[GRASS-user] strange ETRS89 settings and v.out.ogr

[Paul Kelly]

On Fri, 15 Aug 2008, Tim Michelsen wrote:

> Hello,
> I defined a test location in ETRS89-LAEA using the EPSG number 3035 in the GRASS
> startup wizard.
>
> Here is what g.proj -p > test_3035_proj.txt prints out:
> -PROJ_INFO-------------------------------------------------
> name       : Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area
> proj       : laea
> datum      : etrs89
> ellps      : grs80
> lat_0      : 52
> lon_0      : 10
> x_0        : 4321000
> y_0        : 3210000
> no_defs    : defined
> -PROJ_UNITS------------------------------------------------
> unit       : metre
> units      : metres
> meters     : 1
>
> Now I exported a data set to a shapefile using v.out.ogr. Here is the content of
> the associated *.prj file:
>
> Layer SRS WKT:
> PROJCS["Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area",
>    GEOGCS["grs80",
>        DATUM["ETRF_1989",

This datum name is very unusual and I'm not sure where it could have come 
from. What version of GRASS? What is the exact commandline you used?

Can you try the following commands and post output?
g.proj -w
g.proj -we
g.proj -w epsg=3035

>            SPHEROID["Geodetic_Reference_System_1980",6378137,298.257222101]],
>        PRIMEM["Greenwich",0],
>        UNIT["Degree",0.017453292519943295]],
>    PROJECTION["Lambert_Azimuthal_Equal_Area"],
>    PARAMETER["latitude_of_center",52],
>    PARAMETER["longitude_of_center",10],
>    PARAMETER["false_easting",4321000],
>    PARAMETER["false_northing",3210000],
>    UNIT["Meter",1]]
> cat: Real (11.0)
> a_cat: Real (11.0)
> a_CODE_00: String (80.0)
> b_cat: Real (11.0)
> b_cat_: Real (24.15)
> b_na2: String (80.0)
>
> If I load this into ArcGIS it does complain about wrong projection information.

How exactly does it complain?

> Here is the project file when reprojecting the data set to 3035 with ogr2ogr:
> Layer SRS WKT:
> PROJCS["ETRS89 / ETRS-LAEA",
>    GEOGCS["ETRS89",
>        DATUM["European_Terrestrial_Reference_System_1989",

This is the datum name I would expect to see from GRASS too.

>            SPHEROID["GRS_1980",6378137,298.257222101]],
>        PRIMEM["Greenwich",0],
>        UNIT["Degree",0.017453292519943295]],
>    PROJECTION["Lambert_Azimuthal_Equal_Area"],
>    PARAMETER["latitude_of_center",52],
>    PARAMETER["longitude_of_center",10],
>    PARAMETER["false_easting",4321000],
>    PARAMETER["false_northing",3210000],
>    UNIT["Meter",1]]
> cat: Real (11.0)
> a_cat: Real (11.0)
> a_CODE_00: String (80.0)
> b_cat: Real (11.0)
> b_cat_: Real (24.15)
> b_na2: String (80.0)
>
>
> Is the GRASS projection file wrong or is it not "standard"? From the content
> they both seem to tell the same...

The datum name looks strange. Note that you can create a .prj file in 
"ESRI format" with
g.proj -wef > xxx.prj
to replace the .prj file created by v.out.ogr, if it's any use.

Paul