January 16, 2012

How To Convert GPX Files To Features Using ArcGIS 10

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In the last few weeks I have had many users ask about ArcGIS 10′s support for GPX files. Many of the questions have mainly around how one goes about importing and using these files in ArcGIS 10.

The simple answer is that you cannot do this natively using ArcGIS 10 at the moment. There are however a number of other ways  available to ArcGIS 10 users that want to import and use GPX files. With ArcGIS 10′s strong support for Pyton, many users have created scripts that read GPX files and convert them to features classes.

Here are a few scripts that might help:

1. Convert GPS Files (KML, GPX, WPT, PLT) To Shapefiles – http://resources.arcgis.com/
2. GPS To Features Tool – http://resources.arcgis.com/

Both these scripts can be very useful if you want to or you currently work with GPX files or even GPS devices.

The upcoming release of ArcGIS 10.1 will support importing GPX files natively into ArcGIS. This should be a nice addition for the many that have been needing this functionality for a while now or for those that have been using scripts like the ones above.

6 Responses To How To Convert GPX Files To Features Using ArcGIS 10

  1. Kevin says:
    January 17, 2012 at 7:00 AM

    Link broken on #1. Should be:
    http://resources.arcgis.com

  2. puzz says:
    January 18, 2012 at 11:08 AM

    What about gpsbabel? I think:

    gpsbabel -i gpx -f test_file.gpx -o shape -F test.shape

    …should do it.

  3. Eric Bowman says:
    January 18, 2012 at 4:24 PM

    Hi Jithen – I use DNR Garmin from Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources. Excellent program for converting to other formats including geodatabase feature classes and shapefiles – http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mis/gis/tools/arcview/extensions/DNRGarmin/DNRGarmin.html

    • Jithen (J) Singh says:
      January 19, 2012 at 7:32 AM

      Hi Eric,

      DNR Garmin is indeed and excellent program. I have used it before. The lack of support for ArcGIS 10 is a concerning one though, hence users have been looking at other alternatives.

      Cheers