Procedure: GEOSPATIAL DATA EXCHANGE FORMAT
You are invited to read the definitions of terms used in this data standard.
| Name |
Geospatial Data Exchange Format |
| Description |
Geospatial data is shared over the Internet with a variety of users. The formats
listed below are in wide use throughout the Service and external user community; they have
been chosen to increase data sharing opportunities for Service data creators while
acknowledging staffing and budgetary limits.
- The ESRI Shapefile format is becoming very widely used; the code for creating shapefiles has been made available by ESRI on the Internet (see References). This format is not as complete or robust as the other two, but is more universal and compact for sharing information. - The AutoCAD DWG file format has been in use for a number of years. CAD programs as well as many GIS programs can readily use this format, and it is often the originating format for cadastral (survey) information. |
| Source |
None |
| Reference(s) |
Part 270, FW 6, Data Management and Standards, has been superceded by Part 274, FW 2, Establishing Service Data Standards. Shapefile Documentation: Technical documents explaining how to write the Shapefile format can be accessed in Adobe Acrobat format here. DWG Documentation: Specific information can be found at the Open Design Alliance site at http://www.opendwg.org/. |
| Use Instructions |
Service offices should use at least one of these data formats whenever serving data on the Internet or when creating data that will be widely distributed (unless partners specifically ask for a different format). Sharing data in several formats will increase the access to the data for Service users and partners. |
| Tools |
None |
| Phase |
Adopted |
| Approval Date |
August 31, 1998 |
| Validation Date |
November 29, 2013 |
| Data Steward |
Chris Lett, National FWS GIS Coordinator, Geospatial and Data Services, Division of Information Resources and Technology Management. |