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MapInfo UGuide

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352 views

MapInfo UGuide

ewrewr

Uploaded by

Đỗ Hữu Toàn

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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v7.

5 User Guide
(Unabridged)

Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of the vendor or its representatives. No
part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without the
written permission of MapInfo Corporation, One Global View, Troy, New York 12180-8399.
2003 MapInfo Corporation. All rights reserved. MapInfo, MapInfo Professional, MapBasic, StreetPro and the MapInfo logo are trademarks of MapInfo
Corporation and/or its affiliates.
MapInfo Corporate Headquarters:
Voice: (518) 285-6000
Fax: (518) 285-6060
Sales Info Hotline: (800) 327-8627
Government Sales Hotline: (800) 619-2333
Technical Support Hotline: (518) 285-7283
Technical Support Fax: (518) 285-6080
Contact information for North American offices is located at: http://www.mapinfo.com/company/contact_corporate.cfm.
Contact information for European and Middle East offices is located at: http://www.mapinfo.com/company/contact_europe.cfm.
Contact information for Asia Pacific offices is located at: http://www.mapinfo.com/company/contact_asiapacific.cfm.
Adobe Acrobat is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States.
libtiff 1988-1995 Sam Leffler, copyright Silicon Graphics, Inc.
libgeotiff 1995 Niles D. Ritter.
Portions Copyright 1999 3D Graphics, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
HIL - Halo Image Library Copyright 1993, Media Cybernetics Inc. Halo Imaging Library is a trademark of Media Cybernetics, Inc.
Portions thereof LEAD Technologies, Inc. 1991-2003. All Rights Reserved.
Portions Copyright 1993-2003 Ken Martin, Will Schroeder, Bill Lorensen. All Rights Reserved.
This software uses patented LZW technology for .GIF image compression and/or decompression. (Unisys patent No. 4,558,302 and corresponding patents
in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom). GIF images compressed or decompressed for transmission via the Internet or via any
other on-line communication capability may not be sold or licensed for revenue, or used by an Internet Service Provider or in paid advertisements unless
the user first enters into a written license agreement with Unisys. For information concerning licensing, please contact:
Unisys Corporation
Welch Licensing Department C1SW19
Township Line & Union Meeting Roads
P.O. Box 500
Blue Bell PA 19424
Blue Marble 1993-2003
ECW by ER Mapper 1993-2003
VM Grid by Northwood Technologies, Inc., a Marconi Company 1995-2003.
Portions 2003 Earth Resource Mapping, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
MrSID, MrSID Decompressor and the MrSID logo are trademarks of LizardTech, Inc. used under license. Portions of this computer program are copyright
(c) 19951998 LizardTech and/or the university of California or are protected by US patent nos. 5,710,835; 5,130,701; or 5,467,110 and are used under
license. All rights reserved. MrSID is protected under US and international patent & copyright treaties and foreign patent applications are pending.
Unauthorized use or duplication prohibited.
Universal Translator by Safe Software, Inc. 2003.
Crystal Reports is proprietary trademark of Crystal Decisions. All Rights Reserved.
Products named herein may be trademarks of their respective manufacturers and are hereby recognized. Trademarked names are used editorially, to the
benefit of the trademark owner, with no intent to infringe on the trademark.
October 2003

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
What is MapInfo Professional and What Does it Do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Mapping at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Reviewing the MapInfo Professional Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Getting Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Using the Status Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Using the Help System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Whats New in MapInfo Professional 7.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Printing Enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Database Enhancements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Datum Enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Mapping Enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Add In Enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Menu Enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Tool Enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
EasyLoader Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
MapBasic Enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Chapter 2: Installing, Configuring, and Starting MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

System Requirements for MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Handling Database Connectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Before You Install MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Navigating the MapInfo Professional 7.5 CD Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Typical Workstation Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Custom Workstation Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Network Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting Up Client Workstations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Modifying, Repairing, or Removing MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trouble Shooting your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing MapInfo Professional from your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting the MapInfo Professional Preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Accessing the Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting the Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting your System Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting your Map Window Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting your Legend Window Preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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MapInfo Professional 7.5 User Guide (Unabridged)

Setting the Startup Preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Setting your Address Matching Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting your Directory Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting your Output Setting Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting your Printer Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting your Style Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting up and Leaving MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Starting MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the Startup Workspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Opening a Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exiting MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Chapter 3: The Basics of MapInfo Professional. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

A Tour of the MapInfo Professional Desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Working with Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Using Workspaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Data - Where MapInfo Professional Begins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
What Is a Database and Other Basic Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Opening Tables and Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Reviewing the Windows in MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Displaying Data in a Map Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Displaying Data in a Browser Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Displaying Data in a Graph Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Displaying Data in a Layout Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Other Windows for Displaying Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Understanding Layers and Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
What is a Layer? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Map Objects as Part of Layers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Managing a Maps Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Understanding the Cosmetic Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Making the Layers Editable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Selecting Objects in a Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Getting Layer Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Working with Thematic Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Working with Raster and Grid Layers in Layer Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Working with Seamless Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Saving and Exporting Your Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Saving a Workspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Closing a Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Saving a Table or Saving a Copy of a Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Exporting Your Data to a New Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Using the Tools in the Tool Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Chapter 4: Putting Your Data on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

How Do I Get My Data on the Map? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
When Do I Geocode vs. Create Points? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

MapInfo Professional 7.5

MI_UG.PDF

MapInfo Professional 7.5 User Guide (Unabridged)

Creating a .tab File from your Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Creating .tab Files from your Excel (.XLS) Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating .tab Files from your Access Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating .tab Files from your dBase Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating .tab Files from your Lotus 1-2-3 Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Registering Your ASCII Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Importing GML File Data into .tab Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Displaying Your Remote DBMS Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Displaying and Importing Data from a Web Map Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Geocoding - Assigning Coordinates to Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What Should I Ask First? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Understanding the Geocoding Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Modes of Geocoding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Methods of Geocoding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Finding an Exact Street Match . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Placing Geocoded Points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Matching Street Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Matching Address Numbers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Matching to Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selecting Records Not Geocoded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Locating Newly Geocoded Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Result Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ungeocoding a Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Create Points - Putting Latitude/Longitude Coordinates on a Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating Points from an Excel or Lotus Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating Points, Longitude/Latitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating Points in a Projection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Converting Coordinate Information with the Degree Converter Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dispersing Points Located in the Same Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating Points for Intersections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Displaying Your Data on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Printing Your Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting Up the Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Printing Your Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Graph/Browser/3DMap Printing Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3D Map Print Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Advanced Printing Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Overriding the Default Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Troubleshooting Print Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Chapter 5: Enhancing Your Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Working with MapInfo Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Adding to a Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Updating a Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appending Rows to a Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Parsing Data from One Column to Multiple Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Placing Graphic Information in Visible Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Creating a New Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Editing a Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Copying and Renaming a Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deleting a Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Packing a Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Collecting Data into the Table using Update Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Browsing a Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating a Report of your Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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169
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175

Chapter 6: Accessing Remote Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

Working with Remote Tables and Databases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prerequisites for Storing / Retrieving Remote Spatial Databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prerequisite 1 Storing Coordinate Values in a Remote Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prerequisite 2 Creating a Spatial Index Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prerequisite 3 Creating a MapInfo_MapCatalog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prerequisite 4 Making a Remote Table Mappable in MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Supporting Oracle Spatial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Accessing Remote Databases using ODBC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating New Data Sources (ODBC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DBMS Tables and Linked Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Opening a DBMS Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Downloading DBMS Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Entering SQL Queries with the Expert Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating Live Remote DBMS Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saving a DBMS Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Disconnecting from a Remote Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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179
182
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185
190
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201
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207

Chapter 7: Drawing and Editing Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

Understanding the Drawing and Editing Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the Drawing Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the Drawing and Editing Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Drawing Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the Ruler Window as You Draw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Object Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Printing Fill Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Drawing Polygons and Polylines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Converting a Polyline to a Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Drawing Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing a Symbol Style on a Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Supported Fonts for Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Working with Custom Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Entering and Working with Text on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Editing Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Positioning and Sizing your Map Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing your Map Object Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reshaping Map Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Using Snap To to Select Nodes and Centroids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

Smoothing and Unsmoothing Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Converting Regions to Polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Chapter 8: Selecting and Querying Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

Selecting your Data in MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Characteristics of Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selecting from the Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selecting Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unselecting Objects or Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Querying Your Data in MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selecting and Using Queries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating Expressions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Select to Create Queries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interactively Selecting Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using SQL Select to Query Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saving Queries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Templates for Queries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deriving Columns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating Column Aliases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aggregating Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Grouping and Ordering Your Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Joining Tables Using SQL Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Performing Outer Joins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the Instr Function to Find Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selecting Records from One Table that are Not in Another. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selecting Even or Odd Records from a Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Finding Duplicate Values in a Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Calculating the Distance to a Fixed Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selecting Data from a StreetPro Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Entering SQL Queries using the Expert Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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236
237
242
242
243
244
246
249
249
253
254
255
255
259
261
261
265
266
267
268
270
271
272
273

Chapter 9: Creating Thematic Maps, Legends, and Other Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275

Using Thematic Mapping to Analyze Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Planning Your Thematic Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Types of Thematic Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Individual Map Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ranged Maps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Graduated Symbol Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dot Density Maps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bar Chart Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pie Chart Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Working with Your Thematic Maps and Legends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Modifying a Thematic Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saving Your Thematic Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Updating Column Information using Thematic Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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276
278
279
281
284
285
287
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Working with Legends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

What are Cartographic Legends? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What are Thematic Legends? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Working with Grid Surface Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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294
295
295

Chapter 10: Buffering and Working with Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299

Buffering Your Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Understanding Buffers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating a Buffer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Buffer Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Types of Buffers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Editing Objects using the Set Target Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aggregating and Disaggregating Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Combining Objects with Set Target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Splitting Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating Territories by Combining Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Combining Selected Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Combining Objects Using Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating a Voronoi Polygon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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300
300
308
308
311
312
313
315
318
319
319
321

Chapter 11: Stylizing Your Map for Presentations and Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Changing a Maps Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing a Regions Style. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing a Lines Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing a Symbols Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing the Text Style. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Labeling Your Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Designing Your Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Choosing the Label Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using AutoLabeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Labeling Interactively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Text Objects as Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saving Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Working with Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What is a Layout Window? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Working in the Layout Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Before You Create a Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating a Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Legends in a Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Moving Frames in a Layout Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aligning Objects in a Layout Window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting the Map Scale for a Layout Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cloning a Map View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating a Cartographic Legend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What is a Cartographic Legend? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the Legend Wizard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

324
324
325
326
328
329
329
330
332
337
338
340
341
341
342
343
344
347
350
350
350
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Printing and Exporting Your Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363

Printing Your Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Exporting a Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365

Chapter 12: Registering Raster Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367

Working with Raster Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Understanding Raster Images in MapInfo Professional. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Raster Image Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Color Options for Raster Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Opening a Raster Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Opening Unregistered Raster Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Opening Georeferenced Raster Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Opening Registered Raster Images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Registering the Coordinates of a Raster Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transferring Vector Map Coordinates Directly to a Raster Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Modifying Control Points for Raster Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Printing/Exporting Translucent Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Storing Raster Image Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

368
368
369
369
370
371
371
372
373
375
377
380
381

Chapter 13: Working with Coordinate Systems and Projections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383

Understanding Coordinate System and Projection Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What is a Projection? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What is a Coordinate System? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Types of Coordinate Systems and Projections Available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Choosing Projections for Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Options in Choosing a Projection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Converting Coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Converting Degrees, Minutes, Seconds to Decimal Degrees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Converting Decimal Degrees to Degrees, Minutes, Seconds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Working with Projections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Displaying a Map with a Different Projection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saving a Map to a Different Projection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Frequently Asked Questions about Projection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Earth and Non-Earth Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the Ocean and Grid Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

384
384
385
386
386
387
390
390
390
391
391
392
392
393
394

Chapter 14: Specialized Topics in MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397

Redistricting Grouping Map Objects into Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What is Redistricting and How Can I Use It? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the Districts Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting up the Target District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Redistricting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Options in Redistricting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saving New Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exiting the Redistricter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

397
397
399
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400
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Creating Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Constructing Simple Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Constructing Complex Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Entering Specific Values (Constants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Character Strings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operators - Mathematical Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operators - String Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operators - Comparison Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operators - Geographic Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operators - Logical Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operator Precedence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

406
406
407
408
408
408
408
408
409
410
412
414
419
420

Appendix A: Directory of MapInfo Professional Shortcuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439

Shortcuts for File Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shortcuts for Edit Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shortcut to Tools Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shortcuts to Objects Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shortcuts for Query Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shortcuts for Options Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shortcuts for Map Menu Items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shortcut for Layout Menu Item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shortcuts for Window Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shortcuts by Keystroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

440
440
441
441
441
441
443
443
443
444

Appendix B: Elements of a Coordinate System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447

Projections and Their Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Projection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Projection Datums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Units. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Coordinate System Origin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Standard Parallels (Conic Projections) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Oblique Azimuth (Hotine Oblique Mercator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scale Factor (Transverse Mercator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
False Northings and False Eastings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Range (Azimuthal Projections) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Polyconic Projection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
For More Information on Projections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contact Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

448
449
452
461
462
462
463
463
463
463
463
464
465

Appendix C: Fill Patterns Used in MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467

Fill Pattern Table (Before MapInfo Professional 7.5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
New Fill Patterns (Added in MapInfo Professional 7.5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470

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Appendix D: Sample Data Copyrights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473

Asia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Deutschland, Espana, France, Italy,
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Great Britain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
United States, DC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

474
474
474
475
475
475
475
476
476
476
476
476
477
478

Appendix GL: Glossary of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499

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Introduction

Welcome to the MapInfo family of products! As the field of computer mapping continues to expand,
MapInfo leads the way with new products that are designed to fulfill users computer mapping needs from
the most basic to the most specialized with MapMarker, our premier address matching product.
MapInfo Professional, our flagship product, is a comprehensive computer mapping tool that enables you
to perform complex geographic analysis such as redistricting, accessing your remote data, dragging and
dropping map objects into your applications, creating thematic maps that emphasize patterns in your data,
and much more.
Among the new features are the inclusion of the Web Map Service Client, the integration of Vertical
Mapper, a new 3D graphics charting engine, and major enhancements to the Universal Translator. Whats
New in MapInfo Professional 7.5 on page 25 provides a full description of new and enhanced features.
This User Guide contains all of the information you need to learn about and be productive using MapInfo
Professional.

Sections in this Chapter:

What is MapInfo Professional and What Does it Do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Getting Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Whats New in MapInfo Professional 7.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

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Chapter 1: Introduction

What is MapInfo Professional and What Does it Do?

With MapInfo Professional, the power of computer mapping is at your complete disposal. You can
display your data as points, as thematically shaded regions, as pie or bar charts, as districts, etc.
You can perform geographic operations such as redistricting, combining and splitting objects, and
buffering. You can also make queries against your data and access your remote data directly from
MapInfo Professional.
For example, MapInfo Professional can show which branch store is the closest to your biggest
customers. It can calculate the distances between customers and stores; it can show you the
customers who spent the most last year; it can color-code the store symbols by sales volume.
What makes it all come together is a visual display of your data on the map.

Mapping at a Glance
Huge quantities of information are available today, far more than ever before. Data abounds in
spreadsheets, sales records, and marketing files. Paper and disk store masses of information on
customers, stores, personnel, equipment, and resources. Thematic maps and graphs show
distribution of customers for a marketing campaign.

Nearly all of it has a geographic component. An estimated 85 percent of all databases contain
some sort of geographic information such as street addresses, cities, states, postal codes, or even
telephone numbers with area codes and exchange numbers.
Computer mapping can help you sort through all of this information, and using the geographic
components in your data, display your results on a map. This lets you see patterns and
relationships in the mass of information quickly and easily without having to pore over your
database.

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Windows Compatibility
MapInfo Professional is Microsoft Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, Windows XP
Professional and Windows XP Home and Office compatible, so you will feel right at home with its
windowing environment. MI Pro is designed to fit smoothly into your work environment, so it only
changes the results you get, not the way you work.

Using Your Own Data

To begin with, you can use the data you already have, in the form its already in spreadsheets
such as Excel, databases such as Access 2000, popular CAD packages, and other GIS
applications, to name just a few. If your data is on a remote database, you can access it directly
from MapInfo Professional. If you have data that is not already online, you can create database
files right inside the product, or use data supplied by MapInfo such as census data.
Similarly, you can use any of thousands of maps available from MapInfo, everything from street
and highway maps to world maps. You can also create your own maps, either in MapInfo
Professional or with a drawing package. You can diagram anything floor plans, flow charts,
even brain anatomy can be treated as a map and entered into the product.
After youve organized your data visually, youll save the results to files, or send them to any of the
dozens of printers and plotters MapInfo Professional recognizes.
If you have your data on hand and you can read a map, youre just about ready to begin. Soon,
well show you an example of how easy it is to put MapInfo Professionals power to work for you.
But first, install MapInfo Professional following the instructions in Installing MapInfo Professional
in Chapter 2 on page 36. Read through Organization of the Users Guide on page 17 to get a
feel for the range of mapping possibilities. If you are new to the product, or new to computer
mapping, we suggest you refer to The Basics of MapInfo Professional in Chapter 3 on page 68
for an overview of basic mapping terms and concepts. Use the web-enabled tutorial to learn about
its features, and become accustomed to the more common tasks and functions.
For more product and service information, you can connect directly from MapInfo Professional to
our forum (on the HELP menu, click MAPINFO ON THE WEB). Or, consult our World Wide Web site
(http://www.mapinfo.com).

Reviewing the MapInfo Professional Features

MapInfo Professional gives you the processing power of databases (including powerful SQL
queries) and the visual power of maps, plus charts and graphs. Its an essential business tool for
data analysis, sales, and presentations.
Here is a look at some of the things MapInfo Professional offers:

Direct opening of files created with dBASE or FoxBASE, delimited ASCII, shapefiles,
Lotus 123, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Access; importing of graphics files in a variety
of formats; a function for creating database files from within the product.

Multiple views of your data in three formats: Map, Browser, and Graph windows. Hot
Views technology allows you to open multiple views of the same data simultaneously and
update all views automatically when you make a change to any one view.

Live ODBC access to remote database data such as Oracle and SQL Server.
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Seamless map layers that allow you to handle several map layers as if they were one
layer.

Cartographic legends, enabling you to create and customize legends for any map layer.

Thematic maps to create analyses of your data with high visual impact, including grid
surface themes, 3DMaps, and Prism maps.

Use raster underlay capabilities to enhance your work session.

Querying capabilities ranging from simple selections of data from a single file to complex
SQL queries from one or more files.

Workspaces that save all your settings and views so you can start where you left off at the
end of your last work session.

HotLinks that let you launch files or URLs directly from a Map window.

OLE embedding of Map windows into other applications

A comprehensive array of drawing and editing tools and other functions for customizing
your maps.

Thousands of ready-made maps and functions for creating your own maps.

Crystal Reports, the industry-standard report-writing program, allows you to create reports
of your tabular data directly in the product.

A layout window for preparing output.

Improved printing and export capabilities for high-quality output

The ability to change the projection of your map for display or digitizing.

Object processing functions that help to correct errors in data, set node snap tolerances
for different objects, as well as thin nodes and polygons.

When its time to run MapInfo Professional, youll feel right at home with its windowing
environment. After youve organized your data visually, youll save the results to files, or send them
to your printer or plotter.

Ensuring Your Success

Unquestionably, MapInfo Professional can set your organization apart from competitors; however,
it also requires knowledge of the programs basic functionality.
Here is a four-step process you can use to ensure your own success:
1. Read the documentation. The Users Guide provides all of the information you need to
perform the basic functions of the software. It is also included on the distribution CD as a
PDF file.
2. Get trained. Get the most out of your MapInfo Professional software. MapInfo Corporation
and its partners provide comprehensive training courses throughout the world that is
customized to meet your particular business needs. You will learn everything from basic to
advanced operations and develop important skills along the way.
3. Check the Tech Tip Archive. The Tech Tip Archive on our Web site contains numerous
documents from MapInfo Professionals Knowledge Base and a FAQ section. The Tech
Tips explain common problems and provide how-to information that can help with specific
issues. New documents are added often, so stop by www.mapinfo.com and see whats
new.
4. Join the MapInfo-L community. The MapInfo-L mailing list is an Internet list server that
allows you to share your ideas and insight with other MapInfo Professional users. For
subscription information about MapInfo-L refer to http://www.directionsmag.com. Contact
Bill Thoen <mapinfo-l-owner@lists.directionsmag.com> if you need help. On occasion,
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problems with Internet mail result in lost postings. If you are aware of recent postings that
are not in the database, please do not re-post to MapInfo-L! Instead, please forward a
copy of the posting to either Bill Thoen or the MapInfo Test Drive Center
(testdrive@mapinfo.com).
Utilize support along the way. When youre stopped at a critical point, Technical Support is here to
help. See Getting Technical Support on page 20 for details on contacting your local support
center.

Organization of the Users Guide

We have organized this Users Guide in the order you might need the information as a beginner.
We provide an extensive index for quick access to specific information and a glossary to assist you
with terms that may be unfamiliar. The order of the chapters and appendices are as follows:
Chapter 1: Introduction gives you an overview of MapInfo Professional and a description of its
capabilities. You will learn how to get support and what is new in the most recent version of the
product.
Chapter 2: Installing, Configuring, and Starting MapInfo Professional instructs you in
installing the product and configuring it according to your computer environment. You can find the
preference settings and the basics of opening and closing the MapInfo Professional product in this
chapter.
Chapter 3: The Basics of MapInfo Professional chapter shows you the toolbars and concepts
you need to be familiar with to use the product. You may find yourself referring to this chapter often
when you are learning MapInfo Professional.
Chapter 4: Putting Your Data on the Map gets your data on a map quickly and easily while
explaining the basic concepts of geocoding and creating points. Here, you will learn the details of
printing and exporting your maps.
Chapter 5: Enhancing Your Data shows you how to get additional data for your maps, how to
create reports and how to access data in remote databases.
Chapter 6: Accessing Remote Data covers the details of accessing and using remote data in
MapInfo Professional.
Chapter 7: Drawing and Editing Objects gives you all of the tools you need to enhance your
maps by drawing and editing map objects including polylines, polygons, and symbols. This chapter
also covers entering and working with text in your maps.
Chapter 8: Selecting and Querying Data shows you how to collect information in a meaningful
way from your map or from your data. Your database holds information in patterns you may not be
able to see until you query your data -- this chapter shows you how.
Chapter 9: Creating Thematic Maps, Legends, and Other Maps This chapter reveals the
power of the product. Thematic maps and legends allow your maps to show you trends and
patterns and helps you reveal those patterns to others as well. Use this chapter to familiarize
yourself with the tools you need to make your maps say what you want them to.
Chapter 10: Buffering and Working with Objects brings the power of buffers and advanced
object use to your maps. In this chapter you will cover creating territories and grouping regions
based on your data and your needs.
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Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 11: Graphing Your Data shows you the ins and outs of creating effective graphs using
the product. Here, you will learn what kind of graphs show your data in the most effective way and
how to create those graphs quickly and easily.
Chapter 12: Stylizing Your Map for Presentations and Publishing. If presentations are your
goal, this chapter demonstrates the use of Layout windows, which our users say are the most
effective way to create presentation materials. We review labeling and changing the styles of your
map.
Chapter 13: Registering Raster Images. This chapter shows you how to register raster images
so they line up properly with your vector based maps.
Chapter 14: Working with Coordinate Systems and Projections. Because the world is round,
you cannot talk about maps without talking about the curvature of the Earth. This advanced
chapter discusses the complexities of coordinate systems and projection in easy to understand
terms.
Chapter 15: Specialized Topics in MapInfo Professional covers the features that may not
pertain to all users but may be vital to helping you get your job done. Topics include: embedding
maps in other applications, Internet connectivity, redistricting, creating expressions, and working in
the MapBasic window.
Appendix A: Directory of MapInfo Professional Shortcuts lists the shortcuts we have created
to make you more efficient in using the product. You will probably want to refer to this directory
often as you get started.
Appendix B: Elements of a Coordinate System reviews the more advanced coordinate system
information that may not pertain to all customers.
Appendix C: Registering SPOT Images walks you through the use of raster and SPOT images
in computer mapping.
Appendix D: MapInfo Map Interchange Format discusses the Map Interchange Format which
can assist you in sharing MapInfo Professional maps.
Appendix E: Fill Patterns Used in MapInfo Professional contains the fill patterns used to shade
regions in MapInfo Professional.
Appendix F: Custom Datums. Most coordinate systems use one of MapInfos predefined
datums, listed in this appendix. If you are going to create your own coordinate system, you will
need to understand the information in this appendix.
Appendix G: Sample Data Copyrights lists the copyrights for the data we use in this manual.
Appendix H: New and Enhanced MapBasic Statements and Functions reviews the new and
enhanced MapBasic statements and functions for MapInfo Professional 7.5.

MapInfo Professional Documentation Set

In addition to the Abridged User Guide, MapInfo Professionals documentation set includes the
MapInfo Professional Unabridged User Guide, an online version of this guide which contains more
detail about the MapInfo Professional product, online Help, and which exists in .PDF format only.

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The MapBasic Reference is a complete guide to all MapBasic commands. Review the New and
Enhanced MapBasic Statements and Functions in Appendix H on page 588 for details on the
7.5 release.
We have created the MapInfo Professional 7.5 User Guide (Unabridged) to ensure that you
receive all of the information you need to use MapInfo Professional successfully. If you cannot find
information you are looking for in the Abridged version of this guide, please refer to the
MI_UG.PDF file on your installation CD.

Accessing MapInfo Professional Documentation from the CD

You can access the online MapBasic Reference, or the Crystal Reports User Guide directly from
the MapInfo Professional CD, or install the Adobe Acrobat Reader to access the files locally.
Choose to access any of the online manuals directly from the CD.
To install the documentation locally:
1. Install the Acrobat Reader.
2. Copy the files from the [CD_ROM]:\PDF_DOCS folder to a local directory.
mi_ug.pdf is the MapInfo Professional User Guide (Unabridged) and requires ~17 MB of
disk space.
mb_ref.pdf is the MapBasic Reference Guide and requires ~10 MB of disk space.
crw_ref.pdf is the Crystal Reports User Guide and requires 13 MB of disk space.
arclink3.pdf contains documentation on ArcLink.
easyloader.pdf contains documentation on the EasyLoader tool.
printing.pdf contains detailed recommendations to get the most of printing MapInfo
Professional maps.
supplement.pdf contains a detailed list of the changes in the 7.5 version of MapInfo
Professional and how to use them.
3. From Windows Explorer, double-click any file to automatically launch the Acrobat Reader
and the online books.

Getting Support
Everyone at MapInfo Corporation is committed to your success and we provide a wide range of
support to assist you in getting the results you are working toward. What follows in this section is a
statement of the resources we provide.

Using the Status Bar

MapInfo Professionals StatusBar along the lower edge of your screen provides helpful information
during your mapping session and allows you to make some changes directly in the StatusBar. On
the OPTIONS menu, click SHOW/HIDE STATUSBAR to control the display of the StatusBar.

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StatusBar Help: For instantaneous answers to What does that command do simply move
the cursor over the command. A brief description of the command displays in the left pane
of the StatusBar along the lower edge of your screen.

Zoom, Map Scale, Cursor Location: View any one of these settings in the StatusBar. You
can change which one is displayed directly from the StatusBar. Click the arrow on the right
side of the box to display a popup list of the three options. Click the setting you want to
display. The StatusBar automatically updates. These display settings are also controlled in
the Map Options dialog box (on the MAP menu, click OPTIONS).

Editable Layers: To keep track of which layer is currently editable, review the list of layers
that display in the StatusBar. You can change the editable layer directly in the StatusBar.
Click the arrow to the right of the box to display a popup list of the layers in the Map
window. Click the layer you want to make editable. The StatusBar automatically updates,
showing the new editable layer.

Selectable Layers: The StatusBar indicates which layer the current selection is from. If
there is nothing selected, the StatusBar reads: Selecting: NONE.

Browser window Records: When viewing a table in a Browser, the record count displays in
the StatusBar.

Snap-to-Node: This S-key toggle feature is in use when SNAP displays in the StatusBar.

Using the Help System

MapInfo Professionals comprehensive Online Help system provides the information you need to
learn and use the product more effectively. You can reach the information in several ways:

Use the Help Contents screen to choose topics from books. Click a book to display its
topics, and choose a topic from the list.

Use the Search feature to search on a specific word. Type the word you want to search for
in the first field, select the matching word in the second, and then the topic in the third box.
MapInfo Professional displays the topic in the pane on the right.

Use the Index feature to find a topic quickly. Type the first few letters of the word you are
looking for. The index entry that most closely matches your entry is highlighted. Click the
index entry you want to display.

Context-Sensitive Feature: Press the F1 key to receive more information on any menu
command or dialog. The Help window for that item displays. Also click the HELP button in
the MapInfo Professional dialogs to display information on the current dialog.

See Also information: Click the green underlined text in any Help window to bring up
information on related tasks or key words and phrases.

Online Help has been designed to display in half of your window so that you can view your maps,
Browser windows, and dialogs alongside the Help window. Of course, you can always change the
size of the Help window to work the way you are most comfortable. On the HELP menu, click
ALWAYS ON TOP to keep the Help window on your screen so you can continue to work in the
product. Or use ALT-TAB to toggle between the Help screen and the products windows.

Getting Technical Support

MapInfo Corporation offers a free support period on all new software purchases and upgrades, so
you can be productive from the start. Once the free period ends, MapInfo Corporation offers a
broad selection of extended support services for individual, business, and corporate users.

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Technical Support is here to help you, and your call is important. This section lists the information
you need to provide when you call your local support center. It also explains some of the technical
support procedures so that you will know what to expect about the handling and resolution of your
particular issue.
MapInfo Corporation provides full technical support for MapInfo Professional for versions 6.0 and
later. Please remember to include your serial number, partner number or contract number when
contacting Technical Support.
Contact the technical support personnel for your area:
The Americas
Phone: 518.285.7283
Fax: 518.285.6080
E-mail: techsupport@mapinfo.com
Hours: Monday - Friday from 8:00am - 7:00pm EST, excluding MapInfo Holidays. Closed
between 10:30am - 11:30 am on Mondays for training.
Asia-Pacific Headquarters
Phone: 61.7.3844.7744
Fax: 61.7.3844.2400
E-mail: ozsupport@mapinfo.com
Hours: Monday - Friday from 9:00am and 5:00pm (EST) Australian Eastern Standard Time,
excluding MapInfo Holidays.
Europe/Middle East/Africa
Phone: 44.1753.848229
Fax: 44.1753.621140
E-mail: support-europe@mapinfo.com
Hours: Monday - Friday from 8am to 5pm GMT, excluding MapInfo Holidays.
Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 6142-203-400
Fax: +49 (0) 6142-203-444
E-mail: supportgermany@mapinfo.com
Hours: Monday - Friday from 9 am to 5 pm MEZ, excluding MapInfo Holidays.
To use Technical Support, you must register your product. This can be done very easily during
installation. To receive more information on MapInfos technical support programs, contact a
representative in your area or one of our technical support offices.
In the United States, call 1800FASTMAP for more information. To purchase MapInfo technical
support or renew your current contract, please contact MapInfo Customer Service at 1800552
2511, and press 3 at the main menu, or send an e-mail at custserv@mapinfo.com.
Extended support options are available at each of our technical support centers in the United
States, United Kingdom, and Australia.
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Chapter 1: Introduction

Before You Call

Please have the following information ready when contacting us for assistance on MapInfo
Professional.
1. Serial Number. You must have a registered serial number to receive Technical Support.
2. Your name and organization. The person calling must be the contact person listed on the
support agreement.
3. Version of the product you are calling about.
4. The operating system name and version.
5. A brief explanation of the problem. Some details that can be helpful in this context are:

Error messages
Context in which the problem occurs
Consistency is the problem reoccurring or occurring erratically?

The Support Tracking System

The Support Tracking System is used internally by the Technical Support department to manage
and track customer issues. The system also provides the ability to track calls with accountability.
This system helps Tech Support respond to all customer issues effectively, efficiently, and fairly.

Expected Response Time

Most issues can be resolved during the customers initial call. If this is not possible, a response will
be issued before the end of the business day. A Technical Support representative will provide a
status each business day until the issue is resolved.
Support requests submitted by e-mail are handled using the same guidelines as telephone support
requests; however, there is an unavoidable delay of up to several hours for message transmission
and recognition.

Exchanging Information
Occasionally a Technical Support representative will ask you to provide sample data in order to
duplicate your scenario. In the case of our developer tools (such as MapX and MapXtreme), a
small subset of sample code may be requested to help duplicate the issue.
The preferred method of exchanging information is either via e-mail or our FTP site. Use the
following e-mail addresses:

United States techsupport@mapinfo.com

Europe support-europe@mapinfo.com

Australia ozsupport@mapinfo.com

Accessing the MapInfo FTP site

For information regarding our FTP site, please contact Technical Support.
If information cannot be provided electronically, we also accept information in the following media
formats:

3.5 Floppy Disks

Zip Disks (100 MB format only)

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CDs

Jaz Drives (1 gig format only)

Chapter 1: Introduction

Software Defects
If the issue is deemed to be a bug in the software, the representative will log the issue in MapInfo
Corporations bug base and provide you with an incident number that can be used to track the bug.
Future upgrades and patches have fixes for many of the bugs logged against the current version.

Customer Service - Your Non-Technical Support

To receive additional materials such as paper copies of this Users Guide or the MapBasic
Reference Guide or to resolve questions about the accounting of your MapInfo product, contact
the Customer Service department. Keep in mind that this is not a technical support resource.

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8AM to 7PM EST

Telephone Number: (800) 5522511, Option 3

Queue/Voice mailbox: x6329

Internet address: custserv@mapinfo.com

CTRL and SHIFT keys and press the ARROW button corresponding to the direction you want the
object to move. See Moving Objects on the Map in Chapter 7 on page 230 and Offsetting
Objects on the Map in Chapter 7 on page 231 for more information.
System Settings Changes: New Memory Size and Export Resolution Settings. You can now
set the number of bytes for the process in the System Settings Preferences dialog box. There
used to be an processes limit of 100K, but we have set this new field to 1,000,000 bytes by default.
Now you can set the image resolution for export and Clipboard-placed graphics in the System
Setting Preference dialog. This change affects the resolution of all the export options including the
Save Window As option. For more about using these new fields, see Setting your System
Preferences in Chapter 2 on page 49.
Zooming, Panning, and Moving Changes. We have added new functionality to assist you in
zooming and panning more precisely in the Map window. We have changed the function of the
Arrow keys in the Map window to move objects in an editable layer.
In addition to the usual zoom keys on your Main Toolbar ( ,
- keys on the keyboard, to zoom in and out more precisely.

When you press +, you zoom in by a factor of 2

When you press -, you zoom out by a factor of .5

, and

), you can use the + and

You can pan in the Map window using the scroll bars, if enabled, or the UP, DOWN, LEFT, and
RIGHT ARROW keys.
Further, you can move an object in an editable layer more precisely using the following key
combinations. Previously, you would use these commands to pan your view of the Map window.

<CTRL ARROW> - moves the editable, selected objects 1 pixel at a time

<CTRL SHIFT ARROW> - moves the editable, selected objects 10 pixels at a time

Zoom Layering Change. When you add an object, a region, a line or a polyline in the Map
window and zoom out beyond where the zoom layer would permit you to see that feature, MapInfo
Professional turns off zoom layering so you can continue to see what you are working on. When
you complete the add process, a message displays asking you if you want to leave zoom layering
off (so you will still be able to see the feature). If you answer CANCEL, the product cancels the
zoom layering. If you answer OK, you need to adjust your zoom settings to see this feature again.
Snap Enhancements. New to this release is the addition of a circle around the Snap Mode cursor.
This snap radius gives you a better idea of which node(s) you are snapping to. The circle is sized
based on the snap tolerance setting. The default setting of 5 pixels can be changed in the Map
Window Preferences dialog box. A larger snap tolerance creates a larger circle around the cursor
and snaps to nodes farther away than if the tolerance was smaller.
Note:

Snap tolerance cannot be set to less than 0 or greater than 50, nor accept any negative,
decimal, or non-numeric settings.

The snap radius is only visible when Snap mode in toggled on, (press the S-key). Once you snap
to a node, the radius disappears and a snap crosshair displays at the snapped point. Additionally,
when the Snap is on, the new functionality allows you to snap to visible centroids (which display in
region objects). You can read more about snapping in Using Snap To to Select Nodes and
Centroids in Chapter 7 on page 236.

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Setting and Printing the Map Scale in Layout Windows. You can now change the map scale in
the Layout window by changing the frame size or by changing the zoom value to correctly create
the scale of the layout. This new option calculates the zoom required to create the requested scale
without changing the size of the frame. Keep in mind that while your current map frames may each
share a Map window, you will only be able to change the scale of one map frame at a time. See
Adding Windows to Current Layout Using the Frame Tool in Chapter 12 on page 395 for
more about this new feature.
Large Crosshairs. We have added a large crosshairs feature. You can use these crosshairs that
extend vertically and horizontally to the length and width of the Map window to show the relative
position of objects and map features in your Map window. You toggle the Large Crosshairs by
clicking C in the Map and Layout windows. The Large Crosshairs stay on for the duration of the
session, unless you turn them off.
Custom Symbol Enhancements. We have added enhancements which significantly improve the
implementation of custom symbols. We have:

Increased the bitmap file size from 128K to a virtually unlimited file size

Increased the color depth of the bitmaps from 8bit maximum to a 24bit color maximum.

Increased maximum symbol point size to 240 points and increased maximum label offset
to 200 points (to support large custom symbols in maps and legends).

Added a new "Display at Actual Size" option for all custom symbols, so you can display
the symbol in its actual dimensions to see if it is appropriate for your map.

You can now:

Create bitmaps in rectangular shapes as well as squares

Save more custom bitmap symbols than ever you used to be limited to 256 symbols but
MapInfo Professional can now handle 32,767.

These changes are now covered in more detail in Working with Custom Symbols in Chapter 7
on page 226.
Improved Object Rotation. MapInfo Professional 7.5 continues to improve on rotating object
functionality. For selected objects, you can now set a precise angle of rotation and choose the
anchor point on which to rotate. Additionally, we have changed the rotation handle from Pro 7.0
from a square symbol to a circle, to differentiate it from square edit handles. Multiple selected
objects can now be rotated. For more concerning the changes in rotating objects, see Rotating
Objects on the Map in Chapter 7 on page 232.
Data Disaggregation Dialog Changes. Now, when your editable table has a different table
structure from your input table, you can specify the column as well as the value information in the
Data Disaggregation dialog box. See Combining Objects with Different Table Structures in
Chapter 10 on page 333 for an explanation of this new feature.
Dot Density Theme Enhancements. When you create a dot density map, the size of the dots
have been changed. Large dots are now 3 screen pixels wide and small pixels are 2 pixels wide.
This change is evident in the Customize Dot Density Settings dialog box.

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Object Clean Gaps Modification. We have changed the way we handle gaps in polygons. When
there is a gap between two adjacent regions, MapInfo Professional will add the gap to the region
with the longest shared edge. See Cleaning Objects in Chapter 10 on page 348 for this
procedure.
Setting Map Bounds for DBMS Tables. In this release you can specify the bounds for a RDBMS
table when you make the table mappable for live access databases. By allowing you set the map
bounds, you can better control the visibility of your data, which is particularly important when
downloading large tables. Also in this release, when you make an Oracle Spatial table mappable,
MapInfo Professional automatically determines the appropriate coordinate system and bounds,
based on the SDO_GEOM_METADATA for the selected table and spatial column. For other
RDBMSs, the product still requires the information to be specified in the Make Table Mappable
dialog. For more about the changes to the Make Table Mappable process for remote DBMS tables,
see Making a DBMS Table Mappable in Chapter 6 on page 199.
Table Buffer Changes. You can now save a buffer to its own table. On the TABLE menu, click the
BUFFER option to use this new capability. See Saving your Buffer as a New Layer in Chapter 10
on page 323.
New Voronoi Capabilities. Some of our cellular phone tower customers, who have been using
the Voronoi polygon feature, have asked to be able to save their Voronoi polygons into a new
layer. We have added this functionality to accommodate this request. To read more about this new
feature in MapInfo Professional, see Saving your Voronoi Polygon as a New Layer in
Chapter 10 on page 339.

Add In Enhancements
Crystal Reports Changes. As part of this release, the installer checks to see if you are also using
our popular TargetPro application. If you are, we have corrected a problem some MapInfo
Professional/TargetPro users reported that affected their access to the appropriate Crystal Reports
documentation.
Vertical Mapper Integration. MapInfo Corporation has purchased Vertical Mapper, a rasterbased tool for performing spatial queries and geostatistical analysis on grid layers. Vertical Mapper
has 3D features and analysis tools including:

Import tools for grid-based formats

Grid layer creation and reclassification (Square Area and Kernel Smoothing)

Grid layer reprojection

Grid layer resizing, splicing, and trimming

Multiple interpolation routines (Triangulation, IDW, Natural Neighbor, Rectangular, Kriging,

and Custom Point Estimation)

Cross-Sections

Grid Contouring

3D Viewing and Analysis

Point-To-Point Visibility

View Shed Analysis

Data Aggregation Tools

Spatial Correlation Tools

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Tools for converting grid layers to vector layers

Tools for converting vector layers to grid layers

This is an excellent tool, particularly for customers who use grid layers for elevation studies or
need to show or demonstrate vertical information. Vertical Mapper does not ship with MapInfo
Professional automatically.

Menu Enhancements
Window Menu Changes. There are several changes to the Window menu in MapInfo
Professional. We have added a check mark to show the active window as shown in the next figure.

If there are more than nine windows open at the same time, the entry More Windows displays.
Note:

The only way to change the order of the windows in the Window menu list is to close open
windows.

Tool Enhancements
We have added tools and made changes to existing tools to help you work more efficiently.

New Tools for MapInfo Professional 7.5

Cogoline Tool. This tool, also called Create Line by Length, draws a line of a specified length and
angle, which the product now saves by default to the current editable layer. If there is no editable
layer, MapInfo Professional saves the line to the Cosmetic Layer, as before -- but it now sets the
Cosmetic layer to be editable, so that you can select and edit the resulting lines. We have also
expanded the number of units associated with the Length field to include: millimeters, centimeters,
meters, kilometers, nautical miles, inches, yards, links, rods, and chains as well as feet and miles.
For more about the tools, see What are the MapInfo Professional Tools? in Chapter 3 on
page 109.

