SHP Manager (Shapefile Import & Export)

Purpose: Import or export a supported Shapefile package.

Before you start: SHP access, the required package files, and coordinate information.

Expected result: The geometry and attributes have been verified after exchange.

Import and export ESRI Shapefiles (.shp / .zip) with coordinate system handling and multi-shapefile ZIP support. SHP Manager is a Pro feature.

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1. Opening SHP Manager

1. Navigate to the Data & Sync view from the sidebar.
2. Tap the Shp Manager button below CAD Manager.
3. The modal opens with Import SHP and Export SHP tabs.

Pro Feature: Shp Manager requires a Pro or Team subscription. Free-tier users see a locked button with a "PRO" badge and are prompted to upgrade.

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2. Importing Shapefiles

Step 1: Select a ZIP or Shapefile Components

Tap "Choose SHP / ZIP File" and select either:

• A .zip archive containing one or more shapefiles
• Loose shapefile component files, such as .shp, .shx, .dbf, .prj, and .cpg

A shapefile is actually a group of files sharing the same base name:

File	Purpose	Required?
.shp	Geometry data (shapes)	✅ Yes
.shx	Spatial index	✅ Yes
.dbf	Attribute table (field data)	✅ Yes
.prj	Coordinate system definition	Recommended
.cpg	Text encoding specification	Optional

Step 2: Preview Shapefiles Found

After parsing, SHP Manager shows a table listing every shapefile found in the selected ZIP or component-file set:

☑	Shapefile	Type	Fields	Features	Coordinate system
✅	parcels	Polygon	12	847	🟢 ETRS89 / UTM zone 32N (EPSG:25832)
✅	roads	LineString	8	234	🟢 NAD83 / New York Long Island (ftUS) (EPSG:2263)
☐	buildings	Polygon	6	1,203	🟡 No .prj — choose its coordinate system

• Checkboxes let you select which shapefiles to import (all checked by default).
• Green badge (🟢) means the coordinate system was read from the .prj file.
• Amber badge (🟡) means it needs you: no .prj, a .prj whose datum cannot be told apart, or a system with no published shift to WGS 84 (positions may then be off by up to a few hundred metres).
• Change opens the coordinate system picker for that shapefile.

Step 3: Coordinate Systems

Mapplex offers thousands of supported coordinate systems from around the world.

• PRJ supplied: review the detected system. This companion file tells Mapplex how to place the data on the map.
• PRJ missing or unclear: choose the system provided by the data supplier. Use Search with its name or EPSG code, or Other for a supplied custom definition.
• Suggestions: Mapplex prioritizes systems near your project's data or recent map view. Best is a location match to review, not proof of the original system. If nothing clearly fits, ask the supplier.
• Accuracy warning: resolve an uncertain coordinate conversion before relying on the feature positions.

Confirm each selected shapefile separately. Files in one ZIP can use different systems.

Text encoding: if names or answers appear as broken characters, review the encoding choices and choose the preview that reads correctly before importing. Keep the supplied CPG file with the shapefile; it describes the text encoding.

Tip: Each shapefile in a multi-SHP ZIP can have a different coordinate system. SHP Manager handles each one independently, but you should still confirm them when files come from different sources.

Step 4: Import

Tap the Import button. For each selected shapefile:

1. Coordinates are reprojected to WGS84 (if needed)
2. A new Mapplex layer is created, named after the shapefile
3. Features are saved on the current device
4. Form fields are auto-generated from the DBF schema

A progress bar tracks the import with a Cancel button to abort mid-import.

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3. Exporting as Shapefile

1. Switch to the Export SHP tab.
2. Choose a layer or "Entire Project" from the dropdown.
3. Choose the Output Coordinate System: WGS 84 longitude/latitude by default, the national and local grids made for where the project's data is (else the area you last viewed on the Map), or any system by search.
4. Tap "Export as SHP".
5. A .zip file downloads containing .shp, .shx, .dbf, .cpg (UTF-8) and .prj files.

Note: The .prj names the system the shapefile is written in, and is checked before use: read back, it must put every point where the system does. A system Mapplex cannot describe exactly in a .prj, or one with no published shift to WGS 84, is refused and nothing is exported.

What a shapefile cannot hold is left out and said after the export, not refused: photo fields (attachments; the Project package keeps them), text past 254 bytes (cut between characters; GeoPackage export keeps it whole), numbers past 20 digits or 15 decimals (written as text), and elevations (a shapefile here is 2D; GeoPackage keeps them).

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4. Multi-Shapefile ZIP Archives

Government agencies and GIS departments commonly bundle multiple shapefiles in a single ZIP:

city_data_2026.zip
├── parcels.shp / .shx / .dbf / .prj
├── roads.shp / .shx / .dbf / .prj
├── buildings.shp / .shx / .dbf / .prj
└── utilities.shp / .shx / .dbf

SHP Manager detects all shapefiles automatically and lets you:

• Preview each one separately
• Select/deselect individual shapefiles
• See per-file CRS status
• Import them as separate Mapplex layers

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5. Role-Based Access

Role	Import SHP	Export SHP
Owner	✅	✅
Admin	✅	✅
Editor	✅	✅
Collector	❌	✅
Viewer	❌	✅

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6. Tips for Best Results

• Always include the .prj file — without it, you must choose the coordinate system. QGIS and ArcGIS write it automatically.
• Keep related files together — a ZIP is easiest for handoff, but you can also select the loose component files together when importing.
• Name your files clearly — the shapefile base name becomes the Mapplex layer name.
• DBF field name limit — Shapefile attribute field names are limited to 10 characters by the format specification. Longer names are truncated.
• Check encoding — if Arabic or other text looks garbled, choose its encoding in the preview; include a .cpg file when you share shapefiles.

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7. Comparison: SHP Manager vs CAD Manager

Feature	SHP Manager	CAD Manager
Format	ESRI Shapefile (.shp/.zip)	AutoCAD DXF
Coordinate system	From the .prj, with its shift to WGS 84	Suggested from the drawing's numbers and your position
Multi-file ZIP	✅ Multiple shapefiles per ZIP	Single DXF per file
Attribute Data	Full DBF schema with types	Limited (layer names only)
Geometry Types	Point, Line, Polygon, Multi*	Point, Line, Polyline, Circle, Arc, Ellipse
Export	ZIP with .shp/.shx/.dbf/.cpg/.prj, in the system you choose	ZIP with the .dxf and its .prj

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Previous: Module 13: Engineering Drawing ExportNext: Return to the User Guide Overview