Convert SHP to KMZ or vice versa in ArcGIS

KMZ files store the information as in a ZIP. According to Google Earth this format allows you to package several files together and compress the content to make it easier to download. This allows you to merge images into the KML file. Next we will see how to convert SHP files to KMZ or vice versa.

Convert SHP to KMZ using ArcMap

1.- Open ArcMap and load the shapefile file (for example: Colombia).

2.- Go to the Table of Contents, in the content window, right click on the name of the loaded shapefile, select the Properties option.

3.- Go to the Symbology tab, then to the categories option, select the Value Field option, select the field of your interest (DEPTO), click the Add All Values button, then select OK.

NOTE: Must be considered. The display characteristics that are defined in ArcMap. They will have the same symbology parameters in Google Earth.

4.- Now, go to the ArcToolbox > Conversion Tools > To KML > Layer To KML.

– Layer: Select the shapefile (Colombia).
– Output File: Select the output path, in this case save the file to the working folder.

5.- Now open Google Earth. Go to the File > Open, in this window select the data type Google Earth (*.kml *.Kmz *.eta *.ini), select the file you just exported, the result should be the next:

Convert KMZ to SHP using ArcMap

1.- Open ArcMap, go to the ArcToolbox > Conversion Tools > From KML > KML To Layer, configure the parameters that are displayed in the dialog box:

– Input KML File: Select the layer in Kmz format (Colombia).
– Output Location: Select the output path, in this case save the file to the working folder.
– Output Data Name (optional): Name the output file (for this case Colombia_2).

2.- In the Table of Contents select the file created in the previous step (Colombia_2), expand the layer, select the Polygons class, right click on it and choose Data > Export Data.

3.- Then in the Export Data window, select this layer’s source data option. In the Output Feature class field: Name the file (Colombia_2) and save it in the working folder..

According to the requirement of each user can use one or another process.

It is also important to note that Google goes one step further democratizing the use of cartographic tools. Since January 30, 2015 Google Earth Pro is free. Therefore, the payment of the product is no longer necessary.

Google Earth Pro allows you to view spatial data and styles. Some of the formats supported are:

• Shapefiles of ESRI (SHP)
• MapInfo (TAB)
• Keyhole Markup Language (KML)
• MicroStation (DGN)
• GeoTIFF
• GPS (GPX)
• Comma delimited text files (TXT y CSV)
• Idrisi Raster A.1
• SAGA GIS Binary GRid (SDAT)
• ILWIS Raster Map
• ERDAS Imagine
• Etc.

Posted by: Yeimy Arciniegas