Shapefile Index
Maps & GPSSHX may be a Shapefile index, but CAD fonts can share the suffix. First inspect matching SHP/DBF companions and producer context. A map index alone cannot reconstruct a full map and attributes.
- What it is used for
- Shapefile index or application-specific companion data
- What the file contains
- Producer-dependent
All sections, questions and sources
Content reviewed： · Editor：Kai
Opening steps
Choose your environment or purpose to see its steps.
Menu labels and support vary by app, OS and version. Preserve the original before making changes.
Troubleshooting by symptom
- Cannot open alone: identify companion role and locate the primary file.
- Missing index: obtain the full set first; consider documented GDAL restoration only on copies.
- Changed CAD lettering: establish the specified font/substitution requirements.
- GIS cannot open SHX alone: collect geometry and attributes.
- CAD glyph problems: inspect fonts/substitutes, not GIS indices.
- Missing GIS index: inspect the source set and repair only a copy with supported tools.
Complete map dataset → another GIS format
- For confirmed map indexes, load the full geometry/attribute set.
- Export layers and compare locations/properties; CAD SHX requires a different producer workflow.
- Keep GIS indices and CAD fonts in their respective workflows.
There is no universal standalone conversion; index restoration needs geometry and does not recreate lost attributes.
The shared suffix does not imply compatibility
Identify a Shapefile index versus compiled CAD shape/font using provenance and companions.
Source for these steps：GDAL Project · ESRI Shapefile / DBF / Autodesk · About Compiling Shape and Font Files / QGIS Project · Opening Data
Before repairing a GIS index
GDAL offers SHAPE_RESTORE_SHX=YES for associated SHP data; preserve source and use a copy.
Compare counts, attribute correspondence and geometry; index rebuilding cannot restore absent payloads.
Source for these steps：GDAL Project · ESRI Shapefile / DBF / Autodesk · About Compiling Shape and Font Files / QGIS Project · Opening Data
Related-format differences
| Format | Main role | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| GIS SHX | Shapefile index | Matching SHP/DBF |
| CAD SHX | Compiled font/shape | CAD support |
| SHP | GIS geometry or other format | Identify the format |
Handling and security
Identify provenance before installing or repairing unknown SHX and preserve originals.
Questions and answers
Is it always a map file?
Other uses exist; identify the producer.
Can an index recreate SHP?
It cannot recreate missing geometry/attributes.
Should I delete files to fix it?
Retain originals; obtain companions or use documented recovery.
Can I use an unrelated SHX with the same name?
The index belongs to its SHP; matching names alone do not establish correspondence.
Can a missing SHX be rebuilt?
Supported GIS tools can rebuild an index from SHP; this does not rebuild CAD fonts.
Format facts: name, steward and MIME type
- Formal name
- Shapefile shape index / other SHX uses exist
- Steward / specification
- Producing GIS or CAD application
- MIME type
- Depends on the producer or server; an extension alone does not establish a MIME type.
Primary and official sources
- Project documentationESRI Shapefile / DBF
Documents companion files, encoding and SHX restoration.
GDAL Project · Link checked： - Software documentationAbout Compiling Shape and Font Files
Documents CAD shape/font SHP and SHX, distinct from GIS shapefiles.
Autodesk · Link checked： - Official documentationOpening Data
Load vector and GPX data as layers.
QGIS Project · Link checked：