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Register Vector Tool. This tool allows you to put control points into a vector image and reference
points into a Map window and then performs an affine transformation to line them up. An affine
transformation changes the relationship between the coordinate system you use to draw a map
and the coordinate system you use to display it. The interface is similar to the Raster Registration
tool. You might use this tool after importing an Autocad or ESRI Shape file which contains the
wrong coordinate system, placing the table in the wrong geographic location. For more about the
MapInfo Pro tools, see What are the MapInfo Professional Tools? in Chapter 3 on page 109.
Workspace Packager. The Workspace Packager is a new tool that saves a copy of the current
workspace and saves a copy of all data referenced by the workspace in a new location. You can
use this tool to manage and update internal workspace references and update .tab files to point
only to the "packaged" copies of the data. You can open the new workspace no matter where the
folder has been moved or copied to, even a different computer. Add the Workspace Packager tool
using the Tool Manager (available in the TOOLS menu).

Enhancements to Existing Tools in MapInfo Professional 7.5

Line Snap (Trim/Extend) Tool Enhanced. Use the Line Snap tool to trim or extend a line (or a
single-segment polyline) that intersects with another line in the Map window. This tool helps you
make cleaner intersections when working with lines. For instructions for using this tool, click the
TOOLS menu, point to LINE SNAP TOOL, and click ABOUT LINE SNAP.
Map Window Manager Tool. You can now change the titles of the Map, Browser, Graph, Layout
and Redistrict windows using the Window Manager tool. We have changed the name of the Map
Window Manager to the Window Manager, since this tool no longer applies to Map windows alone.
We have maintained the Set Default View option from previous versions of this tool. This option
allows you to select a layer from an open map window, and make the default zoom and center
settings for the layer's base table match those of the map window. The default zoom and center
settings are written to the table's .MAP file.
Note:

You cannot change the default view for a raster image table, unless it is a seamless table.

The Autoscroll option has been removed from this tool, since we now provide this functionality in
the Options window. For more about the MapInfo Professional tools, see What are the MapInfo
Professional Tools? in Chapter 3 on page 109.
TOC Utility Updated. The TOC Utility produces seamless tables from Table of Contents [TOC/
THF] files (formats defined by the National Imaging and Mapping Agency (NIMA)). To improve
conversion speed for large image sets, we added an option that prevents MapInfo Professional
from opening a new map window for each newly-created seamless table. We have also made
some internal changes to give programmers the tools they need to call functions in a separate
module, TOCCore.MBO. You can use this module to batch process large numbers of TOC/THF
files without having to locate each file using the GUI interface.

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Chapter 1: Introduction

EasyLoader Changes
ODBC Drivers. Our company is no longer providing Merant ODBC Drivers for MapInfo
Professional. We have made enhancements to the EasyLoader program to perform the same role
with drivers provided by the standard ODBC install. This change in drivers is handled during the
MapInfo Professional installation process. To ensure that you install all of the necessary drivers for
ODBC Connectivity, see Custom Workstation Installation in Chapter 2 on page 38.

MapBasic Enhancements
New MapBasic Statements and Functions. See New and Enhanced MapBasic Statements
and Functions in Appendix H on page 588 for details on the new statements and functions
available in this release.

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Installing, Configuring,
and Starting MapInfo
Professional

This chapter helps you install and set the basic preferences for MapInfo Professional. In addition, there
are instructions for fixing problems that come up as part of the installation process. We also cover starting
and exiting the product.

Sections in this Chapter:

System Requirements for MapInfo Professional. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Before You Install MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Installing MapInfo Professional. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Modifying, Repairing, or Removing MapInfo Professional. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Setting the MapInfo Professional Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Starting up and Leaving MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

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System Requirements for MapInfo Professional

These are the system requirements for MapInfo Professional 7.5:
Operating Systems

Memory

Disk Space

Monitor

Windows 98 SE,
Windows 2000 Professional SP 3,
Windows NT 4.0 Workstation SP 6a

32 MB of RAM
with a minimum
of a Pentium PC

MapInfo Professional 103 MB

Data 450 MB

16- or 24-bit color SVGA

recommended

Windows XP Professional SP 1
Windows XP Home

64 MB of RAM
with a minimum
of a Pentium PC

MapInfo Professional 103 MB

Data 450 MB

16- or 24-bit color SVGA

recommended

Note:

The Installer requires that your TEMP variable be set to a valid directory.

Handling Database Connectivity

MapInfo Professional supports the following relational database engines:

The latest versions of Oracle Spatial, 9i and 9i Locator, while continuing support for 8.1.6
and 8.1.7.

SpatialWare 4.6 on all of its supported platforms, including SpatialWare for Microsoft SQL
Server versions 7 and 2000 and Informix 9.21 with linked tables and live access.

Microsoft Access 2000 and SQL Server, versions 7.0 and 2000.

And, to make your database work more productive, MapInfo Professional 7.5 provides an interface
for opening remote tables; the ability to easily save tables to a remote database using Save Copy
As and to create new tables on remote databases; as well the means to create a new table from
existing tables.
Have a favorite connection setting? Use the new Startup preference setting to automatically use
that connection when beginning your session. Or, choose to make a connection from within three
dialog boxes: Open, Create New Table, and Save Copy As.
Additionally, resolving database conflicts is now simplified using the improved Conflict Detection
for Live Access.
Note:

Data Direct (Merant) ODBC drivers have been removed from the installation and from the
MapInfo Professional product.

Before You Install MapInfo Professional

Before installing MapInfo Professional, record your serial number in an easy-to-remember place,
such as a manual title page. You need a valid serial number to complete the installation. Also,
please complete the postage-paid registration card and return it to MapInfo Corporation.
Additionally, you can register online by accessing the Contact Info option on the CD Browser.

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If the MapInfo Professional 7.5 installer detects an existing version of the product, 6.0 or earlier, or
detects that the product had been installed at some time, the MapInfo 7.5 installer will copy
MAPINFOW.WOR, STARTUP.WOR and MAPINFOW.PRF from the operating system's system
directory to <user profile root>\Application Data\MapInfo\MapInfo.
Application data (appdata) files are the non-executable data files that MapInfo Professional uses
during operation.

Navigating the MapInfo Professional 7.5 CD Browser

The initial screen of the MapInfo Professional 7.5 CD Browser includes these options:

Install Products: From this option you can install MapInfo Professional (including DBMS
support and translators), free data, access to the documentation, and Install Utilities,
including: ECW Compressor, GPS, and Meta Data Browser.

Whats New: Display a list and description of new and enhanced features.

Online Reference: MapInfo Professional 7.5 provides the following online reference
documents: MapInfo Professional User Guide (Unabridged), MapBasic Reference, Crystal
Reports User Guide, the MapInfo Professional Printing Guide, as well as the Adobe
Acrobat Reader.

Run MapInfo Tutorial: From this option you can run the MapInfo Tutorial to learn more
about the basic features of MapInfo Professional.

Other Products: Display information about MapBasic, MapInfo Discovery, and MapInfo
Pro for SQL Server.

Note:

To install the remote database connectivity tools, choose the Custom Installation option.

Installing MapInfo Professional

CAUTION:

We strongly recommend that you exit from all Windows programs before
beginning the installation process.

You must have Administrator rights to run the Installer on NT/2000 and Windows XP.
If your Windows Start menu does not have a MapInfo program folder, the installation process
creates this folder. If your Windows Start menu already has a MapInfo program folder, the
installation process creates a new MapInfo icon within that folder.
MapInfo Professional now provides its application data files to each user. Called a Per-User install,
this functionality runs the first time you run MapInfo Professional or MapInfo Professional client on
a machine, and each time the MapInfo Professional Installer is run thereafter. The application data
files include, among others, the Pen Styles file, Custom Symbols files, Graph Support files, and
Thematic Legend templates. These files allow different users to have custom settings.
To install MapInfo Professional:
1. On the LAUNCHER menu, click INSTALL PRODUCTS from the MapInfo Professional CD
Browser.
2. Click MAPINFO PROFESSIONAL. The Install Shield Wizard dialog box displays. Click NEXT to
continue the installation process and display the License Information dialog box.
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3. Click I ACCEPT THE TERMS to accept the terms of the license agreement and click NEXT to
continue the installation process. The Customer Information screen displays.
4. Type your name, organization name, and serial number in these required fields. Click
NEXT to continue. The Setup Type dialog box displays.
5. Review the following installation types and determine which instructions are appropriate
for your installation. Click one of the following and click NEXT to continue:

Note:

TYPICAL WORKSTATION INSTALLATION. Click this option if you will be using MapInfo
Professional as a desktop application requiring no remote database access or
connectivity. See Typical Workstation Installation on page 37 to continue these
installation instructions.
CUSTOM WORKSTATION INSTALLATION. Click this option if you require ODBC or Oracle
Spatial connectivity support. See Custom Workstation Installation on page 38 to
continue the installation instructions.
NETWORK INSTALLATION. Click this option if you are installing MapInfo Professional on
a network. See Network Installation on page 39 to continue the installation
instructions. These instructions are for network administrators only. After you install
MapInfo Professional on the network, follow the instructions for installing MapInfo
Professional on client equipment in Setting Up Client Workstations on page 40.

After the installation is complete, the prompt: Would you like to check our web site for any
current updates to our product? displays. If you have an Internet connection, check YES
to be connected to the page of the MapInfo Corporation Web site containing information
about product updates.

Typical Workstation Installation

Choose this installation to install MapInfo Professional program files, Online Help, Tools, Universal
Translator, and Crystal Reports. ArcLink is not selected.
CAUTION:

Make sure you have completed the directions in Installing MapInfo Professional
on page 36 before beginning these directions.

To continue installing a typical workstation:

1. In the Setup Type dialog box, choose TYPICAL WORKSTATION INSTALLATION; the
Destination Folder screen displays.
Note:

If you have an earlier version (or versions) of MapInfo Professional installed and
you do not want to overwrite that version, create a new directory name in the next
step.

2. Do one of the following:

Choose NEXT to accept the destination folder indicated

Click CHANGE to create a new path in the Change Current Destination Folder dialog
box. Type the new path in the Folder name field and click OK to continue. Click NEXT
to continue.

The Ready to Install the Program screen displays.

3. Click INSTALL to begin the Installation process. Click BACK to return to the previous
screens to make changes.
The Installing MapInfo Professional 7.5 screen displays with a progress bar indicating the
status of the installation process.
4. When the Installation Complete screen displays, choose FINISH to return to the Install
Products screen.
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Custom Workstation Installation

Choose this installation to select components and drivers within the MapInfo Professional 7.5
installation program. This is particularly useful if you need to install MapInfo ODBC Connectivity
support and Oracle Spatial Object support.
CAUTION:

Make sure you have completed the directions in Installing MapInfo Professional
on page 36 before beginning these directions.

To continue installing a custom workstation:

1. In the Setup Type dialog box, choose CUSTOM INSTALLATION; the Custom Setup dialog box
displays.

A feature description, and the space required for the feature and its sub-features displays
in the Feature Description area.
2. In the Custom Setup dialog box you decide what components are to be installed and the
directory you want them to install to. Click the feature icon to select the feature for
installation. The options for a Custom Setup include:

MAPINFO PROFESSIONAL
TOOLS (MAPINFO UTILITY TOOLS, CRYSTAL REPORTS)
TRANSLATORS (UNIVERSAL TRANSLATOR, ARCLINK)
HELP FILES
MAPINFO ODBC CONNECTIVITY SUPPORT
ORACLE SPATIAL OBJECT SUPPORT

3. When you select a feature by clicking the DOWN ARROW beside it, a menu displays.

For each feature you want to install, choose one of the following:

This feature will be installed on local hard drive.

This feature, and all subfeatures, will be installed on local hard drive
This feature will not be available

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When you select option 1 or 2 described above, the feature will be installed on your local
hard drive in the default folder. To specify another path, select CHANGE button to display
the Current Destination folder dialog box.
To see if you have enough space on your hard drive or other mapped resources, click the
SPACE button. The Disk Space Requirement dialog box displays the disk size, the amount
of available space, and the amount of space the selected install would take.
Additionally, you can choose to not install a component.
4. After you select all the custom options you want to install, click NEXT to display the Ready
to Modify the Program dialog box.
5. Click the INSTALL button to install the features you selected.
6. Install MapInfo Professional according to your selections.

Adding ODBC Drivers

You add the ODBC drivers as part of the Custom Installation process, see Custom Workstation
Installation on page 38 for these instructions.

Network Installation
Installing MapInfo Professional on a network involves two separate procedures:

Installing the product on a network drive (presumably done by the Network Administrator).

Setting up users with program manager icons, etc. (presumably done by the user).

Make sure you have completed the directions in Installing MapInfo Professional on page 36
before beginning these directions.
Choose this installation if you are a Network Administrator and have full rights to the network.
To continue installing MapInfo Professional on a network:
1. Choose NETWORK INSTALLATION; the Administrator Selection Screen displays.
The options for a Network Setup include:

MAPINFO PROFESSIONAL
TOOLS, TRANSLATORS
HELP FILES

A feature description, and the space required for the feature, displays in the Feature
Description area. Click the option icon to select the option for installation.
2. When you select a feature, a menu displays allowing you to choose to install and/or run
the feature and its subfeatures from various locations, including your local hard drive or
from CD. If you select the hard drive option, the feature will be installed in the path
indicated; on your local hard drive in the folder indicated; to specify a different location,
choose Change to display the Current Destination folder screen.
If you choose to install an option to your hard drive, the SPACE button is enabled; choose
this button to display the Disk Space Requirement dialog box.
Additionally, you can choose to not install a feature.
See Installing MapInfo Professional on a Network Drive on page 40 for additional
details.

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Installing MapInfo Professional on a Network Drive

The procedure for installing MapInfo Professional on a network drive is the same as the regular
installation procedure except for the following:

Select Network Installation in the Setup Type screen.

Continue as in a Workstation Installation, selecting features, destination locations, etc.

The Network Installation alone does not install any files to the local hard drive.

Setting Up Client Workstations

To permit a user to use this network installation of MapInfo Professional, run SETUP.EXE:
1. Map a drive to the MapInfo Professional Install directory.
2. Select RUN from the Start menu.
3. Run SETUP.EXE from the [MapInfo install directory]\AddClient. The MapInfo Professional
7.5 Client Welcome screen displays.
4. Select NEXT. The License Information screen displays.
5. Choose I ACCEPT THE TERMS. Select NEXT. The Customer Information screen displays
with the network install values as the default.
6. Modify for the current instance and select NEXT.
7. Select INSTALL to continue the installation.
8. Select FINISH to complete the client installation.

Modifying, Repairing, or Removing MapInfo Professional

Use the Program Maintenance feature of the CD Browser to modify, repair, or remove MapInfo
Professional 7.0.
To access Program Maintenance:
1. Click INSTALL PRODUCTS from the MapInfo Professional CD Browser.
2. Click MAPINFO PROFESSIONAL. The Welcome screen displays. Choose NEXT.
The Program Maintenance screen displays.
3. Choose modify, repair, or remove MapInfo Professional 7.5 based on your needs.

Click MODIFY to display the Custom Setup dialog box. See the instructions for Custom
Workstation Installation on page 38 for more about this process.
Click REPAIR to repair installation errors in the program.
Click REMOVE to remove an existing copy of MapInfo Professional 7.5 from your
system. The installer displays the Remove the Program dialog box. Click REMOVE to
uninstall the products programs from your system.
You can also access the Program Maintenance screen from the Start menu by clicking
CONTROL PANEL and then ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS and finally MAPINFO
PROFESSIONAL 7.5.

Note:

For more information about upgrading MapInfo Professional from an earlier version, see
Data and Settings Management in Appendix H on page 579.
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Chapter 2: Installing, Configuring, and Starting MapInfo Professional

Controlling Advanced System Settings

MapInfo Professional has some advanced system settingssettings that cannot be configured
through a dialog box. These settings allow you to control several low-level, technical aspects of
how MapInfo Professional runs. Most MapInfo Professional users do not need to worry about
these advanced settings.
For example, MapInfo Professional has a Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) time-out setting, which
controls how long MapInfo Professional tries to communicate with other applications during DDE
communications. If you run a MapBasic application, and that application encounters time-out
errors during DDE, you may want to increase the DDE time-out setting.
If you need to modify one of MapInfo Professionals advanced system settings (such as the DDE
time-out setting), use the following procedure.

Modifying the Windows Registry

MapInfo Professional stores system settings in the Windows registry. To edit the Windows 98
registry, use the REGEDIT program. To edit the Windows 2000 registry, use the REGEDT32
program.
CAUTION:

Be very careful when editing the registry; damaging the registry can cause
serious problems in your operating system.

For example, to set MapInfo Professionals Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) time-out setting,
locate the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MapInfo\MapInfo\Common

Within that key, edit the DDeTimeout value. If there is no value by that name, create a new value of
type string (this data type is referred to as REG_SZ on Windows NT), and assign the name
DDeTimeout to the value. Set the values data to be a number, representing the number of
milliseconds (e.g., enter 30000 to specify a time-out of 30,000 milliseconds, or 30 seconds).
For more information on editing the registry, see the online help for REGEDIT or REGEDT32.

Descriptions of Advanced Registry Settings

This section describes advanced settings that are stored in the registry.
DDeTimeout = number
This setting controls MapInfo Professionals time-out setting in DDE conversations where MapInfo
Professional is the client (the application that initiates a conversation). The number represents
milliseconds. The default value is 10,000 milliseconds (ten seconds). If you run a MapBasic
application that attempts to initiate a DDE conversation, but the conversation fails because the
server application does not respond within the time-out period, you may need to increase the
DDeTimeout number.
OffscreenBitmap = number
The number is 0 (zero) or 1 (one). A value of 1 (the default) indicates that MapInfo Professional will
process off-screen bitmaps when drawing a map. This means that if you cover a Map window, and

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then bring the Map window to the front again, the map redraws instantly. If you set this setting to
zero, MapInfo Professional will not process off-screen bitmaps. This means that when you bring a
Map window to the front, you may have to wait as MapInfo Professional redraws the map.
If you are using a video driver that is uncommon or buggy, and if you encounter video problems
with Map windows, you may be able to eliminate those problems by setting the OffscreenBitmap
number to 0.
MaxFiles = number
This setting must be an integer from 10 to 100, indicating how many files MapInfo Professional can
open simultaneously. This setting does not limit the number of tables you can open, but it does
limit the number of tables you can edit at one time (the number of tables that have unsaved edits).
The default value is 29. If you need to work with more files simultaneously, set number to 100.
MaxORACLETILES = number
A value from 0 = unlimited tiles to infinity.

Improving Performance
To improve MapInfo Professionals performance, increase the speed of the processor in the
machine. A video accelerator card will increase the speed of the redraw. It will not speed up the
initial draw of the map, but all subsequent redraws will be faster. A faster disk cache will also
improve performance, as will adding memory.

Controlling the Location of Application Data Files During Installation

By default, the setup program for MapInfo Professional installs application data files to locations
that make sense for the typical user. After installing the product, the user is free to move one or
more of the application data files to another predefined location and MapInfo Professional will find
that file. For example, the administrator of a machine might move MAPINFOW.PEN from the per
user area (its default location) into the install directory so all users on that machine will share the
same set of pens.
For IT persons responsible for a large number of MapInfo Professional installs it is not practical to
manually move application data files to realize the desired configuration.
To solve this problem we have developed a solution that allows IT persons to specify the location
of application data files by creating a setting file, call MODE.INI, prior to installing MapInfo
Professional.
1. Create a MODE.INI file in the root directory of the installer.
2. Open MODE.INI into any text editor.
3. Edit MODE.INI, modifying the code of the application data file/group whose location you
wish to change.
4. Install MapInfo Professional.

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The following is a list of predefined locations for application data files supported by MapInfo
Professional, and the corresponding numeric code to be used in MODE.INI.
Code

Description

Location

per user, roaming

<Current User>\Application Data

per user, not roaming

<Current User>\Local Settings\Application Data

per machine

<All Users>\Application Data

program directory

The following is a list of application data files/groups and their default location:
Filename

Default Location

MAPINFOW.CLR

per user, roaming

MAPINFOW.PEN

per user, roaming

MAPINFOW.FNT

per user, roaming

MAPINFOW.ABB

program directory

MAPINFOW.PRJ

program directory

MAPINFOW.MNU

program directory

custsymb

per user, roaming

thmtmplt

per user, roaming

graphsupport

per machine

MODE. INI File Example

Create a text file with the following syntax:
GraphSupport = 3
CustSymb = 1
ThmTmplt = 1
MAPINFOW.CLR = 1
MAPINFOW.FNT = 1
MAPINFOW.PEN = 1
MAPINFOW.ABB = 4
MAPINFOW.PRJ = 4
MAPINFOW.MNU = 4

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Installing Data
To help you get started, MapInfo provides you with some United States-based and world-wide
maps you can use as a background to your data. Use these instructions to install this free data.
To install the free data provided with MapInfo Professional 7.5:
1. Choose INSTALL PRODUCTS from the CD Browser.
2. Choose FREE DATA to display the MapInfo Professional Data screen. In this screen, you
can also review the data specifications, access new data over the web and learn about
what data is available from MapInfo Corporation.
3. Choose INSTALL FREE DATA. The Welcome screen displays.
4. Choose NEXT to continue. The License Information screen displays.
5. Choose YES to accept the terms of the agreement and to continue the installation process.
6. Select the product for which you will be installing the data. Select one of the following:

MapInfo Professional
MapInfo Run Time

Click NEXT to continue. The Choose Destination Location screen displays.

7. Specify the directory where the data will be installed. Use the Browse button to select a
directory if necessary or accept the default directory.
Click NEXT to continue.
8. Choose one of these options:

CUSTOM INSTALL: Choose which datasets to install. Select the check box beside each
dataset you want to install. The size of each dataset displays, as well as space
required and space available.
To see the subcomponents of the data you selected, click CHANGE.

TYPICAL INSTALL: Install all datasets.

Choose NEXT to continue. Respond YES to the Would you like setup to display workspace
Icons prompt if you want to create an icon for each data set you choose.
9. The Select Program Folder screen displays if you chose to set up Workspace icons.
Select the program folder where the icons will be created. Choose NEXT.
10. The Start Copying Files screen displays. Review the selections you have chosen and click
BACK to return to any screen to change your selections. When you are ready to begin the
installation, click NEXT.
11. The Setup Complete dialog box displays; click FINISH.

Getting More Data

To learn more about our data products, click the GET MORE DATA option in the MapInfo
Professional Data screen during the Data Installation process or click MAPINFO DATA PRODUCTS
ON THE WEB in the Help Menu. If you have a Browser installed, you will be automatically connected
to MapInfo Corporations web site, where we provide detailed information about MapInfos World
Wide Data Products. We have over 350 data products to choose fromproducts that provide both
reliable and current information.

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Installing Related Programs, Hardware, and Resources

This section contains the instructions for installing the ECW Compressor, the MetaData Browser,
the Blue Marble GPS, and the documentation associated with MapInfo Professional. We also
include information about the Microsoft Intellimouse and how to use it.

Installing ECW Compressor

The ECW raster handler allows you to open and display raster images compressed in the ECW
format. We recommend that you exit all Windows programs before installing.
1. Choose INSTALL PRODUCTS from the MapInfo Professional 7.5 CD Browser.
2. Choose ECW COMPRESSOR. The Welcome screen displays. Choose NEXT to continue the
installation process.
3. The Software License screen displays. Choose YES to accept the terms of the agreement
and to continue the installation process.
4. The Choose Destination Location screen displays. Specify the directory where ECW
Compressor will be installed.
5. The Select Program Folder screen displays. Select a folder. Choose NEXT to continue.
6. The Setup Complete screen displays: choose to display the ReadMe file and/or create a
shortcut on your desktop. Choose FINISH.

Installing Meta Data Browser

The MetaData Browser allows you to search data clearinghouse web sites for data products that
meet your geographic analysis needs. We recommend that you exit all Windows programs before
installing Meta Data Browser.
1. Choose INSTALL PRODUCTS from the MapInfo Professional 7.5 CD Browser.
2. Choose META DATA BROWSER; the Introduction screen displays.
3. Choose NEXT to continue the installation process. The License Agreement screen
displays.
4. Choose YES to accept the terms of the agreement and to continue the installation
process. The Choose Install Folder screen displays.
5. Specify the directory where Meta Data Browser will be installed. Select CHOOSE to display
a list of directories.
6. Choose the Shortcut location. You have the option to put the icon in a new group, into the
MapInfo group, in the Start menu, on the Desktop, or to display no icon.
7. Click INSTALL to begin the installation.
8. After installation is complete, select DONE.

Using the Microsoft IntelliMouse to Move Around the Windows

MapInfo Professional supports the Microsoft IntelliMouse as follows:
Document Scrolling: In the Map, Layout, Browser, and MapBasic windows, hold down the
CONTROL key and move the wheel to scroll the document vertically; the effect is the same as
clicking on the arrow at the end of the scroll bar.

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Document Panning: In the Map and Browser windows, hold down the wheel button on the
IntelliMouse and move the mouse to pan the document. Release the button to end the panning.
There are three panning speeds. The speed of the panning is based on the cursors distance from
the starting point, indicated by the origin mark. In the Map window, the distance moved at each
speed is a percentage of the zoom distance.
For example, the amount to move at slow speed is. 005 * ZoomDistance, medium speed is. 01 *
ZoomDistance, and super speed is .1 * ZoomDistance. In the Browser, the window is scrolled by 1,
3, and 7 lines or columns for slow, medium and super speeds. When the cursor is within 15 pixels
of the starting point, there is no panning.
AutoScroll: In the Map and Browser windows, click and release the wheel button to activate
AutoScroll. When the mouse cursor is moved away from the starting point the document starts to
scroll in whatever direction you move the mouse. When the cursor is returned to the starting point,
scrolling stops. AutoScroll is turned off by any mouse click or key stroke. AutoScroll is also turned
off when MapInfo Professional loses the focus, for example, when you ALT-TAB to another
application.
Zoom; In the Map and Layout windows, move the wheel forward to zoom in on the document. Roll
back the mouse wheel to zoom out on the document. The wheel has a series of settings; each
click is the same as one click with a zoom tool. The mouse wheel does not recenter the view.
There are other keyboard commands that allow you to zoom in and out more precisely. See
Getting Around in the Map Window in Chapter 3 on page 84 for this information.

Installing Global Positioning Software (GPS)

To install Global Positioning Software from Blue Marble:
1. From the CD menu, click INSTALL PRODUCTS and then FREE UTILITIES.
2. Click INSTALL GPS SUPPORT. You will be prompted to exit all applications before installing.
Choose OK.
3. The MapInfo Special Edition dialog box displays. Choose OK.
4. The Select Destination Location screen displays. Specify the directory where GPS will be
installed.
5. The Software License screen displays. Choose YES to accept the terms of the agreement
and to continue the installation process.
6. The Add to the Start Menu dialog box displays: click YES to add a shortcut to the START
menu.
7. The ReadMe displays; choose OK to exit the ReadMe.

Installing the Online References

MapInfo Professional 7.5 provides the following online reference documents: MapInfo
Professional Users Guide, MapBasic Reference Guide, Crystal Reports Users Guide, ArcLink,
and EasyLoader documentation, as well as the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
To install the documentation locally:
1. Install the Acrobat Reader.
2. Copy the files from the [CD_ROM]:\PDF_DOCS folder to a local directory.

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3. From Windows Explorer, double-click any of the PDF files to automatically launch the
Acrobat Reader and the online book.

Trouble Shooting your Installation

Here are issues you may encounter during your installation and correcting the problems
associated with them.

Temp Variable
The MapInfo Professional Installer requires that your TEMP variable is set to a valid directory to
which the user can write.

Other Issues
The Installer must be run from a drive with a letter such as G: and not from an explicit UNC path.
For example, you might have the MapInfo Professional CD in your computer as USERSPC. Other
users may share this device as USERSPC; however, it would not contain a drive letter. The
MapInfo Professional Installation program requires a drive letter. To remedy this situation:
1. Right-click the shared directory or CD-ROM and select MAP NETWORK DRIVE.
2. Choose a drive letter to map.
3. Run the Installation Program again from the newly mapped drive letter.

Removing MapInfo Professional from your System

Remove MapInfo Professional 7.5 by accessing the CD Browser, Program Maintenance screen, or
by choosing the Add/Remove program option from the Control Panel in Windows, 98, 2000,
Windows NT or Windows XP.

Using the MapInfo Professional 7.5 CD Browser to Uninstall

To uninstall MapInfo Professional 7.5:
1. Choose INSTALL PRODUCTS from the CD Browser.
2. Choose MAPINFO PROFESSIONAL. The Welcome screen displays. Choose NEXT.
3. The Program Maintenance Screen displays. Choose REMOVE.

Setting the MapInfo Professional Preferences

Preferences allow you to change a number of default settings, enabling you to customize certain
aspects of the programs behavior. Preference files are stored on a per-user basis. As you gain
experience with MapInfo Professional, you will probably want to change some of these settings.
This chapter discusses the various preferences and what they control.

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Accessing the Preferences

Here is a brief description of the preference categories:
System Settings Controls what information is copied to the clipboard, color defaults, aspect
ratio, paper and layout units, the number of Undo objects permitted, how symbol types used
prior to version 4.0 are drawn, and how MapInfo Professional handles 2-digit years.
Map Window Controls settings for resizing a Map window; moving duplicate nodes; snap
tolerance; units for distance and area; display of scroll bars in the Map window; display of
degrees in either decimal or degrees, minutes, seconds form; and the display of InfoTips.
Legend Window Controls the legend frame default settings.
Startup Controls whether the program saves the MAPINFOW.WOR upon exiting and loads
it upon start up; whether queries are saved in workspaces; and the display of the Quick Start
dialog box upon startup.
Address Matching Controls the house number placement when specifying street
addresses.
Directories Specifies default directories for opening and saving tables, workspaces,
MapBasic programs, import files, ODBC SQL queries, theme templates, graph support files,
saved queries, new grids, and Crystal Report files. Also specifies the directories MapInfo
Professional searches for tables without fully qualified paths referenced in workspaces or
MapBasic programs.
Output Settings Controls the on-screen display of a raster file, the printer output, and
exporting choices.
Printer Controls which printer information is used for all new windows. This printer can be
the Windows default printer, or a printer you designate as your MapInfo Preferred printer. This
choice can be overridden on a per window basis using either the Print or Page Setup dialog
boxes.
Styles Designate highlighting for selected and targeted objects, as well as designating
default object styles for region, line, symbol, and text.

Setting the Preferences

To set a preference:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, click PREFERENCES to display the Preferences dialog box.

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2. Click one of the preference buttons to display the specified preferences dialog box.
3. Set your preferences in that dialog box and click OK to save them and return to the
Preferences dialog box.
4. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.
What follows in this section are details to assist you in setting your preferences.

Setting your System Preferences

Use the System Settings Preferences dialog box to control the default settings that affect how
MapInfo Professional interacts with your system.
To set your system settings preferences:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click SYSTEM SETTINGS to display the
System Settings Preferences dialog box.

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2. Select the appropriate system preferences for your implementation of MapInfo

Professional and click OK to save them.

COPY TO CLIPBOARD Click the Copy to Clipboard check boxes to specify what items
you want to copy to the Clipboard: text, bitmaps, or metafiles. MapInfo Professional
now copies metafiles in Enhanced Metafile format (EMF). All three are copied to the
Clipboard by default. Clear the appropriate check box(es) to prevent the item from
being copied to the clipboard.
COLOR DEFAULTS Select one of the Color Defaults preferences described below to
control how MapInfo Professional shades thematic map layers.
By default, MONITOR SETTING is selected. MapInfo Professional uses the color settings
of the monitor to shade the map when this option is selected.
Click the BLACK & WHITE radio button if you are using a color monitor and want to
shade your thematic map in gray-scale.
Click the COLOR radio button if you are using a black and white monitor and want to
print a thematic map in color on a color printer.

ASPECT RATIO ADJUSTMENT Select the Aspect Ratio Adjustment options so that
your map maintains the appropriate aspect ratio on your screen. Enter the dimensions
of your screen in these fields.
PAPER AND LAYOUT UNITS Specify the Paper and Layout Units used when you
measure the size of objects in a Layout window and the size of paper in the Print
dialog boxes. The default is set to inches. You can choose: inches, picas, points,
millimeters, and centimeters.
NUMBER OF OBJECTS You can only undo the last action. Set this option to the
number of objects in the last action you want the system to undo. For example, if you
moved 10 objects at the same time and enter 10 in this field, MapInfo Professional
restores all 10.

Note:

You cannot use the Undo capability for the following operations: Revert, Save,
Save As, or Modify Table, or any operations whose effects are primarily cosmetic.

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The default is 10 objects. You can set it from 0 to 800. Setting the number of objects to
0 deactivates the system. After you use the Undo option, the system toggles to REDO.

MEMORY SIZE FOR UNDO Type the number of bytes of memory you want to set aside
for the Undo feature. This entry is set to 1,000,000 bytes by default. You can enter up
to 10,000,000 bytes into this field. Increasing this entry may result in slower response
time.
DISPLAY PRE-VERSION 4 SYMBOLS USING THE TRUE TYPE FONT Select this check box
to indicate how you want to draw symbols from versions of MI Pro earlier than 4.0.
Select this check box to draw vector symbols with characters from the MapInfo
Professional Symbols font. By default, vector symbols are drawn.
WINDOW EXPORT AND CLIPBOARD RESOLUTION To set the image resolution for
exporting and Clipboard purposes, type the resolution in this field. MapInfo
Professional uses this preference whenever you copy windows to the Clipboard,
export your work to metafile and raster formats and the Save Window As export
process as well. If you do not set this resolution manually, the product assumes 96
DPI. The maximum setting for this field is 1200 DPI.
DATE WINDOW FOR 2 DIGIT YEARS Select the appropriate Date Window for 2-Digit
Years option for your purposes:
Click the TURN DATE WINDOWING OFF radio button to use the current century for all 2digit years. This option is selected by default.
Click the SET DATE WINDOW TO radio button to refer to dates in both the current century
and the previous century. You need to use this setting if your data uses dates in the
1900s.
For example, if you type the number 30 in the Set Date Window field, 2-digit years
from 0029 are set in the 21st century (2000-2029), and 2-digit years from 3099 are
set in the 20th century (1930-1999).

3. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.

Setting your Map Window Preferences

The Map window preferences control the default settings for any new Map window created in
MapInfo Professional. You can override some of these preference settings for the current Map
window in the Map Options dialog box (on the MAP menu, click OPTIONS). These include the
settings for resizing Map windows, specifying distance/area calculations, and displaying
coordinates in degrees, minutes, seconds.
To set the Map Window preferences:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click MAP WINDOW to display the Map
window preferences.

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2. Make your Default Projections selections based on these options:

TABLE PROJECTION To set the Default Projections for the current map, designate a
default table projection for creating new tables, importing MIF, MBI, and IMG files, and
for Choose Projection options in dialog boxes. Override the defaults by accessing the
Choose Projection option. This feature is not available for Universal Translator,
ArcLink, or Importing DXF files.
SESSION PROJECTION To set the option to designate a default MapBasic projection
for returning coordinate values using a MapBasic window or Update Column.
Compiled MapBasic applications are not affected by this preference.

3. Set the WARN PRIOR TO LOSS options to display warning messages before you leave the
currently open map window and lose cosmetic objects, map labels, and thematic layers
you have created. After the warning, you can save these objects, labels and layers as part
of a table or workspace. These boxes are selected by default.
You can turn off the display of these warning messages by clearing the desired check
boxes from the Warn Prior to Loss of group.
4. Set the WHEN RESIZING MAP WINDOW options to control the default behavior of Map
windows when you resize them. Select one of these options:

Click the FIT MAP TO NEW WINDOW to draw the map to fit the resized window. You see
the same view of the map that you saw before you resized the window. This is the
default setting.
Click the PRESERVE CURRENT SCALE button to change the view of the map when the
Map window is resized. As you shrink or enlarge the window, you will see a smaller or
larger area of the map.
This setting does not affect Map windows that are already open.

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To override the preference settings for the currently open Map window, make different
selections in the Map Options dialog box.
5. Select the MOVE DUPLICATE NODES IN settings to specify whether MapInfo Professional
will move duplicate nodes when you use the Reshape command (on the EDIT menu, click
RESHAPE) to edit objects that are adjacent to each other, such as regions. Select one of
these options:

Select the NONE OF THE LAYERS button to prohibit the product from moving duplicate
nodes. This is the default setting
Select the SAME LAYER button to move duplicate nodes that are in the same layer
when one of the connected nodes is moved.

6. Select the APPLY CLIP REGION USING settings to specify how you want the product to clip
regions. Select one of these three choices:

WINDOWS DEVICE CLIPPING (ALL OBJECTS) The clipping is controlled by the Windows
Device Display. All objects (including points, labels, text, raster and grid images) will
be clipped at the Clip Region boundary. This is the default setting.
WINDOWS DEVICE CLIPPING (NO POINTS, TEXT) Use this method to emulate the Erase
Outside clipping method used in previous versions of MapInfo Professional. All
objects are clipped using Erase Outside except points and labels. Points and labels
will be completely displayed only if the point or label point lies inside the Clip Region
object. Text objects, raster files, and grid files are always displayed and never clipped.
ERASE OUTSIDE (NO POINTS, TEXT) This method uses the Erase Outside functionality.
This clipping method is used in all versions prior to MapInfo Professional 6.0. The Clip
Region object is the Cutter object, and all other objects are Target objects for this
operation. All objects are clipped using Erase Outside, excepts points and labels. In
addition, points and labels will be completely displayed only if the point or label point
lie inside the Clip Region object. Text objects are always displayed and never clipped.

7. Select the DISTANCE/AREA CALCULATIONS settings to specify the default type of distance/
area calculation that MapInfo Professional uses for new Map windows.

SPHERICAL The Spherical calculations measure distance according to the curved

surface of the Earth. Spherical is the default. The data is first converted to Latitude/
Longitude and then a calculation is produced. Lat/Long data will always use spherical
calculations.
CARTESIAN The Cartesian method performs calculations on data projected onto a
flat plane. Cartesian coordinates (x,y) define the position of a point in two-dimensional
space by its perpendicular projection onto two axes which are at right angles to each
other. Long/Lat projections cannot use Cartesian calculations.
To specify a calculation method for the currently active Map window, use the Map
Options dialog box (on the MAP menu, click OPTIONS).

8. Select the following check boxes as appropriate. You may select as many as are
appropriate.

METRIC DISTANCE AND AREA UNITS To use metric units, such as kilometers and
square kilometers, select this check box. By default, MapInfo Professional displays
distance in miles and area in square miles (or kilometers and square kilometers).
SCROLLBARS To display scrollbars, select the Scroll Bars check box. By default,
MapInfo Professional does not display scrollbars in Map windows.
AUTOSCROLL To scroll the layout automatically, select the Autoscroll check box.
INFOTIPS To display one or two word tips when you cursor over a button, select the
InfoTips check box. By default, MapInfo Professional displays InfoTips. Clear the
Show InfoTips check box to deactivate their display.
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AUTOMATIC ZOOM LAYERING FOR RASTER AND GRID LAYERS To choose the default
mode for automatic zoom layering for raster layers, select this check box. Raster
zoom layering is turned on by default.
AUTOMATIC GRID ZOOM LAYERING To choose the default mode for automatic grid
zoom layering when adding a grid layer to the map, select this check box. Automatic
Grid Zoom Layering is turned off by default.
3DMAP WINDOW HARDWARE ACCELERATION This check box controls whether to use
your video card acceleration capability to display 3DMaps. Clear the box to display the
3DMap without using your video card acceleration capability. Turning the acceleration
off will reduce performance, but it will avoid failure with certain graphic adapters and
drivers.

9. To change the format in which coordinates display, select one of the options in the Display
Coordinates group. You can select only one:

DECIMAL DEGREES By default, MapInfo Professional displays coordinates in

decimal degrees. MapInfo Professional displays coordinates of objects in the Object
Info dialog boxes, and of the cursor location in the status bar if that display option is
selected.
DEGREES, MINUTES, SECONDS Choose this option to display your Map using the
degree, minute, seconds format.
MILITARY GRID REFERENCE SYSTEM Choose this option to display your Map using
the Military Grid Reference System format. Coordinates are converted to the Military
Grid Reference System format using the World Geodetic System (WGS) of 1984
Ellipsoid.
To override this preference in individual maps, use the Map Options dialog box (on the
MAP menu, click OPTIONS). Overrides to the default coordinate setting will be saved to
your workspace.
Selected in either the Map window preferences or the Map Options dialog boxes, the
format will display in the status bar, but not in the Object Info dialog boxes. If you
display any Object Info dialog box for an object on a map that uses the Military Grid
Reference System, the coordinates will be displayed in decimal degrees.

10. Type the appropriate SNAP TOLERANCE setting to specify the default tolerance in pixels
within which Snap to node operates when you are drawing objects (click the S key to turn
Snap to node on).
The default is 5 pixels. Type in a smaller value to obtain a tighter snap tolerance, so that
you do not snap to other objects nodes as you draw. Type in a larger value to obtain a
looser snap tolerance, when you want to snap to a node even though you are relatively far
away from it. For more information about Snap Tolerance, see Using Snap To to
Select Nodes and Centroids in Chapter 7 on page 236.
11. Select a GRID HANDLER to allow you to select the output grid file format. By default,
MapInfo Professional uses the MapInfo Professional handler (*.MIG). The available
formats depend on which grid handlers are installed. When you change the grid file
format, the file extension on the grid file name changes to reflect the selected format.
12. Click OK to save these settings and return to the Preferences dialog box.
13. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.

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Setting your Legend Window Preferences

These settings control the defaults for how titles are specified for all legend frames in the legend
window, as well as the default text style attributes such as font and size. The settings correspond
to the settings displayed in Step 2 of the legend wizard. MapInfo Professional uses these defaults
if there are no metadata keys in the table on which the legend frame is based. If metadata keys are
present, the metadata defaults override the settings in Step 2 of the wizard and the Legend
preferences.
To set the Legend window preferences:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click LEGEND WINDOW to display the
Legend window preferences.

