SHX(Shapefile Index)

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Introduction

SHX (Shape Index) files are a file format in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), mainly used to store the location and size information of all geometric objects in Shapefile files. SHX files are part of the Shapefile file format, a popular GIS data format developed by the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) to store the geometry and attribute information of geographic locations. SHX files are usually used together with SHP files (master files storing geometry information) and DBF files (dBASE tables storing attribute data), and the three together constitute a complete Shapefile dataset.

File Format

SHX files are stored in binary format, and their structure is relatively simple, mainly consisting of two parts: file header and data record. The file header contains basic information about the file, such as file length, number of records, etc. The data record contains index information for each geometric object, such as the starting position and size of the object. Parsing SHX files requires the use of specialized GIS software or programming libraries, which can read and parse the binary structure of SHX files, extract the geometric object index information, and use it for GIS data management and analysis.

Pros

1. Accelerate spatial queries: The main function of SHX files is to serve as index files to speed up access to geometric objects in Shapefile files. It enables GIS software to perform point, line, surface query, zoom, translation, rotation and other operations faster, improving the efficiency of data retrieval.

2. Small file size: SHX file size is usually small and does not significantly increase the storage requirements of the data set. It only stores index information for spatial data, not the actual geometric data, allowing shapefile datasets to be efficiently located and queried quickly.

**3. Broad compatibility: **SHX files are widely used in GIS and CAD systems, and are compatible with many mainstream GIS software (such as ArcGIS, ArcMap, QGIS, etc.), and can be seamlessly integrated into the storage and query process of geospatial data, becoming a GIS One of the mainstream formats for data exchange.

Cons

**1. Dependence on other files: **SHX files are usually used together with SHP and DBF files. If there is a problem with any of these files, the reliability and correctness of the SHX file may be affected.

**2. Lack of data attribute support: **SHX files only store index information of geometric data and cannot store attribute information of spatial entities. For GIS applications that require rich attribute data, DBF files are still required.

3. Functional limitations: SHX files support relatively limited GIS functions, such as complex geometric types (such as multi-point, multi-line and multi-faceted objects) and advanced GIS functions (such as network analysis, topological relationship maintenance, etc.).

Application Scenario

In GIS systems, SHX files are used in combination with SHP and DBF files to efficiently load, query and process large-scale geographic data sets. In GIS visualization applications, they provide index support for Shapefile data, allowing geographic information to be quickly rendered, and are suitable for scenarios that require large-scale, real-time display, such as satellite images, terrain analysis, and road navigation systems.

Example

View a sample SHX file in ArcMap.

Example of a SHX file.

File Opening Mode

Open with GIS software: SHX files are the index files of Shapefiles and are usually used together with SHP (the main data file of Shapefiles), DBF (attribute data files) and other files. To open Shapefiles containing SHX files, you can use GIS software such as ArcGIS, ArcMap, QGIS, etc. These software can recognize and load Shapefiles and their related index files (SHX).

Open with a text editor: Since SHX files are binary files, opening them directly with a text editor may not display their contents correctly. Therefore, it is not recommended to use this method to view or edit SHX files.