This document defines the shapefile (.shp) spatial data format and
describes why shapefiles are important. It lists the tools available in
Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI), software for
creating shapefiles directly or converting data into shapefiles from other
formats. This document also provides all the technical information
necessary for writing a computer program to create shapefiles without the
use of ESRI® software for organizations that want to write their own data
translators