For more information on legends, see Working with Legends in Chapter 9 on page 303.
2. Use the options in this window to set the Legend Frame Defaults.

To set the TITLE PATTERN, type the text that you want to display at the top of each
legend frame in this box.
By default, the Title Pattern is # Legend, where # is the name of the layer on which
the frame is based. So, if the frame is based on the States layer, the default Pattern
title would be States Legend. You can change this pattern to Legend of # or simply
#.
You may wish to have no default pattern. In that case, leave the box blank.
Choose a title pattern default that suits your needs. The # character can be used in
any of the pattern text boxes as a shortcut key for the layer name.

To set the SUBTITLE PATTERN, type the subtitle text you want in this box. The entry in
this box is blank by default, but you can set your own default title pattern for subtitles.
To set the STYLE NAME PATTERN, type the text you want to display beside each symbol
in this box. The default pattern is the % character. The Style Name is the text that
describes each symbol in a legend frame. The % character is used as a placeholder
for the type of object the legend symbol corresponds to: point, line, or region.
You can type in your own default Style Name Pattern, either using the % character or
not. For example, in a legend frame based on the States layer, a Style Name Pattern
that reads % of # will display as Region of States next to the symbol in the legend.
The % character can only be used in the Style Name Pattern box.

To set the BORDER STYLE, select this check box to place a border around the legend
and select the appropriate style by clicking the X box beside the Border Style option.

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3. To change the defaults of the style attributes for the titles, the style name, or the legend
frame border, click the desired style box to display the corresponding style dialog box and
make your changes.
4. Click OK to save these settings and return to the Preferences dialog box.
5. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.

Setting the Startup Preferences

In general, the Startup preferences control:

How MapInfo Professional behaves when you startup

The MAPINFOW.WOR workspace properties such as whether printer information and

queries are saved to workspaces

To set your startup preferences for MapInfo Professional:

1. On the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click STARTUP to display the startup
preferences.
.

2. Select the following boxes to enable the indicated functionality; clear the check box to
disable this functionality. You may select all that apply.

SAVE MAPINFOW.WOR WHEN EXITING MAPINFO Select this check box to save your
setup to the MAPINFOW.WOR workspace when you exit MapInfo Professional. When
you clear this check box, MapInfo Professional does not save the MAPINFOW.WOR
unless you save it explicitly.
LOAD MAPINFOW.WOR WHEN STARTING MAPINFO To display MAPINFOW.WOR
when you enter MapInfo Professional, select this check box.

Note:

To enable this check box, you must clear the Display Quick Start Dialog check
box.

SAVE QUERIES IN WORKSPACES To save the queries you create during a mapping
session in the workspace.
SAVE PRINTER INFORMATION INTO WORKSPACES To save the printer information in
the workspace, select this check box.
The Save printer information into Workspaces check box saves the printer name,
paper orientation, paper size, and the number of copies from your printer settings into
the workspace. This also includes any overrides you might have made to the default
printer settings in the Printer preferences.
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When this preference is on, the workspace is written as a version 6.0 workspace. We
recommend that you leave this preference on. However, if you will be sharing
workspaces with other users, particularly if they are using earlier versions of MapInfo
Professional, you may want to leave the preference turned off.

RESTORE PRINTER INFORMATION TO WORKSPACES To restore printer information

from a workspace, check this check box. When you open the workspace, the printer
name, paper orientation, paper size, and the number of copies are restored. This is
useful if you are sharing workspaces with other MapInfo Professional (6.0 or later)
users who are also using the same printers.

Note:

If this preference is turned off, or if the printer indicated is not available, the printer
settings for the workspace revert back to the default printer set in the Printer
preferences.

DBMS CONNECTION To save a default DBMS Connection, specify a DBMS

connection that will be opened each time you begin a MapInfo Professional session.
Click SET to set this connection.
DISPLAY QUICK START DIALOG Select this check box to display the Quick Start
dialog box automatically when you start MapInfo Professional. This check box is
selected by default.
Clear the Display Quick Start Dialog check box to prevent it from displaying when you
start subsequent MapInfo sessions.

3. Click OK to save these settings and return to the Preferences dialog box.
4. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.

Setting your Address Matching Preferences

Use the Address Matching preferences to specify the placement of the house number in
addresses. The default setting is for house numbers to come before the street name. You can
change it so that the house number comes after the street name.
To set your address matching preferences:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click ADDRESS MATCHING to display the
Address Matching Preferences dialog box.

2. Click OK to save the Address Matching preference and return to the Preferences dialog
box.
3. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.

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Setting your Directory Preferences

The Directory preferences enable you to control in what directories MapInfo Professional looks for
files.
To set your directory preferences:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click DIRECTORIES to display the
Directory Preferences dialog box settings.

2. To set a preferred directory for each type of file, highlight the file dialog type and click the
MODIFY button. The Choose Directory dialog box displays.
3. Select the appropriate directory for the file type you highlighted and click OK.
4. Repeat this process until you have specified all of the directories you need to.
5. Click OK to save these settings and return to the Preferences dialog box.
6. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.
Use this setting to specify the default directories that display in the File menu dialog boxes when
you open or save different files. You can specify directories for:

Tables
Remote Tables
Workspaces
MapBasic programs
Import files
DBMS SQL queries
Theme templates
Saved queries
New grids
Crystal Report files
Graph support files
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Shapefile Tables
When you click OPEN, you can select an icon from the MapInfo Places Bar. click the Workspace
Directory icon to display the workspace directory you designated in this preference.
Additionally, use this preference to search for raster and grid tables. If you open a *.tab file for a
raster or grid image and the image file cannot be found an attempt is made to find the image in the
same location as the .tab. If the image file is not found, it will then use the Search Directories.
Use the Search Directories for Tables and Workspaces to specify search paths that MapInfo will
use to look for tables referenced in workspaces or MapBasic programs that do not have fully
qualified paths.
To search directories for tables and workspaces:
1. To specify a search path, in Search Directories for Tables group, click ADD.
Note:

You can use the ADD and REMOVE buttons to add or remove paths from the list.

2. Specify a drive and directory in the Choose Directory dialog box and click OK.
You can set up to four paths. Use the UP and DOWN keys to change the search order.
3. Click OK to save these settings and return to the Preferences dialog box.
4. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.

Setting your Output Setting Preferences

The Output Settings allow you to control raster and grid file color settings for on-screen display,
printed output, and file export settings. In addition, you can also specify how you want to handle
transparency in vector and raster files in both your printed output and exported files. Other printer
settings enable you to specify an output method, map scaling, and whether to print a border
around a Map window.
You can override the settings in the Output settings preferences in the Advanced Printing dialog
box. These preferences represent the default settings used in the Advanced Printing dialog box.
These new settings can then be saved in a workspace.
Note:

You can get additional printer advice in the MapInfo Professional Printing Guide on the
installation CD.

To set your output preferences:

1. On the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click OUTPUT SETTINGS to display the
Output Preferences dialog box.

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2. The DISPLAY settings control the on-screen display of a raster or grid file. Click the
appropriate output settings based on your output requirements.
These entries explain the display settings, the printing options, and window export options
in this dialog. Some of the options appear in more than one dialog so we have grouped all
of the like explanations together.

DISPLAY RASTER IN TRUE COLOR WHEN POSSIBLE Click this check box to display
your 24-bit raster or grid file images in true color (make sure your display settings are
set to greater than 256 colors). Clear this check box if you only want your images to
display using 256 colors. This box is checked by default.
DITHER METHOD Dithering is a technique that blends pixels electronically to improve
the look of an image. Click a dither method when you are converting a 24-bit image to
256 colors.
Dithering creates the illusion of complex colors by using a pattern of finite (fixed) color
dots. For example, to create the color green using dithering, the color would consist of
a pattern of yellow and blue dots.
HALFTONE dithering calculates a series of half tone differences in color between highcontrast elements in your image to create a smooth transition of color. This option is
selected by default for display, print, and export options.
ERROR DIFFUSION dithering calculates an interim color between contrasting colors and
shades the surrounding pixels to blend evenly toward that interim color.

Note:

You can select dither method options in the display, printing, and exporting
sections of this dialog box. The same definitions apply to each area.

3. The PRINTING settings control the printing options for Map windows, Layout windows and
all other output file types. Select the appropriate printing settings based on your output
requirements. Remember that resetting these printer options locally overrides these
preferences.

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OUTPUT METHOD/PRINT DIRECTLY TO DEVICE Click this option to print your image file
directly from MapInfo Professional as you did when you were using MapInfo
Professional 6.0 or earlier. This check box is checked by default.
OUTPUT METHOD/PRINT USING ENHANCED METAFILE Click this option to generate an
enhanced metafile of your MapInfo Professional image before sending it to the printer.
This setting takes advantage of current printer technology to shrink the spool size and
print your file quicker without sacrificing quality.

Note:

You must use this setting if you are printing a map containing a translucent raster
or grid layer. If you do not use this setting, the image will not print translucently.

PRINT BORDER FOR MAP WINDOW Click this check box to print a black border
around the image you are printing. Clear this check box to leave the image
unbordered. This check box is checked by default.
INTERNAL HANDLING FOR PRINTING TRANSPARENT VECTOR FILLS AND SYMBOLS
Special programming has been added to handle transparent fill patterns and bitmaps
for vector images when printing or exporting. Click this check box to use this
functionality or clear it to let the printer or Windows export functions to handle this.
This check box is checked by default.
SCALE PATTERNS Select this check box to match the non-transparent fill patterns in
your print output to more closely match what you see on your screen. This check box
is checked by default. Clear this check box to let the printer driver have exclusive
control over rendering the pattern fills.

Note:

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The Scale Patterns check box does not affect transparent fill patterns because
transparent fill patterns are always scaled.

USE ROP METHOD TO DISPLAY TRANSPARENT RASTER Click this check box to allow
the internal ROP (Raster Overlay by Pixel) to manage the transparent pixel display
and printing in raster images. Since the ROP Method is largely a display method, not
all printers, plotters, and export programs can use it. We recommend that you either
check with the printer manufacturer before using this setting or try a few test prints or
exports to get the results you want. This check box is cleared by default.
Using the ROP method may not produce problems unless you print the metafile.

PRINT/EXPORT RASTER IN TRUE COLOR WHEN POSSIBLE Click this check box to print
and export your 24-bit raster or grid file images in true color (make sure your printer
settings are set to greater than 256 colors). Clear this check box if you are not working
with a color printer. This check box is checked by default.

Note:

See the Dither Method setting above for details about this option.

4. The WINDOW EXPORT settings control the export options for Map windows, Layout
windows and all other output file types. Select the appropriate window export settings
based on your output requirements. Remember that resetting these options locally
overrides these preferences.

EXPORT BORDER Click this check box to include a black border on images you are
exporting. Clear this check box to export the image without a border. This check box is
checked by default.

Note:

The preference setting definitions for Internal Handling for Transparent Vector Fills
and Symbols, Use ROP Method to Display Transparent Raster, Print Raster in
True Color When Possible, and Dithering Methods are the same for export as for
printing above.

5. Click OK to save these settings and return to the Preferences dialog box.
6. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.

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Recommendations for Effective Pattern Scaling

When you are printing, find out what type of printer driver you are using. Many PCL6 and some
HPGL drivers handle fill pattern scaling and give you control over this feature. Turning off their
scaling may be the difference between what you see in print and what you see on your monitor.
We recommend that you try turning off your drivers scaling options and try ours first, because we
have enhanced our method to better meet your Map and Layout window requirements. To turn our
pattern scaling options on, check the SCALE PATTERNS check box in the Output Preferences dialog
box. Then try turning off our scaling and turn theirs back on and see what you like better. Our tests
show that our scaling seems to produce color output that more closely matches your screens
display.

Setting your Printer Preferences

You can use the printer preferences to select a printer for MapInfo Professional output, which can
be separate from your default Windows printer.
Note:

You can get additional printer advice in the MapInfo Professional Printing Guide on the
installation CD.

To set your printer preferences:

1. On the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click PRINTER to display the Printer
Preferences dialog box.

2. Complete your selections using these instructions.

WINDOWS DEFAULT This entry displays the path to the default printer specified for
your operating system. This button is selected by default.
MAPINFO PREFERRED Click this button to select a different default printer when
printing while using MapInfo Professional. This can be a printer or a plotter. After you
select this option you can specify the size of the paper that is appropriate for this
printer.
SIZE After you select a printer, this list prefills with the appropriate paper sizes
available. Select the requested paper size from this drop-down list.

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ORIENTATION After you select a printer, you can specify the direction that the paper
faces. Portrait indicates that the paper is taller than it is wide (as shown in the previous
figure); landscape indicates that the paper is wider than it is tall.
NETWORK Click this button to locate the printer or plotter on the network that you
want to set as the default. This button only displays for users running under Windows
NT 4.0, Windows 2000 and Windows XP Pro. The Connect to Printers dialog displays.

3. To select a default printer, do one of the following:

Select the path of the printer you want to use as your default and click OK,
Double-click the printer in the list.

Using either method the Printer Preferences window redisplays.

4. Click OK to confirm your selections and set your MapInfo Professional default printer
options.
Note:

If you selected the SAVE PRINTER INFORMATION TO WORKSPACES button in the

Startup preferences, MapInfo Professional saves the printer information and
settings to the workspace. To set this preference, make changes in the Startup
Preferences dialog box. If you are planning to share these workspaces with users
running versions of MapInfo Professional earlier than 6.0, do not select this
preference.

5. Click OK to save these settings and return to the Preferences dialog box.
6. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.
If you select the Windows Default printer, MapInfo will always use the printer that is currently set as
the default in Windows. The settings for that printer will display in the MapInfo Preferred Printer
Setup group. You will not, however, be able to change them in the Printer Preferences dialog box.
To change the Windows default printer, go back to the Windows Control Panel.
To use a printer other than the one indicated in the Printer preferences for a particular window
(Map, Layout, etc.), choose either:

On the FILE menu, click PRINT. You can change the printer you are using in the Print dialog
box, overriding the default printer settings.

On the FILE menu, click PAGE SETUP. In the Page Setup dialog box, click the Printer to
display the Preferences dialog box for the default printer. Select a different printer in the
Name drop-down list. This will override the default printer set in the Printer preferences.

Note:

The printer override applies only to the window you are currently printing. To actually
change the default settings, you must go back to the Printer preferences and specify a
new default printer.

Setting your Style Preferences

The Style preferences allow you to preset the look of your objects and lines.
To set the default style preferences:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click STYLES to display the Styles
Preferences dialog box.

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2. Complete your selections using these instructions.

DEFAULT OBJECT STYLES Click the Region, Symbol, Line, and Text buttons to set
these style options. These selections will serve to create the default settings for these
style elements.
HIGHLIGHT CONTROL Specify the Line, Region, and Multipoint styles of selected and
target objects, as well as highlighting specifications in the Map window. Additionally,
specify the style of selected and target Multipoint objects. The default settings are
shown in the Style boxes of the Highlight Control group. click one of the boxes to
display the corresponding style dialog box and change its settings.

3. Click OK to save these settings and return to the Preferences dialog box.
4. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.

Starting up and Leaving MapInfo Professional

In this section we cover the very basics of starting MapInfo Professional, using the
STARTUP.WOR, and exiting the program. Since opening a table is basic to getting started in using
MapInfo Professional, we cover that topic here, as well.

Starting MapInfo Professional

Now that you have MapInfo Professional installed and have read a little about its power and
functionality, you are ready to begin mapping and analyzing your data.
To start MapInfo Professional:
1. Do one of the following:

Double-click the MapInfo Professional icon on your desktop. In a few seconds,

MapInfo Professionals Quick Start dialog box displays.
From the START menu, select MAPINFO PROFESSIONAL 7.5 (or MAPINFO PROFESSIONAL
7.5 CLIENT, if this is a network installation) from the Selected Program folder.

Using either method the Quick Start dialog displays.

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Here you can choose how you want to start your mapping session. The Quick Start dialog
box displays every time you start MapInfo Professional, but you can change this behavior
in the Startup preferences (On the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click
STARTUP) using instructions in Setting the Startup Preferences on page 56. In the
Startup Preferences dialog box, clear the Display Quick Start dialog box to deactivate the
display of the Quick Start dialog box.

If you are returning to MapInfo Professional, you can return to the previous mapping session by
choosing Restore Previous Session or use last workspace. If this is your first look at MapInfo
Professional, choose the Open a Table option to begin. The Open dialog box displays.

Using the Startup Workspace

Instead of starting MapInfo Professional with the MAPINFOW.WOR, which only opens the tables
you were last working with, you can load a particular workspace on startup every time.
To set the startup workspace:
1. Display the tables in the size and position you want to see them at startup.
2. On the FILE menu click SAVE WORKSPACE and in the Save Workspace dialog box, save
the current workspace as a file called STARTUP.WOR in your program file directory or to
your home directory (where Windows configuration files such as WIN.INI are stored) so
MapInfo Professional can find it at startup.
For more on STARTUP.WOR, see Setting the Startup Preferences on page 56.
3. Click SAVE to save your workspace.

Opening a Table
Just about everything in MapInfo Professional starts with opening a table. You can display the
information in your tables in a number of ways in MapInfo Professional, as a table, in a browser,
and on a map.
To open your table:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN. The Open dialog box displays.
2. Choose the drive and directory for the table you want to open.
3. Choose the appropriate table (.tab file). When opening multiple tables, use Shift-click to
select adjacent tables and Control-click to select non-adjacent tables.
4. Choose NEW MAPPER from the Preferred View list.
You can also open tables without displaying them, making the data available for other
uses. In this case, choose No View from the Preferred View list box in the Open dialog
box.
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5. Click OPEN. A window containing the data from the table displays as a map.
You can open additional tables to add more information (layers) to the Map window. If you want the
second table to display in the current Map window, leave the Automatic option selected in the
Preferred View list. MapInfo Professional displays the table in the current Map window
automatically.
If you do not want the table to display with the first map, choose NEW MAPPER. MapInfo
Professional opens a second table in its own Map window.
To set a default path you want MapInfo Professional to use when opening tables, click select new
directories in the Directories Preferences dialog box. See Setting your Directory Preferences on
page 58 for more information on this process. Here, you can also set default paths for
workspaces, MapBasic programs, Import files, and DBMS SQL queries.
Note:

If your data file does not contain graphic objects, you will not be able to display the table in
a Map window. You can only bring it up in a Browser. You must first geocode the table to
display it as a map. Geocoding is discussed more fully in Geocoding - Assigning
Coordinates to Records in Chapter 4 on page 130.

Use the Places Bar to quickly access a specified directory. There are four MapInfo Professional
Professional Places options: Table; Workspaces; Import Files; Remote Tables. Designate each
directory path in the Directories Preferences dialog box.
If you are using the Windows 2000 operating system, select MapInfo Places to display MapInfo
Professional specific folders, or choose Standard Places to display the default places.

Exiting MapInfo Professional

To leave MapInfo Professional:

On the FILE menu, click EXIT. There is no confirmation message.

If you have edited the existing open tables, MapInfo Professional prompts you to save
them. You can choose to either save them or exit and lose those changes.

Leaving MapInfo Professional Using the MAPINFOW.WOR Workspace

The Startup preferences allow you to automatically save your work setup to a workspace when
you exit, and display that setup when you enter MapInfo Professional again.
To set the preference option that allows you to save your setup to the MAPINFOW.WOR
workspace:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click STARTUP to display the Startup
Preferences dialog box.
2. Check the SAVE MAPINFOW.WOR option in the Startup Preferences dialog box.
Note:

To enable this option, clear the DISPLAY QUICK START DIALOG check box when you
enter MapInfo and select LOAD MAPINFOW.WOR.

3. Click OK to save these settings and return to the Preferences dialog box.
4. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.

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The Basics of MapInfo

Professional

Now that you have installed MapInfo Professional, you are probably anxious to get mapping. But, if you
are new to MapInfo Professional, take a few minutes to read this chapter to familiarize yourself with the
concepts, components, and tools for successful computer mapping.

Sections in this Chapter:

A Tour of the MapInfo Professional Desktop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Data - Where MapInfo Professional Begins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Reviewing the Windows in MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Understanding Layers and Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Saving and Exporting Your Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Using the Tools in the Tool Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

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A Tour of the MapInfo Professional Desktop

This section details the tools and commands that are available to you in the MapInfo Professional
product. You may refer to these frequently as you familiarize yourself with MapInfo Professional.

Working with Toolbars

MapInfo Professional provides four toolbars of tool buttons and commands to give you
tremendous mapping creativity at the click of a button.
To reshape the toolbars, click and drag on their borders. Drag the title bar to move them. To dock a
toolbar, drag it to the area directly underneath the Main menu bar. The toolbar changes shape and
positions itself directly under the menu bar. You can easily change it back to the floating view by
clicking the background area of the toolbar and dragging it away from its position. The toolbar
retains the same shape as it had before you docked it.
You can also dock and undock a toolbar from the Options menu.
1. On the OPTIONS menu, click TOOLBARS, and in the Toolbar Options dialog box.
2. Do one of the following:

Select the FLOATING check box for each toolbar that you want to have float and be
able to move around.
Clear the FLOATING check box for each toolbar you want to dock.

Note:

To display or hide the toolbars, select or clear the SHOW check box. You can also
choose whether you want to display color buttons or larger buttons for each
toolbar.

3. Choose SAVE AS DEFAULT to save your arrangement. To remove a toolbar from the
screen, click its control box.

Reviewing the Standard Toolbar

The Standard toolbar contains tools for commonly performed menu functions from the File, Edit,
and Window menus. It also contains tools for quick access to a new Redistricting window and
online Help. Many of these tools are familiar to you from working with Microsoft Windows.
.

New Table

Open

Open WMS (Web Map Service)

Save Table

Cut

Copy

Paste

Undo

New Browser

New Map Window

New Graph Window

New Layout Window

New Redistricting Window

Help
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Reviewing the Main Toolbar

The Main toolbar contains tools to select objects, change the view of the Map window, get
information about an object, and show distances between objects. It also contains command
buttons that allow you to change layer attributes and open a legend or statistics window.
Change View *

Accesses the Change View dialog box so you can specify settings for Map window width, map scale, resizing, and centering.

Grabber *

Accesses the Grabber tool so you can reposition a map or layout within its window.

Info tool *

Accesses the Info tool so you can view the tabular data that is
associated with a map object.

Label

Accesses the Label tool so you can label objects with information from the related database.

HotLink

Accesses the HotLink tool, so you can launch active objects

such as files or URLs from your Map window.

Layer Control

Accesses the Layer Control dialog box so you can specify how
the various tables in a Map window are layered and displayed.

Legend

Accesses the Legend window for maps or graphs.

Marquee Select

Accesses the Marquee Select tool so you can select and

search for map objects within a given rectangle (marquee
box).

Boundary Select

Accesses the Boundary Select tool so you can select and

search for map objects within a given region.

Polygon Select

Accesses the Polygon Select tool so you can select objects

within a polygon that you draw.

Unselect All

Accesses the Unselect All tool so you can clear all of your
object and record selections. Performs the same operation as
the Unselect All command.

Invert Selection

Selects all objects or records not included in the current selection, and cancels the current selection.

Graph Select

Accesses the Graph Select tool. As you click graph objects,

such as a riser bar, pie slice, column, etc., the tool selects the
corresponding records from the table.

Radius Select

Accesses the Radius Select tool so you can select and search
for map objects within a circular region.

Ruler

Accesses the Ruler tool to determine the distance between

two points and the length of some path.

Select

Accesses the Select tool to select objects/records in a Map,

Layout, or Browser window. Also acts as the default pointer/
cursor tool.

Assign Selected
Objects

Assigns selected objects to the target district during a Redistricting session.

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Set Target District from Sets the target district from the map during a Redistricting sesMap
sion.
Statistics

Accesses the Statistics window to tally the sum and average of

all numeric fields for the currently chosen objects or records.

Zoom-in *

Accesses the Zoom-in tool to get a closer area view of a map

or layout.

Zoom-out *

Accesses the Zoom-out tool so you can get a wider area view
of a map or layout.

Drag Map Window *

Accesses the Drag Map Window button to drag an MapInfo

Professional map into an OLE container application.

Clip Region On/Off

Redisplays the entire map.

Set Clip Region

Isolates a map region for display.

* These tools are also available when you access your MapInfo map within a container application
such as MS Word, PowerPoint, etc.

Reviewing the Drawing Toolbar

The Drawing toolbar contains tools and commands that are used to create and edit map objects.
For more about how to use these buttons, see Using the Drawing Tools in Chapter 7 on
page 221.
Add Node

Accesses the Add Node tool, which allows you to add a node to regions,
lines, or polylines when you are in Reshape mode.

Arc

Accesses the Arc tool, which allows you to draw an arc the size and shape
of one quarter of an ellipse.

Ellipse

Accesses the Ellipse tool, which allows you to create elliptical and circular
objects.

Frame

Accesses the Frame tool, which allows you to create frames in the Layout
window to display maps, graphs, browsers, and legends.

Line

Accesses the Line tool, which allows you to draw straight lines.

Line Style

Accesses the Line Style dialog box where you can change the style, color,
and width of line objects.

Polygon

Accesses the Polygon tool, which allows you to draw polygons (a closed,
connected sequence of lines).

Polyline

Accesses the Polyline tool, which allows you to draw polylines (an open,
connected sequence of lines).

Rectangle

Accesses the Rectangle tool, which allows you to draw rectangles and
squares.

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Region
Style

Accesses the Region Style dialog box where you can change the fill pattern,
color, and background, plus the border style, color, and width of region
objects.

Reshape

Toggles in and out of Reshape mode. Reshape allows you to edit regions,
polylines, lines, arcs, and points by moving, adding, and deleting nodes that
define them.

Rounded
Rectangle

Accesses the Rounded Rectangle tool, which allows you to draw rounded
rectangles and squares.

Symbol

Accesses the Symbol tool, which allows you to place point symbols on your
map like push pins.

Symbol
Style

Accesses the Symbol Style dialog box where you can change the style,
color, and size of a symbol object.

Text

Accesses the Text tool, which allows you to add titles, labels, and annotation
to maps and layouts.

Text Style

Accesses the Text Style dialog box where you can change the font typeface,
size, style, color, and background of text objects.

DBMS Toolbar
The DBMS Toolbar contains tools and commands that are used to access tables residing on a
remote database. These tools are only available if you have installed a relational database
manager.
Open DBMS Table

Accesses the Open dialog box, which allows you to access a

remote database. If a connection has not previously been
established, you will be prompted to open a connection. This
button is also found in the Open dialog box if DBMS is
installed.

Make DBMS Table

Mappable

Accesses the Make DBMS Table Mappable dialog box, which

allows you make a table linked to a remote database mappable
in MapInfo Professional.

Refresh DBMS Table

Accesses the Refresh DBMS Table dialog box, which allows

you to refresh an MapInfo Professional linked table with the
most recent data residing on the remote database for that
linked table.

Unlink DBMS Table

Accesses the Unlink DBMS Table dialog box, which allows you
to unlink a downloaded table from its remote database.

Change Symbol for a

Mappable DBMS
Table

Accesses the Change Symbol for a Mappable DBMS Table

dialog box, and allows you to change the symbol style of a
mappable DBMS table.

DBMS Disconnect

Accesses the Close DBMS Disconnection dialog box, where

you can close a connection to a remote database.

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Using Workspaces
A workspace is a list of all the tables, windows, and settings you are using, stored in a file with the
extension .WOR. Workspaces are a convenient way to return to a previously created map without
having to open each table file individually. The workspace keeps track of the following elements:

Map, Browser, Graph, 3DMap, and Layout windows, including their size and position on
the screen

Query tables created from base tables using either the Select or SQL Select statements
(queries on queries will not be saved)

Graphs

Thematic maps

Legend windows

Cosmetic objects

Labels

Styles for fonts, symbols, lines, and fill patterns used to display objects

To view the contents in the workspace file, open the .WOR file in MapInfo Professional, a text
editor or word processor.
Note:

When you save a workspace, you cannot save any references to selections or queries
made by the Selection tools or the Query options.

You can use the Workspace Packager tool to create a copy of your current workspace in a new
folder, and copy all the data referenced by the workspace in the same folder. Using this tool, the
workspace looks to these internal references to find the data and .tab file, so you can open this
workspace no matter where you have moved or copied that folder, even if you move it to a different
computer. You can access this tool by looking for it in the list in the Tool Manager (on the TOOLS
menu, click TOOL MANAGER).

How Renaming Tables Affects Workspaces

When you change the name of a table that is listed in a workspace, you invalidate that workspace.
Table names are stored in the workspace file. If you change the name of the table, the workspace
cannot find it.
For example, you might create a workspace called CUSTOMER.WOR which contains the STATES
table. If you later rename the STATES table to AMERICA, MapInfo Professional will not be able to
open the customer.wor workspace. It will try to open the STATES table and not be able to locate it.
There are two ways to avoid this problem:

Make any table name changes before you start to build workspaces.

Open the workspace file in any text editor and manually change the table names.

Open a workspace. Rename the table(s) using the Rename Table dialog box and
immediately save the workspace.

MapInfo Professional v. 6.0.0.32 and later places an interactive clause after each open table
statement to prompt you for the file location if the table is not found in the original workspace path.

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Saving Printer Information to a Workspace

MapInfo Professional enables you to save your printer information to a workspace, and restore
printer information from a workspace. These settings are located in the Startup preferences (on the
OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES, and click STARTUP). To save printer information to a
workspace, check the SAVE PRINTER INFORMATION TO WORKSPACES check box. Subsequently,
when you save your workspace, the printer name, paper orientation, paper size, and the number of
copies are saved. When this preference is on, the workspace is written as a version 6.0 or later
workspace.
Note:

We recommend that you leave this preference on. However, if you will be sharing
workspaces with other users, particularly if they are using earlier versions of MapInfo
Professional, you may want to leave the preference turned off.

To restore printer information from a workspace, check the RESTORE PRINTER INFORMATION TO
WORKSPACES box. When you open the workspace, the printer name, paper orientation, paper size,
and the number of copies are restored. This is useful if you are sharing workspaces with other
MapInfo Professional 6.0 or later users who are also using the same printers. You may want to
leave it off if you want to send the workspace to someone who is using a different printer. If this
preference is turned off, MapInfo Professional uses the default printer selected in the Printer
preferences.
Note:

You can get additional printer advice in the MapInfo Professional Printing Guide on the
installation CD.

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Data - Where MapInfo Professional Begins

To use MapInfo Professional, you need to match the files that contain your information (data) and
maps that come from MapInfo Professional or that you create yourself. MapInfo Professional
organizes all its information, whether textual or graphic, in the form of tables; each table is a group
of MapInfo Professional files that constitute either a map file or a database file.
Emergency medical calls thematically shaded by type of call and time of call, with response
zones shaded by number of calls.

Everything you do in MapInfo Professional begins when you open one or more tables, whether
they are maps or data from a database.

What Is a Database and Other Basic Terminology

A database is a collection of information organized so that it can be readily accessed using a
computer. Databases in MapInfo Professional are often referred to as tables.
To understand MapInfo Professional, you need a basic understanding of database organization, in
particular, three fundamental concepts: record, field, index, and query.
LastName

FirstName

Address

ZIPCode

Fraser

Mark

212 Hudson St

12205

Donaldson

Eva

459 Yates St

12208

Espinosa

Kim

200 Broadway

12180

Smith

Charles

1 Redbird Ln

12065

Chang

Elizabeth

53 Crescent Rd

12077

To understand the database concepts we are about to discuss, consider the table above.
Each row in the list contains information about one person. In database terms, each row is a
record. Each different box of information (Last Name, First Name, etc.) within a record is called a
field. Fields correspond to the columns so that the table shown above contains four different fields.
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Database fields are ordered (first, second, third, fourth, etc.), and the basic convention is that the
first field displays as the first column in the database. The second field is in the column to the right
of the first, and so on to the last field, which is displayed in the rightmost column.
Since the data in a database isnt usually in alphabetical order or postal code order or any other
pattern which would make it easy for the computer to find the information, the computer needs a
way to organize the information. A database uses an index to keep track of what information is
where and what record it is tied to. Without indices it would be tedious to find anything in a
database with hundreds of records, not to mention databases with thousands and tens of
thousands of records.
A database index works on the same principle as a book index. A book index is an alphabetical list
of topics that appear in the book and the page number or address of the information. Database
indices work in a similar way, except that they generally work behind the scenes. You dont ever
see them. But the computer constructs them and allows you to use them in your work. An index
allows the computer to work with the records according to the order of items in the key field.
MapInfo Professional requires fields to be indexed in order to use the Find command. Indices are
also used to improve performance in SQL Select and joins.
A query is just another word for a question. You query data to collect a particular type information
from your database. For example, if you wanted to know how many customers live within a certain
number of miles of your store, (and you had that kind of information in your database), you could
query the database to find out that information. The result of the query is query data. You can think
of query data as a subset of your data as in the example a list of all the customers within 5 miles
and none of the customers who live further away. MapInfo Professional has tools to help you query
your data and display it on a map. For more about querying your data, see Selecting and Using
Queries in Chapter 8 on page 251.

Opening Tables and Files

To work with the data in your database, you must first open the file or table that contains the data.
To open a local table:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN. The Open dialog box displays.
Note:

If you are at the Quick Start dialog box (the first dialog box you see after starting
MapInfo Professional), choose the OPEN button. The Open dialog box displays.

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2. Navigate to the data file you want to open. Use the Files of type drop down to select the
type appropriate for your data.
3. Select the view you want of this data from the Preferred View drop-down list. For more
information about the Preferred View options, see A Note about the Preferred View
Options on page 78.

AUTOMATIC MapInfo Professional chooses the most appropriate view. If the data is
mappable (i.e., graphic objects are attached to the data), for example, MapInfo
Professional opens the table in a Map window. If you have a Map window displayed
and the table you want to open is mappable, MapInfo Professional will automatically
open the table in the current Map window. If the data is not mappable, MapInfo
Professional will attempt to open the table in a Browser window. If the table cannot be
mapped or browsed, MapInfo Professional opens the table using the No View option
(no data is displayed).
BROWSER MapInfo Professional attempts to open the table in a Browser window.
CURRENT MAPPER MapInfo Professional attempts to add your data to the current
Map window.
NEW MAPPER MapInfo Professional attempts to open the table in a new Map
window.
NO VIEW MapInfo Professional opens the table, but no data is displayed.

4. To open the file, do one of the following:

Double click the file you want to open

Click the file you want to open to highlight it in the list and click OPEN.

Using either method, MapInfo Professional opens the data file.

Note that although an MapInfo Professional table consists of two or more component files
(STATES.tab, STATES.DAT, STATES.MAP etc.), only the .tab file appears in the File Name box of
the Open dialog box. It is the only component file you must open. For more about these other
MapInfo file types, see Understanding the Files Associated with MapInfo Professional Tables
on page 80.
In MapInfo Professional you can work with a variety of table types. Some data tables are like the
example table we just discussed. Further subdividing this class of tables are data tables that
contain graphic objects (map objects) and data tables that do not (such as spreadsheets or
external database tables).

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Raster tables are graphic images that you can display in a Map window. These computerized
pictures do not have the same table structure of record, field, and index as data tables do, and
therefore, will not be discussed in this chapter. For more on raster images, see Registering
Raster Images in Chapter 13 on page 422.
You can see what windows are currently open by reviewing the list at the bottom of the Window
Menu. If one of these More Windows windows is the active window, the check box displays
beside the More Windows entry. To make another window active, click the entry in the Window list.
The window you selected comes to the forefront of the MapInfo Professional screen. When you
select the More Windows entry, the Select Window dialog box displays. To activate a window from
this list, either double-click the entry in the Select Window list, or click the entry and click OK.

A Note about the Preferred View Options

Of the five Preferred View options, Automatic and No View will work on all tables, regardless of
what kind of data they contain. MapInfo Professional attempts to open the table as specified for
Browser, Current Mapper, and New Mapper. If it cannot, it will open the table according to the
following rules:

If Current Mapper is selected, and there is no Map window displayed, MapInfo

Professional will attempt to open the table in a new Map window.

If Current Mapper or New Mapper is selected and the data is not mappable, MapInfo
Professional will try to open the table in a Browser window.

If the table cannot be mapped or browsed, MapInfo Professional will open the table using
the No View option (no data is displayed).

Opening Data in Remote Tables

MapInfo Professional also enables you to access remote database data through its ODBC
connectivity support and the Oracle Spatial Object support. The MapInfo Professional ODBC
connectivity support supplies many ODBC drivers that you can easily install. Oracle spatial
databases enable you to store spatial objects with your conventional data in the same database.
This enables you to read and write geographies in Oracle Spatial without the need for a
middleware product such as MapInfo Professionals SpatialWare, or SDE. You also gain better
performance through the Oracle Call Interface (OCI). In addition, Oracle applications can use this
same spatial or non-spatial data through other interfaces (ODBC, OCI, JDBC, PL/SQL, HTTP,
IIOP, etc.) or use other spatial or non-spatial tools (MapInfo Professional, ArcView, Intergraph,
Excel, Forte, Formida, etc.). For more about accessing remote data using ODBC connectivity, see
Adding ODBC Drivers in Chapter 2 on page 39.

What Data Can I Use in MapInfo Professional?

MapInfo Professional allows you to use data that was created in other file formats. When you bring
data into MapInfo Professional for the first time, you need to specify its format. For example, if your
data is in Delimited ASCII format, choose Delimited ASCII from the File Format drop-down list.
Data file choices include:

Microsoft Access

Microsoft Excel

dBASE DBF
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ESRI Shapefiles

Raster Image

Grid Images

ASCII Delimited Text

Lotus 123

Remote Databases (Oracle, Informix, SQL Server, etc.)

Workspace

When you choose a particular file format, the File Name box will only list files that have the
appropriate extension. For example, if you choose dBASE DBF from the File Format drop-down
list, MapInfo Professional will only list files that are in dBASE format.
When you choose a file other than a MapInfo-formatted file type, MapInfo Professional creates a
table structure for that data based on the type of file that it is.
Note:

During the .tab file creation process, the original file is in no way altered. The file retains its
original properties.

When you open that table in future work sessions, MapInfo Professional will treat these files as if
they were in MapInfo Professionals native format. The next time you want to open the table, you
should choose the .tab format for the table. If you accidently attempt to open the file again with its
original file format, MapInfo Professional prompts you with the message:
Table definition already exists. Overwrite it?

This message displays because MapInfo Professional has already created a table for that file. To
use the file you have already created, press CANCEL and open the associated .tab file.
Also keep in mind that MapInfo Professional supports long filenames and UNC paths. The UNC
paths allow you to access your data without having to remember your drive mappings from one
session to another.
To display your table in the Map window, your data must contain X and Y coordinates. If it doesnt
already, you can add them using MapInfo Professional. Assigning these coordinates is called
geocoding. More about geocoding follows later in this chapter and in Chapter 4: Putting Your
Data on the Map.
Support for Raster Images
MapInfo Professional supports raster image display. Raster images are computerized pictures.
These graphic images can be used as backgrounds for maps you create in MapInfo Professional
and can serve as a reference for your displayed data.
When you bring in a raster image to MapInfo Professional, you may need to register it (specify its
map coordinates) so MapInfo Professional can display it properly. Choosing the Raster Image file
format from the Open dialog box will bring you to the Image Registration dialog box where you can
specify the appropriate map coordinates. Once you register the image, a process that creates a
.tab file for the image, you can open it as you would open any table in a Map window. Images that
you purchase from MapInfo Professional will already be registered.
If a raster image is georeferenced it will be automatically opened. If a raster image has an
associated world file, you will be prompted to choose the projection. If you open a raster image
that does not have any georeferencing data, you will be prompted to display or register the image.
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For a full discussion of raster image display, see Registering SPOT Images in Appendix C on
page 544.

Understanding the Files Associated with MapInfo Professional Tables

When you open your data file, MapInfo Professional creates a table. This table consists of at least
two separate files. The first file contains the structure of the data. The second file contains the raw
data. All MapInfo Professional tables have the following two files:

<SOMEFILE>.tab: This file describes the structure of your table. It is a small text file
describing the format of the file containing your data.

<SOMEFILE>.DAT or <SOMEFILE>.WKS, .DBF, .XLS: These files contain your tabular

data. If you are working with a dBASE/FoxBASE, delimited ASCII, Lotus 123, Microsoft
Excel, or Microsoft Access file, your MapInfo Professional table will consist of a .tab file
and your data or spreadsheet file. For raster tables, the equivalent extension might be
BMP, TIF, or GIF.

Your data may also contain graphic objects. Once you assign X and Y coordinates to your data
records, your table will also contain graphic objects. In Geocoding - Assigning Coordinates to
Records on page 130, you will learn how to assign X and Y coordinates to your data records so
you can display them on a map. If you already have graphic objects in your table, there are two
more files associated with the table:

<SOMEFILE>.MAP: This file describes the graphic objects.

<SOMEFILE>.ID: This file is a cross reference file that links the data with the objects.

For a Microsoft Access table, there will be a file SOMEFILE.AID associated with the table instead
of SOMEFILE.ID. This file is a cross reference file that links the data with the objects for a
Microsoft Access table.
Your table may also include an index file. The index file allows you to search for map objects using
the Find command. If you want to locate an address, city, or state using the Find command, those
fields must be indexed in your table. The index is located in:

<SOMEFILE>.IND

Opening Your Data in MapInfo Professional

You can open your Excel (.XLS), dBase (.DBF), Microsoft Access (.MDB), and ASCII (.TXT) in
MapInfo Pro and display that data on a map. There are three steps to accomplishing this:
1. Creating a copy of your data in MapInfo format.
2. Creating points on a map using either coordinates in your data or by matching your data to
a search file (see When Do I Geocode vs. Create Points? in Chapter 4 on page 117 for
this process).
3. Display your data on the map (see Displaying Your Data on the Map in Chapter 4 on
page 166 to complete this process).
If you are accessing your data remotely or use SpatialWare or other ODBC supported database
product, see Working with Remote Tables and Databases in Chapter 6 on page 193 and
Working with the MapBasic Window in Chapter 15 on page 505 for additional support.
For more information about converting, displaying, and printing your data, see Enhancing Your
Data in Chapter 5 on page 176.
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Opening MapInfo Professional Sample Data

MapInfo supplies some sample maps and refining data, which you can use to plot your own
information.
To access and open the sample data:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN to display the Open dialog box.
2. Navigate to your MapInfo directory and double click the DATA folder in the list. Two
directories of data are available:

Map_Data contains worldwide data grouped by continent

Tut_Data contains data that is mainly used for tutorials in MapInfo training classes

3. To open the data file, do one of the following:

Double click the directory that contains the data you want until you see a list of .tab
files.
Select the .tab file you want to open and click OPEN to display it.

