mswkt = '''GEOGCS["Unknown datum based upon the GRS 1967 ellipsoid (deprecated)",DATUM["Not_specified_based_on_GRS_1967_ellipsoid",SPHEROID["GRS 1967",6378160,298.247167427,AUTHORITY["EPSG","7036"]],AUTHORITY["EPSG","6036"]],PRIMEM["Greenwich",0,AUTHORITY["EPSG","8901"]],UNIT["degree",0.0174532925199433,AUTHORITY["EPSG","9122"]],AUTHORITY["EPSG","4036"]]''' m = mapObj('') m.setWKTProjection(mswkt) lyr = layerObj(m) lyr.setWKTProjection(mswkt)