Mapping in python? Transforming shapefile so that basemap can read them?

[Mart.]

On Sep 11, 7:22 pm, C Barr Leigh <cpblpub... at gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm trying to get started with plotting maps in python. I need to read
> "shape files" (.shp) and make maps. There seem to be many efforts but
> none is complete? I'm looking for suggestions and troubleshooting.
>
> The basemap package is obviously at an impressive stage and comes with
> some data:http://www.scipy.org/Cookbook/Matplotlib/Maps
>
> but it cannot read shapefiles when their coordinates are not in
> geographic projection. min are in a lambert, so the readshapefile
> fails.
>
> Apparently there is a utility that can convert a .shp file to lat/lon
> coordinates, but it fails for me. “You can convert the shapefile to
> geographic - coordinates using the shpproj utility from the shapelib
> tools - (http://shapelib.maptools.org/shapelib-tools.html)"
>  For me, this gives:
> “unable to process projection, exiting...”
>
> Has anyone overcome these problems?
>
> Thanks!
> Chris

Not sure - but perhaps the GDAL?