Using either method the data file opens.

We recommend that you play with this data when you first get started to get a feel for what data is
in these directories and to become familiar with the process.

Opening Special File Types

There are additional file types that MapInfo Professional can read including rasters, grids, shape
files. For details about working with raster images, see Displaying a Raster Image on page 99
and Registering the Coordinates of a Raster Image in Chapter 13 on page 427.
Opening a Grid Layer
A grid layer is a type of thematic map that displays data as continuous color gradations across the
map. To produce this type of thematic map, you interpolate point data from the source table. In
MapInfo Professional, a grid file from the data interpolation is generated and is displays as a raster
image in a Map window.
To open a grid layer:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN to display the Open dialog box.
2. Select GRID IMAGE in the Files of type drop-down list.
3. Navigate to the directory in which your grid image is located and click the file you want to
open.
4. Click OPEN to display the grid image.

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Opening an ESRI Shapefile

One of the prominent graphical formats in our industry is the ESRI Shapefile.
To open a shapefile in MapInfo Professional:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN to display the Open dialog box.
2. Select ESRI (R) SHAPEFILE in the Files of type drop-down list.
3. Navigate to the directory in which your image is located and click the file you want to open.
4. Click OPEN to display the Please specify a TAB filename file. This dialog box saves the
shape file into a format that MapInfo Professional can read. The file has the same name
as the file you selected but has a .tab extension.
5. Click SAVE to save the file with the new name. MapInfo Professional displays the
Shapefile Information dialog box.

6. Complete the entries in this dialog box and click OK to display the shapefile.

File Character Set

Select the character set appropriate for this file. The default option is WINDOWS U.S. &
WESTERN EUROPE (ANSI), but make your selection based on your local settings.

Projection
Select the appropriate projection for this file by clicking this button, selecting the category
and projection and clicking OK.

Style
Select any line or region style overrides that are necessary for this image by clicking the
STYLE button. When you select this option, the appropriate style options dialog box
displays. Make your changes and click OK to save them.

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Save Object Cache

Select this check box to save the *.MAP file to hard drive. If you choose not to save the
object cache, you will have to recreate the *.MAP file the next time you open the Shapefile
file.
However, if you are going to save the shapefile as a *.tab file, you do not have to select the
check box.
Note:

If after you open the Shapefile in MapInfo Professional, you edit the file in ESRI
ArcView and save the file, the contents of the *.MAP and *.DAT files are recreated
to retain these edits even if you selected SAVE OBJECT CACHE before.

Reviewing the Windows in MapInfo Professional

MapInfo Professional allows you to display your data in many different windows and with different
views at the same time. For instance, you can display the WORLD table of country boundaries in a
Map window to view the geographic boundaries. At the same time you can display the tabular data
of the WORLD table in a Browser window to see the country names, population, and other data in
the file. If you make a change in either window, it is reflected in the other.
Only one view can be active at a time. To make a different window active, click its title bar. Notice
that the menu bar changes depending on which window is active. For instance, when you are
working in a Map window when you also have a Browser open, only the Map menu is available on
the menu bar. Make the Browser active. The Browse menu replaces the Map menu.
There are many different types of windows you can display your data in, depending upon what you
need your data to communicate. This section covers the many ways you can display your data
using MapInfo Pro. Each of these display methods: map, list, graph, and presentation give your
information a different impact. How you display the information you have should depend upon
what effect you want. Consider these options carefully before you select a display type.

Map windows present information arranged as conventional maps, allowing you to

visualize the geographic patterns of your data.

Browser windows present information as tabular lists (just as conventional databases

do), allowing you to fully examine tabular data.
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Graph windows present information arranged as graphs, allowing you to visualize and
make comparisons of the purely numerical patterns.

Layout windows present information in a polished and attractive way and can be
embedded in other applications such as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint.

Displaying Data in a Map Window

You use Map windows to display the geographic objects from your table on a map. Map windows
can display information from many tables at once, with each table a separate layer.

Opening a Table in a Map Window

You can create your maps or edit existing maps. You can open a Map window directly on the FILE
menu, by clicking OPEN or by selecting NEW MAP WINDOW from the WINDOW MENU.

Getting Around in the Map Window

There are a wide variety of tools that allow you to zoom, pan, and move objects around the Map
window. Zooming allows you to look more closely or more widely at a particular geography.
Panning allows you to move around a map left, right, up, and down. Moving selected objects in an
editable layer is useful when you want to get your map right.
You can zoom using the mouse wheel or using the keyboard. For more about zooming using the
mouse wheel, see Using the Microsoft IntelliMouse to Move Around the Windows in
Chapter 2 on page 45.
In addition to the usual zoom keys on your Main Toolbar ( ,
- keys on the keyboard, to zoom in and out more precisely.

When you press +, you zoom in by a factor of 2.

When you press -, you zoom out by a factor of .5.

, and

), you can use the + and

You can pan in your Map window using the scroll bars or the ARROW keys UP, DOWN, LEFT, and
RIGHT.
Further, you can move an object in an editable layer more precisely by selecting it and using the
following key combinations.

<CTRL + ARROW> - moves the editable, selected objects 1 pixel at a time

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<CTRL + SHIFT ARROW> - moves the editable, selected objects 10 pixels at a time
These tools also apply to the Layout window.

Displaying Data in a Browser Window

You use Browser windows to view and manipulate your data records in traditional row and column
form, typically used in spreadsheets and databases. Each column contains information about that
particular field, such as name, address, phone number, cable ID number, or order amount. Each
row contains all information relating to a single record.

Opening a Table in a Browser Window

You can edit records in your table, copy records, add new ones, or delete existing records. To open
a Browser directly, on the WINDOW MENU, click NEW BROWSER WINDOW.

To create a report of your data, use the Crystal Reports functionality included with this version of
MapInfo Professional (on the TOOLS menu, click CRYSTAL REPORTS).

Displaying Data in a Graph Window

The Graph window allows you to visualize statistical relationships in graph format. You can create
many different kinds of graphs: 3D, bar, line, area, histogram, scatter, bubble, and pie graphs. You
can also choose from a number of different graph templates.

Opening a Table in a Graph Window

To create a graph, on the WINDOW menu, click NEW GRAPH WINDOW. From there, you need to
select the criteria you want to graph from the data in the tables. For more information about using
the graph features of MapInfo Professional, see Graphing Your Data in Chapter 11 on page 356.

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Displaying Data in a Layout Window

The Layout window allows you to combine Browsers, Map windows, Graph windows, and other
graphic objects into one layout which can then be sent to a printer or plotter. You use this type of
window to create presentation graphics.

Opening a Map in a Layout Window

To use a Layout window, on the WINDOW menu, click NEW LAYOUT WINDOW.
Note:

MapInfo Professional has some excellent tools to assist you in moving around the Layout
window. See Getting Around in the Map Window on page 84 for these details.

Other Windows for Displaying Data

There are two other ways of displaying data that are used less often or can be used in conjunction
with display options we have already reviewed.

Legend Windows are the key boxes at the bottom of the map that explain what the map
symbols mean. There are two different kinds of legend windows:
a. The Theme Legend window is automatically created and details the meaning of
colors, symbols and styles on a thematic map. Display or hide this legend in the
OPTIONS menu, by clicking the SHOW/HIDE THEME LEGEND WINDOW menu option.
b. The Cartographic Legend displays legend frames for any map layer, not just thematic
map layers. The legend window displays the legend, or key, to the cartographic data
on your map.
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The legend frames can all be in one window, or can be split among several legend
windows for the same map. Therefore, each map can have one or more cartographic
legend windows containing the frames of your choice. Additionally, you can customize the
text and style of the information presented. Modifications to the legend can be made
through shortcut menus you access by right-clicking in the legend window or through the
Legend menu. You can learn more about legends in Working with Legends in Chapter 9
on page 303.

Redistricting Windows are allow you to create groupings of spatial information. This is a
little more complex than these other options. For more information about redistricting
windows, see Redistricting Grouping Map Objects into Districts in Chapter 15 on
page 470.

Understanding Layers and Objects

Computer maps are organized into layers. Think of the layers as transparencies that are stacked
on top of one another. Each layer contains different aspects of the whole map.

What is a Layer?
In MapInfo Professional you begin by opening your table of data and displaying it in a Map window.
Each table displays as a separate layer. Each layer contains the table plus any map objects, such
as regions, points, lines, and text. Additionally, the layer contains style overrides and zoom
layering characteristics that you can add to give the layer more or less prominence in the Map
window.
For example, one layer may contain state boundaries, a second layer may have symbols that
represent capitals, a third layer might consist of text labels. By stacking these layers one on top of
the other, you begin to build a complete map. You can display one, two, or many tables at a time.

Map layers form the building blocks of maps in MapInfo Professional. Once you have created your
map of layers, you can customize the layers in a variety of ways, add and delete layers, or reorder
them.

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Map Objects as Part of Layers

We mentioned earlier that maps in MapInfo Professional are made up of layers of map objects.
There are five basic types of objects:

Regions: closed objects that cover a given area. These include polygons, ellipses, and
rectangles. For example, country boundaries, postal code boundaries, sales territories.

Point objects: represent single locations of data. For example, customer locations,
restaurants, parking meters. Points can also be combined into multipoint objects.

Line objects: open objects that cover a given distance. These include lines, polylines, and
arcs. Examples are streets, rivers, power lines.

Text objects: text that describes a map or another object, such as labels and titles.

Collection objects: combination of region, line, and multipoint objects.

You can have each type of object in a separate layer (most common), or you can combine objects
in the same layer. MapInfo Professional lets you create, edit, customize, and display these objects
to make maps that meet your needs.
For information about drawing and editing map objects, see Drawing and Editing Objects in
Chapter 7 on page 220.

Managing a Maps Layers

The key to controlling your map layers is the Layer Control dialog box. The dialog box shows all
the layers that make up the current Map window and the status of the layer attributes. These
attributes are: visible, editable, selectable, and auto label. The icons above each check box
column represent the attributes. ToolTips display over the attribute icons when you move your
cursor over them to help familiarize yourself with each icon. It is easy to change a layers, or
multiple layers, attributes using the check boxes.
You also have options available to change the Display and Label settings; modify any thematic
maps you have displayed; and reorder, add, or remove layers.

Accessing Layer Control

To access the Layer Control dialog box:
1. In the Map window, do one of the following:

On the MAP menu, click LAYER CONTROL

Click LAYER CONTROL

in the Main toolbar.

Layer Control enables you to manipulate the layers and their attributes to control the map
display.

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Check these
boxes to display
a layer

Check these
boxes to label a
layer
automatically

Check these
boxes to make
a layer
selectable

Check these
boxes to make
a layer editable

2. When you have completed your selections and changes, click OK to display the changes
on the map.

Reordering Layers
Map layers display in the order that they are listed in the Layer Control dialog box, with the bottom
layer drawn first and the top layer (which is always the Cosmetic Layer) drawn last. It is important
to order your layers correctly.
For example, you have a layer of customer points and a layer of census tracts. If the layers are
incorrectly ordered in the Map window, MapInfo Professional might draw the customer points first
and then display the census tract layer second. Your points would be obscured by the census tract
layer.
You can reorder how layers are displayed in a Map window two ways.
To reorder the layers in a map:
1. Click

in the Main toolbar to display the Layer Control dialog box.

2. Do one of the following:

Select the layer or layers you want to reorder and use the UP and DOWN REORDER
buttons to position the layer(s) where you want them.
Click the layer or layers and drag it (or them) to the new position. When you use the
click and drag method, the cursor changes and as you move the cursor, a marker
displays indicating the layers new position.
If you cannot move a layer to a particular position (e.g., attempting to move a layer
above the Cosmetic layer), the cursor changes to a circle with a slash through it to let
you know that you cannot move the layer to the proposed position.

Note:

Since the Cosmetic layer is always the top layer, reordering has no effect on it.
You cannot move a layer above the Cosmetic layer.

3. To display the new layer order on the Map window, click OK.
Layer order is also important when you use the Select tool. The Select tool selects objects from the
topmost Selectable layer. If you have several objects at the same location, it is difficult to select the
exact one you want. You can reorder your layers in Layer Control so that the layer you want to
select from is the new topmost layer.

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MapInfo Professional does not allow you to control the front-to-back ordering of objects within a
single map layer. If you are editing a table, and you draw a line on top of a circle, the line might
appear in front of or behind the circle; you cannot control whether it is in the front or the back. You
can, however, control the front-to-back ordering of objects in a Layout window.
Note:

If you need to control the ordering of objects (e.g., you need to make sure that your lines
display on top of your regions), put the different object types in separate layers. Put your
line objects in one table, and put your region objects in another table. Then use the Layer
Control dialog box to order the layers.

Adding a Layer to the Map

You can add one layer to the current Map window at a time or use the multiselect functionality to
add new layers simultaneously.
Note:

You can only add layers from tables that are open. If you want to add a layer and you do
not see it in the list, make sure the table that contains that layer is open.

To add a new layer to the current Map window:

1. Click

in the Main toolbar to display the Layer Control dialog box.

2. Click the ADD button. A list of available layers displays.

3. Select the layers you want from the list, using the SHIFT key to select adjacent layers and
the CONTROL key to select nonadjacent layers.
4. Click OK to add the layers to the Layer list.
Drag the new layers to the appropriate position in the Layer Control list as necessary.
5. Click OK to display the new layers.

Removing a Layer from the Map

To remove a layer from the current Map window:
1. Click

in the Main toolbar to display the Layer Control dialog box.

2. Click the layer or layers you want to remove, using the SHIFT key to select adjacent layers
or the CONTROL key to select random layers.
3. Click the REMOVE button. MapInfo Professional removes the layers from the list.
4. Click OK in the Layer Control dialog box to redisplay the Map window without the removed
layers.
Display settings for each layer are available in the Display Options dialog box, discussed in the
next section.

Changing a Layers Display Options

The Display Options dialog box enables you to customize the display for each layer in a Map
window. For more about changing the look of data on your layers, see Changing a Maps Style in
Chapter 12 on page 375.
To change the display options of a layer:
1. Click

in the Main toolbar to display the Layer Control dialog box.

2. In Layer Control, do one of the following:

Select a layer and click the DISPLAY button.

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Double-click a layer.

Using either method, the Display Options dialog box displays.

Here, you can change the default styles for the layer, set the zoom at which a layer
displays, and show line direction, object nodes and centroids.
3. To make changes to the Style Override or the Zoom Layering options, select the check
boxes.
The Zoom Layering options allow you to determine zoom levels at which the selected
layer displays, so that the map layer displays only when the maps zoom level falls within
this preset distance.
For more about zoom layering, see Setting the Zoom Layering on page 92.
The Show options at the bottom of the Display Options dialog box, allow you to set the
way points, lines and regions display on the current layer. See Displaying the Lines,
Nodes, and Centroids on page 93 for more about these options.
4. When you make style override changes, click the STYLE button to display these options:

You can make changes to every aspect of the symbol styles in this layer.
5. Make your new selections in this box and click the OK button to return to the Display
Options.
6. In the Display Options dialog box, click OK to return to the Layer Control dialog box.
7. Click OK to see your changes on the Map window.

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Setting the Zoom Layering

Sometimes you want a map layer to display only at certain zoom levels. Zoom Layering controls
the display of a map layer so that it displays only when the maps zoom level falls within a preset
distance.

For example, you have a layer of streets and a layer of postal code boundaries. When you zoom
out past 10 or so miles, the streets look like a black smudge in the window. This is because the
zoom (window width) is too wide to show detailed street maps.
Use Zoom Layering to tell MapInfo Professional to display the street layer only when the zoom is
set to a distance that allows you to see the street detail properly, for instance, less than 5 miles.
The first map doesnt have zoom layering set for its street layer. At a zoom of 15 miles across,
notice how difficult it is to see any detail. The second map has zoom layering set to display the
streets when the zoom is less than five miles. Therefore, the streets layer does not display when
the window is set at 15 miles.
To set zoom layering:
1. Make the layer editable.
2. Open the Layer Control box and highlight the layer you want to set the zoom layering for.
3. Choose the DISPLAY button. The Display Options dialog box displays.
4. Click the DISPLAY WITHIN ZOOM RANGE box to activate the zoom distance boxes.
5. Specify a minimum and maximum distance within which you want the layer to display.
Note that you cannot change Display settings for more than one layer at a time.
Note:

If you have more than one layer selected, the Display, Label, and Thematic
options are unavailable.

6. Click OK to save your settings and click OK again to return to the map window.
You can display different layers in the same Map window at different zoom levels. For example,
you have a layer of streets, a layer of county boundaries, and a layer of state boundaries. You
want the streets layer to be visible only when the zoom level is less than eight miles. You want the

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county boundary layer to display when the zoom level falls between 20 miles and 200 miles. You
want the states boundary layer to be visible only when the zoom level is greater than 100 miles.
You can set a different zoom level for every layer in your Map window.
Note:

When you add an object, a region, a line or a polyline in the Map window and zoom out
beyond where the zoom layer would permit you to see that feature, MapInfo Professional
turns off zoom layering so you can continue to see what you are working on. When you
complete the add process, a message displays asking you if you want to leave zoom
layering off (so you will still be able to see the feature). If you answer CANCEL, MapInfo
Professional cancels the zoom layering. If you answer OK, you need to adjust your zoom
settings to see this feature again.

Displaying the Lines, Nodes, and Centroids

The Display Options dialog box also allows you to display line directions, nodes, and object
centroids. Check the Show Line Direction box whenever you want to show in what direction line
objects are drawn. Check the Show Nodes box to display the nodes of objects in a layer. This is
helpful for many editing procedures.
The Show Centroids box displays the centroids of each object in a layer. In MapInfo Professional,
a regions centroid does not represent its center of mass. Instead, the centroid represents the
location used for automatic labeling, geocoding, and placement of thematic pie and bar charts. If
you edit a map in Reshape mode, you can reposition region centroids by dragging them.

Changing a Layers Labeling Options

The Label Options dialog box enables you to customize the automatic labeling for each layer you
select.
To change the label options of a layer:
1. Click

in the Main toolbar to display the Layer Control dialog box.

2. In Layer Control, select a layer and click the Label button. The Label Options dialog box
displays.

Use the options in this window to customize the labels for the selected layer on your map.
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3. Make your changes in this dialog box and click OK to return to the Layer Control dialog
box.

You can select a new autolabel for this layer from the Label with drop down list.
You can set the visibility options for the labels in this layer based on zoom criteria, and
allow/disallow label duplication, label overlap, and partial labeling of objects. You can
even set a maximum number of labels.
You can set the label styles in the Styles box.
You can determine the labels position relative to the object/line in the Position box.

4. In the Layer Control dialog box, click OK to display these label changes in the Map
window.

Understanding the Cosmetic Layer

Every Map window in MapInfo Professional has a Cosmetic Layer. Think of the Cosmetic Layer as
the blank transparency that lies on top of the other map layers (transparencies). It can store map
titles and other graphic objects you create during a work session. The Cosmetic Layer is always
the top layer of the map. You cannot remove the Cosmetic Layer, nor reorder it.

You can only make the Cosmetic Layer editable or selectable. Other Layer Control options
(labeling, zoom layering, display mode) are not available for the Cosmetic Layer. To select fill
patterns, line types, symbols, and text font for the Cosmetic Layer, use the Line Style, Region
Style, Symbol Style and Text Style commands from the Options menu. When the Cosmetic Layer
is editable, you can access the style options from the Drawing Toolbar.
The contents of the Cosmetic Layer are linked proportionally to the map. Map objects (except for
symbols) and text in the Cosmetic Layer are proportionally linked to the zoom level of the map. If
you draw objects in the Cosmetic Layer and then change the maps zoom from 30 to 100 miles,
the size of the objects will appear smaller.

Removing Cosmetic Objects

To clear objects from the Cosmetic Layer:

On the MAP menu, click CLEAR COSMETIC LAYER.

Saving Cosmetic Objects

When you close a Map window, MapInfo Professional does not save the objects in the Cosmetic
Layer automatically. To save objects drawn on the Cosmetic Layer, you must either save the table
to a workspace or to a table.

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When you close a table without saving the Cosmetic objects first, MapInfo Professional prompts
you with the Save Map Objects dialog box to encourage you to do so. You can turn this prompt off
in Map Window Preferences.
To save the objects in the Cosmetic Layer to a table:
1. Click the CLOSE button in the upper right hand corner of the table. The Save Map Objects
dialog box displays.

2. Click SAVE to display the Save Workspace dialog box.

3. Type the name of the workspace in the File name field and click SAVE.
You can also save the contents of the Cosmetic Layer to a table.
To save the objects in the Cosmetic Layer to a table:
1. On the MAP menu, click SAVE COSMETIC OBJECTS. The Save Cosmetic Objects dialog box
displays.

2. Select the layer to which you want the objects to be transferred from the drop-down list.
3. Click SAVE to save the table and transfer the objects to the new layer.

Making the Layers Editable

To make changes to the graphic objects in a layer, you must make the layer editable. You can draw
objects on that layer, add text, combine, or delete objects. You can only make one layer editable at
a time.
To make a layer editable:
1. Click

in the Main toolbar to display the Layer Control dialog box.

2. Place a check in the Editable column beside the layer you want to edit.
3. Click OK to return to the Map window.
You can also control the editability of the layer via the Status Bar at the bottom of your screen.
To change the editable layer from the Status Bar:
1. Click the Editing box to display a list of the layers used in the Map window.

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2. Choose the layer you want to make editable. Its name displays in the Status Bar.
3. To deactivate editability for all the layers, choose NONE.

How to Make a Read-Only Table Editable

If you are working with tables that were opened from Excel, Lotus, or ASCII files, you may have
noticed that they come in as read-only tables. Because the files are not in native MapInfo
Professional formats or standard DBF format, MapInfo Professional is unable to edit the tabular
information contained in these tables.
If you wish to modify the table information, you must save a copy of the table.
1. With your table opened, On the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS. In this example, we will
save a copy of an Excel file named Sites.

2. Choose a new name for the file.

3. Click SAVE. There is now a copy of the Excel file saved in MapInfo Professional native
format. Open the new file, and you will have full edit capabilities.

Selecting Objects in a Layer

If you only want to select objects for further analysis rather than edit the objects, make the layer
selectable. More than one layer can be selectable at a time. If a layer is editable, it is automatically
selectable.
The Select tool selects objects from the topmost Selectable layer. To select an object that is not in
the top Selectable layer, you can turn off the Selectable option in Layer Control for every layer
above the layer you want to select from. Using the multi-select functionality, you can do this in just
a few steps. Select the layers, and select a Selectable check box for one of the layers. The
Selectable attribute is cleared for the selected layers. As an alternative, you can leave all layers
Selectable and use the CTRL key in combination with the Select tool to cycle through each
Selectable layer.
To make a layer selectable:
1. Click

in the Main toolbar to display the Layer Control dialog box.

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2. Place a check in the Selectable column beside the layer in which you want to make
selections.
3. Click OK to return to the Map window.
To make more than one layer at a time selectable, select the layers you want, and select the
Selectable check box for one of the layers.
For example, if you want to find all customers who live within a fifty kilometers radius of Paris,
make the Street layer selectable. If the map also includes a layer of hospitals (which you do not
want to include in the radius search), turn off the Selectable option for the hospital layer.
Keep in mind that the Editable or Selectable options only apply to the Map window itself. You can
always select objects using the Select or SQL Select commands regardless of whether a layer is
selectable.

Getting Layer Information

You can use the Info tool to get information pertaining to the map layer.
To get information about an object in a particular layer:
1. Make sure the layer you want information about is the selectable layer.
2. Click Info
Note:

in the Main toolbar and click the object you want information about.

If the information that displays is not what you were looking for, check to see that
the layer you are interested in getting data for is selected.

Using either method, the Info box displays.

When you click a map location using the Info tool where two or more selectable map objects
overlap, the data tied to the objects on each layer display in the Info tool window. If you do not want
the information for all layers to display, turn off Selectable for those layers in the Layer Control
dialog box.
You can also view an objects label expression in an InfoTip when you use the Select, Info, or
Label tools. InfoTips work very much like ToolTips. Using one of these tools, place your cursor over
an object. An InfoTip displays the label expression for the object in the topmost selectable layer. To
set InfoTips for a particular layer, adjust the Selectable attribute in the Layer Control dialog box so

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that the Tips display for the layer you want. InfoTips are active by default, but you can turn them off
in the Map window preferences (on the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click MAP
WINDOW).

Working with Thematic Layers

When you create a thematic map in MapInfo Professional, the thematic shading is added to your
map as a separate layer. It is drawn on top of the layer, from which it gets the raw data.
Separating a thematic layers from its base layer provides you with several important options:

Graduated symbol thematic maps do not require that your base layer contain point
objects. Instead, graduated symbol objects are built regardless of the map object type.
Therefore, even if your base layer contains region or line objects, you will still be able to
create a graduated symbols map.

You can have multiple thematic layers per base layer. In some cases, you do not have to
add another base layer to the map to create another thematic layer. You can display more
than one thematic layer at a time, as well as perform bivariate thematic mapping.

You can use Layer Control to turn the display on or off for a given thematic layer. The layer
it is based on can continue to display. You can also set individual zoom layers on thematic
maps.

Ordering of Thematic Layers

To display thematic layers properly, they must be in a specific order. This is especially important
when you want to display more than one thematic layer at a time. For example, you would want pie
or bar charts for an area map to display on top of regions that are shaded in order to see them.
The following lists the order of map layers from top to bottom (note that map layers are drawn from
the bottom up):
1. Pies, Bars, or Graduated Symbol thematic layer.
2. Dot Density thematic layer.
3. Ranged thematic layer where Color or Size Attributes are applied.
4. Ranged (or Individual Value) thematic layer where All Attributes are applied.
5. Major layer or base layer.
6. Grid thematic layer.
When you create a new thematic layer, MapInfo Professional automatically inserts it into its proper
place.

Displaying Thematic Layers

You can turn the display on and off for thematic layers the same way you can for other map layers.
All the display settings in Layer Control are also applicable to thematic layers, enabling you to set
a zoom level for each thematic layer. You can also access the Modify Thematic Layer dialog box
through Layer Control by clicking the Thematic button.
Thematic layers are always drawn after their base layer. Therefore, they appear above their base
layer in the Layer Control list, and are indented to distinguish them from other map layers.

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Thematic layers are displayed in the list with this naming convention:
<Thematic type> with/by <variable-list>

The variable list is truncated if there is not enough room to display each variable used in your
thematic analysis.
For more information about thematic mapping, see Using Thematic Mapping to Analyze
Information on page 281.

Working with Raster and Grid Layers in Layer Control

A raster image is a computerized picture. If you have a raster image file, you can overlay additional
MapInfo Professional data, such as street maps and customer locations, on top of the image.
Raster images consist of rows of tiny dots (pixels) which are sometimes known as bitmaps. In
contrast, objects in vector images contain coordinate-based data structures represented by x and
y coordinates (most of MapInfo Professionals data is in vector format).

Displaying a Raster Image

To open a raster image:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN to display the Open dialog box.
2. Select RASTER IMAGE in the Files of type drop-down list.
3. Navigate to the directory in which your raster image is located and click the file you want to
open.
4. Click OPEN to display the MapInfo (Display or Register) dialog box.

If you are going to work with the raster image, you need to register it and specify a
projection within which to work. For a complete definition of registration and projection,
see Registration on page 616 and Projection on page 615 in the Glossary.
5. Do one of the following:

Click DISPLAY to simply display the raster image.

Click REGISTER to set up registration points for the raster image. For details on
registering the raster image, see Registering Raster Images in Chapter 13 on
page 422.

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Changing the Display of a Raster Image

Raster images can also be layers in MapInfo Professional. They appear in the Layer Control dialog
box just like any other layer. You can change the display style of a raster layer within the Layer
Control dialog box.
To change the display of a raster layer:
1. Click

in the Main toolbar to display the Layer Control dialog box.

2. Highlight the raster layer in the Layer list and click the DISPLAY button.
3. In the Display Options dialog box, select the STYLE OVERRIDE check box and click the
STYLE button. The Adjust Image Styles dialog box displays, where you can make changes
to the transparency, brightness, contrast, and translucency settings.
4. Click OK to save your changes.

In MapInfo Professional, raster images are used as display layers only. They cannot have any data
attached to them like vector map images. Raster images are particularly well-suited for use as a
backdrop for vector map layers because they provide a much greater level of detail than vector
maps. For more information about raster image files, see Registering Raster Images in
Chapter 13 on page 422.

Working with Seamless Layers

Use or create a seamless map layer to treat a group of base tables as if they were one. A
seamless layer allows you to change display attributes, apply or change labeling or use the Layer
control dialog box for an entire group of tables at once. You can also retrieve information using the
Info tool, and select or browse any one of the layers base tables. A base table can be any regular
MapInfo Professional table. Grid layers cannot be made seamless.
This feature is especially useful when you want to display a vector or raster backdrop for your
maps such as joining street or boundary maps. For example, you may have a seamless layer of
county boundaries made up of several individual county tables.

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Opening a Seamless Map Layer

MapInfo Professional includes sample seamless maps or you can create your own. Well display a
sample seamless map:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN.
2. From the mapinfo\data\USA\DC\seamless directory, choose DCWATER.
The following seamless map layer of water areas in Washington DC displays.

Notice at first glance that the seamless layer looks like any other MapInfo Professional table.
However, the DCMETROW seamless map layer is made up of the following base tables:

VAARLIW.tab Arlington Virginia water areas.

VAALEXW.tab Alexandria Virginia water areas.

DCWASHW.tab Washington DC water areas.

The structure of each seamless layer includes the path name of each base table plus a description
that defaults to the table name (alias). To view the table structure, turn the seamless layer off and
display the seamless table in a browser. Refer to Turning the Seamless Layer On and Off.
Other sample seamless tables include DC_WATER and are in the mapinfo\data\USA\ seamless
directory.

Characteristics of a Seamless Layer

Since a seamless layer is actually made up of several base tables, MapInfo Professional does
treat it a little differently than a regular MapInfo Professional table. You can use the following
MapInfo Professional features with a seamless map layer:

Layer Control. Use any of the functions except Thematic Mapping from the Layer control
dialog box on your seamless layer. Add, Remove, or Reorder layers or set Display, Zoom
Layering or Label options for the seamless layer (all base tables) at one time. However,
you cannot make a seamless layer editable.

Info Tool. Retrieve information about a particular object in a base table.

Select Tools. Select objects from the seamless layer. You can only select a group of
objects if they reside in the same base table. Press the Shift key while clicking the Select
Tool to do so. If you attempt to select several objects that reside in different base tables,
MapInfo Professional will only select objects in one base table. If you use the Marquee or

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Radius select tools and the selected area spreads across two different base tables,
MapInfo Professional selects the objects in the center of the circle or polygon.

Browse Table. Display a Browser window of a particular seamless table. You will be
prompted to select a base table.

Creating/Compiling a Seamless Layer

To create your own seamless layer, run the Seamless Table Manager. Your seamless layer will be
most useful if you use homogeneous tables that ideally have the same projection and the same
number of columns. For example, you may want your seamless layer to contain several counties,
each stored in a separate base table, or an interstate highway that runs between several states,
each stored in a separate base table. If your tables are not homogeneous, maps and labels will not
display correctly and map items will not be selectable. Grid tables cannot be made seamless.
To use the Seamless Manager:
1. On the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER.
2. Check the LOADED box next to the Seamless Table Manager tool.
3. Click OK. The Seamless Table Manager tool is added to the TOOLS menu.
You use the tools of the Seamless Manager to create and compile a seamless layer.

Experimenting with a Seamless Layer

With the DCWATER seamless layer displayed, click the LAYER CONTROL button. The Layer
Control dialog box displays.

Notice the seamless layer is referred to by one name, DCWATER, in the Layer Control dialog box.
You can add, remove or reorder seamless layers as if they were a conventional MapInfo
Professional layer. You can also set Label and Display options for all the tables in the seamless
layer as if they were one table. Notice the editable option for the seamless layer is grayed.
Choose your seamless layer and experiment with order, display and labeling options.
To retrieve information from a seamless layer:
1. From the Main Toolbar, click the INFO tool.
2. Click the object for which you want information.

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The Info Tool Window displays. It contains the information about the object you selected
including the name of the base table in which it is stored.
To browse the seamless layer:
1. On the WINDOW menu, click NEW BROWSER WINDOW. The Browse Table dialog box
displays.

2. Select a layer (table) from the list and click OK. The Select Base Table dialog box
displays.

3. Type the name of the base table you want to browse. We typed XX to indicate an unknown
table. A Browser window with the base table you selected displays. If a base table
matching your description is not found, a list of possibilities displays.
Keep in mind, base tables are treated like any other MapInfo Professional tables. Once a
base table from a seamless table is browsed, it will be opened as any other regular
MapInfo Professional table.
4. To select a base table from the list, highlight it and click OK.

Specifying Search Paths for Component Tables of Seamless Layers

You can set search paths that MapInfo Professional will use to look for the component tables of a
seamless layer.
To set the search path for the component tables of a seamless layer:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, click PREFERENCES and click the DIRECTORIES button. The
Directory Preferences dialog box displays.
2. In the Search Directories for Tables group, click ADD.
3. Specify a drive and directory in the Choose Directory dialog box and click OK.

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You can set up to four paths. Use the UP and DOWN keys to change the search order and
use the ADD and REMOVE buttons to add or remove paths from the list.
4. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.

Turning Seamless Layers On and Off

If you need to edit the structure of your seamless layer, youll need to turn your seamless layer off.
To turn your seamless layer off:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, click SHOW MAPBASIC WINDOW to display the MapBasic Window.
2. Type: set table tablename seamless off
MapInfo Professional turns off the seamless layer. Display the table in a browser to view
or edit its table structure. Use the Seamless Table Manager to add or create seamless
tables.
To turn the seamless layer on:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, click SHOW MAPBASIC WINDOW. The MapBasic Window displays.
2. Type: set table tablename seamless on
MapInfo Professional turns the seamless layer on again.

Saving and Exporting Your Work

Preserving your work is an important part of being productive. MapInfo Professional has a wide
variety of ways you can save what you are working on, depending upon what needs to be saved
and how you need to retrieve it.

Saving a Workspace
If you work with the same tables repeatedly, you know that opening each one individually every
time you use it can be tedious. With MapInfo Professionals workspace feature, you can automate
this process so you can get back to the business of creating maps and analyzing data sooner.
When you work with MapInfo Professional you generally use many different tables and windows. A
Map window, for instance, is likely to be built of several layers. MapInfo Professional uses
workspaces to save your work setup from session to session. Workspaces prevent you from
having to reassemble all the pieces of your earlier setup from scratch. So, you dont have to
reopen tables, re-create maps or layouts, resize windows, or do anything else just to duplicate
what was on your desktop the last time you were using MapInfo Professional.
To save your current work setup:
1. On the FILE menu, click SAVE WORKSPACE. MapInfo Professional displays the Save
Workspace dialog box in which you name the workspace and set the directory to which it
should be saved.
2. Once you have entered the file name and selected the directory to which you want to save
this workspace, click SAVE.

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When you start your next session, you can open this workspace right from the Quick Start
dialog box and continue where you left off.
You can change the directory path that MapInfo Professional uses for opening or saving
workspaces in Directories preferences.
To change the directory path for opening/saving workspaces:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, click PREFERENCES and select the DIRECTORIES button.
2. In the Directory Preferences dialog box, click the WORKSPACES path in the Initial
Directories for File Dialogs group, and do one of the following:

Click MODIFY
Double-click the path

Using either method, the Choose Directory dialog box displays.

3. Select the path you want to use, and click OK.
If you have edited a table (added, deleted, or modified items) you must explicitly save those
changes first using SAVE AS or SAVE commands in the FILE menu.
CAUTION:

Saving a workspace will not save edits you have made to tables in the
workspace.

If you close a window or table and you have thematic maps, graphs, label settings or label edits, or
cosmetic objects pending, MapInfo Professional will prompt you to save the session to a
workspace.

Closing a Table
Closing a table removes it from active use in your current session. Choose the CLOSE command
from the FILE menu to close tables. When you close a table, you automatically close all views of
that table. If you close a table that is displayed in a Map window with other tables, MapInfo
Professional removes that table from the window, but the Map window remains open.
In addition, any subset tables of the original table (known as query tables) also close. You can use
the Close command for any table, whether or not it is displayed in a window.
Opening and closing tables is different from opening and closing windows in which you view your
tables. You can open a table without opening any views of the data. Similarly, closing a window
does not close the table (or tables) you are viewing in the window. They are still open and available
for use. To close a window, click the Control-menu box in the upper-left corner of any window and
select CLOSE.
If you have made changes to a table but have not yet saved those changes, MapInfo Professional
will ask you if you want to save them before closing the table. To save your changes, choose SAVE
TABLE from the FILE menu.

Saving a Table or Saving a Copy of a Table

To save changes to map objects or data, you must save the table. (On the FILE menu, click SAVE
TABLE.) A dialog box displays asking you to choose which table you want to save.

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You can also save a copy of the table under a new name, using SAVE COPY AS. This, in essence,
creates a new table. This is helpful in several instances:

When you want to retain any changes while preserving the original table.

When you want to save a table with a temporary column (from Update Column).

When you want to create a new table before you make editing changes to the original
table.

When saving spreadsheet files that you wish to modify in MapInfo Professional.

When you want to save a table in a different projection.

To save a copy of the table:

1. On the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS. The Save Copy of Table dialog box displays.
2. Choose the file to save and click OK.
3. Give the file a new name.
The original table remains unchanged and open for all further changes. The new table does not
open immediately after its creation, but can be opened for use at any time.
When choosing a name for your new table that begins with a number, MapInfo Professional adds
an underscore to the beginning of the table name. For instance, your table 1STREETS.tab. will
become _1STREETS.tab.
Saving a copy of a raster table only saves a copy of the *.tab file, not the image. You cannot
change the projection of a raster or grid table using SAVE COPY AS. To do this go to the TABLE
menu, point to RASTER and click MODIFY IMAGE REGISTRATION and click the PROJECTION button.
Then save the file from there.
Since MapInfo Professional supports long filenames, it is easier to give the new table a name that
is descriptive and at the same time distinguishes it from the original file.
Note:

MapInfo Professional does not maintain some objects when saving a copy of a version 3.0
table in version 2.x format. These objects include multiple polyline objects and polygons/
polylines containing more than 8,000 nodes. In addition, region objects containing donut
objects, while maintained, are handled differently in MapInfo 2.x.

Exporting Your Data to a New Format

You can export your Map window to other file formats with the Save Window As command (on the
FILE menu, click SAVE WINDOW AS). This enables you to use your map in another application, such
as word processing, presentation, or computer publishing packages.

Supported Export Formats

MapInfo Professional enables you to save to a number of formats. Windows Bitmap is the initial
default. The Save Window to File dialog box sets the last-used format as the default. The
supported formats are:

Windows Bitmap (*.BMP)

Windows Metafile (*.WMF)

Windows Enhanced Metafile (*.EMF)

JPEG File Interchange Format (*.JPG)

JPEG 2000 (*.JP2)

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Portable Network Graphics Format (*PNG)

Tagged Image File Format (*TIF)

TIFF CMYK (*.TIF)

Photoshop 3.0 (*.PSD)

To export a file:
1. On the FILE menu, click SAVE WINDOW AS. The Save Window to File displays.

2. Type a name for this file and select the file format you want to export to in the Save as type
drop-down list. Click SAVE. The Save Window As dialog box displays.

3. Specify the image size settings. You can keep the image the same size as the window or
choose a custom size. If you choose CUSTOM, also make any desired changes to the width
and height of the image. You can make these changes in inches or in pixels.
If you are exporting a simple map or layout that does not contain raster or grid images, or
any transparent fill patterns, you may be able to bypass the advanced settings.
Note:

If you are saving the window to a raster format, select a resolution for the image.
Metafile formats do not use the resolution option (WMF, EMF files).

4. Click the ADVANCED button to display the Advanced Exporting Options dialog box. See
Understanding the Advanced Exporting Options on page 108 for details about these
options.

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If you would like to include a border for your exported file, though, be sure to select the
Export Border check box.
5. Complete the dialog box according to information in the following section, and click OK.

Understanding the Advanced Exporting Options

The Advanced Exporting Options dialog box settings allow you to apply the color, transparency,
and border handling that are available for printed maps to your exported files.
Note:

Borders are not exported from Layout windows.

The settings are the same as in the Advanced Printing dialog box. See Advanced Printing
Options in Chapter 4 on page 171 for a complete description.

Export Border
Select this check box to include a black border on images you are exporting. Clear this check box
to export the image without a border. This check box is selected by default.

Internal Handling for Transparent Vector Fills and Symbols

Special programming has been added to handle transparent fill patterns and bitmaps for vector
images when exporting. Select this check box to use this functionality or clear it to let the printer or
Windows export functions to handle this. This check box is selected by default.

Use ROP Method to Display Transparent Raster

Select this check box to allow the internal ROP (Raster Overlay by Pixel) to manage the
transparent pixel display in raster images. Since the ROP Method is largely a display method, not
all export programs can use it. We recommend that you either check with the manufacturer before
using this option or try a few test exports to get the results you want. This check box is cleared by
default.

Export Raster in True Color When Possible

Select this check box to print and export your 24-bit raster or grid file images in true color (make
sure your printer settings are set to greater than 256 colors). Clear this check box if you are not
working with a color printer. This check box is selected by default.
Note:

You can select dither method options in the display, printing, and exporting dialog boxes.

