How do i open .PRJ files in AutoCAD 2017?

[Anonymous]

hi everyone,

while working on an assignment i bumped into a problem. AutoCAD 2017 doesnt seem to be able to open .PRJ files. i have a folder with a much older project consisting of a several files (.DBF, .PRJ, .shp, .shx). theese contain a map that i need to open and modify, yet i dont know how to open them.

is it possible that i will have to try in a different version (maybe AutoCAD 2012)?

are there any extensions that might allow me to open and work with theese files in AutoCAD 2017?

anyway, thanks for any ideas 🙂

[Alfred.NESWADBA · Accepted solution]

Hi,

welcome @Anonymous.autodesk.com!

>> AutoCAD 2017 doesnt seem to be able to open .PRJ files

This type (seen as a package with the other files you have shown in your screenshot) is part of a GIS-dataset.

Base of all is the SHP file, which is together with DBF and SHX a GIS dataset, commonly used to exchange data between different GIS-applications.

A PRJ file is an additional information about the geographic coordinate system assigned to the SHP dataset.

And so a PRJ file can't be inserted, it even does not hold any geometry information.

All together (SHP, DBX, SHX, PRJ) can be used if you have AutoCAD Map 3D or AutoCAD Civil 3D, there you have commands like _MAPIMPORT or _MAPCONNECT to make the data usable.

- alfred -

[TerryDotson]

... are there any extensions that might allow me to open and work with these files in AutoCAD 2017?

Yes, there is a very low cost add-on known as GeoLocation Plus that will import (and export) ESRI Shapefiles along with numerous other formats not supported in stock AutoCAD.