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New to Shape Files

gene_denny
8 - Asteroid

I'm looking for some basic info on the use of a few shape files and am not able to find that magic post that explains it to me.  I've been using Alteryx for quite some time but primarily for blending, so I could really use some help.  My questions are two-fold.

 

I have the attached three files which show the boundaries for each of 5 high schools.  I want to be able to do two things with them if possible:

 

1.  Through Alteryx, layer these polygons over a map of the city of Des Moines, IA, and

2.  Export that map, with the polygons, into a file which could be then used by Tableau as, perhaps, and background map.

 

I've tried several of the spatial tools in Alteryx and I'm getting nowhere.  I gotta be honest, I don't even know where to start.  Anyone want to have a little fun and show me what's possible?

 

 

23 REPLIES 23
gene_denny
8 - Asteroid

These were created by an outside source.  They come from our school district's school bus routing software.  I have had issues with getting them to respond, which is what brought me here originally.

gene_denny
8 - Asteroid

The product is called Edulog, or Education Logistics.

 

I don't mean to imply that the company is unresponsive, just that finding the right people to answer questions regarding the shape files has been challenging due to the time of year.

CharlieS
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

I've figured out that this is a UTM coordinate system and can get Alteryx to render the polygons. The problem is that they're in the wrong location. As soon as I can figure out the projection zone settings and get this in the right place, we'll be set. It seems like it should be in zones 13N-15N, but it keeps putting it in the Pacific Ocean south of Mexico. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Transverse_Mercator_coordinate_system

 

20181220-UTMPolygons.png

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20181220-UTMWrongZone.png

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Was there not a .PRJ file associated with the Shape file you received? When I save a .shp from Alteryx, a SHP, SHX, DBF, and PRJ file are produced. Alteryx could read this file directly, or we could view that PRJ file in a text editor to get the relevant information.

gene_denny
8 - Asteroid

Thanks for all this work so far, Charlie.  Unfortunately, no they did not provide a prj file nor have I received one since requested several days ago.

gene_denny
8 - Asteroid

Assuming we are able to either obtain the prj file or figure out the "zero" point we need, is Alteryx capable then of producing a file which can be used as a background map in Tableau?  For example, a .tms file or similar?  I've done quite a bit of work with custom maps in Tableau before, but the files were always provided to me.  At one point, even The Information Lab in the UK provided me with a map source file.

EricM
Alteryx
Alteryx

Hi @gene_denny and @CharlieS

 

I enjoy a good projection problem so I wanted to take a shot at this. After trying a few UTM projections which clearly weren't correct, I landed on Iowa State Plane South - does this screenshot appear to draw the polygons in the correct locations? 

 

IowaPolys.PNG

 

Attaching the example workflow as well.  

 

 

gene_denny
8 - Asteroid

Getting closer!

 

Here's a link on Tableau Public for a map I created by hand several years ago.  If you change the school level to High School, it should match what we have in these shape files.  I have additional shape files for the elementary and middle schools.

 

https://public.tableau.com/profile/gene.denny#!/vizhome/SchoolBoundaryChanges012914/SchoolBoundaries...

 

 

EricM
Alteryx
Alteryx

@gene_denny

 

Awesome, I think this should do it - Iowa State Plane South in Feet - does this look about right? 

 

IowaStatePlaneSouthFeet.PNG

gene_denny
8 - Asteroid

That looks great!  I've got to upgrade my Designer to .4 so I can open up your workflow.  Can that now be put into a format that Tableau can use as a background map?

EricM
Alteryx
Alteryx

@gene_denny

 

Yes, once you have the projection issue fixed you should be able to use Alteryx to write out the data to a spatial format that is supported by Tableau (I think I read somewhere in this thread that Tableau can now use .shp format directly, which is awesome).  

 

If you are having trouble with the workflow version, here is the projection info I used. You can set up your input tool to specify this projection: 

 

1. Select the input tool 

2. Select Projection under the Options list

3. Under Find Projection, search for NAD 1983 State Plane Iowa South FIPS 1402 FEET 

 

 

 

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