Overriding the default settings also works the same way. As with the advanced printing options,
the options that are selected when you initially display the Advanced Exporting Options dialog box
are the default settings, which are set in the Output preferences. The Advanced Exporting Options
dialog box enables you to override the default export settings for individual file export operations.
To actually change the default export settings, you must go to the Output preferences (on the
OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click OUTPUT) and change the settings there. See
Setting your Output Setting Preferences in Chapter 2 on page 59 for more information.
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Using the Tools in the Tool Manager

MapInfo Professional contains many additional tools that simplify mapping tasks, convert MapInfo
Professional files to different file formats and vice versa, automate tasks for working with DBMS
tables, and more. The Tool Manager helps you run and manage these many utilities easily.
Use the Tool Manger to run, add, edit, or remove tools from the currently registered list of tools in
the Tools menu. You can also configure a tool to run automatically upon startup. If you performed a
Custom installation, you may have elected to not install the tools. In this case when you open the
Tool Manager dialog box, the list box will be empty (on the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER).

What are the MapInfo Professional Tools?

AutoLabeler Use this tool to place text object style labels in the Cosmetic Layer of the active
Map window.
CoordSys Bounds Manager Use this tool to check and set the coordinate system bounds for
mappable MapInfo Professional base tables.
Concentric Ring Buffer Use this tool to create concentric ring buffers around one or more map
objects. The tool also computes aggregated values for underlying data that occur within each ring.
Therefore, it can be used to count how many customers occur within each ring and their total
sales. You can graph the results.
Coordinate Extractor Use this tool to extract x, y coordinates for each record in your table using
any projection in the MAPINFOW.PRJ file and places them in designated columns.
Create Line by Length (Cogoline) Use this tool to draw lines of a specific length and angle in
the editable layer, or the Cosmetic Layer, if no editable layer is selected.
DBMS Catalog Use this tool to create a MapInfo Professional MapCatalog table in a remote
database. You need the catalog to download coordinate information to MapInfo Professional from
a remote database. This tool should be used by a qualified DBA.
DBMS Count Rows in Table Use this tool to update the MapCatalog entry of a table to the
correct number of rows.
DBMS SQL Builder Use this tool to connect to an SQL database server, build queries and
execute SQL statements. Additionally, issue queries to preview data and download query results
to a local MapInfo Professional table.
Degree Converter Use this tool to convert a column of data containing DMS coordinates to
Decimal Decimals and Decimal Degrees to degrees/minutes/seconds.
Disperse Points Use this tool to disperse points located at the same position. Points can be
dispersed systematically or randomly.
EasyLoader Use this tool to upload MapInfo .tab files into remote databases.
Grid Maker Use this tool to draw a grid of longitude/latitude lines on your map, i.e., a graticule.

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Grid Tools Use these tools to create a MapInfo Professional native grid file from a table of
points, convert grids from any format that MapInfo Professional can read into MapInfo Professional
grid format (.MIG), and display x, y, and z coordinates, and row and column, of the grid you
selected.
HTML Image Map Use this tool to create an HTML image map from a MapInfo Professional Map
window for use in a Web page.
Labeler Use this tool to transfer layers labels into permanent text objects, label current
selection, and make individual labels created with the Label tool into permanent text objects.
Legend Manager Use this tool to take control of how MapInfo Professional displays Legend
windows. Includes the ability to have multiple Legend windows open, and associate each legend
with a specific Map window.
Mapping Wizard Tool Use this tool to open data, maps, perform analysis, and generate output
using a wizard. This tool is set to load automatically when you start MapInfo Professional.
MapX Geoset Tool Use this tool to read a MapX Geoset into a MapInfo Professional
Professional Map window, and write a MapX Geoset from the contents of the MapInfo Professional
Map window.
MDBLauncher Use this tool to launch the MapInfo Professional Metadata Browser.
Named Views Use this tool to save a Map windows current zoom and center as a named view.
Return to that view by selecting the view name from a dialog box.
North Arrow Use this tool to add a North Arrow to a Map or Layout window in various styles,
and, optionally, add a Magnetic Declination Arrow. Use the North Arrow tool to designate in which
corner to position the North Arrow, or use the North Arrow button on the Tools Toolbar to draw a
rectangle and place the North Arrow at the specified location.
Overview Use this tool to open a new Map window to provide an overview of another Map
window.
Register Vector This tool allows you to put control points into a vector image and reference
points into a Map window and then performs an affine transformation to line them up.
Rotate Labels Use this tool to rotate all the labels in a map layer at once.
Rotate Map Window Use this tool to rotate the contents of the current Map window a specific
number of degrees. It calculates and sets an Affine transformation for the Map window.
Rotate Symbols Use this tool to rotate all the symbols in a map layer at once.
ScaleBar Use this tool to create a custom distance scalebar to annotate a Map window. This tool
can also be used in Layout windows.
Seamless Table Manager Use this tool to create and manage seamless map sheets.
Search and Replace Use this tool to search a character column for a specific string and replace
it with another string.
Send to MapX Mobile Use this tool to write a custom MapX geoset and associated .tab files to
create a user-defined subset of a map windows background data for display on a mobile device.

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Set the Minimum Bounding Rectangle Tool Use this tool to set the Minimum Bounding
Rectangle for ODBC live access based tables.
Shields Use this tool to draw decorative frames around text objects.
Spatialize SQLServer Table Use this tool to accommodate spatial data in an existing SQL table.
Symbol Maker Use this tool to create, edit, and delete MapInfo Professional symbols. These
symbols become part of the standard MapInfo Professional symbol set.
Table Manager Use this tool to get information about all currently open tables, including table
metadata.
TOC Tool Use this tool to build a seamless table of all the files listed in a TOC file and create one
or more seamless tables, grouped by zone and resolution.
Universal Translator Use this tool to import and export MapInfo Professional data to and from
other popular mapping files formats. This tool is set to load automatically when you start MapInfo
Professional.
Window Manager Use this tool to assign the title of Map, Browser, Graph, Layout, and
Redistricter window and the default table view. The Set Default View option allows you to select a
layer from an open map window and make the default zoom and center settings for the layer's
base table match those of the map window. The default center and zoom settings are written to the
table's .MAP file.
Workspace Packager Use this tool to create a copy of a workspace in a new location or folder,
and copies all the data referenced by the workspace to the same location. MapInfo Professional
updates the internal references in the workspace and .tab files to point only to the "packaged"
copies of the data, so you can open the new workspace no matter where the folder is moved or
copied, even if the folder is moved or copied to a different computer.

Accessing and Loading the Tool Manager Tools

To access the Tool Manager Tools and load tools:
1. On the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER from the main menu. The Tool Manager dialog
box displays.

2. To load a tool in this list, select the check box beside it in the Loaded column.

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Select the check box in the Autoload column to load this tool each time you open the
application.
To unload a tool in this list, clear the check box beside it.
3. Click OK to save your changes.

Adding (Registering) a Tool in the Tool Manager

To add a tool to the Tool Manager:
1. On the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER to display the Tool Manager dialog box.
2. Click the ADD TOOL button. The Add Tool dialog box displays.

Click here
to locate
the tool
directory.

3. Navigate to the Tools directory by clicking the

button beside the Location field. The
location of this directory depends upon your installation selections but in general the path
is:
c:\Program Files\MapInfo\Professional\Tools

A list of tools displays.

4. Find the tool you want to register, select it, and click OPEN. The Add Tool dialog box
redisplays with the path of the tool you selected in the Location field.
5. Type a title for this tool in the TITLE field and a description of this tool in the DESCRIPTION
field. We recommend that you make the description as meaningful as possible for others
that may also need to use this tool.
6. Click OK to add the tool to the Tool Manager list. The Tool Manager dialog box redisplays.
The tool you just added displays in the Tool Manager dialog box and be available from the
Tools menu.

Editing the Tool Title and Description

You can change the title of the tool and the description assigned to it using the Edit Tool button.
Changing the title of the tool affects its position in the Tool Manager list because these entries are
sorted alphabetically. However, it does not affect the order of the tool in the Tool menu list.
To edit the tool title and description:
1. On the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER to display the Tool Manager dialog box.
2. Click the EDIT TOOL button. The Tool Definition dialog box displays.
3. Type over the current title or description entry as desired and click OK.

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4. When you return to the Tool Manager dialog box, make sure you have selected the
appropriate LOADED and AUTOLOAD options for this tool and click OK to save your
changes.

Removing a Tool from the Tool Manager

You may not need all of the tools you have access to in the Tool Manager so you can use the
Remove Tool option to remove it from the list. Keep in mind that removing a tool does not delete
the tool or any files associated with the tool, just removes it from the list and the menu.
To remove a tool from the Tool Manager:
1. On the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER to display the Tool Manager dialog box.
2. Click the tool you want to remove to highlight it.
3. Click the REMOVE TOOL button. The Unregister Selected Tool dialog box displays.
4. Click OK to remove the tool from the list. The Tool Manager dialog box displays.
5. Click OK to confirm your removal.

Using the Tools Toolbar

For an on-screen button description, click and hold the mouse button down to display a button
description in the StatusBar. Additionally, use ToolTips, text that describes the behavior of a button
on a Toolbar. ToolTips display as the mouse tracks over a button. The text continues to display
until an action is performed. For information on hiding/displaying the Tools toolbar, and accessing
ToolTips, see Toolbars.
To choose an action from the Tools Toolbar:

Click the appropriate button. The button is highlighted.

Run MapBasic Program

Access the Run MapBasic Program dialog box.

Show MapBasic Window

Display or hide the MapBasic window.

Run Mapping Wizard

Tool

New to mapping? Run the Mapping Wizard to introduce you to

mapping concepts and the power of MapInfo.

Launch MetaData
Browser

Use the MapInfo MetaData Browser to search data clearinghouse Web sites for data products that meet your geographic
analysis needs.

North Arrow

Launches the North Arrow tool that has been loaded from the
Tool Manager. Use this tool to designate where the North
Arrow should
display. Click this button to draw a rectangle in which the North
Arrow will be placed.

For a full button description, see the appropriate button entry.

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Autoscrolling
When you use a tool in the Map or Layout window, the window scrolls if you drag the tool outside
of the window boundaries. The window will continue to scroll until you release the mouse or move
the cursor back into the window.
Press ESC to stop scrolling; the tool remains active.
To cancel the tool, press ESC after the scrolling has stopped. Autoscrolling works with any tool that
can be dragged; it does not work with single-click tools, such as the Grabber or Info tools.

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Putting Your Data on the

Map

As we saw in Chapter 3: Data - Where MapInfo Professional Begins, you can convert your existing data
to a format that MapInfo Professional can use to display it on a map. Now youre getting somewhere! But
how does MapInfo Professional know where to put the information on a map? That is the subject of this
section of the User Guide.

Sections in this Chapter:

How Do I Get My Data on the Map? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Geocoding - Assigning Coordinates to Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Create Points - Putting Latitude/Longitude Coordinates on a Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Displaying Your Data on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

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How Do I Get My Data on the Map?

There are three steps to putting your data on a map:

Creating a MapInfo .tab file from your data

Geocoding or creating points for the data

Displaying your points on a map

When Do I Geocode vs. Create Points?

There are two processes that MapInfo Professional uses to identify and plot your data on a map.
During Geocoding, MapInfo Professional reads data such as street data, postal code data, and
other non-coordinate information from your database and matches it against street or postal code
information on a MapInfo data table. During the Create Points process, MapInfo Professional
reads X and Y coordinate data (such as longitude and latitude data from a Global Positioning
System) and plots data using those coordinates. Use the appropriate process to the type of data
you have collected.

For more about the geocoding process, see Geocoding - Assigning Coordinates to
Records on page 130.

For more about the create points process, see Create Points - Putting Latitude/
Longitude Coordinates on a Map on page 158.

Note:

If your data is in non-MapInfo format before you geocode or create points, you must
convert it before using either of these processes.

Creating a .tab File from your Data

The first step in using your data in MapInfo Professional is to create that .tab file from your data.
This process takes the data you have created (either a spreadsheet or database) and extracts the
information into a .tab file that MapInfo Professional can use. Your data remains in tact as we go
through this process. The process that MapInfo Professional uses depends upon the type of
format your data is in. You can create a MapInfo table of the following data file format types:

Microsoft Excel (.XLS)

Microsoft Access (.MDB)

d-Base (.DBF)

Lotus 123 (.WKS, WK1)

ASCII (.TXT)

RDBMS (Oracle, Informix, SQL Server)

XML (Web Map Service)

Note:

The process for creating a .tab file from ASCII data is called registering instead of
creating because we are actually making a series of pointers to the ASCII data. The
process is different but your resulting files behave the same way.

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Creating .tab Files from your Excel (.XLS) Data

You can create a .tab file from an Excel file that is up to 64K in size.
To create a .tab file from your Excel (.XLS) data:
1. In MapInfo Professional on the FILE menu, click OPEN to display the Open dialog box.
2. In the Files of Type list, select the format (.XLS), navigate to your data, and click OPEN.
3. Select the worksheet you want in your MapInfo data table. Make sure that this data
includes either postal codes or longitude/latitude coordinate values.
Note:

If there are column headings above each column in this worksheet, select the USE
ROW ABOVE SELECTED RANGE FOR COLUMN TITLES check box. Then, select
OTHER from the drop-down box and specify the cell range of the data you want to
include in the MapInfo Professional table.

4. Click OK to convert your selected data to a MapInfo table (.tab) format. Now that you have
converted your data, you can plot your data; see the next section to continue.

Creating .tab Files from your Access Data

To convert your Microsoft Access (.MDB) data into a MapInfo Professional table:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN to display the OPEN dialog box.
2. In the Files of Type list, select the format (.MDB), navigate to your data, and click OPEN.
3. Select the Access table you want to create the .tab file from and click OK.
4. We recommend you save your Access database to a temporary file so you can edit it as
necessary. To do this, on the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS and save your current
database with a new name. Then, on the FILE menu, click CLOSE TABLE and close the
original table. Finally, open the editable copy to continue.

Working with Access Data in MapInfo Professional

There is a wide range of work you can do with Microsoft Access files in MapInfo Professional. This
section covers that work.
Creating an Access Table in MapInfo Professional
To create an Access table in MapInfo Professional:
1. On the FILE menu, click NEW TABLE. The New Table dialog box displays.

2. Decide how you want to display the new table and select from the following check boxes.
You can choose more than one and MapInfo Professional will add the new windows
accordingly.

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OPEN NEW BROWSER Select this check box to display the new table as a Browser
window.
OPEN NEW MAPPER Select this check box to display the new table as a Map
window.
ADD TO CURRENT MAPPER Select this check box to add the new table to the current
Map window.

3. Decide the table structure you want for your new Access table. Select one of the following:

CREATE NEW Select this button to create a new table structure.

USING TABLE Select this button to create the new table based on the table structure
of an existing table. Select the table you want to copy from the drop-down list.

4. After you complete these selections, click CREATE. The New Table Structure dialog box
displays.
Note:

If you selected the USING TABLE button in the previous step, the fields in the table
you copied display in the New Table Structure list.

5. Do one of the following:

If you are adding an entirely new table, click the ADD FIELD button and add the fields
you want this table to contain. Continue to add fields until your table is complete.
If you are copying an existing table, click the ADD FIELD button to add fields, or
highlight a field you want to remove and click the REMOVE FIELD as appropriate.

7. In the Save in drop-down list, specify the location of the Access database. This is where
you will save the table.
8. Click the database you want to save the table in. The name displays in the File Name box.
To specify a new database, enter the name in the File name box.
9. Choose SAVE. The Save Access Table dialog box displays again.
If you chose an existing database, the name and version display in the dialog box. Any
tables already in the database are listed in the Existing Tables box.
If you specified a new database, select the database version from the Version drop-down
list. Choose either Access 2000 or Access 95/97.
10. If you want to use a different file name, enter the name in the Enter the name of the new
Access table box, and click OK. MapInfo Professional saves the table as a Microsoft
Access table in the database you specified.
Saving an Access Table as Another Access Table
This option is used to save an Access table to a different database. The process is similar to
saving a native MapInfo Professional table. Use the Save Copy of Table As dialog box to specify
the database path and name, then use the Save Access Table dialog box to specify the name of
the new table.
Limitations of Working Directly with Access Tables
The following limitations apply when working directly with Access tables:

There is no decimal data type support. If you modify the table structure of a Microsoft
Access table within MapInfo Professional and change a FLOAT type to a DECIMAL, the
type changes to FLOAT.

The MapBasic Pack Table statement will save a copy of the original Microsoft Access
table without columns that MapInfo Professional does not support. If a MS Access table
has a MEMO, OLE, or LONG BINARY type column, it will be lost during a pack.

Compact your database. Each time a table is renamed disk space is used up. The space
used up is the space the original table was taking up. MapInfo Professional renames the
table when the structure is altered and when the rename statement is issued. An Access
database may be compacted using the ODBC Administrator or Microsoft Access. To
compact a MS Access database using the ODBC Administrator, see the ODBC
Administrators online help for compact database. To compact a MS Access database
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using Microsoft Access, see Accesss online help for Compact a database to de-fragment
and free disk space.

MapInfo Professional can only use and create Access tables compatible with Microsoft
Access 95, 97, 2000, and XP.

Access recognizes Time in a Date/Time field. MapInfo Professional only recognizes

Dates. Therefore, any Time value is translated by MapInfo Professional to 12/30/1899.

Creating .tab Files from your dBase Data

When you convert your data to a MapInfo Professional table, you do not in any way change the
original data. MapInfo Professional simply creates a conversion table (.tab) of your data.
To open your dBase (.DBF) data into a MapInfo Professional table:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN to display the Open dialog box.
2. In the Files of Type list, select the format (.DBF), navigate to your data, and click OPEN.
3. Select the appropriate character set for your MapInfo data table. Windows U.S. and
Western Europe (ANSI) is the default option.
4. Click OK to convert your selected data to a MapInfo table (.tab) format.
5. On the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS to make an editable copy of your table. Then, on
the FILE menu, click CLOSE TABLE and close the original table. Finally open the editable
copy.

Creating .tab Files from your Lotus 1-2-3 Data

To open your Lotus (.WKS, WK1) data into a MapInfo Professional:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN to display the Open dialog box.
2. In the Files of Type list, select the format (.WK1, .WKS), navigate to your data, and click
OPEN.
3. Choose the worksheet you want to convert to a MapInfo data table.
Note:

4. Click OK to convert your data to MapInfo Professional table format.

Registering Your ASCII Data

When you are working with ASCII data in MapInfo Professional, you dont actually create the table
as you would in the other file formats we have discussed. MapInfo Professional registers your
ASCII table by creating a MapInfo (.tab) file that points to the fields in it.
Note:

Registering your data using MapInfo does not change the original data in any way.

If your delimited ASCII file has an extension other than .TXT (such as .ASC, .CSV, or .DAT, etc.),
rename a copy of the file to <FILENAME>.TXT before you begin.
To register your ASCII (.TXT) data:
1. Open the data file using Wordpad/Notepad (on the START menu, point to PROGRAMS and
click ACCESSORIES) or some other text editor. Check to see whether you have column
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headings and what delimiter (character that separates each piece of data from the next) is
used in the data file.
2. In MapInfo Professional, open FILE menu and click OPEN to display the Open dialog box.
3. In the Files of Type list, select the format (.TXT), navigate to your data, and click OPEN.
4. Choose the type of delimiter and the character set you want for your MapInfo data table.
Select the USE FIRST LINE FOR COLUMN TITLES check box if you have column headings.
5. Click OK to register your data in MapInfo Professional.
6. On the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS to make an editable copy of your table. Then, on
the FILE menu, click CLOSE TABLE and close the original table. Finally open the editable
copy.

Importing GML File Data into .tab Files

Many of our international customers want to display MasterMap GML files developed by the
Ordnance Survey of Great Britain (OSGB). Customers using versions 7.0 and 7.5 can display
these GML files using the Import command. In version 7.0, we provided support for some of the
Topography features (OSGB version 2.0), Topographic Area, Lines and Points, Cartographic
Symbols and Boundary Lines. In version 7.5, we maintain support for these features and add
support for Cartographic Text and Departed Features.
Currently, we support the OSGB recommended styles by mapping the style definitions to existing
MapInfo Professional styles. Where it is not possible to render complicated fill patterns, we use the
simple dot screen that the OSGB recommended to us. You cannot change the OSGB style
mapping to MapInfo styles.
To import GML data into a .tab file:
1. On the TABLE menu, click IMPORT and navigate to the folder containing your GML files.
2. In the FILES OF TYPE drop-down list, select the OS MasterMap (*.GML) option to display
the available GML files in the directory. Select the file you want to open and click OPEN.
The GML Import dialog box displays.

3. Click the SELECT GML LAYER TO IMPORT drop-down list to display the layer options.

Note:

When you select the DepartedFeature layer, MapInfo Professional imports only
the changed features of the selected layer.

4. Do one of the following:

Select the layer in the list you want to import.

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Select the ALL LAYERS option to import all of the layers and convert them to individual
.tab files.

MapInfo Professional 7.0 Users: You may only see the Topographic Area feature type in
this list.
MapInfo Professional 7.5 Users: You may notice that both the TopographicArea feature
type and the LandformArea feature type display in this list. You can choose to save each
of these feature types as a separate table as of this version.
For more about these layers and feature types and how MapInfo Professional handles the
Topographic Layer, see Understanding MapInfo Professionals Use of the
Topography Layer on page 126.
5. Choose the style you would like to use to display the GML file. Choose one of the
following:

Click USE GML STYLE to display the selected file using the OSGB GML styles
Click USE MAPINFO CURRENT STYLE to display the selected file using your currently
established styles. MapInfo Professional uses the current styles established in the
Region Styles dialog box.

6. After you have made these selections, click OK. One of these dialog boxes displays:

If you selected one layer in step 4, the Import to Table dialog box displays. Choose
the directory and file name you want for this file and click SAVE. MapInfo Professional
saves the file to this directory. Go to step 7 to continue.
If you selected ALL LAYERS in step 4, the Choose Directory dialog box displays.
Select the directory you want MapInfo Professional to place the new .tab files in and
click OK. A status box displays showing the progress as each layer is converted and
saved into a separate .tab file.

7. To open the GML files that are now .tab files, choose OPEN from the FILE menu and
navigate to the directory you specified.

Understanding MapInfo Professionals Use of the Topography Layer

OSGB MasterMaps Topographic Layer contains nine themes including roads, tracks and paths,
buildings, landforms, water, height, heritage, structures, and administrative boundaries. You can
import these themes as TopographicArea, LandformArea, TopographicLine, TopograpicPoint,
CartographicText, CartographicSymols, BoundaryLines, and DepartedFeatures. The
TopographicArea feature type contains two 'complexes', Topography and Landform, which contain
different polygons of information. The Landform polygons overlap the Topography polygons (which
represent land features like slopes and cliffs).
In MapInfo Professional 7.0, we imported the TopographicArea and LandformArea into a single
table, which can result in the features displaying in random order. This can lead to
TopographicAreas masking Landforms.
In version 7.5, we split the TopographicArea feature type output into two layers so it is possible to
save them in different tables. The TopographicArea table now contains only output whose areas
defined in the OSGB user guide as being part of the Topography complex or Structuring Layer.
There is a feature type in the GML Import dialog box called LandformArea, which allows the
creation of the LandformArea table. See Importing GML File Data into .tab Files on page 125
for a clearer picture of this process in action.

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Displaying Your Remote DBMS Data

The process for displaying spatialized data from Oracle, Informix, or SQL Server is different from
the tables we have discussed so far. For more information about accessing remote data, see
Working with Remote Tables and Databases in Chapter 6 on page 193.

Displaying and Importing Data from a Web Map Service

A Web Map Service (WMS) is a technology that gives you a source for data over your Intranet or
over the Internet. This innovation is based on a specification from the Open GIS Consortium
(OGC) and allows you to use raster map images from servers that also comply with the
specification. You must specify the coordinate system within your data request to ensure that the
images you retrieve sync up or register with your other map data.
This specification supports transparent pixel definition for image formats as well. This allows you to
use the images you retrieve as overlays and not solely as the bottom layer of your map.
This is a very new technology and WMS may not exist for the geography you are looking for.
Further, the data that is provided is determined by the WMS Server.
Note:

You must have a working Internet connection whenever you retrieve or use WMS data.

To access WMS data and build a .tab file:

1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN WMS or click
box.

to display the Open WMS Table dialog

The order of these

layers determines
their display order.

Click the MOVE UP

and the MOVE
DOWN buttons to
arrange the layers
appropriately.

Note:

The WMS Servers that display in the WMS Server list are based on a list we have
compiled for you. MapInfo has no control over the availability of these servers at any given
time. The availability of WMS data depends upon the status of the server and the status of
the maps on those servers. You can customize this list to suit your needs.

2. To work with the layers from a particular server, select a WMS Server from the WMS
Servers drop-down list.

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To see the details of a particular WMS Server, including the Server URL, the Server
Name, version, and usually a server supplied description, click DETAILS.
If you do not see the server you are looking for in the WMS Server drop-down list, click the
SERVERS button to display the WMS Servers List.

Default
Indicator

To add new WMS Servers to the WMS Servers List, click the ADD button to display the
WMS Server Information dialog box. Here you can add the new web server address and
description in the fields provided. The WMS Server Information dialog box also displays
when you click the EDIT button in the WMS Servers List to allow you to change these
entries.

Type the URL you want to add in the Server URL field. Click TEST URL to ensure that
MapInfo Professional can find the server. Click GET DESCRIPTION to get the server
provided description or type in a description. Click OK to return to the WMS Servers list.
In the WMS Servers list, click the SET DEFAULT button to select a default server in the list.
The default server will be selected the first time you open the WMS Table dialog box.
When you set a default WMS server, a check mark displays beside it. If you do not select
a default server, MapInfo Professional displays the first server in the list when you begin
your WMS Server session.
Note:

If you work with a WMS Server that is not the default, MapInfo Professional
remembers that new server for the rest of the session and returns to it whenever
you return to the Open WMS Table dialog boxes.

3. When you have completed your work in the WMS Servers List, click OK to return to the
Open WMS Table dialog box.
4. Review the list of available layers for the server you selected and do one of the following:

Double-click one or more layer(s) you want to retrieve in the WMS Layers list to move
them to the right pane
Click each layer you want to retrieve from the server and click ADD to move them to
the right pane
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The topmost layers display over the bottom most layers.

5. Decide how you want to use these WMS server layers and do one of the following:

To create a single .tab file with several WMS layers in it, select all of the layers for that
.tab file so they display in the right pane. Then organize them in the order you want
them to display using the MOVE UP and MOVE DOWN buttons.
To create individual .tab files for the WMS server layers you want, select one layer at a
time, select the appropriate Style, Format, and Projection options from their dropdown lists and save the .tab file. Repeat this process for each layer you want to
retrieve.

Using either method, you move the layer(s) you selected to the right pane. The Style,
Projection, and Image Format information associated this layer or layers change to reflect
either the attributes of the single layer or the attributes that all the layers have in common.
We describe the process for changing and selecting these attributes below.
Note:

To remove a layer from the list in the right pane, select the layer you want to
remove and click the REMOVE button.

6. If there are styles associated with the layer(s) you selected, they display in the STYLE
drop-down list. Styles indicate the visual display options available with this layer and are
supplied by the web server. Initially, we display the selected layer in the servers default
style. The style that displays pertains to the currently selected layer.
To change the style of a layer, click it in the left or right pane and select the style from the
STYLE drop-down list. The styles you select for a layer do not pertain to any other layer in
the list.
Note:

You can also change these image display style attributes later (on the MAP menu,
point to LAYER CONTROL and click DISPLAY override options. In this dialog box you
can change the images translucency and transparency as well as other raster
display properties available in MapInfo Professional.

7. Choose a format for the layer from the IMAGE FORMAT drop-down list. The options that
display in this list may differ depending upon the formats the server supports and the
formats we support. We support: PNG, JPEG (JPG), TIFF (GeoTIFF and TIFF) and GIF
formats, in that order of priority.
8. To change the background options, specify them in the IMAGE BACKGROUND box. To make
the background of your layer transparent, click the TRANSPARENT check box and select the
color of the background. Click the COLOR button to display the list of colors.
Note:

The more color depth the image has, the more difficulty you have isolating the
background for transparency purposes. If you experience problems with
transparency with one image format, try another, if it is available.

9. The COORDINATE REFERENCE SYSTEM PROJECTIONS drop-down list displays all of the
projections that the selected layers have in common. This list is disabled when the
selected layers do not have any projections in common. If the PROJECTIONS drop-down list
is disabled, you cannot make a map request.
Note:

To enable this list, try removing layers one at a time to see if the problem is
caused by layers not having projections in common.

10. To enter a name for this table, do one of the following:

Click the
button at the end of the TABLE FILENAME field to display the Please
specify a TAB filename dialog box. Select the path and type the file name in the
FILENAME field and click OK.
Type the path into the TABLE FILENAME field
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There are three conditions that might prevent you from saving the .tab file at this point. To
save the .tab file you must:
a. Select at least one valid layer from the WMS Server list
b. Layer(s) must contain a supported projection
c. Type a valid .tab file name

11. Select the view for this map in the PREFERRED VIEW drop-down list to determine where the
WMS table should display after you open it. Options include: Automatic, Current Mapper,
New Mapper, and No View.
12. Click OK to generate the WMS map request.
Once you have saved a WMS table name, you can change its WMS layer settings using the WMS
Table Properties dialog box. To access this dialog box, go to the TABLE menu and click WMS
TABLE PROPERTIES. When the WMS Table Properties dialog box displays, select the layer you
want to edit and change the settings for that layer. You can also add, remove, and reorder the
WMS layers, change the projection, image formats, and background options of the layers.
Remember, you can edit the display attributes for the WMS table using Display Style override
commands in Layer Control.

How Does MapInfo Professional Use WMS Servers?

When you create a .tab file from WMS Server layer(s), you are actually creating a pointer to an
XML file that keeps track of the data you selected, (the server address, the selected layer(s), the
styles, the format, and the projection settings). You never actually retrieve the data and save it on
your computer. Every time you add a WMS Server table as a layer in a Map window or you change
the view of the Map, the system generates a map request and retrieves the layer information. To
do this, the .tab file points to an XML file which retrieves the information from the WMS Server and
displays it on your computer. If you are not connected to the Internet, the server is unavailable, or
the WMS layer(s) you are retrieving are not available, you cannot use the WMS .tab file.

Projection Issues Associated with WMS

The coordinate system used in the map image is very important. It is what enables various layers
to line up properly. Make sure you retrieve WMS Server images that you can use with the other
maps you use. Keep in mind that the raster layer always determines the projection of the map. If
there is more than one raster layer in a map, the largest raster layer determines the projection of
the map.

Geocoding - Assigning Coordinates to Records

To display your data on a map, you must first assign X and Y coordinates to each record. One way
that MapInfo Professional assigns these coordinates is by matching geographic information in
your database table to geographic information in another table (referred to as a search table) that
already has X and Y coordinates associated with it.

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For example, you want to assign X and Y coordinates to a customer record whose address is 127
Winston Ave. MapInfo Professional reads that address and looks for a matching address in the
search table, such as a StreetPro table. (This search table already has X and Y coordinates
associated with its records.)
When MapInfo Professional matches 127 Winston Ave in your table to 127 Winston Ave in the
search table, it assigns the corresponding X and Y coordinates to your record. The geocoded point
becomes part of your database. You can then view these points by displaying your table in a Map
window.

What Should I Ask First?

It is important to know your data and what you want to use it for before you select a method of
geocoding. Ask yourself these questions:

What kind of geographic information do I have in my database?

Do you have street addresses, towns, cities, postal codes, states, countries? Do you have
potentially ambiguous information? For example, if you have a database of customer street
addresses, will you have 125 Main Street in Smithtown and a 125 Main Street in Nassau? If so,
you may have to refine your search using town boundaries or postal codes.

What kind of maps do I have to work with?

You will need computerized maps that are at the level of detail that match your data. For example,
if you want to geocode a database of customers in specific counties by street address, you will
need maps of the desired counties that go to street level. A map of the United States that only
goes to a county level would not work for you. You can purchase the appropriate maps for your
geocoding application from MapInfo Professional or your reseller.

How geographically accurate does the placement of my data have to be?

Taking into account the first two questions, you must decide how accurate the geocoding must be.
If you are trying to pinpoint the locations of cable wires, crime scenes, or fire hydrants, a high
degree of accuracy is needed. In this case, you should geocode your data to street level.

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If, however, you are going to use your data to thematically shade postal code boundaries, town
boundaries, county boundaries, state boundaries, or country boundaries, you may not need a high
degree of accuracy.
In this case, geocoding against boundary files such as USZIPBDY.tab, which we provide, would be
sufficient for your needs. Since this file does not include point postal codes (postal codes assigned
to a single building or company), the hit rate may not be as good as when you geocode by street.

Understanding the Geocoding Process

To assign X and Y coordinates to the records in your table, choose Geocode from the Table menu.
MapInfo Professional displays the Geocode dialog box, where you enter the following information:

The name of your table for which you want to assign X and Y coordinates.

The column in your table that contains the geographic information that will be used for
matching.

The name of the search table containing the geographic information that will be used for
matching.

The search table column containing the geographic information for matching:

The dialog box also offers you the option of geocoding your data in two modes: automatically or
interactively. When you geocode a table automatically, MapInfo Professional geocodes exact
matches only and ignores all other records. It is the faster method, since MapInfo Professional
requires no user interaction once the geocoding process begins. When you geocode a table
interactively, MapInfo Professional pauses when it fails to match a record and lets you select from
a list of close matches. For more about the automatic and interactive geocoding modes, see
Modes of Geocoding on page 133.
Note:

We recommend that you geocode your table automatically first and then go back and
geocode interactively to match the remaining records.

Not Getting Geocoding? Try this Example...

The objective of geocoding is to place point objects into your database. Let us call this table the
target table. The geographical coordinates are from a source table, which is a mappable table. To
geocode a record:

MapInfo has to match an address in the target table with an address in the source table.
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and

Get geographic coordinates from the source table and use them to create a point object in
the target table.

Most of the problems in geocoding occur in the first step, matching addresses in the source and
target tables.

Modes of Geocoding
MapInfo has two geocoding modes: automatic and interactive. The process MapInfo uses to
match target addresses with source addresses is the same in both modes.
Automatic mode matches addresses based on the choices in the Geocode dialog box.
Interactive mode stops at each address that does not meet the geocode parameters and permits
you to assist in the matching process.
In most cases, the best geocoding strategy is to:

Geocode in automatic mode

then

Geocode in interactive mode to deal with the records MapInfo was unable to handle
automatically.

Geocoding Automatically
For this example, we use the US_ZIPS.tab as a search file. This is a file that is included with
MapInfo Professional which contains the ZIP Code points for every postal code in the U.S. If your
data includes zip codes, this might be an effective way for you to geocode your data. Automatic
geocoding is the default mode.
Note:

Make sure you have created a .tab file for your data before beginning the geocoding
process. For more about this process, see Creating a .tab File from your Data on
page 117.

To geocode using the US_ZIPS.tab file:

1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN and navigate to the US_ZIPS.tab in Tut_Data\Tut_USA
sample data. You can find it on the MapInfo Professional CD or in your MapInfo\Data
directory.
Note:

You can use a wide variety of tables to geocode against. Use a street map when
you are geocoding to addresses.

2. On the TABLE menu, click GEOCODE and complete the dialog box.

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Select your target table from this list.

Identify the column your data is in.
(In this case postal codes.
Select the source table name in this
list. (In this case US_ZIPS.tab.)
Identify the column the postal code
data is in.

3. Set every other entry to NONE.

4. Click OK to geocode the data.

Geocoding Interactively
When you geocode interactively, you are not changing the data. You are merely redirecting
MapInfo Professional to look for different information.
For example, your data record reads Cherryville St. When you geocode interactively, you find that
the data record should read Cherry Vale St. You select Cherry Vale St from the list of alternatives.
Although MapInfo Professional assigns X and Y coordinates from Cherry Vale St to that record,
you have not altered the record in any way. To change the spelling in your database, you must edit
the record in a Browser window.

Geocoding Manually
Automatic and interactive geocoding work well for databases with clean data. Sometimes,
however, you know where a point should be on the map, but the location data does not allow for a
match. Manual geocoding is the process of placing your data records on the map by clicking its
location on the map. This method works best when you have a small table which contains data
that you are very familiar with.
To geocode a table manually:
1. Open the table with the reference map in it.
2. Open your table and add it to the current Map window.
3. On the MAP menu, click LAYER CONTROL.
4. Select your table and make that layer editable. Click OK.
5. On the WINDOW MENU, click NEW BROWSER WINDOW. Select the table to geocode.
6. On the WINDOW MENU, click TILE WINDOWS to display your Map and Browser windows side
by side.

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7. Scroll through the Browser to find the record that you would like to geocode. Click in the
box to the left of the row to select the record.
8. Click in the title bar of the Map window. The Symbol tool on the Drawing Toolbar is now
available.
9. Select the SYMBOL tool.
10. Click the map where you want the point placed for the selected record.
11. On the FILE menu, click SAVE. The selected record is now geocoded. Repeat steps710
for each record you would like to manually geocode.

Methods of Geocoding
In addition to geocoding automatically and manually, you have choices in how precise you want
the geocoded record to be. Lets look at the variety of ways you can geocode your table.

Geocoding by Address
Street addresses typically consist of two or three components:

Street number

Street name

Apartment, Suite, Floor, Room number or some other piece of information. Many
addresses do not have this component

MapInfo has one procedure for dealing with the street number and another procedure for dealing
with the street name. MapInfo deals with the third component, if present, as though it were a part
of the street name.
When you geocode your table with street addresses, MapInfo Professional matches the addresses
in your table to the street names and address ranges in a street table, such as StreetPro
(MapInfos premier streets data product) and assigns X and Y coordinates to your records. When
you display your records, MapInfo Professional will spot the record at the location of the records
address. MapInfo Professional places the record on the proper side of the street, offsets it from the
side of the street to the specified distance, and insets it from the end of the street the specified
percentage of the line. The Options dialog box controls these parameters. For more about setting
the street offset in the Options dialog box, see Street Offset on page 138.

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Geocoding by Boundary
In computer mapping, the term boundary is used to designate enclosed regions or areas such as
countries, cities, and postal codes. When you geocode your table with boundaries, MapInfo
Professional matches the boundary name in your table with the boundary name in the search
table. MapInfo Professional assigns the boundary centroid X and Y coordinates to your data
records. The centroid of a boundary is its approximate center point.
For example, you have a table of wholesale outlet stores. You want to assign X and Y coordinates
to each record according to county. MapInfo Professional reads the county name from your table,
matches it with the county name in the search table, and assigns the county centroid coordinates
to each of your records. The outlet locations will display at the county centroid in a Map window.

Geocoding by US_ZIPS.tab (Postal Code Centroid File)

US_ZIPS.tab is a point file that is included with the base MapInfo Professional package. The file
consists of postal code centroid points for every postal code in the United States. This file can be
used to geocode any database that includes postal code information. This file includes point postal
codes that are assigned to single buildings or companies.
You can use any of the above methods to geocode your records, or you can use a combination of
address and boundary geocoding to increase the potential for a successful match.

Finding an Exact Street Match

When MapInfo geocodes, it attempts to find an exact match between source and target street
names. That means that the addresses must be the same, character for character. However,
matching is not case sensitive; upper and lower case letters are successfully matched with one
another. MapInfo does not get an exact match in many cases and uses a file of abbreviation
equivalences to improve its hit rate. Once you understand the various ways in which a match can
fail, you are in a better position to understand what you can do to improve things.
The next table illustrates exact matching. The first column contains a street name from a target
table and the second column contains the corresponding street name from a source table. The
third column says why they do not match. The fourth column indicates whether the particular
problem is one which can be corrected through using the abbreviation equivalence file. This table
assumes that the addresses are the contents of a single column in a table. While the street
number would often be in the same column, we dont indicate street numbers here because they
are handled differently than street names.

Target Address

Source
Address

Comment

Correctable
with
Abbreviation
File?

LaSal St

LaSalle St

LaSal is the wrong spelling.

La Salle St

LaSalle St

La Salle is the wrong spelling.

LaSalle Ave

LaSalle St

Ave does not match St.

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Source
Address

Target Address

Comment

which does not match anything in
the source.

Yes

Tenth St

10th St

Tenth and 10th do not match.

Yes

10th Av

Tenth Av

10th and Tenth do not match.

Yes

Saint Johns Lane

St Johns Lane

Saint and St do not match.

Yes

MapInfos matching process is not case-sensitive; it does not care whether a letter is upper case or
lower case. This means that MapInfo treats the following as the same: Main, MAIN, main, maIN.
MapInfo Professional has a file called the Abbreviations File (MAPINFOW.ABB), which you can
use to record acceptable alternate spellings for abbreviations. For example Av for Ave. or BL for
Blvd. etc. Using this file increases your hit rate because there are more acceptable spellings for
the same abbreviations. For more about the Abbreviations File, see Solving Problems with
Abbreviations and Substitutions on page 148.

Placing Geocoded Points

When you are geocoding to street level (by address), you can specify certain aspects of the
resulting points position in relationship to the street. You can specify the offset of the point from
the side of the street, and the inset of the point from the end of the street.

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Street Offset
The street offset is the distance the geocoded point is set from the side of the street. To set this
distance:
1. On the TABLE menu, click GEOCODE. The Geocode dialog box displays.
2. Fill in the table and column information for the dialog box.
3. Click the OPTIONS button. The Geocode Options dialog box displays.

4. In the Offset Address Location group, specify a distance and distance unit.
If you choose 12 meters, the point will be offset 12 meters back from the side of the street.
You can specify any distance from 032,767 and a wide variety of units including meters,
miles, yards, U.S. Survey feet.
5. You can also specify a street inset, or click OK to return to the Geocode dialog box.

Street Inset
The street inset is the distance a geocoded point is set from the end of the street. You can specify
a distance, or you can set the inset to be a percentage of the length of the street. To avoid skewing
the position of inset points, MapInfo Professional performs a proportional calculation that insets
the points located at either end of the street the specified percentage or distance, but that
decreases the inset as point locations approach the center. Points located at the center of the
street remain in their original position.
To set the street inset:
1. With the Geocode Options dialog box still open, choose how you want to specify the street
inset in the Inset Address Location group: as a percentage of the length of the street, or as
a distance.
2. Click the radio button next to the option you want. Specify one of the following:

PERCENTAGE Specify a percentage (050) to calculate the street inset.

