SLYR

A Python library and set of command line tools for extraction, parsing, and conversion of ESRI .lyr and .style files.

This repo contains an early, open-source version of SLYR, which lags in features and capabilities from the full SLYR version. Read more about the full version and how you can obtain it at https://north-road.com/slyr/.

Status

• This open-source version only supports ESRI .style database files. See https://north-road.com/slyr/ for the version which supports direct LYR file conversion. Otherwise, it is necessary to use ArcGIS to convert a .lyr file to a .style database prior to conversion with this version.
• RGB colors can be parsed, within a maximum of 1 unit difference in either the R/G/B components.
• 100% color match for other color types, including HSV, CMYK, Grayscale, etc
• Fill symbols
  • complete support for all fill types!*
• Line symbols
  • complete support for all line types, except for picture lines*
• Marker symbols
  • complete support for all marker types!*
• All color ramp types can be parsed

• Depending on the symbol version. If you encounter different symbol versions, please open a bug report with the style files attached.

Tools

• bin_dump.py Converts a binary .style database row blob into a symbol and dumps the symbol properties to the console
• style_dump.py Dumps the complete contents of an ESRI .style database, printing symbol properties to the console
• style_to_bin.py Exports the contents of an ESRI .style database to individual .bin binary files, each containing an encoded version of a single symbol
• style_to_qgis_xml.py Converts the contents of an ESRI .style database to a QGIS 3.x Style .xml file, ready for importing direct into your QGIS style library (requires QGIS 3.x)

All tools require the command line mdbtools for handling the .style database files. Binaries of these can be downloaded from https://github.com/lsgunth/mdbtools-win, and they should be extracted and available in the Windows path.

QGIS Plugin

SLYR also functions as a QGIS plugin (for QGIS >= 3.2). Just copy the whole slyr folder to your QGIS profile Python -> plugins path, launch QGIS and enable the plugin.

The plugin adds a new group to the Processing Toolbox for "SLYR", containing tools for conversion of style databases to QGIS symbol styles. Note that Windows users will first need to setup the path to the mdbtools binaries via Options - Processing - Providers - SLYR. There's also an algorithm for converting color palettes stored in style files to the standard GPL color palette text format.

The plugin throws warnings (and optionally creates a report) containing properties which cannot be translated to QGIS symbology. If you get these warnings, PLEASE consider sponsoring the feature development within QGIS itself! Everyone benefits, and you'll usually be pleasantly suprised at how inexpensive this can be! Just shoot us an email to [email protected] to discuss.

• And no, this won't be distributed by the normal QGIS plugin channel. It's provided "as-is", with no support offered whatsoever.

Specifications

Some description of the .style binary format can be found in specs.md, although the most up-to-date reference is the Python parsing code itself.

Hall of Fame

SLYR wouldn't be possible without direct financial support for its development. The following organisations have directly contributed to SLYR development, and are deserving of gratitude!

• SMEC/SJ
• North Road
• OpenGIS.ch

And hey, if you want to see slyr improved, why not consider financially supporting its development? Drop me a line at [email protected] to discuss.