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Importing & Merging Shapefiles

Contents

These routines bring ESRI Shapefile (SHP) data into GASWorkS. Customer and pipe shapefiles can be imported to name a new model or to merge into an existing one, while service and valve shapefiles can only be merged into an existing model. Both routines live in the Utilities menu — Import and Merge — and their progress is shown in the Import Log or Merge Log. Import the pipe (and any node) data first, then merge customer, service, and valve data into the resulting model; service data in particular can only be merged into a model that already contains pipe and customer data.

GDI Commands

Import A SHP File – Customer

GASWorkS can import customer data from a SHP file to name a new model or merge customer data from a SHP file with an existing model.

  1. From the Utilities menu, select the Import item.
  2. The Save screen is displayed. Enter a name for the new GASWorkS 11 model, then select “GASWorkS 11 (*.gwz)” for the Save as type. Click the Save button.
    Note: If using an existing model, a message will be displayed asking whether to overwrite the model; respond appropriately.
  3. The Import screen is displayed. Select the “SHP (ESRI Shapefile) File – Customer” item from the File Type list. Click the Import button.
  4. The Open screen is displayed. Select a customer “(*.shp)” file. Click the Open button.
  5. The Customer Import Specifications screen is displayed. Assign the appropriate Database Field Assignment to the related GASWorkS Data Item (click Clear Data Field Assignments to reset them). Review the remaining settings, then click the Continue button.
  6. The Import screen is displayed again. The Import Log will update the status of the routine. When it is complete, click the Close button to return to the GDI Window.

This routine is run by selecting the Import item from the Utilities menu and choosing the SHP (ESRI Shapefile) File – Customer file type; it has no GDI Command Line alias.

Notes

  • Customer data must be contained in a point-style shapefile.
  • The Import routine for customer features does not use the Fuzzy Tolerance. This allows the import of “stacked” customers.
  • Not every GASWorkS Data Item must be assigned to import customer data, but it is a good idea to assign at least the Link ID Number. The customer Link ID Number should be a unique identification number for the customer, allowing the feature to be linked to an original attribute file (.dbf) or an external source such as a billing or Customer Information System file. Where linked attribute data is unavailable, the Link ID Number can hold any arbitrary or alphanumeric value useful to the User, such as a rate class, address, or name.
  • When importing or merging customer data, GASWorkS asks whether to assign the supply main connections. Clicking Yes draws service connections between customers and the nearest main; some assignments may be incorrect. If this occurs, use the Reassign Customer Supply Main command to make the correct assignments.
  • If a load item was included in the attribute data, customer loads are automatically assigned to the appropriate nodes when the service lines are assigned or reassigned. If loads were not included, assign them manually with an Edit Customer Data command, in mass with the Mass Update routine or the Edit Multiple Customers command, or automatically by linking the features to a database using the Customer Data Attribute File feature.

Import A SHP File – Pipe

GASWorkS can import pipe data from a SHP file to name a new model or merge pipe data from a SHP file with an existing model.

  1. From the Utilities menu, select the Import item.
  2. The Save screen is displayed. Enter a File name for the new GASWorkS 11 model, then select “GASWorkS 11 (*.gwz)” for the Save as type. Click the Save button.
    Note: If using an existing model, a message will be displayed asking whether to overwrite the model; respond appropriately.
  3. The Import screen is displayed. Select the “SHP (ESRI Shapefile) File – Pipe” item from the File Type list. Click the Import button.
  4. The Open screen is displayed. Select a pipe “(*.shp)” file. Click the Open button.
  5. The Pipe Import Specifications screen is displayed. Assign the appropriate Database Field Item to the related GASWorkS Data Item (click Clear Data Field Assignments to reset them). Review the remaining settings, then click the Continue button.
  6. The Import screen is displayed again. The Import Log will update the status of the routine. When it is complete, click the Close button to return to the GDI Window.

This routine is run by selecting the Import item from the Utilities menu and choosing the SHP (ESRI Shapefile) File – Pipe file type; it has no GDI Command Line alias.

Notes

  • Pipe data must be contained in a line-style shapefile.
  • The recommended procedure is to import the pipe data first, then merge any customer, regulator, or valve data.
  • If a node file exists, use the Import routine on the node file first, then use the Merge routine for the pipe file. It is unnecessary to import a node file; if one does not exist, one is created when the pipe file is imported.
  • The pipe Link ID Number should be a unique identification number for the pipe, allowing the feature to be linked to an original attribute file (.dbf) or an outside data source. Where linked attribute data is unavailable, the Link ID Number can hold any arbitrary or alphanumeric value useful to the User.
  • Support for non-model attribute data can be accommodated using the Pipe Data Attribute File feature.
  • A shapefile package may include a projection file (.prj) that converts the data from latitude/longitude coordinates to plane coordinates. When the shapefile is imported, if a projection file is present, GASWorkS creates a copy of it under the same name and in the same folder as the model.

Merge A SHP File – Service

GASWorkS can merge service data from a SHP file with an existing model that already contains pipe and customer data.

