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hgt2xyz: Convert SRTM-3 HGT Files to ASCII XYZ

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Author:Ryan Mitchell
Michael Johnson
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hgt2xyz.exe is a lightweight command-line utility developed by Ben Farrow of the CDR Group. The tool is designed to convert SRTM-3 elevation data stored in .hgt format into ASCII coordinate triples (x,y,z), representing longitude, latitude, and height.

Application Details

  • File Name: hgt2xyz.exe (8 KB)
  • Author: Ben Farrow
  • Organization: CDR Group
  • Version: 1.00
  • Created: October 5, 2004
  • Modified: October 5, 2004
  • Supported GIS: Independent / Not Applicable
  • Operating System: Windows

Purpose and Functionality

SRTM-3 datasets, commonly distributed as .hgt files, store elevation information in a binary grid format. While efficient for storage and processing, this format is not directly readable in plain text workflows or certain analysis environments.

hgt2xyz converts these binary elevation tiles into ASCII output formatted as:

longitude, latitude, elevation

Each record corresponds to a grid cell within the SRTM dataset, enabling the output to be used for:

  • Terrain modeling
  • Surface interpolation
  • DEM analysis
  • Point cloud processing
  • Custom geospatial scripting
  • Command-Line Operation

The tool operates via the Windows command prompt. Output is written to standard output (stdout) by default. Users may redirect output to a file using standard command-line redirection syntax, allowing:

  • Saving individual conversions to separate files
  • Concatenating multiple converted tiles into a single dataset

This flexibility supports batch workflows and large-scale terrain data processing.

System Requirements

To execute the program, the Microsoft .NET Framework must be installed. The framework is freely available from Microsoft and provides the runtime environment required by the executable.

Typical Use Cases

hgt2xyz is particularly useful in workflows involving:

  • Conversion of NASA SRTM elevation data
  • Integration of DEM data into custom GIS pipelines
  • Exporting terrain grids for 3D visualization
  • Preparing elevation datasets for analysis outside traditional GIS platforms

Because the tool is independent of specific GIS software, it can be integrated into automated scripts and command-line processing environments.

Licensing and Disclaimer

The program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful. However, it is provided without any warranty, including implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Download Information

  • Executable Name: hgt2xyz.exe
  • File Size: 8 KB

After downloading, run the executable from a Windows command prompt, ensuring that the required .NET Framework runtime is installed.

hgt2xyz offers a compact and efficient solution for transforming SRTM-3 elevation data into accessible ASCII coordinate format for advanced geospatial analysis workflows.

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