Introduction
GIS data can be categorized into 3 types: spatial data, non-spatial data, and metadata. For a high-level overview of how FME can help you with GIS and location intelligence, see our website.
GIS Terminology
For a comprehensive list of GIS terminology, see the Esri GIS Dictionary.
- Attribute: Details or properties about a feature
- Background map: A map behind the layers, used for providing a visually pleasing background or for providing location context to the data.
- Coordinate System: A mathematical system that describes the position of points in space.
- Feature: A feature in FME is an individual item within the translation. Typically, a GIS or cartographic feature consists of a geometric representation plus a set of related attributes.
- Field: In a table, a column that stores values for a single attribute.
- Geocoding: Converting street addresses into spatial point data to display on a map.
- Layer: A set of similar data, for example, roads or businesses. An example of a Feature Type in FME.
- Line: Connecting two points on a map, has length but not area, for example, a road on a map.
- Point: A single dot containing one set of coordinates, for example, the location of a city on a map.
- Polygon: Three or more points on a map have both length and area, for example, a park boundary on a map.
- Raster: Data that is displayed as a regularly spaced grid of pixels, such as satellite imagery and aerial photographs, as well as numeric data like digital elevation models and scientific data, including temperatures and pressures.
- Vector: Geometry composed of one or more vertices, such as points, lines, arcs, ellipses, polygons, text, and more.
Tutorials
For transforming CAD data into GIS, see Working with CAD Data in FME. For transforming Raster data into GIS, see Working with Raster and Imagery Data in FME.
Getting Started Articles
Measurements
- Area Measurements with the AreaCalculator
- Distance Measurements with the LengthCalculator
- Distance Measurements with the GeographicLengthCalculator
- Volume Measurements with the VolumeCalculator
- Raster Slope Measurements
- Circularity Calculations with the CircularityCalculator
- Coordinate Systems and Measurements with the Reprojector
Spatial Joins and Relationships
- Determining Spatial Relationships
- Point in Polygon Calculations with the PointOnAreaOverlayer
- Extracting Polygon Intersections with the AreaOnAreaOverlayer
- Merging Polygons with the Dissolver Transformer
- Generating Polygon Differences with the Clipper Transformer
- Determining Nearest Neighbors
- Buffering features for Spatial Relationship Analysis (Testing feature proximity)
Networks and Connectivity
- Shortest Route Calculations with the ShortestPathFinder
- Creating Time and Distance Isolines using the NetworkCostCalculator
- Calculating Stream Network Numbers with the StreamOrderCalculator
Converting To Shapefile
- Build Road Lines from GPS Points (CSV to Shape)
- Converting from CSV to Spatial Geometry (Vector)
- How to Convert CSV to Shapefile (Non-spatial to Spatial)
- How to Convert DGN to Shapefile (CAD Levels to GIS Attributes)
- How to Convert from Esri Mobile Geodatabases
- How to Convert Google KML to Esri Shapefile
- How to convert MapInfo to Shapefile (MIF/MID to SHP)
- How to Convert MapInfo TAB to Esri Shapefile
- How to Convert Microsoft Excel to Esri Shapefile
- How to Convert Oracle Spatial to Shapefile
- Translating from GTFS
- Writing Only Schema to a Shapefile
Converting From Shapefile
- Converting to PostGIS: Write to an Existing Table (Shapefile to PostGIS)
- Generate Contour Data from Points
- How to convert Esri Shapefile to Geodatabase
- How to convert Shapefile to KML
- How to convert SHP to DWG (Esri Shapefile to AutoCAD)
- How to convert SHP to TAB (Esri Shapefile to MapInfo)
- How to Convert to Esri Mobile Geodatabase
- How to Create a TIN from Point Data
- Using Google's Chart API to Create Pie Charts from a CSV and Shapefile
Working with Geodatabases
- Tutorial: Getting Started with Geodatabase
- Viewing and Inspecting Geodatabases
- Converting from Geodatabase Format
- Converting to Geodatabase Format
Intermediate Articles
Database Management
- Adding a Column to a Table
- Sorting Tabular or Graphical Data
- Calculating Values for New Fields
- Relating Data Files and Fields
Database Creation
Data Manipulation
- Select Data by Area Masks
- Convert from Raster to Vector
- Convert from Vector Data to Raster
