postgis/doc/man/shp2pgsql.1

.TH "shp2pgsql" "1" "" "" "PostGIS"
.SH "NAME"
.LP 
shp2pgsql - shapefile to postgis loader
.SH "SYNTAX"
.LP 
shp2pgsql [\fIoptions\fR] \fIshapefile\fR [\fIschema\fR\fB.\fR]\fItable\fR
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.LP 
The shp2pgsql data loader converts ESRI Shape files into SQL suitable for insertion into a PostGIS/PostgreSQL database. 

.SH "OPTIONS"
.LP 
The loader has several operating modes distinguished by command line flags:

.TP 
\fB\-d\fR
Drops the database table before creating a new table with the data in the Shape file.

.TP 
\fB\-a\fR
Appends data from the Shape file into the database table. Note that to use this option to load multiple files, the files must have the same attributes and same data types.

.TP 
\fB\-c\fR
Creates a new table and populates it from the Shape file. This is the default mode.

.TP 
\fB\-p\fR
Only produces the table creation SQL code, without adding any actual data. This can
be used if you need to completely separate the table creation and data loading steps.

.TP 
\fB\-D\fR
Use the PostgreSQL "dump" format for the output data. This can be combined with -a, -c and -d.
It is much faster to load than the default "insert" SQL format. Use this for very large data sets.

.TP 
\fB\-s\fR <\fISRID\fR>
Creates and populates the geometry tables with the specified SRID.

.TP 
\fB\-g\fR <\fIgeometry_column\fR>
Specify the name of the geometry column (mostly useful in append mode).

.TP 
\fB\-k\fR
Keep idendifiers case (column, schema and attributes). Note that attributes in Shapefile are usually all UPPERCASE.

.TP 
\fB\-i\fR
Coerce all integers to standard 32\-bit integers, do not create 64\-bit bigints, even if the DBF header signature appears to warrant it.

.TP 
\fB\-w\fR
Output WKT format, for use with older (0.x) versions of PostGIS.
Note that this will introduce coordinate drifts and will drop
M values from shapefiles.

.TP 
\fB\-W\fR <\fIencoding\fR>
Specify the character \fIencoding\fR of Shapefile's attributes.
If this option is used the output will be encoded in UTF-8.

.TP 
\fB\-I\fR
Create a GiST index on the geometry column. 

.TP 
\fB\-N\fR <\fIpolicy\fR>
Specify NULL geometries handling policy (insert,skip,abort).

.LP
Note that -a, -c, -d and -p are mutually exclusive.

.SH "EXAMPLES"
.LP 
An example session using the loader to create an input file and uploading it might look like this:

# \fBshp2pgsql shaperoads roadstable roadsdb > roads.sql\fR
.br 
# \fBpsql \-d roadsdb \-f roads.sql\fR

A conversion and upload can be done all in one step using UNIX pipes:

# \fBshp2pgsql shaperoads roadstable roadsdb | psql \-d roadsdb\fR
.SH "AUTHORS"
.LP
Originally written by Jeff Lounsbury <jeffloun@refractions.net>.
Improved and maintained by Sandro Santilli <strk@refractions.net>.

This application uses functionality from shapelib 1.2.9
by Frank Warmerdam <warmerda@gdal.velocet.ca> to read from ESRI Shape files.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.LP 
pgsql2shp(1)