TPC can import shape files into the survey, creating survey points and traverses or into a drawing, creating drawing objects like block references and polylines.

Importing PolylineM Shapes (2:48) - TPC 2026 can now import PolylineM shapes

Importing Shapes Into a Survey

When you import shapes into a survey, TPC creates survey points and may create traverses to represent imported polylines and polygons.

See Importing Shapes into a Survey.

Importing Shapes Into a Drawing

When you import shapes into a drawing, the shapes become drawing objects like block referenes for imported points and polylines for imported polylines and polygons. See Importing Shapes into a Drawing.

Compressed Shape Files

Many GIS applications export their shape files as a .zip file that contains the four shape files it exports.

Beginning with TPC Desktop 2026, TPC can import these compressed .zip files.  Just select the .zip file for import instead of the corresponding .shp file.  TPC will extract the shape files from the .zip file, then import them.

Prior to TPC Desktop 2026, you must first extract the files from .zip file.

See Compressed (Zipped) Shape Files.

Related Topics

Importing Shapes into a Survey
Importing Shapes into a Drawing
Shape Settings
Projections Files
Using ArcGIS My Map

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