Importing Shape files into Spatialite Database¶

Preface

If the shape files were produced by exporting a module's data via the server, if may not be necessary to import them into a database. The exporter produces its shape file output using a module's spatialite database as input. In that case, following these steps would merely put them back into spatialite format. Nonetheless, converting from a module's spatialite database, to shape files, then back again can be useful if you want each archent to have its own table.

Requirements

You must have either Ubuntu (recommended) or Windows installed on your computer to follow this article. The requirements for each are as follows:

Ubuntu:

Windows:

1. Change shape file projection

Change projection of shape file using the following command:

$ ogr2ogr -s_srs EPSG:<Shape file projection> -t_srs EPSG:3857 <Output.shp> <Input.shp>
Shape file projection = projection of shape file
Input.shp = input shape file
Output.shp = output shape file

2. Import shape file into spatialite database

Import shape file into spatialite database using the following command:

$ spatialite_tool -i -shp <Input> -d <SpatialiteDB.sqlite> -t <Table name> -g Geometry -c utf-8 -s 3857
Input.shp = input shape file
SpatialiteDB.sqlite = output spatialite database
Table name = table to import shape file into

Note: You can import multiple shape files into the same spatialite database.

3. Adding spatial indexes

Open database file

$ sqlite3 <SpatialiteDB.sqlite>

Note that to successfully run the above command, sqlite3 must have the spatialite extension loaded. If you do not have the spatialite extension loaded (e.g. if you installed spatialite following the instructions in Installing Spatialite on Windows), you may use the spatialite executable instead. To do so, run the above command by replacing sqlite3 with spatialite.
Create index for each table added > SELECT CreateSpatialIndex('<table>', 'Geometry');
SpatialiteDB.sqlite = spatialite database
Table = table name added