defining shape attributes

dmr

GlobalMapper easily lets me add/edit an attribute and a value to (the .dbf of) a shapefile…I like that.
But does GlobalMapper allow me to tell it a data type or a field width for the attribute's value? Such as "string" or "integer"...or 30 characters long for example.
I normally use Arcmap for that, but I was hoping GlobalMapper had the same capability in that respect (and I just can't find it).
Thanks,
dmr

global_mapper

When you export a Shapefile Global Mapper automatically examines the values of each attribute of the features being exported and determines the appropriate data type to use (i.e. integer, floating point number, or just text). There is not any way to manually specify a type to use.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Thanks,

Mike
Global Mapper Support
support@globalmapper.com

dmr

There actually is a benefit in allowing the option for someone to set the width of a value's field and/or setting the type. I would love to see that added as a feature. I use about 5 programs to edit shapefiles (TV, CTS, Cygwin, ArcMap and GM). Each program has its own little idiosyncracies. One example is, CTS likes to "append" more to the code field value. So if had a code of 6 characters on a shapefile I saved in GM, but CTS needs 12, I am doomed. If CTS doesn't have that space to work with, it will just fail on that shapefile. (and I have no hope for CTS to be upgraded...it is end of life, but we are stuck with it for years...I digress)
Another question/example:
I make shapefiles to place landmarks into my project. I use an AOO (angle of orientation) to turn them the right direction to align with hi-res sat imagery. So I might place a bunch of buildings...and an integer is typically good enough. So I save the file in GM, and it chooses integer for that attribute. But if I wanted to come back and add some bridges, they definitely require 1 or 2 place decimal precision to look right. What is GM going to do? Is it going to change the field type now? Or is it stuck as integer? Furthermore, say someone else does the work to add the bridges, but they prefer to use one of the other sw I listed. I don't know if they are smart enough to change the type. That is another good case why I would want to set the type and length myself.

I think by default, you could just have GM behave how it always does (choose the width and type itself). But for a little more advanced functionality, allow the user to go back to those fields and edit them. You could have an "override with user-defined" checkbox setting or something. It would be nice to have all this functionality in GM so I don't have to switch to ArcMap.
Thanks,
DMR

global_mapper

Global Mapper internally saves all attributes data as simple text strings, all field type evaluation for Shapefile export is done at export time. So when you add some decimal digits to a value that was previously all integer values, at export that would be writting out as a floating point field.

We do eventually plan to add support for more advanced type and length management for fields when exporting to Shapefiles.

Thanks,

Mike
Global Mapper Support
support@globalmapper.com

dmr

Good to know GM would handle that change (in my bridge example).
Ooooo Great! By eventually, you mean really, really soon? ;-)
I'll press on using my old ways for now.
DMR

global_mapper

I'm not sure how soon the change might get in there as we're pretty swamped with some custom projects and an impending move right now. It is on the todo list though.

Thanks,

Mike
Global Mapper Support
support@globalmapper.com