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Live Online ConverterChannel: csv → shapefile

CSV to Shapefile Converter

Convert coordinate tables into standard GIS shape layers.

Export dataset listings from tables into standardized geospatial files. This upcoming tool parses Lat/Lon columns in CSV files and packages them into a ZIP archive containing all required ESRI database files.

Drag file here to convert, or select file

Supported file extension: .csv • Max 50MB

Channel: Direct Stream ModeGDAL Driver Operational

Specification Rules

  • Convert spreadsheet lists into spatial datasets for GIS systems
  • Prepare address coordinate logs for desktop analysis
  • Convert geographic datasets into structured formats
  • Columns must contain clean coordinate values
  • dBASE parameters compress attribute headers to 10 characters
  • Does not support parsing complex multi-part polygons from tables

GDAL Direct Equivalent Terminal Command

sh — gdalready
$ogr2ogr -f "ESRI Shapefile" output_folder input.csv -oo X_POSSIBLE_NAMES=lon* -oo Y_POSSIBLE_NAMES=lat*

When to use this conversion

Convert when a coordinate-bearing CSV needs to enter a legacy GIS workflow that requires Shapefile. For new projects, csv-to-geopackage is the better choice — it preserves field names and accepts richer attribute types.

Technical Details

GDAL reads the CSV with -oo X_POSSIBLE_NAMES / Y_POSSIBLE_NAMES, builds Point features, and writes a Shapefile bundle. Field names are truncated to 10 chars; types are inferred from the first row. CRS is assigned with -a_srs (no default).
Output file size

Shapefile bundle is typically 60–90% the size of the source CSV. Binary .shp is smaller than CSV coordinates; the .dbf can be larger or smaller depending on data types.

Common Errors & Fixes

  • Field names cryptic after truncation: long CSV headers cut to 10 chars. Fix: shorten in source CSV or use GeoPackage instead.
  • Encoding issue with .dbf: no .cpg sidecar. Fix: add a .cpg file containing "UTF-8" to the output bundle.
  • WKT polygon column ignored: ogr2ogr default reads only X/Y. Fix: pass -oo GEOMETRY=AS_WKT.
  • CRS missing: -a_srs forgotten. Fix: always set explicitly.

Alternative Tools

  • QGIS: Add Delimited Text Layer, then Export as Shapefile
  • ogr2ogr CLI with the standard -oo flags (see exampleCommand)
  • Python: pandas → geopandas → to_file with driver=ESRI Shapefile
  • ArcGIS: XY Table To Point geoprocessing tool

Frequently Asked Questions

How do column limit constraints apply?

Attributes field names are truncated to 10 characters to meet legacy database limitations.

Can I convert multi-point lines?

Yes, our upcoming converter handles coordinate lines and splits features into organized datasets.

Can I define coordinate systems?

Yes, WGS 84 (EPSG:4326) mappings are applied by default to ensure maximum compatibility.

Related Transformations Map

Shapefile To CsvCsv To GeojsonGeojson To Shapefile