File formatNameDescription

ARCESRI Generate LineSimple ASCII format which can handle point and line data.

DGNMicroStation Design FilesDGN is an intern format for MicroStation, a CAD program (CAD means Computer-Aided Design). This format is well documented and standardised, which makes it possible to use it an import/export format. DGN files contain detailed visualisation information (display).

DLGDigital Line GraphsDLG is used by the US Geological Survey (USGS) for handling vector information from printed paper maps. It contains very precise coordinate information and sophisticated information about object classification, but no other attributes. DLG does not contain any visualisation information (display). This format is mainly used by the USGS and other American agencies, which have used it for publication of many digital maps.

DWGAutodesk Drawing FilesDWG is an intern format for AutoCAD. AutoCAD can convert DWG files to DXF files without loosing graphic information. There are many possibilities for saving attribute data in DWG files. A common standard method uses Extended Entity Data (EED) to link attributes, but other methods are possible. Because of the lack of standards for linking attributes, problems may occur while converting this format between systems.

DXFAutodesk Drawing eXchange FormatDXF is a common transfer format for vector data. It contains visualisation information and is supported by nearly all graphic programs. There are many ways for saving attribute data in DXF format and to link DXF objects to external attributes (see DWG above). Nearly all programs can successfully import this format because of high standards.

E00ARC/INFO interchange fileE00 is a transfer format available both as ASCII and binary form. It is mainly used to exchange files between different versions of ARC/INFO, but can also be read by many other GIS programs. It is a common format for GIS data found on the Internet.

GMLGeography Markup LanguageXML-standard for exchanging and saving geographical vector data. It is used in the Open GIS Consortium.

KF85Kommunfrbundets transfereringsformat(ISOK)Is a format, which can handle point, line and polygon data, as well as text and symbols. But it is not possible to convert and exchange attribute data.

MIF/MIDMapInfo Interchange FormatMIF/MID is MapInfos standard format, but most other GIS programs can also read it. The format handles three types of information: geometry attributes and visualisation.

SDTSSpatial Data Transfer SystemSDTS is a transfer format developed in the USA and is designed for handling all types of geographical data. SDTS can be saves as ASCII or binary. In principle, all geographical objects can be saved as SDTS, including coordinates, complex attributes and visualisation information. These advantages nevertheless increase complexity. To simplify it, many standards have been developed as co-projects to SDTS. The first of these standards is Topological Vector Profile (TVP), used to save some types of vector data.

SHPESRI shapefileShape is ArcViews internal format for vector data. Associated to the Shape file (*.shp), there is a file to handle attributes (*.dbf) and an index file (*.shx). Nearly all other GIS programs can import this format.

SVGScalable Vector GraphicsXML-standard for presentation of vector on the Internet. It is approved in the World Wide Web Consortium.

TIGERTopologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing FilesTIGER is an ASCII transfer format made by the US Census Bureau to save road maps. It contains complete geographic coordinates and is line-based. The most important attributes include road names and address information. TIGER has its own visualisation information.

VPFVector Product FormatVPF is a binary format made by the US Defense Mapping Agency. It is well documented and can easily be used internally or as a transfer format It contains geometry and attribute information, but no visualisation information. VPF files are also named VMAP product. The Digital Chart of the World (DCW) is published in this form.

VXPIdrisi32 ASCII vector export formatIDRISI 32s vector export format (ASCII).

WMFMicrosoft Windows MetafileWMF is a vector file format for Microsoft Windows Operation Systems. WMF files are actually a compilation of GDI (Graphics Device Interface).

File formatNameDescription

ADRGArc Digitized Raster GraphicsADRG is a format created by the US military to save paper maps in raster format.

BILBand Interleaved by LineBIL is a computer compatible tape (CCT) format that stores all bands of remotely sensed data in one image file. Scanlines are sequenced by interleaving all image bands. The CCT header appears once in a set

BIPBand Interleaved by PixelWhen using the BIP image format, each line of an image is stored sequentially, line 1 all bands, line 2 all bands, etc. For example, the first line of a three-band image would be stored as p1b1, p1b2, p1b3, p2b1, p2b2, p2b3, where p1b1 indicates pixel one, band one, p1b2 indicates pixel one, band two, etc.

BSQBand SequentialBSQ is a computer compatible t ape (CCT) format that stores each band of satellite data in one image file for all scanlines in the imagery array. The CCT headers are recorded on each band.

DEMDigital Elevation ModelDEM is a raster format created by the USGS (US Geological Survey) for saving elevation data. In contrast to other raster formats where the cell values represent the colour intensity, the cell values in DEM represent the elevation for that position on the Earths surface.

*.dem, *.hdrDEM ArcInfoArcINFO:s (ESRI) elevation data format.

GTOPO30Global 30 Arc Second Elevation Data SetGTOPO30 is a global, digital elevation model with a horizontal cell size of approx. 1km (30 seconds). GTOPO30 was created from different raster and vector sources.

GeoTIFFGeoTIFFGeoTIFF is a form of TIFF (Tag Image File Format) format for georeferenced raster data.

GRIBGRid In BinaryGRIB is the World Meteorological Organisations (WMO) standard for grid-based meteorological data.

PCXPC Paintbrush ExchangePCX is a common raster format found in many scanners and graphic programs.

SDTSSpatial Data Transfer StandardSDTS is a format for transferring geographical information. A SDTS variant is specifically made for transferring raster data.

TIFFTagged Image File FormatLike PCX, TIFF is a common raster format produced by drawing programs and scanners. TIFF format gives a relatively big data file, but compresses the data without loss of information.