# PyGMT: Coloring polygons from a converted kml file **URL:** \ **Category:** PyGMT Q&A\ **Created:** [June 15, 2021, 5:12pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/pygmt-coloring-polygons-from-a-converted-kml-file/1798 "2021-06-15T17:12:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hazardgoat](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/hazardgoat/32/1354_2.png) [@hazardgoat](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/hazardgoat)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 5:12pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/pygmt-coloring-polygons-from-a-converted-kml-file/1798/1 "2021-06-15T17:12:41Z")
I am attempting to plot and color the polygons from a geologic map kml file I converted to a gmt file but I don’t understand how to color the polygons. I’ve been able to plot the polygon outlines using the [method here](https://flint.soest.hawaii.edu/t/how-to-color-polygons-of-a-geopandas-dataframe-in-pygmt/1138), but I want to color by name of the category or a dictionary of colors matched to the names. However, when I try to assign a category to the names and color by cmap such as in [this example](https://www.pygmt.org/dev/gallery/symbols/points_categorical.html#sphx-glr-gallery-symbols-points-categorical-py), I get the error: “pygmt.exceptions.GMTInvalidInput: Can’t use arrays for color if data is matrix or file.”. How can I color the polygons? Dataframe generated from the gmt file: ![geologic](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/uploads/gmt/original/2X/c/c3a1f8d6eae4a8018d1f004396ddec88ad82e9f8.png) The working part of my code that plots the polygon outlines: ``` import geopandas as gpd import pygmt import pandas as pd gpd.io.file.fiona.drvsupport.supported_drivers['KML'] = 'rw' # reads kml file df_polygons = gpd.read_file('GMC_geo_poly.kml', driver='KML') # converts kml file to gmt df_polygons.to_file('GMC_geo_poly.gmt', driver='OGR_GMT', ) # reads gmt file df_polygons = gpd.read_file('GMC_geo_poly.gmt', driver='OGR_GMT') region = [-125, -122, 39, 41] fig = pygmt.Figure() fig.basemap( region=region, projection='M6i', frame='f' ) fig.coast( shorelines='0.5p,black', resolution='h', water='lightskyblue2', transparency= 50, ) # plots the polygons from the gmt file fig.plot( data = 'GMC_geo_poly.gmt', ) # saves a copy of the generated figure fig.savefig('GMC_geo_poly.png') fig.show() ``` What I’ve been able to create: ![GMC_geo_poly](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/uploads/gmt/original/2X/b/bb2120def1ca924b15311000fd8eeb9cccbc343b.png) What I ultimately want something similar to: ![geocolor](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/uploads/gmt/original/2X/7/7d319ca13bca920e1e533ed93bfd5974dc63a043.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![weiji14](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/weiji14/32/33_2.png) [@weiji14](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/weiji14)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 7:16pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/pygmt-coloring-polygons-from-a-converted-kml-file/1798/2 "2021-06-15T19:16:09Z")
Hi @hazardgoat, thanks for trying PyGMT! You may need to convert the dictionary of {names:colors} into a [categorical CPT file](https://docs.generic-mapping-tools.org/6.2/cookbook/cpts.html#id4) first (as mentioned in [Coloring polygon](https://flint.soest.hawaii.edu/t/coloring-polygon/1026)). The `mycategorical.cpt` plaintext file should look something like: ```auto Q red grMz blue QPc green ``` Then, you can use `fig.plot(..., cmap="mycategorical.cpt", color="+z", a="Z=Name")` or something along those lines (refer to [How to color polygons of a geopandas dataframe in pygmt?](https://flint.soest.hawaii.edu/t/how-to-color-polygons-of-a-geopandas-dataframe-in-pygmt/1138/2) and [https://www.pygmt.org/v0.3.1/api/generated/pygmt.Figure.plot.html](https://www.pygmt.org/v0.3.1/api/generated/pygmt.Figure.plot.html)). If possible, please share the `fig.plot` command you are using and the “GMC\_geo\_poly.gmt” file (you can upload it as a zip file) so that we can assist further. Coloring polygons can be a bit tricky in PyGMT/GMT so it’s best to know what we’re working with. ---
**Author:** ![hazardgoat](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/hazardgoat/32/1354_2.png) [@hazardgoat](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/hazardgoat)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 11:36pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/pygmt-coloring-polygons-from-a-converted-kml-file/1798/3 "2021-06-15T23:36:45Z")
Thank you for helping me with this! I attempted coloring by categorical CPT following the method in the links you provided as best I can, but no figure is generated at the end when I try it. The gmt file is too large to upload to this site, so [here is a google drive link that contains the files](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Jc31raaJ428psXvagihBPBMvWvbKRjA7?usp=sharing) in addition to the source klm. The full script is in the google drive, but the fig.plot command I’m using is: ```auto fig.plot( data = 'GMC_geo_poly.gmt', cmap = polyColor_cpt, color = '+z', a = 'Z = Name', ) ``` and the cpt file looks like this: ```auto C 255/222/153 Ca 153/128/235 D 255/179/153 E 77/179/235 E-Ep 77/179/236 Ec 77/153/222 Ep 77/153/204 gb 255/153/179 gr 204/153/255 gr-m 204/128/235 grCz 255/204/255 grCz? 255/204/256 grMz 204/179/255 grMz? 204/179/256 grpC 235/77/255 grpC? 235/77/256 grPz 179/102/255 J 128/255/77 J? 128/255/78 K 0/255/179 K? 0/255/180 KJf 77/222/128 KJfm 102/204/102 KJfs 128/235/128 Kl 0/255/128 Kl? 0/255/129 Ku 102/255/153 Ku-Ep 102/255/154 ls 222/153/77 m 222/153/204 mv 222/153/205 M 0/222/255 M? 0/222/256 M+KJfs 0/222/257 Mc 0/204/222 Mzv 0/255/77 O 128/222/235 Oc 128/204/204 Oc? 128/204/205 pC 128/128/204 pCc 128/128/179 P 179/235/255 Pm 255/255/102 Pz 204/222/102 Pzv 255/222/128 Q 179/255/255 Qg 204/204/204 Qls 0/255/255 Qoa 102/255/255 QPc 77/222/235 Qrv 0/153/255 Qrvp 0/128/255 Qs 235/255/255 Qv 0/77/255 Qv? 0/77/256 Qvp 0/77/204 Qvp? 0/77/205 sch 222/204/128 SO 255/179/204 Tc 77/179/255 Ti 77/0/245 TK 77/222/179 Tr 204/255/102 Tv 102/102/255 Tvp 102/102/204 um 255/77/153 B black F white N 127.5 ``` ---
**Author:** ![seisman](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/seisman/32/4_2.png) [@seisman](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/seisman)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2021, 2:22am UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/pygmt-coloring-polygons-from-a-converted-kml-file/1798/5 "2021-06-19T02:22:39Z")
Some of your colors have a value of 256, e.g., `204/179/256`. However, valid RGB values are 0-255. ---
**Author:** ![hazardgoat](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/hazardgoat/32/1354_2.png) [@hazardgoat](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/hazardgoat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2021, 5:02am UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/pygmt-coloring-polygons-from-a-converted-kml-file/1798/7 "2021-06-19T05:02:16Z")
Thank you!!! As it turns out, while I did catch those shortly after posting about the “failed to decode” error, there was an additional RGB value error that I missed. Now it colors the polygon lines to the cmap, but doesn’t yet fill them. Do you have any further insights you’d be willing to lend me? EDIT: Setting `close=True` in fig.plot filled in the polygons!