# How to create a place designation matching erratic city limits **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Tags:** question\ **Created:** [October 27, 2019, 11:14pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-create-a-place-designation-matching-erratic-city-limits/7573 "2019-10-27T23:14:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![valt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/df705f/32.png) [@valt](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/valt)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2019, 11:14pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-create-a-place-designation-matching-erratic-city-limits/7573/1 "2019-10-27T23:14:17Z")
Forgive me if I have missed seeing this information posted elsewhere. I wish to create a place designation for a particular city that has extremely erratic boundaries for the city limits. I have been able to locate a link to a KML file, but it is out of date. The city does have a shape file I may request. Is there a step-by-step tutorial anywhere to create a project using either one of these file types to map it? I’m not familiar with these mapping programs and it will have no value if I include or omit incorrect areas. A polygon outline is not specific enough nor remotely practical. I am hoping to be able to use new and existing iNaturalist observations to document the need for a nature park instead of only additional tennis, basketball, pickle ball, etc. ball, concrete and parking lots. Thanks for your patience. ---
**Author:** ![jwidness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jwidness](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jwidness)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 1:10am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-create-a-place-designation-matching-erratic-city-limits/7573/2 "2019-10-28T01:10:35Z")
Probably your best bet is to request the shapefile, convert it to kml (if you need help with that, I can give suggestions), [create a Place](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/new), and upload your kml as the boundary for that place. Once your place is set up with the correct boundary, you can [create a Project](https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/new) limited to your place. It should be fairly straightforward, but feel free to ask for more details on any step. ---
**Author:** ![valt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/df705f/32.png) [@valt](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/valt)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 3:15am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-create-a-place-designation-matching-erratic-city-limits/7573/3 "2019-10-28T03:15:03Z")
Thank you for your help! Yes, I would greatly appreciate suggestions on converting the shape file to KML. ---
**Author:** ![jwidness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jwidness](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jwidness)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 7:04pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-create-a-place-designation-matching-erratic-city-limits/7573/4 "2019-10-28T19:04:16Z")
Are you willing to download QGIS (free) or would you rather use an online conversion tool? I don’t have a lot of experience converting online, but I just tried [https://mygeodata.cloud/converter/shp-to-kml](https://mygeodata.cloud/converter/shp-to-kml). It did convert the file to kml, though I found another issue in the process. iNat doesn’t like maps to have multiple features in them, so if the original shapefile contains multiple polygons as separate features rather than a single feature, you may have trouble. (You can check for this by running the conversion, then going to [https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/](https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/) and creating a new map. Then import your converted kml. One with multiple features will list multiple pieces.) If you don’t mind sharing the original shapefile, I could do the conversion for you. Or I could try to walk you through setting up QGIS if you think that’s something you’d like to learn. ---
**Author:** ![jon\_sullivan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/jon_sullivan/32/242_2.png) [@jon\_sullivan](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jon_sullivan)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2019, 11:37pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-create-a-place-designation-matching-erratic-city-limits/7573/5 "2019-10-28T23:37:24Z")
@valt QGIS is a powerful and free computer app ([http://qgis.org/](http://qgis.org/)). Some things can be complicated in QGIS, but converting a shape file to a KML is pretty simple. I’d also suggest you give that a go. I’ve attached a couple of screenshots of the process. In that “Save Vector Layer As…” window in the second screenshot, you just need to add a file name for your KML and select a folder to save it into (doing those things will fill in the two blank boxes below the format). ![16%20PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/b/b810b5c82a6c8daecb4e3304665823eb2cf6ac05.jpeg) ![00%20PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/2/2fd147107d4903787c31ed9de98315a56c63ecde.png) ---
**Author:** ![jdmore](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/jdmore/32/1116_2.png) [@jdmore](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jdmore)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2019, 7:34am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-create-a-place-designation-matching-erratic-city-limits/7573/6 "2019-10-29T07:34:30Z")
> [@valt](#): > > suggestions on converting the shape file to KML I just use Google Earth for this conversion. Add the shapefile as a user layer, then export as KML. Works like a charm, no need to learn new software unless you want to for other reasons. ---
**Author:** ![valt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/df705f/32.png) [@valt](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/valt)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2019, 3:41am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-create-a-place-designation-matching-erratic-city-limits/7573/7 "2019-11-17T03:41:35Z")
Thank you so much! As soon as I get an urgent project deadline completed, I will give it a try. Appreciate your help. ---
**Author:** ![valt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/df705f/32.png) [@valt](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/valt)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2019, 3:42am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-create-a-place-designation-matching-erratic-city-limits/7573/8 "2019-11-17T03:42:41Z")
Thank you! I appreciate your help and suggestions and the screenshots greatly. As soon as I get past a looming project deadline I’ll give it a go. ---
**Author:** ![valt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/df705f/32.png) [@valt](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/valt)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2019, 3:43am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-create-a-place-designation-matching-erratic-city-limits/7573/9 "2019-11-17T03:43:14Z")
Thank you! I appreciate your help and suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2020, 3:43am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-create-a-place-designation-matching-erratic-city-limits/7573/10 "2020-01-16T03:43:25Z")
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