After a SHP shape file or PFB font file is compiled, the resulting SHX file can be inserted into a drawing. The SHX file belongs to shape index format. This format contains a positional index of the f...
After a SHP shape file or PFB font file is compiled, the resulting SHX file can be inserted into a drawing. The SHX file belongs to shape index format. This format contains a positional index of the feature geometry to enable seeking forwards and backwards quickly. Software applications that open or reference SHX files include Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D. The SHX file allows direct access to the records in the main SHP file. It consists of a 100-byte header followed by fixed-length 8-byte records defining the SHP files. To open an SHX file you need software depending on the file type. ArcGIS shapefiles have mandatory .shp, .shx and .dbf extensions. Optional files are .prj, .xml, .sbn and .sbx. The .shx stores index and offset information. It allows direct access to the SHP file records. A file with .shx extension is commonly an AutoCAD Compiled Shape File. These files store shape or font definitions for display. The advantage is supporting many Type 1 PostScript fonts. To open SHX files requires the Autodesk AutoCAD application.