ESRI
binary grid
The ESRI binary grid is a simple format that was developed to exchange gridded data between ESRI's GIS packages, and with other software packages. It supports only one raster per file, which can have only one band of the dspFloat32 data type. A header file is required to open the file. A third file with coordinate system information is optional. This format is in fact so similar to the general raw binary format (with the exception of the data type) that it is implemented in the same driver.
| General |
Simple file-based format for a single raster with one band having the dspFloat32 data type. |
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| Read |
The driver reads the file as a contiguous block of data of the dspFloat32 data type. Other data types are not supported by this format. A header file with the same name as the data file but with a .HDR extension is required. Conversion between little and big endian byte ordering is performed automatically. The XLLCORNER and YLLCORNER tie points are considered to represent the center of the lower-left pixel. |
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| Write |
The driver can write a new file, or modify an existing file. When modifying an existing file, the byte ordering is maintained. New files will always use big endian byte ordering. A header file is automatically created, if required, as well as a coordinate system information file. |
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| Attributes | This format does not include any attributes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinate system |
If, when reading, a file with the same name as the data file but with a .PRJ extension is found, this file is parsed for coordinate system information. This information needs to be in the ESRI PRJ format. If no such file is found, or if the parsing is unsuccessful, a local coordinate system is assigned. |
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| Documentation | No additional documentation identified. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Data sources | This format is used widely by ESRI to distribute raster data. ESRI offers the Geography Network where you can search for and download spatial data. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Developer information |
The data files are in a flat binary layout, in Intel or Motorola byte ordering. The accompanying header file must have the following keywords (in no particular order):
All keywords must be present in the header file. |