PRJ files: what are they and how do I open them?
Are you facing difficulties opening unknown files on your computer, or wondering exactly what this file is?
We've got the information and best software solutions for opening these files effortlessly.
.prj file type #1: Various project files
Generally speaking, many files with a prj extension are identified as projects. They are used in numerous applications to save ongoing work.
Further details:
PRJ file in most cases is a project file used by various software applications to store project data, settings, and other information.
The content of the PRJ file can vary depending on the program that created it. For example, it could be used by AutoCAD to store project settings, or by Microsoft Visual Studio to store information about a programming project.
Open file with:
AccuTrans 3D
A CAD 3D geometry translation software
.prj file type #2: ArcView Shapefile projections definition file
Files with prj suffix can also be found as ArcView Shapefiles in projection format. Used in GIS software ArcView from ESRI. Definition file.
Further details:
File extension prj is also associated with ArcView Shapefile projection format; the coordinate system and projection information, a plain text file describing the projection using text format.
The projection information contained in the .prj file is critical in order to understand the data contained in the .shp file correctly. Although it is technically optional, it is most often provided, as it is not necessarily possible to guess the projection of any given points. Some typical information contained in the .prj file is:
- Geographic coordinate system
- Datum
- Spheroid
- Prime meridian
- Map projection
- Units used
The ESRI Shapefile is a popular geospatial vector data format for geographic information systems software. It is developed and regulated by ESRI as a (mostly) open specification for data interoperability among ESRI and other software products. A shapefile commonly refers to a collection of files with .shp, .shx, .dbf, and other extensions on a common prefix name (e.g., "lakes.*"). The actual shapefile relates specifically to files with the ".shp" extension, however this file alone is incomplete for distribution, as the other supporting files are required.
Shapefiles spatially describe geometries: points, polylines, and polygons. These, for example, could represent water wells, rivers, and lakes, respectively. Each item may also have attributes, that describe the items, such as the name or temperature.
Open file with:
ArcGIS for Desktop Basic (ArcView)
A GIS application used to work with geographic data