Shape files are a common format
for storing geospatial data, originally developed by ESRI
(Technical Description (PDF)).
This page describes how to import Shape files into SQL Server 2008 for viewing using Geoquery 2008.
There are a number of different tools that can import Shape files into SQL Server 2008, but
Morten's Shape File (SHP) Uploader
has been the primary tool used during the build & testing of Geoquery 2008.
The screenshots below show the import of country borders
and country 'administrative zone' (state/province) borders
into SQL Server 2008 using SqlSpatialTools v1.2.0
Step 0 - Download
Download and extract SqlSpatialTools,
cntry00.zip and admin00.zip.
Execute Shape2Sql.exe.
Step 1 - Connect to your SQL Server 2008 database
The first time you run the tool, you will be prompted to select a database.
Step 2 - Import Country Borders
Select the cntry00.shp Shape file using the [...] button. It should be in a directory with other files
from the downloaded zip including cntry00.dbf and cntry00.shx.
The tool will populate the list of 'data columns' at the bottom right with identifiers from the Shape file - uncheck
any that you do not wish to import. You may also choose whether to import as geometry or geography (and what
SRID to use). Press Upload to database when you are happy with the settings.
As the data is being imported the progress will be displayed in the window (see next screenshot).
Step 3 - Import Administrative Zones
Importing the admin00.shp file from here follows the same steps.
A few errors may occur when loading these two files. They appear as a dialog like this:
Of 252 entries in cntry00.shp, four errors occur (Germany, Azerbaijan, Antartica and Italy).
Of 2606 entries in admin00.shp, four errors occur (Germany: Schleswig-Holstein, Switzerland: Bern, South Korea: Kyonggi-do and Antarctica)
Step 4 - Query using Geoquery 2008
SELECT geog, 'yellow' AS [COLOR] FROM cntry00
SELECT geog FROM admin00
Notice the different 'relative size' of Greenland on the different "projections".
