# Shapefile Import for Volume Surfaces **URL:** \ **Category:** PIX4Dmapper Questions/Troubleshooting\ **Created:** [August 2, 2018, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/shapefile-import-for-volume-surfaces/7012 "2018-08-02T16:59:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Keller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@Jordan\_Keller](https://community.pix4d.com/u/Jordan_Keller)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/shapefile-import-for-volume-surfaces/7012/1 "2018-08-02T16:59:44Z")
Hello, I frequently need to calculate the volumes of stockpiles, and occasionally there is vegetation overhang or other anomalies obscuring the base of the piles in the DSM. In these locations, I would like to import surveyed points as a shapefile, and use these points as vertices to define a base surface in Pix4D.  When I attempt to “Import Base surfaces” in the volumes tab , I keep getting the error:  “Error e0202a: Could not import volume(s) from SHP file. The selected file has to contain the 3D surface of the volume measurement(s).” These surveyed points are a 3d shapefile in the same coordinate system at the Pix4D output, so I’m not sure what’s causing the error. Is there a certain shapefile format that Pix4D prefers when importing base surfaces that I’m missing? Additionally, I’m running into an issue when exporting base surfaces. The attributes in the resulting polygon shapefile are disregarding the names I have assigned in Pix4D, They show up as the default Pix4D naming convention (Volume 1, Volume 2, etc.)     ---
**Author:** ![Daniel\_Rico\_Cordero](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/pix4d/user_avatar/community.pix4d.com/daniel_rico_cordero/32/187_2.png) [@Daniel\_Rico\_Cordero](https://community.pix4d.com/u/Daniel_Rico_Cordero)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 8:17am UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/shapefile-import-for-volume-surfaces/7012/2 "2018-08-03T08:17:06Z")
Hi Jordan, The format to import a base surface is the same as the one which is exported. You can export a base surface from Pix4D and have a look. It is a closed polygon. If you create an SHP file with only points that error comes up. As for the attributes, Pix4D takes the polygon name which was given. If you want to give another name, you should change it within Pix4D first. I hope this helps. Regards. ---
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Keller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@Jordan\_Keller](https://community.pix4d.com/u/Jordan_Keller)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 10:17pm UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/shapefile-import-for-volume-surfaces/7012/3 "2018-08-06T22:17:24Z")
Daniel, I have attempted to change the names of the volumes in Pix4D, but after exporting them and bringing them into ArcMap (ESRI) as a shapefile, the attributes do not reflect the names I assigned in Pix4d.  This seems to be inconsistent, because occasionally a few of the names will be correct in the output shapefile, and other times they will simply revert to the default naming scheme (Volume 1, Volume 2, etc) despite having them changed in Pix4d. It seems to be a bug that is occurring during the export process. I wonder if anyone else has run into this, or if you are able to reproduce this error?  ---
**Author:** ![Cristina\_Timofte](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/pix4d/user_avatar/community.pix4d.com/cristina_timofte/32/221_2.png) [@Cristina\_Timofte](https://community.pix4d.com/u/Cristina_Timofte)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2018, 2:20pm UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/shapefile-import-for-volume-surfaces/7012/4 "2018-08-07T14:20:52Z")
Hi Jordan,   Only changing the name would not apply the changes to the attributes as well since nothing has been computed.  After you have changed the name have you re-computed the volume?    The workflow would be the following: 1. Double click on the name of the Volume name 2. Type in the new name 3. Enter 4. Compute 5. Export I have tested it from my side, and everything went as expected.   Thanks Ina ---
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Keller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@Jordan\_Keller](https://community.pix4d.com/u/Jordan_Keller)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 9:57pm UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/shapefile-import-for-volume-surfaces/7012/5 "2018-08-08T21:57:50Z")
Thanks Ina. This worked to recompute the volumes after entering the new names.  In the future, it would be nice to be able to change just the name of the volume surface and not have to re-compute. Also, It would be nice if it were possible to close and reopen a project file and retain the names of the volumes, instead of reverting to default. ---
**Author:** ![Cristina\_Timofte](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/pix4d/user_avatar/community.pix4d.com/cristina_timofte/32/221_2.png) [@Cristina\_Timofte](https://community.pix4d.com/u/Cristina_Timofte)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2018, 9:01am UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/shapefile-import-for-volume-surfaces/7012/6 "2018-08-09T09:01:25Z")
Hi Jordan,   Glad it worked. I took note of your suggestions and I will transfer them to our product management.   Cheers, Ina ---
**Author:** ![himalay.sharma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f04885/32.png) [@himalay.sharma](https://community.pix4d.com/u/himalay.sharma)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2023, 5:00am UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/shapefile-import-for-volume-surfaces/7012/7 "2023-06-20T05:00:27Z")
Hi, I want to import the shape file so that it can calculate the volume of the specific area with undulated terrain as in my case the z value varies. ---
**Author:** ![himalay.sharma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f04885/32.png) [@himalay.sharma](https://community.pix4d.com/u/himalay.sharma)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2023, 5:09am UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/shapefile-import-for-volume-surfaces/7012/8 "2023-06-20T05:09:33Z")
Does the volume .shp file has the capability to calculate the volume in undulating surface too or is it useful only for the boundary purpose? Please clarify. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/pix4d/original/2X/3/3f5b573e1c396b668cd297239aff5ddc7ed0fcf9.png)