DISTANCE Specify a distance (032,767) and distance unit.

3. Click OK to return to the Geocode dialog box.

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4. Double-check your geocoding settings, and click OK to geocode the table.

MapInfo Professional uses the last inset and offset settings you specified as the default settings for
your next session.
If you specify a street offset of a given distance and set the street inset to zero, you may get
unexpected, albeit correct, display results. Points located at the end of adjoining or intersecting
streets might overlap each other. On your screen, they will look like they are located on the wrong
street. If you specify a street inset, the problem will correct itself.

Matching Street Names

MapInfo begins by comparing the street address in the target table with the street addresses in the
source table. When it finds an exact match, it may be finished or it may have to deal with region
information, such as town, county, or postal code area.
When MapInfo cannot match the street name for a particular row, it applies the abbreviation file to
the target address. This file consists of pairs of items, such as STREET ST and AVE AV. When
MapInfo finds STREET in a target address, it changes it into ST; similarly it changes AVE to
AV. MapInfo doesnt actually change your data in the target table. It substitutes abbreviations
only for the purpose of making matches. The substitution is only effective during the matching
process. The address in your table remains the same. It does not write the correct address form
back to your table.
Once MapInfo has made an abbreviation substitution it attempts to match the resulting street
name against the street names in the source table. When it fails to find an exact match at this point
it:

Moves to the next row (when it is geocoding in automatic mode).

Presents you with the closest matches (when it is geocoding in interactive mode). You
then pick the best match. MapInfo then goes to the next row.

At this point MapInfo will have done the best it can at identifying street names. The next step is to
deal with address numbers for those addresses where it has matched a name.

Matching Address Numbers

Given that MapInfo has identified a street, it now has to deal with street numbers. MapInfo stores
address ranges with each street segment. MapInfo takes the street number from the target
address and compares it to the ranges for each segment in the source table. For example, assume
that we are trying to match 343 LaSalle St. MapInfo stores the beginning and ending address for
each segment, differentiating between left and right sides of the street, as follows:
Name

FromLeft

ToLeft

FromRight

ToRight

LaSalle St

269

331

268

330

LaSalle St

333

375

332

374

LaSalle St

377

401

376

400

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To match 343 LaSalle St MapInfo would scan the address ranges until it finds the one where
343 goes. Since 343 is between 333 and 375, MapInfo will locate this address on that street
segment (the middle one in the table).
Once MapInfo has matched an address number to a street segment it moves to the next row.
When it fails to match a target street number to an address range on the appropriate street it:

Moves to the next row if it is geocoding in automatic mode.

Presents you with the closest matches if it is geocoding in interactive mode. You then pick
the best match. MapInfo will then go to the next row.

At this point MapInfo will have done the best it can at locating address numbers. Note that one of
the options (on the Geocode Options dialog box) is to have MapInfo automatically pick the closest
address range in those cases where there is no exact matchUse The Closest Address Number.
For example, you might have 412 as an address number, but no range which includes that
number. However, there is a range which goes from 346 to 400. Since that is the range closest to
412, that is where MapInfo will geocode 412 if you have chosen this particular option.
The next step is to deal with addresses which have been located on more than one street.

Matching to Region
When MapInfo is geocoding it checks to see how many occurrences of the target address exist. If
there is more than one, MapInfo must decide which source address to use. If the users target
table has a column with region data, MapInfo can refine geocoding within a boundary.
For example, assume that you are geocoding a database of records in Cook county, Illinois. The
address in the database reads 200 Washington St. Within the county of Cook, there are eight
towns. Four of these towns have a Washington St. Three of the four have a 200 Washington St.
MapInfo must now place the target address in the appropriate town. MapInfo uses region
information to do this. MapInfo now matches a region designation for the target address against
the region designator for the source addresses.
When you originally set up your geocoding operation, you had an opportunity to specify a region
(boundary) to use in refining your geocoding operation. This dialog box displays when you choose
Refine Search with Table and using Boundary Name Column. If you specified a postal code table
you enter the postal code and MapInfo Professional returns possible matches.

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You could use any one of several different region types, including county name, town name, and
postal code. Since almost all addresses contain postal codes, this is the most reliable way to refine
your search.
When you set MapInfo to use postal codes to refine its address matching, MapInfo will match the
postal code of the target address against the postal code of the various matching source
addresses. When it finds the correct match, it is finished with the geocoding process. MapInfo can
now get coordinate information from the source table and use it to place a point object into the
target table.
However, once MapInfo has completed this process, many addresses may be unmatched. You
can match each one of them individually by geocoding in interactive mode. However, if you are
working with a large database, you want to do as little of this as possible. There are other ways of
improving MapInfos geocoding performance.
In the Geocode Options dialog box, you can specify that MapInfo automatically pick a different
boundary, providing there is only one, from the one you specify (Use A Match Found In A Different
Boundary). You might have had MapInfo geocode addresses to Northtown. One particular
address, 223 Locust Ct. is not in Northtown, but it is in Westville, and no place else. In this case,
MapInfo would geocode 223 Locust Ct. to Westville. However, if MapInfo had found a 223
Locust Ct. in Westville and another one in Center Valley, it would not geocode the address to
either town. It would leave 223 Locust Ct. ungeocoded.

After Geocoding
This section includes some tasks that will be useful in handling records after you have geocoded
your table.

Extracting Longitude and Latitude from a Geocoded Table

To extract the longitude and latitude coordinates from a geocoded table, you can either create a
new table containing the latitude and longitude for each of the points in your original table, or use
the update command to put the longitude and latitude into the original table. The original table
must be geocoded for these processes to function correctly.
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Extracting Latitude and Longitude into a New Table

In this example we will create a new table, called CUSCOORD, that contains the latitude and
longitude for each of the points in the original table, Customer.
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN and open the table as a Browser.
2. On the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT and fill in the SQL Select dialog box.

Note:

Any columns from the CUSTOMER table that you would like to appear in the
CUSCOORD table should be listed in the Select Columns box; then add the
centroidX(obj) and centroidY(obj) functions to this list.

3. Click OK to execute the query.

4. On the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS and save the resulting CUSCOORD table.
Original Table:

Resulting Table:

Extracting Latitude and Longitude into the Original Table

The following process will let you update your original table with the latitude and longitude
coordinates.
1. On the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click TABLE STRUCTURE.

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2. To add two new columns to your table, click ADD FIELD and name the columns. They
should be defined as decimal (13,6). For this example, the columns are called Xcoord and
Ycoord.

3. After adding the columns, click OK. When you return to your main MapInfo Professional
window, the file will not be displayed. To redisplay your table, on the WINDOW menu, click
NEW BROWSER WINDOW.
4. On the TABLE menu, click UPDATE COLUMN. Specify your table and your column to update.
In the next example, we are updating the Xcoord column. The Get Value from Table
portion of the dialog box will be the same table as specified in the Table to Update box. In
the Value portion of the dialog box, you can type in Centroidx(obj) or you can click the
ASSIST button to display the Expression dialog box. Click FUNCTIONS and choose
CENTROIDX from the list and click OK.
5. Fill in the Update Column dialog box and click OK.

6. Repeat step 3 to update the Ycoord column. Substitute Centroidy(obj) instead of

Centroidx(obj).
Table in a Projection Other than Longitude/Latitude
MapInfo Professional maps have two attributes that affect the coordinates of objects within the
map; these are the coordinate system of the map and the coordinate settings of the Map window.
To correctly extract the x and y coordinates of a projected earth map, both the Map window and

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the maps internal coordinates must reflect the same coordinate system. In MapBasic, the SET
MAP statement sets the coordinate system for the Map window, while the COORDSYS clause
sets the internal coordinates.
To extract coordinates from a projected map in the native coordinate system of the table:
1. Display a map of the geographic area that you are working in.
2. On the OPTIONS menu, click SHOW MAPBASIC WINDOW to open the MapBasic window.
3. Type: "SET COORDSYS TABLE <TABLENAME>". Tablename is the table that you are
extracting coordinates from.
4. Press ENTER. This sets the internal MapBasic coordinate system equal to the table given.
5. Now update the x, y values with the CentroidX and CentroidY functions.

Displaying your Coordinate Data in a Browser

The Coordinate Extractor tool is another MapBasic tool that ships with MapInfo Professional.
Coordinate Extractor offers you another way to display the coordinate information in your
mappable table in a Browser. The program extracts the coordinates from the objects in a table and
places them in columns using the tables native projection or a different one of your choice. It will
also create the coordinate columns for you if you specify it. Coordinate Extractor is loaded from the
Tool Manager. For more about adding a tool using the Tool Manager, see Accessing and
Loading the Tool Manager Tools on page 111.
To use the Coordinate Extractor:
1. On the TOOLS menu, point to COORDINATE EXTRACTOR and click EXTRACT COORDINATES.
The Coordinate Extractor dialog box displays.
2. Select the table that you want to extract the points from.
3. Indicate the columns you want to use for the X and Y coordinates, or click the CREATE NEW
COLUMNS TO HOLD COORDINATES button to have the tool add the columns. When you click
this button, a dialog box displays asking you to name the columns.
4. Select the BROWSE RESULTS check box to have the results displayed in a Browser window
after the operation is completed.
5. Click OK.
The Coordinate Extractor tool can be used on mappable tables that contain at least one
geographic object. This tool cannot be used on the following types of tables:

Query

Read-Only

Seamless

Remote

Raster

It is recommended that you use float type columns for the coordinates. Other column types may
not be able to fit all the coordinate information in the column. If you select character columns, the
coordinate values will include six digits after the decimal place.
To take out the coordinate information after you have used Coordinate Extractor, revert the table.

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Selecting Records Not Geocoded

Your geocoded table may have records that did not geocode, or you may have added new data to
your table that have yet to be geocoded. There is a simple selection that can be performed to get a
Browser list of the records not geocoded.
1. Open your table if it is not open already, and on the QUERY menu, click SELECT.
2. Fill in the Select dialog box. The expression used is NOT OBJ. This selects all of the
records that are not objects, i.e., not geocoded. Click OK.

Locating Newly Geocoded Points

One of the most satisfying results of geocoding is seeing your points displayed correctly on the
map. Depending on the settings of your map, newly geocoded points may or may not be visible
immediately. Follow these steps to attempt to locate newly geocoded points on the map.
1. Make sure that the Map window is active by clicking in its title bar.
2. On the MAP menu, click LAYER CONTROL. Make sure that the table you geocoded is listed
in the Layer Control dialog box.
If the layer you are looking for is not listed, click the ADD button and add that layer.
3. In the Layer Control dialog box move the geocoded table to the top, just below the
Cosmetic layer, to ensure that the points are not obscured by any other layer.
4. Make sure that the geocoded layer is set to visible. Click OK and exit Layer Control.
If your points are still not visible, proceed to step 5.
5. On the MAP menu, click VIEW ENTIRE LAYER. Select your table and click OK. This should
put all of the points from your table in view. You may see that your points are on the map,
but are not in the location you expected them to be. If they seem misplaced, see
Ungeocoding a Table on page 146.
6. If your points still do not display, on the MAP menu, click LAYER CONTROL. Select the layer
containing your geocoded points, and click DISPLAY.
7. Select the STYLE OVERRIDE check box and choose a symbol style that will stand out on
your map. Click OK, and click OK again to exit Layer Control.
After following these steps, if you have not found the points that you geocoded, try to select all of
the ungeocoded records as described in the section Selecting Points Not Geocoded.

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Result Codes
When you are using the result code option (in Geocode Options dialog box) MapInfo will generate
a code for each record. These codes indicate the steps MapInfo Professional took to geocode the
record, whether or not the geocoding was successful, and whether or not the match was exact.
You can use return codes to diagnose MapInfos geocoding performance. It will help you spot
false positives resulting from using various geocoding options and to analyze why some records
have not been geocoded.

Ungeocoding a Table
Ungeocoding is the process of removing objects that have been attached to data records. There
are times when it will be necessary to ungeocode an entire table or selected records in a table. For
example, you have geocoded a database of customers using US_ZIPS.tab. Later, you want to
geocode the database again, using street addresses instead of postal code centroids since the
geocoding will now be more precise. MapInfo Professional allows you to delete all graphic objects
associated with this table. You can then geocode your database again, using more specific
coordinates. Ungeocoding only selected records from your table is useful when the location
information changes for a relatively small number of records, such as address changes in a
geocoded list of customers.
To ungeocode an entire table:
1. On the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click TABLE STRUCTURE. The Modify Table
Structure dialog box displays.
2. Clear the TABLE IS MAPPABLE check box. Click OK.
CAUTION:

This action will remove all graphic objects from your table. This action cannot
be undone. If you are unsure of losing your points, save a copy of the table first.

3. A warning dialog box appears. If you are sure about removing all the objects, click OK.
All graphic objects have now been removed from your table.
Make sure that you dont ungeocode your source tables. Unless you have created a backup of that
table, you will no longer be able to display that table as a map or use it for geocoding.

Ungeocoding Selected Records

To ungeocode selected records:
1. Display your geocoded table as a map, and select the records that you would like to
ungeocode.
2. On the MAP menu, click LAYER CONTROL and set the layer to be editable.
3. On the EDIT menu, click CLEAR MAP OBJECTS ONLY. This removes the object on the map
while maintaining the record in the browser.
Note:

To this operation, on the EDIT menu, click DELETION.

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Resolving Geocoding Issues

MapInfo Professional can rarely assign X and Y coordinates to all of your records on the first try,
especially when geocoding to street level. It is not uncommon to have a geocoding hit rate of
under 50% on your first attempt. The information in your database may not exactly match the
information in the search table. MapInfo Professional-based maps are updated regularly, but may
not include the most recent changes (for example, new subdivisions or postal code boundaries).
And there can be other problems. The abbreviations that you use in your table may not match the
abbreviations that MapInfo Professional recognizes. For example, the records in your table may
use abbreviations like Circ. for Circle and Pl. for Plaza. MapInfo Professional only recognizes
Circle or Cir for Circle and Plaza or Plz for Plaza. When it cannot match an abbreviation, it does
not geocode the record.
That is why MapInfo Professional gives you the option of geocoding your database interactively.
There are a number of methods for geocoding records that dont have an exact match. The
following is a list of potential geocoding pitfalls and how to avoid or rectify them.

Spelling Errors in Your Data Records

Keep in mind that MapInfo Professional looks for exact matches. If the information in your
database does not exactly match the information in the search table, MapInfo Professional ignores
that record during an automatic geocoding pass. Lasalle St and La Salle St are not exact matches
nor are Main St and Maine St.
If you go through the geocoding process again using the interactive mode, MapInfo Professional
will give you a list of close alternatives. Choose the closest match by scrolling through the list with
the Up and Down buttons. You can also choose Ignore if the correct alternative is not listed.
MapInfo Professional generates its list of close alternatives alphabetically. For example, if MapInfo
Professional cannot find Booker St in its database, it will generate a list of alternatives that are
close to Booker St alphabetically (Bookman St, Brooker Ave, Brooks St). However, if the spelling
error occurs in the first letter of the address (Booker St should really be Zooker St), you will either
have to use the Up and Down keys to scroll to the correct spelling or enter the correct spelling
directly.

Incorrect Address Number in Your Data Records

If your record has an address number that does not match the one in the table you are matching
against, MapInfo Professional skips the address during automatic geocoding and gives you a list
of known address ranges during interactive geocoding. Select the closest address range from the
list or press Ignore to skip the record. Depending on the precision with which you want your
records to spot on the map, choosing a close address range is probably fine.
You can also have MapInfo Professional select the closest address from the list automatically.
Select Options in the Geocode dialog box. MapInfo Professional gives you the option of assigning
the closest address number when an exact match cannot be found.

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Choosing the closest address does not change the address in your table. MapInfo Professional
only uses the coordinates from that address to spot your record at that location.

Incompatible Abbreviations
If you geocode automatically and find that you have an extremely low hit rate, your database of
street addresses may use abbreviations that MapInfo Professional does not recognize. For
example, all of your records might use Str as the abbreviation for Street. MapInfo Professional, on
the other hand, uses the abbreviation St for Street. Another example: Your database contains
addresses that spell out the street numbers (127 Fourteenth St) while MapInfo Professionals table
uses the numbers (127 14th St).
Instead of editing all your records, a potentially time-consuming task, you can change which
abbreviations are recognized. There is an abbreviation file (MAPINFOW.ABB) that you can modify
so that MapInfo Professional will recognize your abbreviations.

Solving Problems with Abbreviations and Substitutions

Your target table may contain address components which MapInfo cannot handle with its
abbreviation file. For example:
Ave.

Does not recognize the period.

Suite

Does not recognize this at all.

You can deal with this problem in two ways:

Edit addresses in your target table so that it contains items MapInfo can handle.
or

Edit MapInfos abbreviation file so that it can deal with your addresses.

In many cases, the second alternative is easier. MapInfos abbreviation file consists of pairs of
items. The second item in each line is the abbreviation for the first. In working with street files
MapInfo searches through the address file to match an item in a target address with the first
element in one of the pairs in the abbreviation file. When it finds a match it replaces the matching
items with the proper abbreviation.
MapInfo supplies this abbreviation file:
!Version 3.0
FIRST
1ST
SECOND 2ND
THIRD
3RD
FOURTH 4TH
FIFTH
5TH
SIXTH
6TH
SEVENTH 7TH
EIGHTH 8TH
NINTH
9TH
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TENTH 10TH
NORTH N
SOUTH S
EAST
E
WEST
W
ALLEY
AL
AVENUE
AV
AVE
AV
BOULEVARD BLVD
BRIDGE
BR
CIRCLE
CIR
COURT
CT
DRIVE
DR
EXTENSION EXT
HIGHWAY
HWY
INTERSTATE I
LANE
LN
MOUNT
MT
PARK
PK
PARKWAY
PKWY
PLACE
PL
PLAZA
PLZ
POINT
PT
RAILROAD RR
ROAD
RD
ROUTE
RT
SAINT
ST
SQUARE
SQ
STREET
ST
STR
ST
TERRACE
TER
!EOLNOSPACE
,
;
#
!EOLSPACE
FLOOR
SUITE
P.O. BOX
!NOSPACE
.
\
\!
\\
!SPACE
STATE HIGHWAYSTHWY
N STNORTH ST
S STSOUTH ST
E STEAST ST
W STWEST ST
N AVNORTH AV
S AVSOUTH AV
E AVEAST AV
W AVWEST AV

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You can make additions to this file to take care of various problems. Most importantly, you can
make several different kinds of additions. MapInfo recognizes four classes of substitution items
and it interprets these classes differently. Each class is preceded by the keyword used to identify it
in the abbreviation file:
Substitution Class

Keyword

Space-delimited simple substitution

!SPACE

Simple truncation

!EOLNOSPACE

Space-delimited truncation

!EOLSPACE

Simple substitution

!NOSPACE

In order for MapInfo to know how to interpret a line, or set of lines, in the abbreviation file, you have
to precede the line with the keyword which indicates the appropriate interpretation strategy.
When all of the entries in the abbreviation file use the default interpretation, there is no need to
precede any of them with a keyword. When there is no keyword at the beginning of the
abbreviation file, MapInfo will treat the initial entries as requiring the default interpretation. Once
you add other types of substitution pairs, however, you have to start adding keywords.

Ambiguous Address Produces More Than One Location

Sometimes your table may contain records that have the same address, but lie in different towns.
If you only geocode by street address, MapInfo Professional cannot differentiate among the
records to give each one unique coordinates.
To solve this problem, MapInfo Professional allows you to geocode against a boundary in addition
to the street address to find the correct match.
For example, you want to geocode your database of records in Cook County, Illinois. One address
in the database reads 200 Washington St. Within the county of Cook, there are eight towns. Four
of these towns have a Washington St. Three of the four towns have a 200 Washington St.
By telling MapInfo Professional to search against the street table and a boundary table, there is a
much better chance of finding a correct match. MapInfo Professional can then differentiate
between 200 Washington St in Chicago and 200 Washington St in Urbana.
To refine a search, select the column in your table that contains boundary information (TOWN,
CITY, POSTALCODE). Next, select a MapInfo Professional table that also contains that boundary
information you need. If you purchased your county street map from MapInfo Professional, two of
the files included are FILENAMES.tab (where filename is the state and county abbreviation),
which contains the street information, and FILENAMEMC.tab, which contains the town boundaries
(minor civil divisions) for that county and FILENAMECB.tab (city boundaries). Use these files to
refine your search.
When refining your search, it is sometimes better to use postal codes rather than town boundaries.
Town boundaries tend to fluctuate more than postal code boundaries. Furthermore, town
boundaries are subject to regional interpretation.

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If refining the search with a boundary is still not enough, you can tell MapInfo Professional to
search in additional boundaries for the match. Choose the Options button in the Geocode dialog
box to bring up the Geocoding Options dialog box. Select the item that is labeled Use a match
found in a different boundary.
Note:

Keep in mind that even though postal codes are more effective for geocoding than town
boundaries, you cannot use the US_ZIPS.tab file that comes with MapInfo Professional for
refining your search because it is a point file. Searches can only be refined using
boundaries. Use USZIPBDY.tab for this purpose.

Solving Problems of Space-Delimited Simple Substitution

Space-delimited simple substitution is MapInfos default. What that means is this: MapInfo
compares spaced-delimited tokens in target addresses with the rows in the address file. A spacedelimited token is a string of characters with a space before and a space after. For example,
MapInfo will replace Ave with Av in Park Ave but it will not change Avery Blvd to Avry Blvd.
Both street names contain the string Ave. But that string is bordered by spaces only in Park
Ave, not in Avery Blvd. In Avery Blvd, Ave is followed by r, not by a space.
All of the entries in the abbreviation file will receive this default interpretation. You can add other
items to receive the same treatment. For example, you might want to add the pair WK WALK so
that MapInfo knows to interpret WK in a target address as though it were WALK. Similarly, you
might want to add a pair such as: CIRCLE CIR.
Use the keyword !SPACE to indicate space-delimited simple substitution. Entries following
!SPACE are given the default interpretation (this allows you to arrange the Abb.file contents in
some other order). When MapInfo encounters another keyword, it switches to the indicated
interpretation strategy.

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Resolving Simple Truncation

In simple truncation, MapInfo finds an item in the address and simply ignores it and everything
after it. These items do not have to be space-delimited. This strategy is useful for dealing with
addresses such as:
123 Appian Way, Mail Stop 829
7305 Van Zandt # 23
In the first case, you want MapInfo to ignore the comma and everything after it. In the second case
you want MapInfo to ignore the number sign and everything after it. To deal with such cases add
the following to your abbreviation file:
!EOLNOSPACE
,
#

!EOLNOSPACE is the keyword indicating that the following items are to be treated as cases of
simple truncation. After that we have one line with a comma and one with a number sign.
Whenever MapInfo encounters a comma or a number sign in an address it will ignore it and
everything after. The examples become:
123 Appian Way
7305 Van Zandt

Resolving Space-Delimited Truncation

In space-delimited truncation MapInfo looks for items which are space delimited and eliminates
those items and everything following. For example:
73 Appian Way Suite 829
3033 Van Zandt Room 202
To deal with such cases add the following to your abbreviation file:
!EOLSPACE
SUITE
ROOM

!EOLSPACE is the keyword indicating that the following items are to be treated as cases of
simple truncation. After that we have one line with Suiteand one with a ROOM. Whenever
MapInfo encounters those tokens it will truncate the address. The examples become:
73 Appian Way
3033 Van Zandt

Resolving Simple Substitution

MapInfo uses simple substitution to remove items from an address and otherwise does nothing.
Use it to deal with:
433 Van-Rensselaer
91 St Albans

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The goal is to strip out the hyphen and the apostrophe. Make the following entries to the
abbreviation file:
!NOSPACE

NOSPACE is the keyword calling for simple substitution, and the hyphen and apostrophe on the
following lines are the tokens to be removed. The examples become:
369 VanRensselaer
91 St Albans

Handling Legitimate Spaces

There are cases where you want to indicate a substitution in which the searched for string contains
spaces. You can use double quotes in such cases. Place a double quote:

at the beginning of the line

and

between the searched for string and the substitution

and

at the end of the line

For example, you might want to substitute STHWY for State Highway. To do that, use the
following line:
State HighwaySTHWY

This provides a solution to a subtle problem, that of street names which match items in the
abbreviation file. For example, North St and Park Av both have initial strings which match terms
in the abbreviation file. Consequently, MapInfo will substitute N for North to yield N St and Pk
for Park to yield Pk Av. You could add the following lines to the Abbreviation file to rectify these
substitutions:
N STNorth ST
PK AVPARK AV

Note that these lines have to come after the entries which substitute N for North and PK for
Park. If they came before, they would have no effect. Thus:
...
...
NORTH N
...
...
PARK
PK
...
...
N STNORTH ST
PK AVPARK AV
...
...

When MapInfo encounters NORTH N it will turn NORTH ST into N ST. When it encounters N
STNORTH ST it will then turn N ST into NORTH ST. PARK AV is treated similarly.
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Handling Special Characters

MapInfo uses the exclamation point (!), the double quote () and the backslash (\) as special
characters. These characters tell MapInfo how to treat strings which follow them, but are not
themselves ordinarily treated as characters in substitution strings. The exclamation point tells
MapInfo that the string should not be interpreted as an abbreviation. The double quote tells
MapInfo that spaces in the string are legitimate. And the backslash tells MapInfo to treat a special
character as an ordinary character.
When you want to use any of these in a line where they are to be treated as simple characters,
precede them by a backslash. Thus:
\!
\
\\

Adding Lines to the Abbreviation File

You can add a new item to the file by adding a new row. The order in which you add rows is not
significant, except in those cases where you expect one substitution pair to compensate for the
effects of another. The number of spaces between the first and second items in a row is not
significant either.
The abbreviation file is a simple ASCII file MAPINFOW.ABB. You can edit it in any text editor or
word processor. Open the file and make your additions, adding keywords as necessary.

Correcting Spelling Errors in Street Names

When your target table has an address name spelled differently than the source table, MapInfo
cannot make a match. There are three possibilities to consider:

Geocode interactively

When you are geocoding interactively, MapInfo displays a dialog box that lists close alternatives.

Use the Up and Down keys to scroll through the list and choose a street.

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Edit the target table

When you think there are too many errors in your target table, you can edit the target table before
geocoding it. MapInfos Update Column function is useful for editing tables.
However, it is possible that the street is spelled incorrectly in the source table.

Edit the street name in the source table

Resolving Alternate Street Names, Street Name has Changed

Since a street name may change, your map will reflect the old name and so it will not match
addresses which employ the new name. You can edit the map to reflect the name change, but
then it will not reflect addresses using the old name. You want to be able to match addresses using
both the old and new names.
You can deal with the problem by adding another row to the file of street names, as follows:
1. Open the filename.tab file the street name file of your street map (not the segment file).
2. Find the row with the street name you want an alternate for and note its MI_REFNUM
value.
3. Add a new row with the alternate name AND the same MI_REFNUM as the primary name.
4. Save and close the file.
MapInfo will now recognize both names in addresses being geocoded.

Resolving Incorrect Address Ranges

When a target record has an address which is not in any of the ranges in the source table, MapInfo
will not be able to match it. Such an address might fall into a gap in range numbers or it might be
beyond the ends of the ranges. There are three possibilities for handling this problem:

You can enable the option to Use The Closest Address Number in the Geocode Options
dialog box. MapInfo will then geocode unmatched address numbers to the closest existing
range, placing the record at the center of that range.
or

You can deal with such cases in Interactive mode. MapInfo will give you a list of known
address ranges. Select the closest address range from the list or click Ignore to ignore the
record.
or

It is possible that the address is for a street segment that was added after your source
map was made. In that case, you may want to edit the source map so that it reflects the
full range of addresses for that street.

Geocoding Post Office Boxes

StreetPro tables do not contain Post Office boxes. When your database contains Post Office
boxes, you will not be able to geocode them to a StreetPro table. You have to geocode these
records in a different way.
For example, if you know that a table contains many addresses with Post Office boxes, you could
first select all the rows containing Post Office boxes and geocode those rows to postal code. Then
you can geocode the remaining records to street address.
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To find all the addresses containing Post Office Box numbers you need to have some way of
identifying them. One plausible indicator is the word box. Use MapInfos InString$ function to
select all records containing the substring Box . Note the spaces on either side of box. By
telling MapInfo that we want those spaces, we make sure we will not include, for example,
addresses on Boxwood Street. Using either Select or SQL Select, you want all records which meet
this test:
InString$(1,ADDRESS, BOX )>0

The number 1 tells MapInfo to search address entries starting with the first character.
ADDRESS is the column containing the street address. BOX is the substring MapInfo is
searching for. When MapInfo finds BOX in an address, it returns a number indicating the
position of the first character of BOX in the address. It follows that, for any record where the
value of Instring$ is greater than zero, that address contains
Box .

You can now geocode this Selection to postal code. That will take care of those records. Then you
can geocode the whole database to addresses. Since those with Post Office boxes have already
been geocoded, MapInfo will skip over them.

Correcting Inaccurate Town Names

MapInfos last geocoding step is to determine in which region to place a matched street address.
MapInfo only takes this step if you have so specified when you set up the geocoding process. It is
common to use town or city name as the refining boundary. This causes problems because people
often do not use the town name which the Census Bureau assigns to their address. Since almost
all electronic maps of the United States are based on Census Bureau maps, this will cause
problems.
For example, the address 50 Wolf Rd., Albany, NY is actually in the town of Colonie. Thus the
address town name in the target address will not match the appropriate town in the source file
against which it is being geocoded.
One way to deal with this problem is to enable the Try Searching In A Different Boundary option on
the Geocode Options dialog box. When this option is enabled, MapInfo will geocode an address to
whatever boundary that address is in, providing that address is in only one boundary. When the
address is in more than one boundary, the geocoding will fail.
Another way to deal with this problem is to use the postal code as the refining boundary, rather
than the town or city name.

Correcting Geocoding Errors Using Result Codes

Specify a numeric field (Geocode Options dialog box) in which MapInfo will write a code indicating
which steps were taken to geocode the record or why the record did not match. These codes can
be very useful in catching false positive matches and in improving the hit rate by diagnosing
problems and correcting them.
The return code is a three-digit number, with each digit indicating a particular aspect of the
geocoding operation.

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MapInfo scores each record on each aspect and adds the three numbers together to get the
result code for that record. For example, a result code of 122 means:

The address was found in one other boundary: 100

The exact address range was not found: 20

Abbreviation file substitutions were made: 2

These tables indicate the significance of each element in the code.

Not matched

Not tried

Exact match

Inexact match

The return codes have been designed so that non-matches will have a negative value and
matches will have a positive value.
A record which has not been tried will have a return code of zero.
1

Exact match found

Abbreviation file applied

3 (-)

Exact match not found

4 (-)

No street specified

User picked a name from the list

Codes indicating how MapInfo has treated street names appear in the ones place of the result
code.
00

Exact address range and side of street found

Address range found, but could not determine side of street

20 (+/-)

Address range not found, but within minimum and maximum ranges

30 (+/-)

Address range not found, but beyond minimum and maximum ranges

40 (+/-)

Address range not specified, but matched to minimum range

50 (-)

Streets do not intersect

60 (-)

Signifies the row has no object

User picked an address from the list

Codes indicating how MapInfo has treated address ranges appear in the tens place of the result
code.

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Refining-Boundary Codes
100 (+/-)

Address range found in only one boundary other than specified boundary

200 (-)

Address range found in more than one boundary other than specified boundary

300 (+/-)

No boundary specified, but found in only one

400 (-)

No boundary specified, and found in more than one

500

Exact street address found more than once in the specified boundary

600

User picked a boundary from the list

1000000 (+/-)

User typed something new

Codes indicating how MapInfo has treated refining boundaries appear in the hundreds place of
the result code.
Once you have result codes, you need to find out how your records were handled. You can use the
following SQL Select statement to find out which result codes appeared in your table and how
many records were returned with each code value:
Select columns

Result_Code, count(*)

from tables

SomeData

group by columns

Result_Code

The resulting query table will have a row for each different three-digit result code and a count of
how many records had that code. You can then use Select or SQL Select to select all the records
with a particular code. You can then browse these various selections and determine how to handle
each class of records.

Examples of Result Codes

675 User pick street name, address range, and boundary.
101 Exact match found in exactly one boundary other than boundary specified.

Create Points - Putting Latitude/Longitude Coordinates on a Map

You may have a file that already contains X and Y coordinates, but not the point objects
themselves that you want to display in MapInfo Professional. While the geographic information
exists in the table, MapInfo Professional needs to create points to represent these coordinates
before displaying them in a Map window. The Create Points command under the Table menu
allows you to create points for each record in your database that has X-Y coordinate information.

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MapInfo Professional uses the coordinate fields in your table to create point objects.
Records that already have graphic objects associated with them will be skipped during the
Create Points operation.

For example, you have a table showing transmitter tower locations that was created by recording
coordinates using a global positioning system. You want to display the locations on a map in
MapInfo Professional. The table already has X and Y coordinate information but MapInfo
Professional cannot display this information until you create points for that coordinate data that
MapInfo Professional can read.
To create points:
1. Open the table for which you want to create points.
2. On the TABLE menu, click CREATE POINTS. The Create Points dialog box displays.

Chapter 4: Putting Your Data on the Map

Creating Points in a Projection

To create points using a projection, do the following:
1. Examine the browser for your data to determine which columns contain the Y and X
coordinates. In this example, the easting (x) and northing (y) values are in US State Plane
Coordinate System (1927) Mass Mainland Zone.

2. On the TABLE menu, click CREATE POINTS to display the Create Points dialog box.

3. Click the PROJECTION button and choose the projection category and member.
4. Click OK.

Converting Coordinate Information with the Degree Converter Tool

The Degree Converter tool is part of the toolset that ships with MapInfo Professional. It converts
coordinate information to decimal degrees from a degrees, minutes, seconds (d/m/s) format. It can
also convert the columns back to degrees, minutes, seconds from decimal degrees. For
instructions about loading this tool in the Tool Manager, see Accessing and Loading the Tool
Manager Tools in Chapter 3 on page 111.
Before using this program, make sure that there are two new columns available to hold the
converted data. You can also use the Degree Converter to convert a single Latitude/Longitude
coordinate to either decimal degrees or D/M/S. You can also run this program with the Run
MapBasic Program command, as well as any of the other tools in the Tool Manager.
On the TOOLS menu, click RUN MAPBASIC PROGRAM. Select DMSCNVRT.MBX from the Tools
directory, and click OK. The Degree Converter tool is added to the Tools menu.

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Degree
Converter Tool

To convert degrees, minutes, seconds coordinates to decimal degree coordinates:

1. On the TOOLS menu, point to DEGREE CONVERTER and click CONVERT COLUMN TO DECIMAL
DEGREES. The Convert DMS to Decimal Degrees dialog box displays.
2. Select the table containing the columns for conversion.
3. Choose one of the columns containing the coordinate information. You have to run the
program once for the longitude (X) column and once for the latitude (Y) column.

4. Enter the DMS SEPARATOR. You should be able to look at your table and identify the
character separating the degrees, minutes, and seconds entries.
5. Choose the column for the converted results and click OK. This must be a decimal or float
field in older versions (pre-7.5) of MapInfo Professional.
6. Browse your table to see the new column of coordinate information in decimal degrees.
Repeat this procedure for your other coordinate column. You are now ready to use the
TABLE menu to click the CREATE POINTS command.
Note:

You can also use the Degree Converter to convert decimal degrees back to degrees,
minutes, seconds format. Use this feature if you must return the data to its original format.

Dispersing Points Located in the Same Place

Depending on how you have geocoded your table, you may have several points that are placed at
the same location, making it difficult to tell if you are viewing one point or many. For example, if you
geocode a table of students by census tract, and view the results on your map, it appears that
there is one dot at the center of each tract when there actually may be several there. To see all of
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your data, you may want to disperse the points over a small area. There are three methods for
dispersing points: the Disperse Points tool (a tool that comes with MapInfo Professional), equal
dispersion, and dispersion to the right.

Dispersing Points in the Same Position using the Disperse Points Tool
You can disperse points in the same position either systematically or randomly using the Disperse
Points tool. This tool is a MapBasic program that ships with MapInfo Professional. For instructions
on loading this tool in the Tool Manager, see Accessing and Loading the Tool Manager Tools in
Chapter 3 on page 111.
To disperse points:
1. On the TOOLS menu, point to DISPERSE and click DISPERSE POINTS. A dialog box displays
showing your tables.
2. Choose the table containing the points to be dispersed. Click OK.
3. A warning displays suggesting that you save a copy of the table if you have not already
done so. If you are working with a copy of the original table, click CONTINUE.
4. Choose the appropriate method for dispersing points and click OK. Each method is
described:

SYSTEMATICALLY N, S, E, W, NE, SW, NW, SE: Points are dispersed roughly one
symbol width away from the original point in eight possible directions.
SYSTEMATICALLY AROUND THE CLOCK: Points are dispersed roughly one symbol
width away in a clockwise fashion.
RANDOMLY: Points are clustered around the original location in a random pattern. In
this case, the points can end up overlapping each other.
RANDOMLY WITH CALL OUT LINES: Random dispersion with a callout line to indicate the
original location of the point.

To display your data on an existing Map window:

1. Open the .tab files or .WOR files you want to plot your converted data onto.
2. Open the .tab files or .WOR files you just created and in the Preferred View drop-down
box select the CURRENT MAPPER option.
3. Click OPEN.

After Displaying Your Data on the Map

Now that your data is there to see, make it say something to your audience. The whole world of
MapInfo Professional functionality is open to you. For details on analyzing your data, see Creating
Thematic Maps, Legends, and Other Maps in Chapter 9 on page 278 or see Drawing and
Editing Objects in Chapter 7 on page 220 for more about customizing your map. For printing
your map, see the next section.

Printing Your Results

Once you have created the perfect map or graph, you can easily print the individual windows.
For presentation, use the Layout menu to bring together all views of your mapping session. Here,
you can combine different types of windows to create an attractive and more informative
presentation. On the WINDOW MENU, click NEW LAYOUT WINDOW to display a Layout window that
you can use to arrange your maps, browse tables, graphs, legends, titles, logos, etc. See Working
in the Layout Window in Chapter 12 on page 390, for tips and techniques about working in the
Layout window.

Setting Up the Page

Before you print your map or layout, you will need to set up your page. In the Page Setup dialog
box (on the FILE menu, click PAGE SETUP), specify the paper size, orientation, and margins.

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Printing Your Map

When you have your page set up the way you want, you are ready to print.
To print your map:
1. On the FILE menu, click PRINT to display the Print dialog box. This dialog box allows you to
specify printer properties, a page range for printing, and the number of copies to print.

2. If you need to change the size of the map, the orientation of your map or want to specify
the scale or a custom width or height, click the OPTIONS button. If you are printing a map,
the Map Print Options dialog box displays.
Note:

If you are printing a graph or a browser or a 3DMap, your options will be different.
See Graph/Browser/3DMap Printing Options on page 169 for more
information.

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3. Here you can specify the size of the map, how its contents will display, the scale, and its
width and height. For details on the other print options, see Graph/Browser/3DMap
Printing Options on page 169. When you have completed your selections in this dialog
box, click OK to continue.

MAP SIZE Select the size of the map you are producing in this group; the options
are Window Size, Fit to Page, and Custom. As you make selections, the Custom
Scale, Custom Width and Custom Height entries change.
WINDOW SIZE Click this button to print the map as it displays on your computer
screen.
FIT TO PAGE Click this button to fit the current map to the page size you have
selected in your preferences.
CUSTOM Click this button to enter your own custom scale, width, and height entries
in the fields provided. Then, type the appropriate entries in the Custom Scale, Custom
Width and Height fields.
MAP CONTENTS Select an option in this group to determine the map contents you
want to print; the options are Same as Window and Centered on Window.
SAME AS WINDOW Click this button to print the map contents as it appears in the
Map window, with the same proportions and content as you see.
CENTERED ON WINDOW Click this button to center as much of the current map that
fits on the page. When you select this option, the image may print on more than one
page depending upon fit. In general when you select this option, MapInfo Professional
assumes you want to select the Fit to Page radio button and selects this for you.

4. If your map is particularly complex (a large map, 3D, or one with 10 or more colors) there
are more options available using the Advanced button. The Advanced Printing Options
dialog box displays. (See Advanced Printing Options on page 171). When you have
completed your selections, click OK to continue.
5. After you complete your selections, click OK on the Print dialog box to print your results.

Graph/Browser/3DMap Printing Options

In this section we review the options you have in printing your graphs, your browsers, and your
3DMaps. These options that display in the Print dialog box depend upon the type of window or
map you are trying to print. Not all options display, whenever you are in the Print dialog box.

Graph Print Options

You must be printing a graph to display the Graph Print Options box.
To use the graph print options:
1. In the Print dialog box, click the OPTIONS button. The Graph Print Options dialog box
displays.
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2. Select from these options and click OK to save them.

MAP SIZE Click the size of the graph you have produced; the options are Window
Size, Fit to Page, Full Page, and Custom. As you make selections, the Custom Width
and Height entries change.
FIT TO PAGE Click this button to fit the current graph to the page size you have
selected in your preferences or in your Print dialog box.
FULL PAGE Click this button to print the graph on the full page as set in the printer
parameters on the Print dialog box.
CUSTOM Click this button and enter your own custom width and height entries in the
fields provided.

Browser Print Options

Use these Browser Print Options to ensure that you get the printing results you want. The Browser
Print Options dialog box only displays when you are printing a Browser window.
To use the graph print options:
1. In the Print dialog box, click the OPTIONS button. The Browser Print Options dialog box
displays.

2. Select from these options and click OK to save them.

ALL Click this button to print all of the rows and columns in your browser.
FROM/TO Click this button to specify the print range of the rows and columns in your
browser.

3D Map Print Options

Use these 3D Map Print Options to ensure that you get the printing results you want. The 3D Map
Print Options dialog box only displays when you are printing a 3D map.

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3. Select from these options and click OK to save them.

FIT TO PAGE Click this button to fit the current 3D map to the page size you have
selected in your preferences or in your Print dialog box.
CUSTOM Click this button and enter your own custom width, and height entries in
the fields provided.

