<aside> 🗺️ GIS files store geospatial data in a variety of formats. Be it a KML, SHP, KMZ or Json file, these various formats all contain location-based information such as points, lines, polygons, and other data attributes.

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GIS Files in Overyield

Within Overyield, GIS files provide a framework for organizing and manipulating data layers, enabling users to create accurate and detailed farm designs that interface with other GIS/GPS systems through import/export functionality.

• Currently, KML (Keyhole Markup Language) files can be imported to Overyield, allowing users to bring in geospatial data such as property boundaries, contour maps, soil types, etc. from other databases.
• SHP files can be exported from Overyield. These exports facilitate mechanized planting by interfacing with tractor autosteer systems, enable the creation of geo-referenced pdf’s, and more generally facilitate data flow between Overyield and other GIS platforms such as Google Earth Pro, AutoCAD, etc. SHP exports are zipped files containing SHP, PRJ, SHX, and DBF files, which together make up the shapefile.
• Note: Though not technically GIS files, CSV files containing geospatial information (lat,long) can also be exported.

Preparing Files for Import

Because Overyield only accepts KML files for import, users may need to convert other file formats into Keyhole Markup Language using other software systems. Users may also need to process files, such that the attributes of the GIS file align with the import type’s attribute criteria in Overyield. QGIS and Google Earth Pro are free tools that enables such conversions.

• Google Earth Pro Download
  1. Click File → Import → Select the file you would like to convert (or simply drag and drop the file into Google Earth Pro).
     • Note: Google Earth Pro accepts CSV, KML/KMZ files, SHP, and DBF files.
  2. The geospatial file will be added to your map and appear in your Places menu.
  3. Right click file you would like to export. Click Save place as...
  4. Name your file and select KML export in the file type dropdown. Click Save.
• QGIS Download
  1. Drag and drop the GIS file you would like to convert into QGIS. The data layer will appear in your Layers menu.
  2. Open your Processing Toolbox (View → Panels → Processing Toolbox), then select the relevant processing command, to convert the file’s attributes (e.g. “Countour” option converts raster file to vectors; “Polygon to lines” command converts a file with polygon attributes into a file with path attributes).
  3. The converted file will appear in the Layers menu.
  4. Right click the converted data layer, click Export → Save feature as..., selecting “Keyhole Markup Language (KML)” as the export format. Name your file and click the …(three dots button) to save your file to the desktop.

Exporting Json files

Currently, only one GIS file can be imported under a given layer type at a time. Although a layer type can contain multiple layer features (e.g. multiple roads, multiple buildings), these multi-feature layers must be imported at one time, within the same GIS file. Attempting to import new geospatial data to layers already populated with features will override the original data. Thus, users must combine all layers features into one GIS file.

Practically, this may be necessary if you’ve already drawn a farm boundary in Overyield, but want to add additional parcel boundaries through import. How do you hold onto your original boundary drawing, but also import the new parcel data?

• To resolve this, users must export their original layer as a Json file from Overyield, combine this original data with the new data in QGIS, then export as a KML for import to Overyield.
• The following video walks you through exporting layers as Json files from Overyield: