Municipal Level Maps

[cinyc]

Thanks.   Can you convert shapefile to SVG or PNG, and if so, how?

Why would you want to? It is much easier to auto-color a shapefile than to individually color in shapes by hand, if you know what you're doing. But if you really wanted to convert a shapefile to png, I suppose you could always use a screen printing tool to save what is on the screen as a png file.  I'd have to check MapWindows GIS to see if there is a direct shapefile to png converter built in.  I'm sure there are some stand alone programs that do it, too.  Just Google "shp to png".

[cinyc]

I know next to nothing about GIS.  I've thought about taking classes, though.

I guess the question I'm really trying to ask is how you were able to convert that map to PNG.

It's not that difficult to learn how to use the free MapWindowGIS to make maps.  I don't think it requires classes.  I can give a detailed tutorial, if you wish.

You can convert a shapefile into an image file using MapWindow GIS by adding the .shp file as a layer, then selecting Edit from the top menu and Export>Map from the drop-down menu.  My older version won't save as a .png, but will save as a .jpeg or .bmp file.  Or you can download the free QGIS, open the .shp file as a vector layer, then select Project from the top menu and Save as Image from the drop-down menu.  In both instances, you might have to change the shape color to white by right-clicking on the layer name, and changing the color options in the drop-down menus.

I'm sure there are other ways to convert a .shp file into a .png file - as I said before, just Google "shp to png".