Import & Export

Introduction

Import & Export covers moving data between GASWorkS and the outside world — building or updating a model from a file created in another application, and getting model data back out into a format other software can use. It’s the category to check whenever a model’s source data doesn’t originate in GASWorkS itself, or when downstream data (GIS, AM/FM, reporting, CAD) needs to reflect what’s in a model.

The four articles below split cleanly by direction. Importing CSV, DXF & KML Files and Importing & Merging Shapefiles (SHP) bring outside data in — either building a brand-new model or merging new content into one that’s already open. Exporting Model Data (CSV, DBF & XLS) and Exporting to DXF, KML & Shapefiles send model data back out, either as flat data files for reporting and spreadsheets, or as graphic files for CAD, GIS, and mapping systems. Shapefiles are the one format that shows up on both sides — GASWorkS can both import/merge and export them — which is why they get their own dedicated articles rather than folding into the general CSV/DXF/KML pair.

Every routine here uses the same two underlying mechanisms: Import, which creates a new model from external data, and Merge, which combines external data into a model you already have open. Which one applies depends on the file type and feature — see the individual articles for the specifics.

Module/Application

• Importing CSV, DXF & KML Files
  • Use Case: Build a new model, or merge new data into an existing one, from a CSV, DXF, or KML file — the three most common general-purpose formats.
  • Covers: General Import & Merge Information, Import A CSV File – Customer, Import A DXF File, Import A KML File.
  • Differentiator: The general-purpose import entry point, and the article that explains the shared Import/Merge mechanics every other article in this category builds on.
• Importing & Merging Shapefiles (SHP)
  • Use Case: Build a model from a pipe or customer shapefile, or merge shapefile-based service and valve data into a model that already exists.
  • Covers: Import A SHP File – Customer, Import A SHP File – Pipe, Merge A SHP File – Service, Merge A SHP File – Valve.
  • Differentiator: The only import article dedicated to a single file format — shapefiles have enough of their own structure (separate customer, pipe, service, and valve routines) to warrant a standalone article.
• Exporting Model Data (CSV, DBF & XLS)
  • Use Case: Send customer, node, or pipe data out of GASWorkS as flat data files, for use in a spreadsheet, database, or reporting tool.
  • Covers: General Export Information, Export A CSV File – Customer, Node, Or Pipe, Export A DBF File – Customer, Node, Or Pipe, Export A XLS File – Customer, Node, Or Pipe.
  • Differentiator: Covers data-only export formats — no graphics or geometry, just the underlying feature data.
• Exporting to DXF, KML & Shapefiles
  • Use Case: Send model geometry and graphics out of GASWorkS in a format CAD, GIS, or mapping software can open.
  • Covers: Export A DXF File, Export A KML File, Export A SHP File – Customer, Node, Or Pipe.
  • Differentiator: The graphic counterpart to Exporting Model Data — covers formats that preserve geometry and location rather than tabular data alone.

FAQ