mswkt = '''GEOGCS["WGS 72BE",DATUM["WGS_72_Transit_Broadcast_Ephemeris",SPHEROID["WGS 72",6378135,298.26,AUTHORITY["EPSG","7043"]],AUTHORITY["EPSG","6324"]],PRIMEM["Greenwich",0,AUTHORITY["EPSG","8901"]],UNIT["degree",0.0174532925199433,AUTHORITY["EPSG","9122"]],AUTHORITY["EPSG","4324"]]''' m = mapObj('') m.setWKTProjection(mswkt) lyr = layerObj(m) lyr.setWKTProjection(mswkt)