E00

GISBox is a one-stop 3D GIS data editing, conversion and publishing platform that supports editing in multiple GIS formats such as OSGB/GEOTIFF/RVT, converting to 3DTiles/Terrain and publishing.

Introduction

E00 file is an export file format used by the ArcInfo software developed by ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute). This format is designed to be used for exchanging GIS (Geographic Information System) data between different systems and can store various GIS data such as ArcInfo Coverage and Grid Data. The E00 file is saved in text format and has different extensions (E00, E01, E02…) appended depending on the compression level. It is often used for data transfer and archiving, and is especially compatible with ESRI software.

File Structure

E00 files contain the following main GIS data elements:

ARC (Arc Data): Linear information (such as roads, rivers, etc.)
PAL (Polygon Data): Regional information (such as administrative districts, land use classification, etc.)
LAB (Label Point): Points with polygon attribute information
TIC (Control Point): Coordinate reference point
NOD (Node Data): Line intersection information
CNT (Polygon Center Point)
GRD (Grid Data): Raster format data (such as elevation data)

Pros

1. High versatility: E00 files can easily exchange data between ArcInfo and ESRI products, and some other GIS software (such as QGIS) also support import.

2. High readability: E00 is stored in text format, and data can be directly viewed and edited, which is convenient for error correction and data management.

3. Support data compression and splitting: E00 can split large GIS data into multiple files for storage and transmission, which is suitable for data exchange between systems.

4. Suitable for long-term storage: Unlike binary formats, E00 is easier to continue to use in new systems and maintain data compatibility.

Cons

1. An older format that has been phased out: ESRI currently recommends using Shapefile (SHP) or Geodatabase (GDB), and modern GIS software has reduced native support for E00.

2. Slow processing speed when the amount of data is large: E00 uses ASCII text format, and the file size will increase and the processing speed will decrease when the amount of data is large.

3. Complex data processing: If you don’t understand the concept of ArcInfo overlay data, parsing and converting E00 data may be difficult, and special tools are required for importing.

4. Limited software support outside ESRI: Some open source GIS software can read E00, but full compatibility cannot be guaranteed, so data conversion may be required.

Application Scenario

E00 files are mainly used in ESRI’s ArcGIS environment or older versions of ArcInfo Workstation. It is used to exchange data between different ArcInfo environments or to share data with other GIS software. In addition, E00 can also be used as an intermediate format for converting old GIS data into new formats.