mswkt = '''GEOGCS["Unknown datum based upon the Clarke 1866 ellipsoid (deprecated)",DATUM["Not_specified_based_on_Clarke_1866_ellipsoid",SPHEROID["Clarke 1866",6378206.4,294.978698213898,AUTHORITY["EPSG","7008"]],AUTHORITY["EPSG","6008"]],PRIMEM["Greenwich",0,AUTHORITY["EPSG","8901"]],UNIT["degree",0.0174532925199433,AUTHORITY["EPSG","9122"]],AUTHORITY["EPSG","4008"]]''' m = mapObj('') m.setWKTProjection(mswkt) lyr = layerObj(m) lyr.setWKTProjection(mswkt)