Advanced Printing Options

Advanced printing options enable you to specify how you want MapInfo Professional to print your
map or layout, and tell MapInfo Professional how to handle color and transparency for raster and
grid images.
To set the advanced printing options:
1. On the FILE menu, click PRINT to display the Print dialog box.
2. Click the ADVANCED button to display the Advanced Printing dialog box.

3. Select from these options and click OK to save them.

OUTPUT METHOD There are two output methods, Print Directly to Device and
Printing using the Enhanced Metafile (EMF).
PRINT DIRECTLY TO DEVICE Use this option to print your image file directly from
MapInfo Professional. (We recommend that you use this option if you are using
MapInfo Professional 6.0 or earlier only.) This is the default setting.
PRINT USING ENHANCED METAFILE (EMF) Use this option to generate an enhanced
metafile of your MapInfo Professional image before sending it to the printer. This
option takes advantage of current technology to shrink the spool size and print your
file quicker without sacrificing quality.
PRINT BORDER FOR MAP WINDOW Select this check box to print a black border
around the image you are printing. Clear this check box to print the image without a
border. This check box is selected by default.
INTERNAL HANDLING FOR PRINTING TRANSPARENT VECTOR FILLS AND SYMBOLS
Special programming has been added to handle transparent fill patterns and bitmaps
for vector images when you print. Select this check box to use this functionality or
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clear it to let the printer or plotter to manage this type of work. This check box is
selected by default.
USE ROP METHOD TO DISPLAY TRANSPARENT RASTER Select this check box to allow
the internal ROP (Raster Overlay by Pixel) to manage the transparent pixels when
printing raster images. Since the ROP Method is largely a display method, not all
printers and plotters can use it. We recommend that you experiment with this setting
until you get the results you want.
SCALE PATTERNS Select this check box to scale the fill patterns you see on the
screen more closely to what the printer will produce. This option is selected by default.
For advice about setting this option, see Recommendations for Effective Pattern
Scaling in Chapter 2 on page 62.
PRINT RASTER IN TRUE COLOR WHEN POSSIBLE Select this check box to print your
24-bit raster or grid file images in true color. Make sure your printer settings are set to
greater than 256 colors. This check box is selected by default.

The options that are selected when you initially display this dialog box are the default settings,
which are set in the Output preferences. The Advanced Printing dialog box enables you to override
the default print settings for individual windows. To actually change the default print settings, you
must go to the Output preferences (on the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES AND CLICK
OUTPUT) and change the print settings there. See Setting the MapInfo Professional
Preferences in Chapter 2 on page 47 for more information.

Output Methods
You can choose from two types of output methods. Click the button next to the method you want to
use. The Print Directly to Device method is the printing method used in previous versions of
MapInfo Professional. The Print using Enhanced Metafile (EMF) method generates an Enhanced
Metafile from the print contents, which is then sent to the printer. This method produces good
quality output while reducing printing time and spool sizes, but your printer must be able to handle
the metafile.
Note:

If you are printing a map/layout that contains a translucent image, you must select PRINT
USING ENHANCEMENT METAFILE (EMF). The PRINT DIRECTLY TO DEVICE option does not
support translucent images.

Display and Color Options

Additional settings control Map window borders, transparency in vector and raster images, and
color in raster images. Select the check boxes next to the option(s) you want.
To have MapInfo Professional handle transparent fill and bitmap symbols in vector images
internally, check the Internal Handling for Transparent Vector Fills and Symbols box. If you clear
the box, transparency will be handled by your printer.
When the ROP method is selected, the transparent image is rendered using a raster operation
(ROP) to handle the transparent pixels. This method is used to draw transparent (non-translucent)
images on-screen. This method may or may not work well when printing. You will need to
determine if your particular print driver handles ROPs correctly.
Check the PRINT RASTER IN TRUE COLOR WHEN POSSIBLE box to use 24-bit true color to print raster
and grid images. To be able to print a raster image in true color, the image must be 24-bit and the
printer must support more than 256 colors.
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Select a dither method from the DITHER METHOD list to use when your image must be converted
from 24-bit to 256 colors. Choose either the HALFTONE or ERROR DIFFUSION dither methods.

Overriding the Default Printer

The printer listed in both the Print and Page Setup dialog boxes is the default printer that MapInfo
Professional uses for all print jobs. This can be either the Windows default printer or a MapInfo
Professional preferred printer that you select. Set the default printer in the Printer preferences (on
the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click PRINTER). Both of these dialog boxes include
the option of overriding the default printer for an individual print job.
Note:

You can get additional printer advice in the MapInfo Professional Printing Guide on the
installation CD.

To use a printer other than the one indicated in the Printer preferences to print a particular window
(Map, Layout, etc.), choose either:

On the FILE menu, click PRINT. Click the NAME drop-down list to see a list of the printers
you have access to, and select the one you want to use. This selection overrides the
default printer settings for this print job.

On the FILE menu, click PAGE SETUP. In the Page Setup dialog box, click the Printer to
display the Preferences dialog box for the default printer. Click the NAME drop-down list to
see a list of the available printers, and select the one you want to use. This selection
overrides the default printer settings for this print job.

Note that the printer override applies only to the window you are currently printing. To actually
change the default settings, you must go to the Printer preferences and specify a new default
printer. See Setting the MapInfo Professional Preferences in Chapter 2 on page 47 for more
information.

Troubleshooting Print Problems

Good first steps in troubleshooting a printing problem are to make sure you have downloaded and
installed the latest patch for MapInfo Professional and are using the latest printer driver for your
printer/operating system.
Note:

You can get additional printer advice in the MapInfo Professional Printing Guide on the
installation CD.

When we discuss printer issues, we make the following assumptions about your print environment:

The printer/plotter has been installed properly

The printer/plotter drivers have been installed correctly

The printer/plotter is connected to the computer or to the network properly

There is sufficient memory (on the print device and on the computer) to print your files

Any of these issues can affect your ability to print/plot your MapInfo Professional output. Our
Technical Support professionals may be able to identify the these difficulties, but they are not
within their control.
Note:

Whenever we use the terms print or printer we also mean plotter.

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When Printing a MapInfo Professional Object From Another Application

When you embed a MapInfo map or graph in another application (such as Word or PowerPoint),
click outside the map/graph before you use the Print or Print Preview commands. This allows the
container application to take over previewing or printing properly. This is particularly true if you
have just made changes to the map or graph you are printing.

Working with Fill Patterns

Note that fill patterns on the first row of the Region Style dialog box are Windows standard and
tend to print faster. The other patterns are bitmaps MapInfo has created for your use. You might
want to consider this when you are selecting fill patterns. See also Recommendations for
Effective Pattern Scaling in Chapter 2 on page 62 for more information regarding scaling and
printing fill patterns.

Translucent Raster Maps/Grids and Windows 9X Dont Mix

You cannot print a translucent raster map or grid on Windows 9X platforms or export them to EMF
or WMF file formats. You need to use a non-metafile (i.e. .BMP or .GIF) format to export raster
images on Windows 9X.
Due to the support of Windows 9X, MapInfo Professional can only print up to a maximum of
28,000 pixels. If your image is large and you are printing at a resolution of 600 DPI or greater, it is
possible that your image exceeds this limitation. To print the image, reduce the resolution of the
printout or shrink the size of the image.

Sometimes the Older Driver is Better

When in doubt, if an older driver worked and the new one does not, go back to the older driver.

Make Room for the Metafile

Make sure you have plenty of temporary disk space, particularly if you are using the Print using the
Enhanced Metafile option. The system is trying to create a layered bitmap locally on disk.

Spool Locally, Print Globally

Try spooling print jobs locally rather than at the plotter. This allows the computer to rasterize your
output rather than the printer, which can be more efficient.
1. To set up local print job spooling, on the START menu, point to SETTINGS and CONTROL
PANEL and click PRINTERS.
2. Right-click the printer to select it and choose Properties in the pop up menu to display the
printers properties.
3. Click the ADVANCED tab to display the advanced property options.

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Click the SPOOL PRINT

DOCUMENTS button
and the START
PRINTING AFTER LAST
PAGE IS SPOOLED

button.

Note:

If you do not have administrative rights to your computer, you may not be able to
use the spooling option. Contact your IT department if you want to make this
change.

4. Click OK to save your changes.

Speeding up the Printer

If your printer has Fast, Normal, Best print quality options, we suggest you select FAST to improve
printer speed. This will also lower your output resolution and may resolve the 28,000 pixel
limitation.

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Enhancing Your Data

You cannot work for long in MapInfo Professional without wanting to add more or enhance your own data
in some way. This chapter teaches you how to get the most from your MapInfo tables and how to create
reports with your data.

Sections in this Chapter:

Working with MapInfo Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

Creating a Report of your Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

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Working with MapInfo Tables

After you have brought your data into MapInfo and created .tab files, you can manage them within
MapInfo Professional. You can view any database table in MapInfo Professional, once you have
converted it to MapInfo format. Additionally you can add or remove fields, change the order, name,
type, width, or index of any field. You can also specify or determine the projection of the table from
this dialog box. You can also check if the table is mappable (contains map objects). To make these
types of changes, see Editing a Table on page 185.
Keep in mind that you can only view the structure of a spreadsheet or database file that you
convert into MapInfo Professionals table structure. See Creating a .tab File from your Data in
Chapter 4 on page 117 for these instructions.
To view a table:

On the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click TABLE STRUCTURE. The View/Modify
Table Structure dialog box displays.

Accessing StreetPro Data

Now that you can display your data, you may want to display it on an existing map that has streets,
hospitals, highways, and other landmarks to give your data relevance. MapInfo Corporations
premier data product, StreetPro contains all of this and more. There are actually two versions of
StreetPro, StreetPro Display and StreetPro with Enhanced Address Layer. See which of these
products is right for your needs.
StreetPro Display contains 30 layers of county-level display streets, highways and shields,
railways, administrative boundaries, point locations, and water features. In addition, we have
included several utilities (Autoloader, Shield Manager, Street Append tools) to help make StreetPro
easy to work with. You can purchase this product by county, by state, by 6 state packs or the entire
United States.
StreetPro with Enhanced Address Layer includes all the layers and tools in StreetPro Display,
plus an address layer of streets and address ranges that you can use to more precisely geocode
your data.

Adding to a Table
One important operation in maintaining tables is the ability to update the data contained in the
table. MapInfo Professionals Update Column feature allows you to:

Add a temporary column or update an existing column with data from another table

Update a table

Place graphic information into visible columns

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Adding a Temporary Column using Update Column

If you need to bring data from one table into another, you can use the Update Column command in
MapInfo Professional. In fact to bring this data into the table, you can either add a new temporary
column or you can update an existing column. In both cases, use the TABLE menu to click UPDATE
COLUMN to bring over the information.
You have tremendous flexibility with how information is imported and what information is
transferred. You can perform aggregate functions to transfer averages, minima, maxima, sums,
weighted averages, and proportional sums. You can also create expressions to derive additional
information from the data.
To illustrate the Update Column command, we have created the following example. In this
company, there are two files, one with the customers order amounts (Order_amt) an the other the
states file (States2). You can use these files and the Update Column command to calculate the
sum of your customers order amounts and report that information by state. Update Column
creates a temporary column in the STATES table to store the information from the Order_amt
table. During the operation MapInfo Professional calculates each customers order amount with
the order amounts of other customers from the same state. A browser of the STATES table shows
the sum of order amount by state.
You can follow along with similar tables of your own.
To calculate the sum of orders and report the amount using Update Column:
1. On the TABLE menu, click UPDATE COLUMN and fill in the Update Column dialog box as
shown in the next figure:
Select the table to update from
this list.
Select the column to update from
this list or select ADD NEW
TEMPORARY COLUMN.
Select the table that contains the
update values in this list.
Notice the JOIN button is activated when you select ADD new temporary column. In this
example the Join operation will match columns in each table based on equivalent columns
that hold common information such as where State from table STATES table matches
State from the CUSTOMER table. In other situations you can match information based on
common geography.
Note:

You can use this dialog box to create a temporary column in the original data
source file. To do this, select the same table in both the Table to Update dropdown list and the Get Value from Table drop-down list.

2. At the Calculate list box, choose SUM for purposes of this example. You can also select:
VALUE, AVG, COUNT, MIN, MAX, SUM, WTAVG, PROPORTION SUM, PROPORTION AVG, and
PROPORTION WTAVG from this list. (For a discussion of these functions, see Aggregating
Data on page 264.)

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At the Of list box, MapInfo Professional automatically defaults to the first numeric field in
the table when you choose any function other than value. You can select another column,
as appropriate.
3. Click OK to begin the update. MapInfo Professional updates the STATES table and
reports the order amount by state in a Browser or in the table you selected.
When the order amount of a customer changes, you can simply make the change in the
Order_amt table. MapInfo Professional automatically updates the sum of the order
amount for that state in the STATES table.
4. To save the temporary column, on the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS.
You can also save the information if the table is part of a workspace that you save. If the
information is saved with SAVE COPY AS, the values will remain the same. If saved in a workspace,
MapInfo Professional recomputes the column whenever you open the workspace. Also, the
Update Column dialog box defaults to the last column that was updated and the last expression
that was used for updating the column, whenever you run the command.
For additional details about saving a table, see Saving a Table or Saving a Copy of a Table on
page 105.

Updating a Table
For a quick visual way to update your table, select the objects in the Map window and use Update
Column to update the table with the new value. This would be useful when you want to update a
number of objects with the same value.
To include the District column in the STATES table:
1. Create the District column (on the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click TABLE
STRUCTURE) in the States table.
2. Add a field for Districts.
3. Re-display the STATES table in a Map window.
4. Select the appropriate states with the Marquee tool (or other selection method).
5. On the TABLE menu, click UPDATE COLUMN and fill in the dialog box as illustrated in the
next figure. Be sure to put the value in quotes so MapInfo Professional does not treat it as
a new column name.

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6. Click OK. MapInfo Professional creates a query table of the southeastern states with the
District column containing the value Southeast.
7. Save the table to preserve the new information.

Appending Rows to a Table

Use the Append Rows to Table command when you want to attach the records from one table to
another. The two tables should have the same set of columns in the same order.
To append data to another table:
1. On the TABLE menu, click APPEND ROWS TO TABLE. The dialog box displays.
2. Specify the table containing the records you want appended.
3. Specify the table to which the records will be appended and click OK.
If the corresponding columns do not have the same data type, a best fit is done to convert the data
to the appropriate type. If the order of the columns is not the same between the two tables, use the
Table Structure command to reorder the columns before using Append Rows to Table.
Note:

If tables are mappable, the bounds of the map in one table must be large enough to allow
objects from the other table to fit within it. Otherwise, the objects will be distorted to the
bounds of the Map window. Use the Check/Set Coordsys Bounds tool to alter the map
bounds of the table if this occurs. SeeUsing the Tools in the Tool Manager in Chapter 3
on page 109 for more about the Coordsys Bounds tool.

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Parsing Data from One Column to Multiple Columns

If you have imported data into MapInfo Professional from another format, there is always the
chance that the data will not come in exactly the way you want it. In some instances, items that
should appear in separate columns may be put together in one column. The following is a series of
column updates that parses one column of full names (first, middle, and last) into three parts. It
works even if there is no middle name, or if there is only a last name.
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN and open the table to be modified.
2. Add three new columns to your table. On the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click
TABLE STRUCTURE. Add two character columns of size 15. Call them FIRST and MIDDLE.
Then add a character column called LAST of size 30.
3. Put the full name into the column called LAST by choosing the TABLE menu, and clicking
UPDATE COLUMN. Fill in the Update Column dialog box.

The Column to update is LAST, and we get the Value from the column that has the full
name in it. Remember we are only working with one table, so the Table to Update and Get
Value From Table should be the same table. In the following example, the table is TABLE1
and the full name column is your_full_name_column. You should fill in your own values for
these two items.
4. To parse the first name out of the full name column, choose the TABLE menu and click
UPDATE COLUMN. Fill in the Update Column dialog box.

The Column to Update is: FIRST

The Value is: left$(LAST, instr(1,LAST, ))

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5. To parse the last name out of the full name column, on the TABLE menu, click UPDATE
COLUMN. Fill in the Update Column dialog box.

The Column to update is: LAST

The Value is: Right$(LAST, Len(LAST)-Instr(1,LAST, )).
6. To parse the middle name out of the full name column, on the TABLE menu, click UPDATE
COLUMN. Fill in the Update Column dialog box.

Update the MIDDLE column with the Value: Left$(LAST, Instr(1,LAST, ))

7. Then update the LAST column again by returning to the TABLE menu, clicking UPDATE
COLUMN, and filling in the dialog box.

The Value is: Right$(LAST, Len(LAST)-Instr(1,LAST, ))

8. Click OK to update the column.
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Placing Graphic Information in Visible Columns

Update Column is also useful to put graphic information into columns so that it is visible. Tables
that contain map objects store the graphic information about these objects invisibly. By using
Update Column, you can bring some of that information into a column so it can be viewed in a
Browser. Update Column with CentroidX(Obj), CentroidY(Obj) uses the Session Projection
Preferences (if set), otherwise it defaults to Longitude/Latitude.
For example, you want to display the longitude and latitude coordinates of a table of radio station
point locations in a Browser. In this example, you are only working with one table, RADIOLOC. But
you still use the same Update Column dialog box as in the Add Temporary Column example.
To display the longitude and latitude coordinates of a table in a Browser:
1. View the table structure (on the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click TABLE
STRUCTURE) to ensure that there are not already fields that contain longitude and latitude
coordinates internal to the table.
Before you can update the table, you must add two columns (for instance, call them Long
and Lat) to contain the coordinates. When you change the structure of the table in this
way, the table will be removed from any open window. The table is still open, however, and
ready for updating.
2. On the TABLE menu, click UPDATE COLUMN and specify RADIOLOC as the table to update
and as the Get Value From Table.
3. Choose LONG as the Column to Update.
4. In the Value box you must specify an expression to retrieve the longitude.
5. Click the ASSIST button to bring up the Expression dialog box.
6. From the Functions drop-down list choose CENTROIDX. MapInfo Professional returns the
expression CentroidX(obj).
7. Click OK to return to the Update Column dialog box. The expression is now stated in the
Value box.
8. Click OK. MapInfo Professional calculates the information and places a longitude
coordinate for each radio station in the Long column.

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9. Repeat the process to retrieve the latitude coordinates using the expression
CentroidY(obj).
10. On the FILE menu, click SAVE TABLE to permanently store the coordinates in the
RADIOLOC table.
Note:

If you edit the objects, which, in effect, changes the coordinates, you must go back into the
columns to make the changes. It will not automatically update.

Adding a Row to a Table

You can add a temporary row to a MapInfo table. The table must be editable before you can add a
new row.
To add a new row:
1. On the WINDOW menu, click NEW BROWSER window.
2. Choose an editable table from the drop-down list.
3. Click OK to display the table in a Browser window.
4. On the EDIT menu, click NEW ROW to add a new row to the bottom of the table.
5. Type the new data into each appropriate column of the new row.
6. When you are finished adding rows, on the FILE menu, click SAVE TABLE to save the new
data. The Save Table dialog box displays.
7. Click SAVE to save the new row(s).

Creating a New Table

As you learned in Chapter 4: Putting Your Data on the Map, you can bring in data tables from
several outside sources: dBASE, Excel, Access, Lotus 123, Shapefiles, Grid, and delimited
ASCII. You can also create your own database directly in MapInfo Professional. These databases
can be opened and displayed as maps (providing they contain graphic objects), Browsers, or
graphs.
To create a new table in MapInfo Professional:
1. On the FILE menu, click NEW TABLE. The New Table dialog box displays.

2. Choose OPEN NEW BROWSER so that the new table will be open in its traditional tabular
form in a window.
3. Choose OK. The New Table Structure dialog box displays.
4. Choose ADD FIELD to begin building the databases structure. Give the field a name, type,
width, and specify whether the field will be indexed.
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5. Continue to add fields until you have the number you want.
6. Use the UP and DOWN buttons to reorder the fields. Keep in mind that the order of fields in
this dialog box (top to bottom) will actually display as columns (left to right) in the Browser
window.
7. Choose CREATE. The Create New Table dialog box displays.

8. Specify a location for the new table in the Save in box.

9. Enter a name for the table in the File Name box.
10. Specify the file type in the Save as type drop-down list. You can choose from the following
formats:

MAPINFO (*.TAB)
DBASE DBF (*.TAB)
MICROSOFT ACCESS (*.TAB)

11. Click SAVE. If you chose either of the MapInfo Professional formats, MapInfo Professional
creates your table. You are finished. If you chose dBASE DBF, proceed to step 12.
If you chose dBASE DBF, the dBASE DBF Information dialog box displays, asking you to
specify a file character set. Choose the one appropriate for your language and click OK.
12. Click SAVE in the Create New Table dialog box. MapInfo Professional creates the new
table.
Note:

Do not use Districts as a name for your base tables. MapInfo Professional uses
Districts internally as a system table when beginning a redistricting session.

See the section on Microsoft Access Tables later in this chapter for information on creating a new
Access table.

Editing a Table
You can make changes to the structure of your table directly in MapInfo Professional. You can add
or remove fields, change the order, name, type, width, or index of any field. You can also specify or
determine the projection of the table from this dialog box. You can also check if the table is
mappable (contains map objects).

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To change the structure of the table:

1. On the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click TABLE STRUCTURE. The View/Modify
Table Structure dialog box displays.
2. Make the appropriate changes, or if you are simply viewing the structure use the scroll
bars on the right of the field list to view the information about each field.
3. When you have completed your changes to the structure of the table, click OK to save the
table.
Note:

Keep in mind that you can only view the structure of a spreadsheet file that you bring into
MapInfo Professional.

Copying and Renaming a Table

Because a MapInfo Professional table consists of two or more component files (STATES.tab,
STATES.DAT, STATES.MAP, etc.), all of these files for a particular table must be in the same
directory. If you move any of the component files to a different directory, you must move all of
them. When you want to back up a table to diskette, you must back up all of the component files.
Because each table has at least two files associated with it, you cannot change one file name
without changing all the other associated file names. Otherwise, MapInfo Professional would not
know where to find all the files that constitute the table. Therefore, do not use a DOS command to
rename files.
To rename a table:
1. On the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click RENAME TABLE. The Rename Table
dialog box displays.
2. Choose the table to rename and click OK.
3. Choose a new name for the table and click OK.
When you rename a table using this command, MapInfo Professional also renames all associated
files.
Keep in mind that renaming a table will affect any workspaces that contain the original table. If you
rename a table, you must also edit the workspace file (.WOR) in a text editor or word processor to
change the name of the table to reflect the new table name. You can also rename the table before
you build the workspace.
Renaming a raster file only changes the *.tab file name. Renaming a grid file changes both the
*.tab and grid file name.

Deleting a Table
Deleting a table allows you to remove the .tab file and all component files associated with the
table.
To delete a table:
1. On the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click DELETE TABLE.
2. Choose the table to delete and click OK.
A message displays to inform you that the table will be permanently deleted and the
operation cannot be undone.
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3. Click OK and MapInfo Professional deletes the table.

Deleting a raster table will only delete the *.tab file. Deleting a grid file removes both the *.tab and
grid file.

Packing a Table
Packing a table allows you to compress tables to take up less disk space. You can choose to pack
only tabular data or graphic objects or both. Packing tabular data removes deleted records.
When you pack a table, MapInfo Professional requires that you have twice as much free space as
the table takes up to handle a copy of the database as a scratch file.
To pack a table:
1. On the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click PACK TABLE. The Pack Table dialog
box displays.
2. Choose the appropriate table and whether you want to pack tabular or graphic data, or
both.
3. Click OK.
Note:

Packing a table can corrupt customized labels saved to a workspace. If you are going to
be working with customized labels, pack the table before you create the labels.

Collecting Data into the Table using Update Column

MapInfo Professional provides a number of powerful aggregating functions that allow you to derive
new information. These features are available in Update Column when you specify two tables in
the Update Column dialog box. The aggregate expressions include Average, Count, Minimum,
Maximum, Sum, Weighted Average, Proportion Sum, Proportion Average, and Proportion
Weighted Average. Each is defined in the next table.
Aggregate Expressions

Description

AVERAGE

Calculates the average of the values for all records in a group.

COUNT

Counts the number of records in a group.

MINIMUM

Finds the lowest value for all records in a group.

MAXIMUM

Finds the highest value for all records in a group.

SUM

Calculates the sum of the values for all records in a group.

WEIGHTED AVERAGE

Gives more weight to one value over another when averaging.

PROPORTION SUM

A sum calculation that is adjusted based on how much of one

object is within another object.

PROPORTION AVERAGE

An average calculation that is adjusted based on how much of

one object is within another object.

PROPORTION WEIGHTED
AVERAGE

A weighted average calculation that is adjusted based on how

much of one object is within another object.

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Note that average, count, min, max, sum, and weighted average operate on data values only. The
proportion functions take geographic relationships into account.
Note:

To find instructions for using the Update Column feature, see Adding a Temporary
Column using Update Column on page 178.

Example Using Proportion Sum and Proportion Average

To illustrate the proportion sum and proportion average functions, consider this example.
You want to determine what proportion of the population in your county is covered by a flood zone.
You have two tables: a Towns table that contains town boundaries and population statistics, and a
Flood table that contains a region object (circle in illustration) that represents the area of past
flooding.
The flood zone covers three towns. As shown in the following illustration, MapInfo Professional
calculates the proportion of the population in those three towns that is within the flood zone and
reports the sum in a temporary column in the Flood table. Similarly, MapInfo Professional
calculates the proportion average of property values for the same areas.
Proportion sum is best used for raw data (population, housing units, etc.) while proportion average
is used for derived data (median income, average housing costs, etc.).

Example Using Proportion Weighted Average

Proportion Weighted Average is similar to proportion average except that you add a weighting
factor to the average calculation. That weighting factor is another data column in your table.

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For example, you want to find the best location in the area to build a new upscale shopping mall.
You believe the mall will draw people from a 20-mile radius. You are considering five potential sites
and you want to place the mall where you can find the optimum combination of population and
income.
To do this, create a temporary column in your Mall table with data from your Towns table that
contains the proportion of each towns population affected by the potential mall. Use the median
income for each town as the weighing factor. In this example MapInfo Professional determines the
join automatically to be where the town boundaries intersect the 20-mile buffers around the
potential sites.
The best location of the mall will be at the site that returns the highest value of the temporary
column, as shown in the Browser in the next figure.

Browsing a Table
There are times when viewing the tabular data in a table is necessary. In MapInfo Professional,
this is called browsing the table.
To browse a table:
1. On the WINDOW menu, click NEW BROWSER WINDOW.
2. Choose the table you wish to browse and click OK.
The Browser shows the fields of the data table (column headings) and the records of data (rows).

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A Browse menu item gives you further functionality. On the BROWSE menu, click PICK FIELDS to
display only the columns of data you want to see. If you wish to show information that is only
implicit in the base table, in the Pick Fields dialog box choose Expression from the Fields in Table
list. For more on expressions see Deriving Columns in Deriving Columns in Chapter 8 on
page 261, or Creating Expressions in Chapter 8 on page 251.
If you wish to show or hide the Browser window grid, on the BROWSE menu, click OPTIONS.
You can add new records to the Browser.
1. On the EDIT menu, click NEW ROW to add a row (or use CTRL-E).
2. Enter text directly into each field. As you type, press TAB or SHIFT-TAB to move from field
to field.
3. You must remember to save the new information to the base table before exiting the
program.
The square box to the left of each record in the Browser window is the select box. Click it to select
the record in the Browser window. If the Map window for the table is open, the record is selected
as well.
To add records to the selection, SHIFT and drag to select consecutive records, or SHIFT-CLICK nonconsecutive records.
Selecting records creates a subset of the table that you can browse, map, or graph, just like the full
table. More on selecting is found later in Chapter 8: Selecting and Querying Data. You can also
create a report of your tabular data using the Crystal Reports functionality included with MapInfo
Professional. The Crystal Reports User Guide has also been included on the installation CD to
help you get the most out of this powerful report writing program.

Creating a Report of your Data

MapInfo Professional includes the full report-writing functionality of Crystal Reports. Crystal
Reports enables you to create reports of your tabular data. The Crystal Reports User Guide is
included online so that you can get the most from this program.
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To create a report and print it:

1. On the TOOLS menu, point to CRYSTAL REPORTS and click NEW REPORT. The New Report
dialog box displays. It lists all the open tables.
2. Click the table you want to create a report for, and click REPORT. The Crystal Reports user
interface displays.
3. In Crystal Reports, CHOOSE REPORT and click REPORT EXPERT to display the Create
Report Expert dialog box. The Report Expert walks you through the selection of data,
fields, fields to sort by, fields to total, and styles for your report.
Click PREVIEW SAMPLE to see a sample of your report on the screen.
4. On the FILE menu, click PRINT to print your report.
For information on creating a report using the programs full complement of features, please
consult the Crystal Reports User Guide, which is available on your installation CD.

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Accessing Remote Data

When your data is remote, whether it is a remote Excel file or an Oracle table, the issue of retrieving data
gets more complex. This chapter addresses the special circumstances that surround remote data access
for use with MapInfo Professional.

Sections in this Chapter:

Working with Remote Tables and Databases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Prerequisites for Storing / Retrieving Remote Spatial Databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Accessing Remote Databases using ODBC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Opening a DBMS Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Working with DBMS Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

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Working with Remote Tables and Databases

MapInfo Professional DBMS connectivity requires many pieces to be in place to function properly.
MapInfo Professional does not install the following:

Your database management system of choice (Oracle, MS Access, Informix, etc.)

required only if your DBMS is on the same PC as MapInfo Professional.

Network support as required by your DBMS (Oracle-SQL*NET; MS Access-none

required).

MapInfo Professional installs the following as part of the custom installation process:

MapInfo Professional ODBC support (see Custom Workstation Installation in

Chapter 2 on page 38 for these instructions)

MapInfo Professional Oracle Spatial Object Support (via OCI)

If the prerequisites which MapInfo Professional does not install are not in place when you install
the MapInfo Professional portion of the DBMS support, various warning messages will appear
explaining that you do not have the required DLLs. It is safe to finish your MapInfo Professional
installation, then add the prerequisite support. You can then customize your data sources in the
DBMS Administrator instead of returning to the MapInfo Professional installation media.
Note:

MapInfo Professionals support for live access to remote tables includes SpatialWare 4.6
on SQL Server 7 and 2000.

Prerequisites for Storing / Retrieving Remote Spatial Databases

To use your RDBMS tables with MapInfo Professional most effectively, you need to set them up so
that you can store coordinates or more complex spatial data and then retrieve them. This will also
allow you to geocode your remote table and assign coordinates to each record in the table.
There are four prerequisites for storing and retrieving spatial objects in a DBMS table:

Coordinate values for the objects must be stored in columns of the remote table as
numbers, or as a spatial column if the database supports it, such as SpatialWare, Oracle
Spatial, or Sybase. See Prerequisite 1 Storing Coordinate Values in a Remote Table
on page 194 for these instructions.

A spatial index column may be included to increase performance on queries against the
coordinates. See Prerequisite 2 Creating a Spatial Index Column on page 196 for
these instructions.

You must create a special table on the DBMS system known as the MapInfo_MapCatalog.
(MapInfo Professional creates this automatically when you use the EasyLoader.) You
create only one catalog per database. See Prerequisite 3 Creating a
MapInfo_MapCatalog on page 197 for these instructions.

You must supply information about mappable tables to the MapInfo MapCatalog using the
Make Table Mappable command. (This is for tables the EasyLoader does not upload.) See
Prerequisite 4 Making a Remote Table Mappable in MapInfo Professional on
page 199 for these instructions.

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Prerequisite 1 Storing Coordinate Values in a Remote Table

The coordinate values for the spatial data must be stored in columns of the remote table. This is a
data creation task and can be done at any time. Possible methods for adding the spatial columns
include:

There may already be existing coordinate data.

Use the MapInfo Professional EasyLoader application to upload an MapInfo Professional

table to a database supported by MapInfo Professional.

Make a remote table mappable in order to geocode. See Making a DBMS Table
Mappable on page 199 in this chapter.

Add coordinate values to an MapInfo Professional table, export it to a text file, and import
it to your database.

Using the EasyLoader Tool

The MapInfo Professional upload tool, MapInfo Professional EasyLoader, uploads MapInfo .tab
files into a database table. This is a stand-alone, client-side tool that is specific to MapInfo
Professional data sets. MapInfo Professional uses a DBMS link on the client side for data transfer.
EasyLoader supports all MapInfo-supported databases.
EasyLoader runs on Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional and
Windows XP Home, and supports connections to the following spatial Database Management
Systems:

INFORMIX Dynamic Server (IDS) with the SpatialWare DataBlade (The IUS driver must
have a version of 2.8 or higher.)

Oracle Spatial version 8.1.6 or later

SpatialWare 4.6 for SQL Server

EasyLoader has been expanded to run with the following spatial schemas on standard databases:

XY tables (Oracle, Informix, Access, SQL Server)

MICODE tables (Oracle, Informix, Access, SQL Server)

These schemas utilize spatial points in standard databases.

In MapInfo Professional, you can install and run the EasyLoader easily using the Tool Manager in
the Tools directory:
1. On the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER. The Tool Manager dialog box displays.
2. Choose EASYLOADER from the Tools List and select the LOADED check box. Select the
AUTOLOAD check box to load the tool automatically when you start MapInfo Professional.
3. Click OK. The EasyLoader tool is added to the Tools menu.
4. On the TOOLS menu, point to EASYLOADER and click EASYLOADER to open the tool.
When you open the tool, the MapInfo Professional EasyLoader dialog box displays. The
user interface enables you to connect to a server (using ODBC) or Oracle Spatial server
and select the tables that you want to upload.

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When you connect to a server using ODBC, select a data source (see Creating New Data
Sources (ODBC) on page 204). To connect to the Oracle Spatial server, you must have
the Oracle client installed.
When you connect to a server, the SOURCE TABLES button enables. It displays a dialog box
that enables you to select the MapInfo Professional tables to upload. The selected tables
display in the MapInfo Professional tables list. To change the tables in this list, you must
use the SOURCE TABLES button.
The UPLOAD button becomes available after you have selected the tables to upload. Be
sure to specify your table options before you upload the tables using the OPTIONS button.

The Options include:

APPEND TO TABLE The MapInfo Professional table will be appended to the server table if
the server table exists and the structure of the two tables match. Otherwise, you will get an
error and the table will not be uploaded.

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REPLACE/CREATE TABLE The server table of the same name is first dropped if it exists,
then a new table is created to match the MapInfo Professional table being uploaded.

APPEND ALL TO ONE TABLE All MapInfo Professional tables listed are uploaded to a
single server table. The server table name is the one visible in the Server Table box. This
feature is meant to be used to upload tables with the same structure and symbology to
one table.
For example, instead of creating a new table for each street layer, select the APPEND ALL
TO ONE check box, and only one table will be created. Then all of the tables will be
appended to this table.
Note:

It is possible that some tables will not be appended if their structure differs.

When used with the APPEND TO TABLE option, the tables will all be appended to the
existing server table.
When used with the REPLACE/CREATE TABLE option, the server table will be dropped, a
new table created, and all tables listed will be appended to that one.
Note:

All tables should have the same projection.

GRANT PUBLIC ACCESS TO TABLE PUBLIC is granted all access to the server table.

EXCLUSIVE USE OF TABLE You can speed up load time on large tables significantly if you
know that you will be the only one attempting to update the table. Note, however, that
specifying this option does not guarantee that the loader will obtain exclusive use, you
must guarantee that to the loader.
The loader checks on the current maximum value of the primary key column (prinx) after
each commit to ensure that it detects any other entries that may have been made by other
processes. This option will prevent that check from occurring, which can make a
significant change to the run time for large tables.

CREATE UNIQUE INDEX A unique index is created on the column sw_member for
SpatialWare or mi_prinx for Oracle Spatial. The mi_prinx column is a sequential number
that is generated by the loader.

CREATE SPATIAL INDEX For SpatialWare tables the index is created on the geometry
column and is called HG<TABLE_NAME>IND. A spatial index is created and Update
Statistics is executed after an rtree index is created for SpatialWare.
For Oracle Spatial tables the spatial index is created on the geometry column and is called
<TABLE_NAME>_SX. The index tiling level is based on the
SDO_TUNE.ESTIMATE_TILING_LEVEL function. For tables with fewer than 7500 rows,
the tiling level is restricted to 8. After the index is built the ANALYZE table function is run
on the index table.
You may also build your own spatial index to suit your specific needs. If you choose to do
this, clear this check box to save time in loading.

For more information on how to run EasyLoader, please view the online help provided with this
tool, EasyLoader.HLP.

Prerequisite 2 Creating a Spatial Index Column

To increase performance on queries against the coordinates, a spatial index column can be
included. This is done as part of the sample upload applications, if it is desired. This is a data
creation task and can be done at any time.
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Prerequisite 3 Creating a MapInfo_MapCatalog

Use EasyLoader to create a MapInfo_MapCatalog while you are uploading tables or use the
DBMS Catalog tool (MIDBCAT.MBX) described in the next section.
MapInfo Professional stores information about where the spatial columns are located in a special
table on the DBMS known as the MapInfo_MapCatalog. There must be one catalog per database.
The application MIODBCAT.MBX can be used to create this catalog for each database: Oracle 8,
9, Informix, SQL Server, and MS Access. These applications will need to be customized for any
other DBMS, or you can follow the procedure for manually creating a map catalog.
This is a one-time only task per database and is required before any tables on that database can
be mapped in MapInfo Professional.

Automatically Creating a MapInfo_MapCatalog

To create a MapCatalog automatically, use the DBMS Catalog tool. This tool is part of the toolset
that ships with MapInfo Professional and is available from the Tool Manager.
To load the DBMS Catalog tool:
1. On the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER. In the Tool Manager dialog box.
2. Select the LOADED check box next to the DBMS Catalog tool and click OK.
The tool is now located as a command in the TOOLS menu for the current MapInfo
Professional session. To have the tool load automatically every time you start MapInfo
Professional, select the AUTOLOAD check box next to the tool.
To use DBMS Catalog:
1. On the TOOLS menu, click MAPINFO DBMS CATALOG to create the catalog. The following
dialog box displays:

2. Click CREATE CATALOG, and select the database for which you want to create a
MapCatalog.

Manually Creating a MapInfo_MapCatalog

If you need to manually create the MapInfo_MapCatalog, it should be created by your database
administrator.
1. Create the user MAPINFO with the PASSWORD ***** in the specific database where the
mappable tables are located.
2. Create the table MAPINFO_MAPCATALOG in the database.
The Create table statement needs to be equivalent to this MapInfo Professional create
statement for the specific remote database.
Create Table MAPINFO_MAPCATALOG(
SPATIALTYPE

Float,

TABLENAME

Char(32),
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OWNERNAME

Char(32),

SPATIALCOLUMN

Char(32),

DB_X_LL

Float,

DB_Y_LL

Float,

DB_X_UR

Float,

DB_Y_UR

Float,

COORDINATESYSTEM

Char(254),

SYMBOL

Char(254),

XCOLUMNNAME

Char(32),

YCOLUMNNAME

Char(32),

RENDITIONTYPE

Integer),

RENDITIONCOLUMN

VarChar(32),

RENDITIONTABLE

VarChar(32),

NUMBER_ROWS

Integer

It is important that the structure of the table is exactly like this statement. The only
substitution that can be made is for the databases that support varchar or text data types.
These data types can be substituted for the Char data type.
3. Create a unique index on the TABLENAME and the OWNERNAME, so only one table for
each owner can be made mappable.
4. Grant Select, Update, and Insert privileges on the MAPINFO_MAPCATALOG to Public.
This allows the users to make the table mappable. The delete privilege should be reserved
for database administrators.
Spatial Index Types
This table lists the supported Spatial Index types.
Spatial Index Type

Type Number

MapInfo MICODE schema (any database)

XY schema (any database)

MapInfo IUS_MM_SW

MapInfo IUS_MM_XY

SpatialWare blade for IUS

Oracle Spatial

Updating Data Bounds in the MapInfo_MapCatalog

The MapInfo_MapCatalog currently contains the bounds of the data within the table. This is used
to determine the map view if the table is opened as the first map in a window. The bounds are set
either by the EasyLoader when the data is loaded or from the MapInfo Professional tool, Set
Minimum Bounding Rectangle tool.

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In previous version of MapInfo Professional, the bounds were not reset if new objects outside the
current bounds were added to the table. The bounds are now automatically adjusted when
inserting or updating spatial objects. If the object is outside the MBR, it will expand the MBR and
update the MapInfo_MapCatalog. Deleting objects from the table does not alter the bounds.

Prerequisite 4 Making a Remote Table Mappable in MapInfo Professional

MapInfo Professional holds catalog information about mappable tables from the Make Table
Mappable command. Creating the entry for a table is a once-per-table task and is required before
this specific table can be mapped in MapInfo Professional.
The Make DBMS Table Mappable command makes a remote SQL database table (DBMS table)
mappable in MapInfo Professional. Any MapInfo Professional table may be displayed in a
Browser, but only a mappable table may have graphical objects attached. Only mappable tables
can display in Map windows. Use the Make Table Mappable command only for tables that you
cannot upload with EasyLoader.
In the Make DBMS Table Mappable command provide MapInfo Professional with the following
information from the remote database table so that the table can be mapped in MapInfo
Professional:

The column(s) containing the spatial data to map the table (not applicable to relational
Oracle SDO)

The projection used by the remote database table

The spatial index column from the remote database table (used by MapInfo Professional
to speed access of the spatial data and improve performance)

The symbol to use for objects

Per row styles, if your table is set up for it, and the MapInfo_ MapCatalog has the
appropriate column structure

Object type for Spatial databases

Table Bounds (control the extent of the bounding rectangle for the Map window)

MapInfo Professional takes this information and stores it in a table called the
MapInfo_MapCatalog. Every time you use a DBMS table MapInfo Professional checks the catalog
to see if the table is mappable. As a result, you only have to make a DBMS table mappable once.
It will always remain mappable. However, one spatial index column entry per table is allowed in the
Map Catalog. Therefore, only one spatial column can be mappable at a time. If the table has more
than one spatial column and you want to map another spatial column, you must drop the spatial
column currently in the Map Catalog and make the table mappable using the new column.