- Modify Raster Cell Size by Resampling
- Changing Raster Values by Geographic Feature
- Reducing Unnecessary Coordinates – Weeding
- How to Create a TIN from Point Data
- RCaller: Interpolate Points to Raster Through Kriging
- Generate Contour Data from Points
- Generate Contour Data from Raster
- Projection Definition and Coordinate Transformation
- Polygon in Polygon Overlay
- Topological Intersection
- Line in Polygon
Data Analysis
- Simple Examples Using the RasterExpressionEvaluator Transformer
- Raster Calculations and Raster Palettes
- Raster Neighborhood Functions
- Calculating Areas, Perimeters and Lengths
- Pivot Tables and FME
- Buffering features for Spatial Relationship Analysis
- How to Find a Polygon Within a Distance of Selected Features
- Find Nearest Features
- Raster Slope Calculations
- Calculate Strahler Stream Order Numbers
- Shortest Route Calculations with the ShortestPathFinder
- Creating Time and Distance Isolines using the NetworkCostCalculator
- Geocoding Addresses
Data Display and Presentation
Geodatabases
- Tutorial: Getting Started with Geodatabase and Geodatabase Transformations
- How to use an Esri Template
- Working with Geodatabase Domains: Writing A Coded Domain
- Working with Geodatabase Subtypes: Writing A Subtype
- Working with Geodatabase Feature-Linked Annotation
- Introduction to Working with Geodatabase Relationship Classes
- Writing Geodatabase Relationship Classes
- Writing ArcGIS Geodatabase Attachments
- Geodatabase Behavior: Updating a File Geodatabase
- Extracting Differences from an ArcSDE Geodatabase
- Working with Geodatabase Field Aliases: Altering Alias Values
- Using the FeatureReader to Query a Geodatabase
- Working with Geodatabase Metadata: Writing/Updating Metadata
Advanced Articles
- Building a Topological Network from a Road Dataset | Using the TopologyBuilder
- Esri ArcGIS Pro Utility Network Migration Tools
- How to use the EsriArcGISOnlineConnector
- Scenario: Victoria Airport Esri Geodatabase to IMDF
Esri Specific Articles
- ArcGIS Pro and FME FAQ
- Improving Performance when working with Esri Geodatabases
- Notes on FME and Esri Versions and Compatibility
- Using FME Flow with Esri ArcGIS Software
FME Academy
Work through a module on the FME Academy. You will need a free account to access training content.
Integrate Spatial Data: Unlock the power of your spatial data with FME. Learn the basics of spatial data and conduct basic spatial analysis.
Format Documentation
Top Questions and Answers
- Extracting EXIF GIS coordinates from a .TIF file
- Extracting HTML from the PopupInfo field of a GIS Layer
- Using ChangeDetector to compare GeoJSON and Shapefile versions
- Writing empty shapefiles
Additional Resources
Blogs
- Extracting EXIF GIS coordinates from a .TIF file
- Extracting HTML from the PopupInfo field of a GIS Layer
- Using ChangeDetector to compare GeoJSON and Shapefile versions
- Writing empty shapefiles
Templates
- 3 Tips for Total CAD-GIS Integration
- 10 Basic Geospatial Acronyms You Need to Know
- Bring Your GIS and Business Data Into Google BigQuery with FME
- Digital Plan Submissions: How To Build Automated CAD-GIS Workflows
- How Converting CAD to GIS Starts in Preschool
- How to Convert CAD to GIS while Preserving Rich Data Structures
- How to Convert GIS to CAD while Maintaining Data Quality
E-Book:
Presentations:
- Enabling CAD Upload to Web GIS
- How to Optimize Esri Utility Network Migrations with FME
- Improving Weather Information Data Services with FME
- Locate Your Business Data - Bringing Together Business and Spatial Data on ArcGIS Platform with FME & SAP HANA
- Municipal FME: Transforming GIS Service Delivery with Automation
- Taming Our Case Management Database and GIS with FME
Templates:
- ArcGISIndoorsToIMDF
- BigQueryGIS - Dynamic
- BigQueryGIS - Simple
- CAD to GIS - Converting Text to Attributes
- GIS to CAD - Symbolizing CAD Data
Webinars:
- Bridging Between CAD & GIS: 8 Ways to Automate Data Integration [1:07:12]
- How I Learned to Stop Stressing and Love Shapefiles [58:19]
- How to Automate CAD & GIS Integration [1:00:03]
Troubleshooting
- FME and Esri ArcGIS Troubleshooting Guide
- FME seems to misread the width of Number fields when reading a shapefile dataset
- Geodatabase Formats Missing, Greyed Out or Have Unmet Dependencies
Known Issues
For a list of Known Issues, see the following article: Known Issues in FME
Support
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