Exporting in Shapefile Format

The Export Shapefile command exports drawing components to the shapefile format. Each shapefile (.shp) exported is accompanied by an index file (.shx) and a database file (.dbf) with the same name.

Shapefile export options allow the export of drawing components using multiple criteria. For an object to be exported, it must satisfy all selected criteria. For example, if you select both Objects with classes and Objects in layers export options, only objects that belong to both one of the selected classes and one of the selected layers will be exported.

The following objects cannot be exported: text, dimensions, worksheets, bitmaps, lights, layer links, walls, round walls, and some 3D objects (including extrudes, sweeps, meshes, roofs, floors, columns, and NURBS curves). Other objects are exported as follows:

●    Lines, rectangles, circles, ovals, arcs, polygons, rounded rectangles, polylines, and path plug-in objects are exported as shapefile polygons or polylines.

●    Symbols, 2D and 3D loci, and point plug-in objects are exported as shapefile points or 3D points.

●    3D polygons are exported as shapefile 3D polyline or 3D polygon shape types.

●    Shapefiles can contain only one shape type. If multiple shape types are being exported, they will go into separate files.

●    Groups that contain exportable object types are exported as individual polygons, polylines, and loci, as appropriate.

●    If the Vectorworks file contains projection data, the file can either be deprojected, or exported with projection and (optionally) a projection (.prj) file.

●    Object data that are not part of the record can be included in the export.

To export a shapefile:

1. Select File > Export > Export Shapefile.

2. The Export Shapefile dialog box opens.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Objects with record	Select which objects that share a specific data record will be exported
Objects with classes	Select this option to export objects in specified classes
Objects in layers	Select this option to export objects in specified design layers
Selected objects	Select this option to export objects that are currently selected
Deproject / Keep projection	Select Deproject to create a shapefile with latitude and longitude coordinates only; select Keep Projection to create a shapefile with the currently projected coordinates (in document units)
Write projection files	If Keep projection is selected, select this option to create a projection file (.prj), in addition to the .shp file
Additional Object Data	Select this option to export additional object data that belong to the object(s) being exported, but are not part of the record

3. Select the export parameters.

If Objects with classes or Objects in layers is selected, click Select Classes/Select Layers to open the relevant dialog box. Place a check mark in the column beside all classes and layers from which to export objects, and click OK.

If Additional Object Data is selected, the Additional Object Data dialog box opens automatically. Place a check mark in the column beside additional data to be exported. If desired, rename data in the Export Name field; names can be no more than ten characters long. Click OK. The customizations in the list are remembered across Vectorworks sessions.

Click OK.

4. Specify the file name and destination, and then click Save. The default shapefile file name is the record format name.

The Vectorworks program creates a set of export files, leaving the original file intact.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIS and Georeferencing

Was this page helpful?

vectorworks.net