Map features (points, lines and areas) can be exported to Atlas GIS in shapefile format. Selecting Utilities|Export opens the export window (Figure 1).

Figure 1. The Export Window: ArcView Shapefile is 
the selected export setup.

In this example the UNT Parking Lot map (see Displaying Maps and Attributes) is being exported to Atlas GIS. The Export Setup (Figure 1) specifies the format of exported files (ArcView Shapefiles in this case). The setup can be modified and saved to provide a number of different output formats. In this case, "Features" are being exported (positions and attributes) and "Not In Feature" positions are not included in the data to be exported (Figure 2). 

Figure 2. Specifying format parameters for the export setup.

The attribute data will include some information generated by Pathfinder Office - the length of line features and the area and perimeter of area features (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Specifying attribute parameters for the export setup.

When all required parameters are set, selecting "OK" runs the export utility and brings up the completion window (Figure 4).

Figure 4. The Export Completed Window.

In this example, 10 point features (7 trees, 2 road signs and a fire hydrant) and 1 area feature (the parking lot) were exported (there are no line features in the map). The exported files (in shapefile format) are saved in the project's export directory. There is a separate shapefile for each type of feature exported (tree, road sign, fire hydrant and parking lot - Note: shapefiles actually have three parts - a shapefile *.shp, a database file *.dbf and an index file *.shx - all three are created by the export utility).

Shapefiles can be directly imported to Atlas GIS.  (Figure 5).

Figure 5. The Atlas GIS Open Window: shapefiles can be directly imported.

The four shape files in the project's export directory must be selected and imported one at a time. As each file is imported, a new Atlas GIS geo file is created (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Atlas GIS new geo file window.

The map below (Figure 7) shows the Atlas GIS map of the UNT Parking Lot. A table window displays attribute data for each layer in the map (there is a separate layer for each type of feature - Figure 8).

Figure 7. Atlas GIS map of the exported UNT parking lot map. 

Figure 8. An Atlas GIS table window showing attributes of the Parking Lot layer.