. Click on the "Launch" button to open the tool.

3. Click on the "Upload" button in the top right hand corner of the editing tool when it loads.

4. Navigate to the Shapefile on your computer, highlight it with your mouse and click "Open."

5. Edit your Shapefile using the tools in the left hand corner of the screen. Click on the "Add and Lock" tool to add and lock vertices on your map. Click on the "Remove" tool to delete vertices from your map. Choose a simplification method such as Douglas-Peucker or Visvalingam.

6. Click on "Export" in the top right hand corner of the screen when you have finished editing your Shapefile.

7. Click on one or more file formats to export your Shapefile in. You can export in Shapefile or EPS formats.

8. Click on your file underneath "Downloaded files" when it has finished exporting. Click "Save as" when prompted. Choose a name and a location for your edited Shapefile and click "Save."

References

• MapShaper: About
• MapShaper: Demo

Resources

• MapShaper