One of the largest challenges with online data is that there are so many database formats to choose from. Often this means that the data you are given for your website is in the wrong format. So you need to convert it. One of our clients had access to a SHAPE GIS file and needed us to convert it into the new Google Maps Fusion format. We found a few online tools that might help you.
Step 1: Download the SHAPE Zip file
This is the simple part. Get the SHAPE file from whomever you need it from. Unfortunately SHAPE files are a bit old and don’t work directly with new Map APIs like Google maps.
Step 2: Upload it to preview that it is correct.
We found a great website called Map Shaper http://mapshaper.org/ that let’s you drag and drop the file to get a preview.
Step 3: Export the file to a GeoJSON format
While GeoJSON is not the most modern format, Google is trying to get their FUSION data out of Beta, it does work directly with Google maps.
Step 4: Test import the GeoJSON file
We found a great link here: https://developers.google.com/
Step 5: Use it.
If you are familiar with the Google Maps API you can use the GeoJSON file as an imported file for your website map data source.
This let’s you view regions on a map. For an example check out https://developers.google.com/chart/interactive/docs/gallery/geomap