Newbie Looking for help/tutorial

[gregory]

On your attachment, a shapefile requires at least a shp (geometric information), a shx (index file - file position/length), and a dbf (attribution).

[ncfatboy]

Thanks Gregory, I added a few more attributes, COLOR, RTP_COLOR, RTP_LIMIT, WIDTH, MODE, FONT. I guess the COLOR attribute is what made it show up. I recalled those attributes when working with Navico 4 yrs ago. I still have a problem with my shoreline file. I am migrating from DrDepth to IMC and QGIS. Still getting the read size error. Appreciate the help.

My Shoreline file is a .drd file that I converted to gpx and loaded into QGIS, then saved as a .shp. When saved with QGIS, it creates all three files shp, shx and dbf. Do all three need to be added to the IMC file list for the build? At this time I am only adding the .shp file. I am also only using the shp for the other map files. Do I need to include the shx and dbfs in the IMC file list?

John

[gregory]

No.  The shp is the primary file.  The shx and dbf files just need to have the same filename.

Post your shoreline file (including the shx and dbf) or at least a sample file that has that problem and I'll take a look at it.

[ncfatboy]

Thanks Gregory.

I am assuming that since my maps have no background color, that the shoreline shp file should be a MIN_CAT of Depth Area? An old map that I made (at5) shows a blue lake area, but I do not recall how I did that either (shaking my head).Probably because I was being walked through it and didn't know what attribute did what 4 yrs ago. I just tried a map with just L_LIMIT, U_LIMIT and COLOR and it did not work, so I'll add the other attributes, but I am not sure exactly why those attributes would affect it. RTP COLOR LIMIT seem to be text color, maybe it is MODE=T?

[gregory]

The shapefile is using a polylinez type with an excluded m type.

The IMC doesn't support leaving out optional data members but I'll code that in for the next version.

Can you export as polyline instead?

[ncfatboy]

I can export as a csv, or convert to gpx or kml. I did this before with a guy named Shane from Navico, but don't recall how.

[gregory]

Shapefile should be your preferred export.

Refer to the shapefile wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shapefile.

There's a section for geometric types.  The export coming from QGIS is exporting PolygonZ features which have a X (Longitude), Y (Latitude), M (Measure), and Z (Height) component.  According to the format, M is optional but the IMC will still attempt to read it which is causing the assert.  QGIS is writing out X, Y, and Z and skipping the M write but there is no Z or M data in the feature so no reason to use the PolygonZ type at all.

[ncfatboy]

So, it can't be done? In DRDepth only calculated maps can be exported to .shp. I can convert a shoreline to gpx or kml, but a calculated map of the shoreline doesn't seem to produce a viable .shp file (does not display in QGIS). I read Wikipedia, but I am not a GIS expert. I can get the shoreline into QGIS via the GPX file, but cannot export it in a format that IMC can use? I tried to export to .shp in QGIS with a geometry of 'polygon' but it fails to export.

[gregory]

Maybe someone can specify a way to reclassify that feature.

I don't use QGIS all that much.

[ncfatboy]

I used vector->geometry->lines to polygon. Build in IMC worked. I wish I knew how to re-install the HDS simulator I have. I saved the files from another machine it was installed on, but it requests I re-install it. Is it just a path variable? Do you by chance have an installer?