  1. From the Utilities menu, select the Merge item.
  2. The Merge screen is displayed. Select the “SHP (ESRI Shapefile) File – Service” item from the File Type list. Click the Merge button.
  3. The Open screen is displayed. Select a service “(*.shp)” file. Click the Open button.
  4. A message asks whether to merge the data in the file with the existing model. Click the Yes button to proceed.
  5. The Service Merge Specifications screen is displayed. Review the settings, then click the Continue button.
  6. The Merge screen is displayed. The Merge Log will update the status of the routine. When it is complete, click the Close button to return to the GDI Window.

This routine is run by selecting the Merge item from the Utilities menu and choosing the SHP (ESRI Shapefile) File – Service file type; it has no GDI Command Line alias.

Notes

  • Service data must be contained in a line-style shapefile, and must be merged with an existing model containing pipe and customer data. There is no Import routine for SHP service files.
  • The Merge routine checks the coordinates of each service line for a match with an existing customer using the Fuzzy Tolerance. A customer must be located at the first or last set of coordinates within the service line for a match to be found. When the routine finishes, GASWorkS notifies the User of any services that could not be matched with customers.
  • After matching a service to a customer, GASWorkS looks for a service tap at the other end of the service line. If a pipe exists within the Fuzzy Tolerance of those coordinates, a match is found and a service tap is created. GASWorkS notifies the User of any services that could not be matched with pipes for service taps.
  • Once the customer and service tap are assigned, any remaining coordinate sets in the service line data are imported as vertices.

Merge A SHP File – Valve

GASWorkS can merge valve data from a SHP file with an existing model.

  1. From the Utilities menu, select the Merge item.
  2. The Merge screen is displayed. Select the “SHP (ESRI Shapefile) File – Valve” item from the File Type list. Click the Merge button.
  3. The Open screen is displayed. Select a valve “(*.shp)” file. Click the Open button.
  4. A message asks whether to merge the data in the file with the existing model. Click the Yes button to proceed.
  5. The Valve Merge Specifications screen is displayed. Assign the appropriate Database Field Item to the related GASWorkS Data Item (click Clear Data Field Assignments to reset them). Review the remaining settings, then click the Continue button.
  6. The Merge screen is displayed. The Merge Log will update the status of the routine. When it is complete, click the Close button to return to the GDI Window.

This routine is run by selecting the Merge item from the Utilities menu and choosing the SHP (ESRI Shapefile) File – Valve file type; it has no GDI Command Line alias.

Notes

  • Valve data must be contained in a point-style shapefile.
  • There is no Import routine for SHP valve files; valve data can only be merged into an existing model.

Notes & Considerations

  • A shapefile consists of several files — one ending in a (.shp) extension containing the spatial or geographic data, and another ending in a (.dbf) extension containing the attribute data associated with the graphical features. A shapefile can contain only one feature style — points or lines, but not both.
  • The Merge routine searches the existing model for matches between the source-file data and the existing features using the specified Fuzzy Tolerance. If an existing pipe, node, or customer is found within the Fuzzy Tolerance of the feature being processed, GASWorkS assumes the two features to be the same and does not add the new feature; if no existing feature is found within the tolerance, the current feature is added. This can lead to unusual processing where customers or nodes are “stacked,” so it is recommended that the User validate the results of a Merge routine before continuing with the model.
  • The Fuzzy Tolerance value is expressed in terms of the Prompted Length Values dimensional units. The lower the Fuzzy Tolerance, the smaller the area in which GASWorkS searches for existing features; as a general rule, the higher the precision of the existing data, the lower the tolerance should be, and vice versa. It may take several attempts to determine the appropriate value for a data set. The Prompted Length Values units can be changed on the Units tab of the User Options & Settings screen, reached by selecting the Options & Settings item in the Utilities menu.
  • Use the Zoom To Fit command to display the imported model after opening it.
  • The Import routine (customer and pipe) names or overwrites a model on the Save screen, while the Merge routine folds data into the currently open model. Import the pipe data first, then merge the customer, service, and valve data in turn.

See Also

  • Importing CSV, DXF & KML Files
  • Editing Customer, Node & Pipe Data
  • Customer Loads, Supply Mains & Maintenance
  • Views, Panning, Zooming & Plotting
  • Example: Importing DXF & Working with Shapefiles
  • Example: Fittings, Panels & Palettes

FAQ

  • Where do I start an export?
    From the Utilities menu, select the Export item, choose the desired File Type on the Export screen, and click the Export command button. Each routine then walks through a Save screen, a format-specific settings screen, and finally reports its status in the Export Log.
  • What coordinate system does a KML export require?
    The model must be in longitude and latitude coordinates to export a KML file. If it is not, a message may be displayed asking whether to project the coordinates before the export continues.
  • Can I control what ends up in a DXF export?
    Yes — the DXF Export Settings screen is displayed during the export so you can review the settings. Its General data tab includes a Use Template File option, and GASWorkS provides a default template in the “GASWorkS 11\support\cad” folder.

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Updated on September 24, 2026

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