Convert E00 to DGN Online - Free & Fast

What is E00?

ArcInfo Exchange (E00) is a proprietary interchange format developed by ESRI for exporting and importing Arc/Info coverages, encoding vector topology, attributes, and raster data in an ASCII text file for data migration between GIS systems.

What is DGN?

DGN (Design) is the native file format of Bentley Systems MicroStation, used for storing CAD drawings and GIS data in infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, and utilities, supporting 2D and 3D design elements with level-based organization.

When Should You Use E00 vs DGN?

E00 vs DGN: Key Differences

• •The core technical difference: E00 relies on lossy compression whereas DGN uses lossy compression.
• •Both formats share lossy compression, so quality behavior is similar across the two — file size differences come from algorithm efficiency rather than compression philosophy.
• •How transparency is handled: DGN does not support alpha channels — transparent areas in the source will become opaque.
• •Storage footprint: 100KB to several GB depending on coverage complexity for E00 vs 100KB to 1GB depending on design complexity for DGN.
• •E00 is optimized for legacy arcinfo data migration, gis archival data recovery while DGN is designed for civil engineering, infrastructure mapping, transportation gis — choose based on your specific workflow needs

Advantages of E00

• ✓E00 applies lossy compression specifically calibrated for Legacy ArcInfo data migration, GIS archival data recovery.
• ✓E00 enjoys broad native support across operating systems, browsers, and creative tools alike.
• ✓E00 delivers impressive compression ratios, shrinking files dramatically while keeping visual quality high.
• ✓You will find E00 support built into virtually every tool that handles Legacy ArcInfo data migration, GIS archival data recovery — no plugins or converters needed.

Advantages of DGN

• ✓DGN uses lossy compression tailored for Civil engineering, infrastructure mapping, transportation GIS.
• ✓DGN is supported natively on virtually every device, browser, and operating system.
• ✓DGN files are compact and quick to transfer, even over slow connections.
• ✓DGN integrates seamlessly with all major creative tools and workflows.

Common Use Cases for E00 to DGN Conversion

Industry Applications

Best Practices for E00 to DGN Conversion

• →When converting E00 to DGN: confirm the coordinate reference system (CRS / projection) is preserved or explicitly reprojected
• →Keep attribute tables and feature metadata intact — DGN should retain all fields from E00
• →Check geometry types (point, line, polygon) map cleanly between the two formats
• →Verify that z/elevation values and topology survive the conversion when working with terrain data
• →Always keep a backup of your original files before converting
• →Choose the appropriate quality settings for your specific use case

Troubleshooting E00 to DGN Conversion

• !Topology errors in the converted DGN → self-intersecting polygons or duplicate vertices may not transfer cleanly between formats
• !The DGN file coordinate values shifted slightly → datums (WGS84 vs NAD83) differ even when the projection looks similar
• !Time field values were corrupted after converting E00 to DGN → date and time field formatting varies across GIS formats
• !Null geometry features appear in the converted DGN → empty or null-shape records in E00 may cause validation errors in some formats

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