Making a DBMS Table Mappable

To make a DBMS table mappable:
1. On the TABLE menu point to MAINTENANCE and click MAKE DBMS TABLE MAPPABLE. The
Select DBMS Table dialog box displays. Here, you select the DBMS table you want to
make mappable.

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2. Open the appropriate remote connection if you have not done so already. The Open Table
dialog box displays.
3. Select the table from the list and click OK. The Make Table Mappable dialog box displays.

4. Complete the appropriate selections and entries in this box and click OK to make the table
mappable.

INDEX TYPE Select the spatial index type of the column that has the spatial
information in the DBMS table. The spatial index provides a fast way for MapInfo
Professional to access the spatial data in the table. The seven index types to choose
from are SpatialWare, Oracle Spatial, IUS SW Blade, IUS MM XY Blade, IUS MM SW
Blade, MapInfo Professional, and XY Coordinates. (You use the XY Coordinates
option when there is no index.)
INDEX COLUMN Required for all index types except XY COORDINATES. Choose the
name of the spatial column, or in the case of a MapInfo Professional index type,
choose the name of the MICODE column.
X Coordinate, Y Coordinate

Required only if you chose the XY Coordinate or MapInfo Professional index type.
Choose the X and Y columns that contain the point data you wish to map.

X COORDINATE and Y COORDINATE Required for XY Coordinate index types.

Choose the columns that contain the X and Y coordinates from the appropriate drop
down list.

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OBJECT TYPE For spatial databases, select point, linear, or region object types.
(Defaults to point object type for ORACLE SDO, MAPINFO PROFESSIONAL, and XY
COORDINATES index types.)
POINT: indicates the table only can contain point objects
LINEAR: indicates the table can only contain lines and polylines
REGION: indicates the table can only contain region objects

OBJECT STYLE Depends on the object types that the mappable table can contain.
You can set the default style that the objects will use for display when they are
downloaded.
SYMBOL Displays the Symbol Style dialog box where you can select a default
symbol for the point data.
LINE Displays the Line Style dialog box where you can select a default symbol for
the line data.
REGION Displays the Region Style dialog box where you can select a default
symbol for the region data.
PER ROW STYLES Activates per row styles for the table, which enables you to use
different object styles on the remote table. You can modify the styles of individual
objects or groups of objects and save them to the DBMS table.
PROJECTION Activates the Choose Projection dialog box. Specify the projection for
the DBMS table. The projection must match the projection used by the corresponding
remote database table.
TABLE BOUNDS Allows you to choose the options that determine how your default
view and your entire view table bounds are calculated. The bounds options you
specify in this dialog box define both views. Select one of these options and click OK
to implement those bounds options.

USE DATA BOUNDS By default MapInfo Professional calculates the bounds as the
minimum bounding rectangle of all the data in the layer. This requires scanning the
table and calculating this value. This process can take some time so a progress bar
displays, showing you the progress of this operation. You can cancel it, if necessary.
USE COORDSYS BOUNDS You can use the coordinate system bounds, but usually
we do not recommend it. The coordinate system bounds are usually much larger than
the actual data bounds, which may make finding your displayed data difficult. You are
usually zoomed out too far to be able to locate your data easily.
USE CUSTOM BOUNDS Here, you can set your own custom bounds based on the
size and location of your data. Click this option to modify or set the bounds of your
data.

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Making a DBMS Table Mappable (To Geocode It)

To make a DBMS table mappable for geocoding purposes:
1. Add two numeric columns in the Table on the database server to hold the X coordinates
and one for the Y coordinates.
2. In MapInfo Professional, choose TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click MAKE
DBMS TABLE MAPPABLE. Select the table you want to make mappable. The Make Table
Mappable dialog box displays.
3. Choose XY COORDINATES for the Index Type, X column for the X Coordinate and the Y
column for the Y Coordinate.
If your MapCatalog has the capability to support styles, you can set up the table to use per
row styles. Simply select the PER ROW STYLES check box and choose the column that you
want to obtain the style attributes. The only column types available for use with the Per
Row Styles option are character or varchar columns.
This option is only available when the MapCatalog has the structure to support styles. It
must contain the columns RENDITIONTYPE, RENDITIONCOLUMN, and RENDITIONTABLE.
4. Open the remote table in MapInfo Professional; go to the FILE menu and click OPEN. You
will get a blank Map window. Then on the TABLE menu, click GEOCODE to geocode your
records.
5. Once you have completed geocoding, on the FILE menu, click SAVE TABLE to save the
changes to the remote database.
6. Answer YES to Refreshing the table in order to see your points.

Using Per Row Styles

Per Row Styles allows the use of different object styles on a remote database. You can modify the
styles of individual objects or groups of objects and save them to a DBMS table.
To use Per Row Styles, the DBMS table must be set up correctly, and your MapInfo MapCatalog
must have the appropriate structure:

The MapCatalog must contain columns that support the use of styles. They are:
RENDITIONTYPE, RENDITIONCOLUMN, and RENDITIONTABLE. If you have created
the MapCatalog with EasyLoader version 6.6 or later, these columns are already in the
MapCatalog. If you are using a pre-v. 6.6 version of the MapCatalog, a script is provided
that will alter the definition of the MapCatalog to include these columns. Adding these new
columns will not cause problems for older versions of MapInfo Professional, MapX, or
MapXtreme.

The map table itself must have a character column wide enough to store the complete
style string. Style strings vary in width. We recommend a minimum of 50 characters be
provided. If you plan to use custom symbols, which use much longer strings, allow 200
characters.
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The entry for the table in the MapCatalog must be set correctly. This means that the
RENDITIONTYPE is 1, and the RENDITIONCOLUMN contains the name of the column
that will contain the style string. This entry is set by EasyLoader 6.6 or later if the
MapCatalog contains the new columns, or it may be set using the Make Table Mappable
function.

Changing the Symbol Style in a Mappable DBMS Table

The Change DBMS Table Symbol command allows you to change the symbol attributes for the
point objects in a mappable DBMS table.
1. On the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click CHANGE DBMS TABLE SYMBOL. The
Select DBMS Table is displayed. The dialog box only displays mappable DBMS tables.
2. Select a DBMS table to display the Change Table Object Style dialog box.
Use the dialog box to specify new style attributes for the objects in the selected table.
3. You must close, reopen, and refresh the linked table for the style change to take effect.

Supporting Oracle Spatial

Oracle Spatial is an implementation of a spatial database from Oracle Corporation. You can install
it in addition to the MapInfo Professional ODBC Connectivity component. Although it has some
similarities to the previous Oracle SDO relational implementation, it is significantly different. Oracle
Spatial maintains the Oracle SDO implementation via a relational schema. However, MapInfo
Professional does not support the Oracle SDO relational schema via the Oracle Call Interface
(OCI). MapInfo Professional does support simultaneous connections to Oracle Spatial through the
OCI and to other databases through ODBC.

Oracle Spatial Requirements

To connect to Oracle Spatial within MapInfo Professional, you must have the Oracle Spatial, or
v.8.1.7, or Oracle 9i and 9i release 2 client installed. See your Oracle documentation for detailed
information.

Supporting Oracle 8.1.7

MapInfo Professionals implementation of v.8.1.7 of Oracle Spatial does contain any significant
changes from the earlier version.
Note:

If you are using Oracle 8i and cannot open your three dimensional SDO objects in
MapInfo Professional, we recommend that you index your columns with the default /3d
index to ensure that your queries do not fail.

MapInfo Professional Support for Oracle Spatial

MapInfo Professional supports Oracle Spatial, v.8.1.7, Oracle 9i and 9i release 2 with the same
functionality that it supported for v. 8.1.6. It will read and write spatial tables from the database and
execute spatial queries against them.

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Supporting SpatialWare
SpatialWare is a MapInfo Corporation product that helps users store, access, manage, and
manipulate spatial data as a standard part of their business data. You can query both spatial and
non-spatial data within a single SQL Server query using SpatialWare. All of the strengths of SQL
Server as a relational database are extended to spatial data using SpatialWare. Spatial data may
for example be directly managed and edited by many different users simultaneously.

Bound Objects in SpatialWare Spatial Queries

For both linked and live access tables, spatial objects in SpatialWare and Oracle Spatial queries
are now submitted as a bound (binary) object. This change has been made for all implementations
of SpatialWare: Oracle, Informix, and Oracle Spatial. Previously, a string was generated for the
object. Because of the limitations on the string size, polygon complexity was also limited.
Submitting spatial objects as bound objects removes this limitation.
The string describing the spatial object will be stored in the .tab files and reconstructed into a
bound object when the table is opened. The SW SPW lib will be used to construct the bound
object from the SpatialWare string.

Accessing Remote Databases using ODBC

Open Database Connectivity is a standard for accessing disparate database systems. It is the oil
that moves the wheels of inter-database communication. MapInfo is committed to making this
important interface work for your organization.

Creating New Data Sources (ODBC)

To access data from the different databases, you must set up a DBMS data source for each
database you want to access through ODBC. If you are using Oracle Spatial, no data source is
used when connecting using OCI. An ODBC DBMS data source contains the information you need
to access that database. For example, an SQL Server data source names the SQL Server
database, the server on which it resides, and the network used to access that server. You create a
data source for each SQL database whose data you want to download into a MapInfo Professional
linked table using the ODBC Administrator.
Then you configure the data source by associating a DBMS driver with it. This association is what
enables MapInfo Professional to connect to and find the data defined with a particular data source.
To create a new data source:
1. Run the ODBC Administrator. You can start the Administrator from the Windows Control
Panel. When you start the ODBC Administrator, the ODBC Data Source Administrator
dialog box displays.
2. Click the ADD button. The Create New Data Source dialog box displays. It displays a list of
all the installed drivers, including the driver name, version, and manufacturer.

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3. Click the driver you want to associate with the database to select it.
4. Click FINISH. A driver-specific Setup dialog box for the data source appears. (The source
of this dialog box is the ODBC Administrator.)
Since each driver is different, each data source requires a different configuration. Because
of this, each data source has a unique Setup dialog box.
In general, configuration usually includes the data source name, description, and server
name. Optional configurations might include server list, default logon ID and application
name. There is a help file for each driver distributed as part of MapInfo Professional and is
located in the Windows system directory. The help files are named as follows:
MIdrv17.HLP, where drv is the name of a driver. For example, MIINF17.HLP is the help for
Informix.
5. Type the required information about the data source in the Setup dialog box.
6. Click OK when you have finished configuring your data source. The driver writes these
values to the ODBC.INI file. These values are now the defaults whenever you connect to
the data source.
You can also create a data source on the fly when you are connecting to a data source.

DBMS Tables and Linked Tables

Tables can be downloaded from a relational database management system such as Oracle, or
Access. These downloaded tables can be used standalone or remain linked to the original server
database. You can use these linked tables to rerun queries on a regular basis. After editing in
MapInfo Professional, the data in a linked table can be saved to the relational database
management system in a manner that resolves any multi-editing conflicts.
MapInfo Professional stores information about a linked table that is hidden from the user. This
information is known as metadata. MapInfo Professional uses metadata to store information about
the linked table that is needed to manage transactions between MapInfo Professional and the
server database. Two of the most important kinds of information stored in the metadata include the
connection string and the query you build from the Expert dialog box.

What is a Linked Table?

A linked table is a special kind of MapInfo Professional table that is downloaded from a remote
database and retains links to its remote database table.
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You can perform most operations on a linked table that you do for a regular MapInfo Professional
table. For instance, you can view, edit, copy, save, and rename a linked table just as you could a
regular MapInfo Professional table. However, there are some things you cant do to a linked table.
For instance, you cant pack a linked table. You also cant modify the table structure of a linked
table (but you can modify its MapInfo Professional index structure).
You have live access to remote databases, enabling you to make changes to your remote
database directly.

Refreshing a Linked Table

You can refresh a MapInfo Professional linked table with the most recent data residing on the
remote database for that linked table.
To refresh a linked table:
1. Do one of the following:

Use the REFRESH DBMS TABLE button on the DBMS toolbar

On the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click REFRESH DBMS TABLE.

Using either method, the Refresh Table dialog box displays.

2. Choose the name of the table to be refreshed from the refresh table list.
3. Choose OK. The specified table is refreshed.

Unlinking a Table from a Remote Database

You can unlink a table from its remote database with the Unlink DBMS Table command. Unlinking
a table removes the link to the remote database. This command does not work if edits are pending
on the linked table. You must first update any pending edits with the Save Table command. The
table linkage is removed. Fields that were marked non-editable are now editable. The end product
is a normal MapInfo Professional base table.
To unlink a table:
1. On the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click UNLINK DBMS TABLE. The Unlink
Table dialog box displays.
2. Choose the name of the table to be unlinked from the Unlink table list.
3. Choose OK. The specified table is unlinked.

Opening a DBMS Table

Before you can connect to a remote DBMS table, you must make sure your system is configured
for remote access and has the required drivers for that connection. You can establish these drivers
during the installation process when you use the Custom Workstation Installation in Chapter 2
on page 38 directions.
Use the NEW CONNECTION button from the Open dialog box or click the OPEN DBMS TABLE button
from the DBMS toolbar to make a connection to a database. A series of dialog boxes assist you in
opening a DBMS table.
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The dialog box sequence that displays depends on what DBMS support components you have
installed:

Choose a Connection Type from the Connection Type list.

Open a connection to the DBMS source.

Select the table to open.

Specify table options such as Column filter, Row filter, etc.

The Open DBMS Connection dialog box displays and prompts you to select a table from the
connected data source:

1. Choose a CONNECTION TYPE from the Connection Type list. The connection types that
appear in the list depend on what types of DBMS Support you have installed: MapInfo
ODBC, Oracle, or both.
2. To make a new connection, click the NEW button. If your connection type is MapInfo
ODBC, the Select Data Source dialog box displays.

FILE DATA SOURCE Displays all file DSNs (data source names) and subdirectories
contained within the directory displayed in the Look In box. Double-clicking a DSN
connects to the data source.
LOOK IN Displays the current directory in which the subdirectories and file DSNs
display. Click the DOWN ARROW to the right of the text box to display the entire path.
DSN NAME Displays the file DSN name selected in the File Data Sources list, or
you can enter a new file DSN name.
NEW Adds a new file data source. If you click this button, the Create New Data
Source dialog box appears with a list of drivers. Choose the driver for which you are
adding a file DSN. After you click NEXT, you may specify the keywords for the file

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DSN. See Creating New Data Sources (ODBC) on page 204, for instructions on
creating a new data source.
3. If your connection type is ORACLE SPATIAL, the MapInfo Professional Oracle Connect
dialog box displays.

4. Enter the server name, user name, and password, and then click OK.
When you have chosen or created a connection the Open DBMS dialog box displays. It
contains a list of tables for that connection, which displays in the Tables field. The directory
path of the database connection or the database name also displays. This field is not
present for data sources that do not provide this information.

5. Click the name of the table you want to download to highlight it.
6. As an optional step, use the FILTER button to select which types of tables to list. The
default shows Tables, View, and Synonyms, and hides System tables.
7. Click OPEN. The Open DBMS Table Options dialog box displays.
Note:

For data sources that make use of owners, such as Oracle, the Owner field is
activated. It allows you to list tables owned by different users.

Completing the Open DBMS Table Options Dialog Box

When you selected a table in the first dialog box, in effect, you selected all the rows and columns
in that table. In this dialog box you select the columns that contain the data to be downloaded. By
default, all columns download.

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The default location of the *.tab file is set in Remote Tables preferences.

To use the Open DBMS Table Options:

1. Once the data to be downloaded has been determined, specify the path name for the local
table in the MapInfo Professional TAB file location path.

To use the Standard Mode, click the COLUMN FILTER button if you want only certain
columns downloaded. The Column Picker dialog box displays.

Move the columns you want from the table from the Available group to the Selected
group using the arrow buttons. The single arrow keys move one selected column at a
time. The double arrow buttons move all the columns at once from one list to the
other.
Change the order of the selected columns in the Selected list using the Up and DOWN
buttons. Click a column to highlight it, and then move it up or down in the list by
clicking the appropriate button.
Click OK.

To use the Expert Mode, click the EXPERT radio button to create a SQL query that
selects data from the table.

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If the table is mappable, the Available list also displays an additional column called
OBJECT, which refers to the spatial column. You can select it to download point
objects from the table. If the table is spatialized, it will download lines and polygons
depending on what the table contains.
At the initial display of this dialog box, an asterisk (*) appears in the Selected list. If
you leave the asterisk, all the columns will be selected from the table.
For additional coaching in using the Expert Mode, see Entering SQL Queries with
the Expert Button on page 212.
When you have completed executing your query, continue to Completing the Open
DBMS Table Options Dialog Box on page 211.
2. Click the ROW button to restrict the downloading of data from rows that match the criteria
you specify. (This is the same as specifying the WHERE clause in a SQL query.) If you
select no filtering criteria in this dialog box, all rows will be selected. The Row Picker
dialog box displays.

3. In the Column list, choose the column(s) from which you want to filter rows.
If you are filtering rows for one column, select a column, operator, and value. If filtering
rows on more than one column, select a column from the next drop-down list. This will
also activate the next row of fields for data entry.
4. Choose how you would like to filter the rows using the Operator and Value boxes.
Note:

If you clicked the EXPERT button, you bypass the wizard and write a SQL query to
select the rows from the table. Continue with Completing the Open DBMS Table
Options Dialog Box on page 211.

5. Click OK when you have finished filtering the rows.

The Operator list boxes contain all supported operator symbols for their corresponding
selected column. The list of operators will vary depending on the type of the selected
column. For example, the operators <, >, and = (among others) will be available for
numeric columns, but object columns will have only the operator WITHIN.
The type of the Value control also varies depending on the column type. For object
columns, this control will be a list box containing the values CURRENT_MAPPER and
SELECTION. For all other column types, this control will be an edit box, allowing the user
to enter the proper type of data.
If you select an object column using the within operator, MapInfo Professional returns
only the objects from the server that are within the selection. In previous versions, if the
selection contained multiple objects MapInfo Professional generated a query using the
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MBR of the objects. This would usually return more data than expected. Now multiple
objects are automatically combined into a single object before performing the spatial
query, which returns the correct results. The object is stored in the .tab file so that it is reused the next time you open the .tab file to the remote database.
String values are enclosed in single quotes, e.g., New York. Numerical values are
entered without any quotes. For example, for a numeric column, the user might select the
operator >, and enter a value of 0. This would select only rows in which that column
contained a value greater than 0.
There are two wildcard characters that can be used with the LIKE operator: % and _.
The % wildcard character matches zero or more characters. The _ wildcard character
matches only one character.
When rows are being filtered from more than one column, Conjunction becomes available.
Choose one of these boolean operators: AND, OR, AND NOT, OR NOT.

Completing the Open DBMS Table Options Dialog Box

To complete the Open DBMS Table Options dialog box:
1. Select the Download data (Linked Table) option to download the data and make it into a
linked table. Clear the box for live access. (See Creating Live Remote DBMS Access on
page 212.)
2. For live access, the CACHE check box is displayed. Select the CACHE check box to keep
attributes and objects that have been read in memory. If you perform an operation such as
zooming in they do not need to be fetched from the database (since MapInfo Professional
looks in memory for a record you may not see the latest updates).
If cache is on, another users updates may not appear until the cache is invalidated by a
pan or zoom out operation.
If you clear the CACHE check box, all data will be fetched from the database whenever it is
needed. It will give the most up to date data but it will be less efficient because it must be
re-read from a database. (See Creating Live Remote DBMS Access on page 212.)
3. Click OK to save the data to the table you specified.

Downloading DBMS Tables

Downloading a DBMS table involves the following steps:

Connect to a database.

Select which table to download from the database.

Select which columns to download from the table.

Select which rows to download from the table.

Save the table locally to MapInfo Professional as a linked table.

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Entering SQL Queries with the Expert Button

In the Open DBMS Table Options, Expert Mode, the SQL VIEW button can be used to display the
following dialog box:

This dialog box allows you to enter more complex queries than the wizard allows using the
standard DBMS SQL syntax.
To type in multi-line formatted SQL, do the following:

To get a new line press ENTER.

To tab press <CTRL TAB>.

To cut and paste from the clipboard, use <CTRL X> to cut, <CTRL C> to copy, and
<CTRL V> to paste.

LOAD Loads an SQL statement that has been saved in a file. The Load button
activates the Load SQL Query dialog box. This dialog box provides you with access to
existing files containing SQL statements (*.SQL files). When you load an SQL file, its
format will be preserved.
SAVE Saves the SQL statement in a file for later use. The SAVE button activates the
Save SQL Query dialog box. Use this dialog box to save newly constructed SQL
statements, or modifications to existing statements. When you save an SQL file, its
format will be preserved. Once saved, the SQL statement appears in the list of
available *.SQL files in the Load SQL Query dialog box.
LAST QUERY Loads the last query that was executed in this session of MapInfo
Professional.

Creating Live Remote DBMS Access

You can access data live from remote databases. Follow the same procedure for connecting to a
data source, and then open a DBMS table for downloading into an MapInfo Professional linked
table using the DBMS wizard.
To create live remote DBMS access:
1. When the Open DBMS Table Options displays, select the LIVE ACCESS option. The CACHE
check box is enabled.
2. For live access, the CACHE check box is displayed. Select the CACHE check box to keep
attributes and objects that have been read in memory. If you perform an operation such as
zooming in they do not need to be fetched from the database. (Since MapInfo Professional
looks in memory for a record you will not see the latest updates.)

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If cache is on, another users updates may not appear until the cache is invalidated by
a pan or zooming out.
Clear the CACHE check box and all data will be fetched from the database. This will
give the most up-to-date data, but it is less efficient because the data must be re-read
from the database.

3. Click OK button and a .tab file is created.

Completion of the dialog box will write the tab file and open it. The next time you want to open the
table, open the TAB file.
Before accessing a table live from a remote database, it is highly recommended that you first open
a map table (e.g., STATES.tab) for the database table. If you dont open a map table, the entire
database table will be downloaded all at once, which could take a long time.
Open a map table and zoom in to an area that corresponds to a subset of rows you wish to see
from the database table. For example, if you want to download rows pertaining to Florida, zoom in
to Florida on the map. As a result, when you open the database table, only rows within the Map
windows MBR (minimum bounding rectangle), in this case Florida, will be downloaded.

Limitations in Creating a Live Table

This is a list of known problems/issues with live access:

Every table must have a single unique key column.

FastEdit is not supported.

With MS Access if the key is character, it will not display rows where the key value is less
than the full column width e.g., if the key is char(5) the value aaaa will look like a deleted
row.

Changes made by another user are not visible until the data is refreshed from the server.
In addition, if cache is on another users updates may not appear until the cache is
invalidated by a pan or zooming out.

There will be a problem if a client-side join (through the SQL Select menu item or
MapBasic) is performed against two or more SpatialWare tables that are stored in different
coordinate systems. This is inefficient (it is better to do the join in the SQL statement that
defines the table), but it is a problem in the current release.

Live Access to SpatialWare 4.6 also has some limitations:

Performance may be slower when downloading using Live Access.

Deleting records creates problems. Records are deleted; however, the table structure is
not packed, causing problems with selecting and labeling.

Limitations of Live Access to Remote DBMS Tables

This method of determining the number of rows is not appropriate for all tables. It works best on
large tables, where the number of rows remains stable; that is, new insertions or deletions in the
table do not occur on a regular basis.
In this case, a large table is defined as one that approaches a quarter of a million rows or more, or
a table that takes a long time to open using the Live Access method.

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If the total number of rows stored in the MapCatalog is out of sync with the actual number of rows
in the table, problems occur. The map will always include all of the map objects, but other things
may not work correctly. For example:

The row count displayed in the Browser will be incorrect.

The MapBasic statement to fetch last will not return the correct row.

Thematic maps, particularly ranged thematic maps, may be wrong.

Saving a DBMS Table

You save changes to an MapInfo Professional linked or live table the same way you save a regular
MapInfo Professional table, with the Save Table command.
Saving a linked or live table results saves the records on the remote database. But before MapInfo
Professional allows records from a linked table to be updated, it evaluates the records in a process
called conflict resolution.

Conflict Resolution for Linked or Live Tables

Because the records in a remote table are from a remote database, it is possible that other users
may have changed or deleted them on the remote database since the table was downloaded into
MapInfo Professional. As a result, conflicts may exist between the data residing on the remote
database and the new data that you want to upload to the remote database.
When saving a remote table, if MapInfo Professional finds conflicts between the data on the
remote database and any records in the remote table since it was downloaded, the Resolve
Conflicts dialog box automatically displays. Use this dialog box to resolve conflicts as explained in
the next table.
This process will be invoked whenever an attempt to save a remote table detects a conflict in an
update. The dialog box allows the user to choose which fields from the conflicting records will be
used to update the database. Three instances of the record being updated must be considered:

The original server state of the record (the record as it appeared when initially extracted
from the database).

The current local state of the record (the record as it appears in the session of MapInfo
Professional making the update, possibly after editing by the user).

The current server state of the record (the record as it appears in the database at the time
of the update).

A conflict exists when the original state of the record does not match the server state. This implies
that another user has updated this database since it was extracted by MapInfo Professional.
The Conflict Resolution dialog box displays once for each conflicting record. At any point in this
process, you may choose to leave this interactive mode and have the rest of the conflicts resolved
automatically. In that case, you can use all local values or all server values to resolve the conflicts
in the records.
For each conflict found during a commit, a modal dialog box displays. This box will display enough
information for you to decide which data values to use to update the row in question.

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Type of conflict

Default resolution

Value changed on server, local value unchanged

Use server value

Value changed on server, local value changed

Use local value

Click OK to save the selected values to update this record.

Column
Shows the name of the column in the record that has data which is in conflict and needs to
be resolved. If the column name is too long and does not fit into the list box, a truncated
representation will be shown instead. Its full value displays in the Column field.

Original DBMS
Shows the original data as it appeared when extracted from the database.
If the original data is too long and does not fit into the list box, a truncated representation
will be shown instead. Its full value can be displayed in the Original field.

Current MapInfo Professional

Shows the data as it appears in the MapInfo Professional linked table you are trying to
save. The MapInfo Professional field will be blank if the record has been deleted from the
MapInfo Professional database. If the data from the MapInfo Professional linked table is
too long and does not fit into the list box, a truncated representation will be shown instead.
Its full value can be displayed in the MapInfo Professional field.

Current DBMS
Shows data as it appears in the remote database at the time of the update. (This data
might have been changed by another user since it was downloaded into an MapInfo
Professional linked table.) The Current field will be blank if the record has been deleted on
the remote database, after being downloaded into an MapInfo Professional linked table. If
the current data from the remote database is too long and does not fit into the list box, a
truncated representation will be shown instead. Its full value can be displayed in the
Current field.
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Current MapInfo Professional

Check this box to update the remote database with the value from the MapInfo
Professional linked table.
If the current record on the database or the MapInfo Professional record was deleted, then
this check box is not available. Instead, you must use the MAPINFO PROFESSIONAL or
CURRENT button.

Current DBMS
Select to retain the current value on the remote database. If the current record on the
database or the MapInfo Professional record was deleted, then this check box is not
available. Instead, you must use the MAPINFO PROFESSIONAL or CURRENT button.

MI Pro button
This button selects all the MapInfo Professional values. If the record you are trying to
resolve was deleted from the MapInfo Professional database, selecting the MI PRO button
will delete the record from the remote database. If the record you are trying to resolve was
deleted from the remote database, selecting the MI PRO button will insert the new record
into the remote database.

Current button
This button selects all the current DBMS values. If the record you are trying to resolve was
deleted from the MapInfo Professional database, selecting the CURRENT button will ignore
the deletion and retain the current record in the remote database. If the record you are
trying to resolve was deleted from the remote database, selecting the MI PRO button will
insert the new record into the remote database.

Column
Shows the full name of the column highlighted in the list box.

Original DBMS
Shows the full value of the original data highlighted in the list box.

Current MI Pro
Shows the full value of the MapInfo Professional data highlighted in the list box.

Current DBMS
Shows the full value of the current remote database data highlighted in the list box.

Stop Commit
The STOP COMMIT button terminates the entire update. A second dialog box confirms that
this is what you really want.

Automatic
The AUTOMATIC button causes the interactive conflict resolution to end. A dialog box
displays to allow you to select the automatic conflict-resolution modes you want to use for
the remainder of this update. You can select one two automatic modes from the dialog
box. You can accept MapInfo Professional values, or the values currently residing on the
remote database.

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Disconnecting from a Remote Database

Disconnecting from a remote database server is a simple operation.
To disconnect from a remote database server:
1. From the DBMS Toolbar, do one of the following:

Click the DBMS DISCONNECT

button.
On the FILE menu, click CLOSE DBMS CONNECTION.

Both operations display the Close DBMS Connection dialog box. The Connection list
displays all the open connections.
2. Select the connection(s) you want to close and click OK. The selected connection(s)
close.

Working with DBMS Tables

Getting live access performance is an important issue with large DBMS tables. This section covers
this issue as well as some explanation about when DBMS tables are read only and when DBMS
spatial objects are read only.

Live Access Performance with Large DBMS Tables

Opening large tables of a quarter million or more rows using the DBMS Live Access method has
traditionally been slow. Even when you are displaying a very small number of rows in a Map
window it can take several minutes.
Most of this time is used to perform a row count on the table and to order the rows by primary key.
MapInfo Professional uses the tables row count internally. To prevent MapInfo Professional from
having to count the rows, use the DBMS Count Rows in Table tool to virtually eliminate the initial
startup time on the table. The DBMS Count Rows tool updates the number of rows and stores the
total in the MapCatalog.
To utilize the tool, you must modify the MapCatalog definition for existing MapCatalogs to include a
new integer column, NUMBER_ROWS. Using the SQL tool supported by your database, execute
this statement to add the column:
ALTER TABLE MAPINO.MAPINFO_MAPCATALOG
ADD NUMBER_ROWS NUMBER

In new installations of MapInfo Professional 6.5 or later, use the EasyLoader tool to add the
NUMBER_ROWS column when it creates the MapCatalog.
To load the DBMS Count Rows tool, on the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER. Select the LOADED
check box next to the DBMS Count Rows in Table tool, and click OK. The tool is now located as a
command in the Tools menu.

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To use DBMS Count Rows:

1. On the TOOLS menu, click DBMS MIROWCNT. The DBMS MIRowCnt dialog box displays.
2. Specify the database connection, the owner name, and the table name.
3. Click OK. The rows in the table are counted and the total is placed in the MapCatalog.

When Is a DBMS Table Read-Only?

The DBMS table can be read-only under any of the following circumstances:

The data downloaded from the server database is not editable.

There are no editable columns in the data downloaded from the server database.

The data downloaded from the server database does not contain a primary index.

If the data downloaded from the server database does not contain a primary index, you can create
one. Then the table will become editable. The next section explains how to create a primary index
on a remote table from MapInfo Professional.

When Is a DBMS Spatial Object Read-Only?

The spatial object itself may not be editable.
A DBMS tables spatial objects may not be editable under the following circumstances:

Spatial data is not actually stored in a column on the table. This would happen if a function
were used on the spatial data that generated spatial data, such as buffering the object on
the server.

Spatial data is three-dimensional.

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Drawing and Editing

Objects

The drawing and editing capabilities in MapInfo Professional allow you to create and customize an
unlimited variety of objects for your maps. Easy-to-use drawing tools and commands are accessible from
the Drawing Toolbar. You can also display nodes, line directions and centroids to give you better control
when editing objects.

In this Chapter:

Understanding the Drawing and Editing Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221

Drawing Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Drawing Polygons and Polylines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Drawing Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Entering and Working with Text on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Editing Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

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Chapter 7: Drawing and Editing Objects

Understanding the Drawing and Editing Tools

MapInfo Professional has a complete set of drawing tools and editing commands. These tools
allow you to draw and modify objects on your map. You can also use these tools to customize the
colors, fill patterns, line types, symbols, and text on your map.
However, these tools and commands give you more than the ability to modify your map. You can
draw a variety of objects that you can use to perform powerful geographic analyses. For example,
you can draw circles, polygons, and other bounded objects. You can then search for records within
those boundaries.
Note:

You can only draw and edit objects on a map when the layer the object is on is editable.

We have covered making a layer editable in depth elsewhere in this User Guide. See Making the
Layers Editable on page 95.

Using the Drawing Tools

There are nine drawing tools, each located in the Drawing toolbar:
Icon

Tool Button

Use Description

Arc

To draw a circular arc, hold down the SHIFT key while using the Arc tool.

Ellipse

The ellipse is drawn from the center outward at the point where you click. To
draw a circle, hold down the SHIFT key while dragging the ellipse cursor. To
begin an ellipse (or circle) from a corner, use the CTRL key in combination
with the Ellipse tool.

Line

Use the Line tool to draw straight lines (streets, pipelines, cables). To draw a
horizontal, vertical or 45 line, hold down the SHIFT key when using the Line
tool. Note that borders around regions or boundaries are not lines.
Therefore, if you use the Line tool to draw a square, MapInfo Professional
does not recognize the square as a region. You cannot shade its interior or
perform searches within it.

Polygon

Unlike the Ellipse, Rectangle, and Rounded Rectangle tools (which only
create shapes), the Polygon tool creates regions. You can perform many
more editing functions with regions, such as merging and reshaping.

Polyline

Similar to the Polygon tool in that polylines can be reshaped and smoothed
(replacing angles with curves). Neither option is available with objects drawn
with the Line tool.

Rectangle

To draw a square, hold down the SHIFT key while using the Rectangle tool.
The object is drawn from a corner. To draw a rectangle centered on the point
at which you click, use the CTRL key with the Rectangle tool.

Rounded
Rectangle

To draw a rounded square, hold down the SHIFT key. As with the Rectangle
tool, use the CTRL key with the Rounded Rectangle tool to draw the object
from the center outward.

Symbol

Use the Symbol tool to create point markers.

Text

You can customize the font, point size, and rotation angle. You can also
create text by using MapInfo Professionals labeling tools and commands.
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Using the Drawing and Editing Commands

The Drawing toolbar contains six additional buttons to aid you in drawing and editing.
Icon

Tool Button

Description

Reshape

Toggle in and out of Reshape mode with this button when you want to add,
delete, or move nodes in an editable layer (also available on the Edit menu).

Add Node

The Add Node button allows you to put additional nodes on an object for more
precise editing.

Line Style

Displays the Line Style dialog box where you can change the color, width, and
type of selected line objects or set new defaults for future objects.

Region Style

Displays the Region Style dialog box where you can change the fill pattern and
border of selected region objects or set new defaults for future objects.

Symbol Style

Displays the Symbol Style dialog box where you can change the symbol type,
color, and size of selected symbol objects or set new defaults for future objects.

Text Style

Displays the Text Style dialog box where you can change the font, size, color,
and attributes of selected text or set new defaults for future text and labels.

Drawing Objects
Drawing objects in MapInfo Professional is easy. Once you have made the layer editable, choose
the appropriate tool. Using the shape tools, you can draw arcs, ellipses, circles, lines, rectangles,
and rounded rectangles on your map. You can either draw the object directly on the Cosmetic
Layer (and save it to another or new layer later) or make a map layer editable now and draw the
objects there.
Once you have drawn the object, you can move the object, delete it, copy it to the Clipboard, or
paste it to another Map window.
Also, you can delete the last node of the object by pressing the BACKSPACE key. If there is only one
node left in the object, it will not be deleted.

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To draw symbols, make the layer you want to draw the symbols to editable and choose the
SYMBOL tool. Place the cursor where you want the symbol to be and click. The symbol displays
using the default symbol style settings.

Changing a Symbol Style on a Map

To change a symbols style on a map:
1. Select the symbol with an appropriate selection tool.
2. Do one of the following:

Click the SYMBOL STYLE button

On the OPTIONS menu, click SYMBOL STYLE

Using either method, the Symbol Style dialog box displays.

Note:

The options in the Symbol Style dialog box may be different depending upon the
size and complexity of the image.

Here you can change the symbol, font, color, and size, as well as create background
effects and bold face for symbols.
Select the DISPLAY AT ACTUAL SIZE check box to see the symbol you selected at the size it
was originally created.
Click the RELOAD button to refresh the list of custom symbols stored in the Application
Data CUSTSYMB directory. Select this button if you added a new custom symbol and do
not see the symbol(s) in the list.
Click the FULL VIEW button to display the entire view of custom symbol in a separate
window. This button displays only when you select the Custom Symbols font type. You use
this button when the preview is too large to display completely in the sample area.
3. Make the desired changes, and click OK.
The symbol displays with the style changes you specified. These settings also apply to
any subsequent symbols you draw until you change the settings.

Supported Fonts for Symbols

You have many options when drawing symbols. We support a number of TrueType fonts that carry
their own symbol sets. We have also organized a number of symbol fonts around different
industries, such as real estate and transportation, making it easy for you to find the symbols you
need. MapInfo Professional supports the following fonts:

MapInfo Cartographic

MapInfo Transportation

MapInfo Real Estate

MapInfo Miscellaneous

MapInfo 3.0 Compatible Symbols (vector symbols, available as a True Type font in
MapInfo Professional): the 36 shapes from the MapInfo symbol set offered in versions
prior to MapInfo Professional.

MapInfo Oil & Gas

MapInfo Weather

MapInfo Arrows
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Installed font symbols: symbols available from the installed fonts that offer a symbol set

Custom symbols: from here you can access user-created bitmap symbols which you have
saved to the CUSTSYMB directory. This directory is created during MapInfo Professional
installation. See Working with Custom Symbols (page 226) for more about this process.

The MapInfo Symbols font is the same set of symbols offered in previous versions of MapInfo
Professional, but the symbols are now a TrueType font. The MapInfo 3.0 Compatible font contains
the same symbols offered in previous versions of MapInfo Professional in the same vector format.
When you use these symbols, the Background and Effects options in the Symbol Style dialog box
are unavailable.
CAUTION:

If you are creating a map that will be used by MapInfo 3.0 users, avoid using
TrueType symbols and custom symbols. Limit your point objects to the
symbols in the MapInfo 3.0 Compatible symbol set.

If you create a table that contains TrueType symbols or custom symbols, and you display the table
using MapInfo 3.0, the symbols will be invisible. If you then edit the table using MapInfo 3.0, the
point objects may be lost.

Working with Custom Symbols

You can create and use your own custom bitmaps as symbols in MapInfo Professional. To access
these custom symbols, place them in the CUSTSYMB directory and select them from the Custom
Symbols option in the Font list of the Symbol Style dialog box (OPTIONS > SYMBOL STYLE). All of
the custom symbols in MapInfo Professional are stored in the CUSTSYMB directory. If you cannot
find this directory, there are a couple of places you could check. The location of this file depends
largely on the administration of your computer, the version of MapInfo Professional you use, and
the location of your installation directory.
Usually, this directory is located in Program Files\MapInfo\Professional\ (or one of its
subdirectories) or in \Documents and Settings\users login directory\Applications
Data\MapInfo\MapInfo\version number\. If you cannot find this directory, click START and SEARCH
and search for \CUSTSYMB on your system.
Note:

If you add custom symbols while you are working in MapInfo Professional, open the
Symbol Style dialog box and click the RELOAD button to ensure that the new symbol(s) you
have added display. Otherwise, you have to exit MapInfo Professional and re-enter it to
get the new symbols to display in the Custom Symbols list.

When you change the style of a custom symbol, the Effects options in the Symbol Style dialog box
change. You can either show a background or apply a color.

SHOW BACKGROUND displays the custom symbol with the background color with which it
was created.

APPLY COLOR replaces all non-white pixels with a color you choose from the color palette.

DISPLAY AT ACTUAL SIZE shows the symbol at its actual size.

When you are creating extended custom symbols we recommend you check the Show
Background check box if you do not require transparency. This setting improves performance
significantly during exporting and Drag and Drop operations.
MapInfo Professional ships with custom symbols that you can use to enhance your maps. Here is
a list of the custom symbols we provide.
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Image

File Size

Color Depth

AMBU-64.BMP

13 KB

24-bit

BANK-64.BMP

13 KB

24-bit

BUILDINGS.BMP

13 KB

24-bit

FIRE-64.BMP

13 KB

24-bit

FOOD-64.BMP

13 KB

24-bit

HOUS-64.BMP

13 KB

24-bit

PINB-64.BMP

13 KB

24-bit

PING-64.BMP

13 KB

24-bit

PINGY-64.BMP

13 KB

24-bit

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File Size

Color Depth

PINR-64.BMP

13 KB

24-bit

RAIL-64.BMP

13 KB

24-bit

RED-CAR.BMP

13 KB

24-bit

TRUC-64.BMP

13 KB

24-bit

Understanding the Custom Symbol Types

There are two types of custom symbols: custom symbols and extended custom symbols. The
difference in these two types depends upon the complexity of the bitmap images. Files that are
equal to or larger than 128K and/or have greater than 8 bit color are considered to be extended
custom symbols. You need to know the distinction between these two types of custom symbols
because the options for the extended custom symbols are slightly different from the custom
symbols.

Understanding the Custom Symbol Sizes, Shape, and Color Rules

You can create various sized and shaped bitmaps for use as custom symbols. As a general rule,
smaller symbols look better at smaller font sizes because they wont need to be stretched. Larger
symbols look better at larger font sizes because they have more pixels and more detail. Here are
some rules and tips that govern custom symbols:

You can select the point size for custom bitmaps from 9 to 240 pt.

You can display the custom bitmap image at actual size.

There is no a file size limit for custom bitmaps (other than what is required by your raster
engine and the amount of memory you have).

Extended custom symbols can be either rectangular or square in shape.

Extended custom symbols usually have their own complex color pattern (which is what
makes them extended) so the APPLY COLOR option is disabled.

MapInfo Professional supports up to 24bit color bitmaps.

When you are dealing with very large bitmaps, there are a couple of special rules to keep mind:

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Some users have reported panning problems associated with very large symbols. When
you create a symbol that is larger than 36 points, the symbol may not completely redraw
as you pan across your map. To alleviate this problem, go to the system registry and add
or change your MBRExtraPoints registry entry.

There are times when the custom symbol you are trying to display is too large for the
Sample area.

To display this image, click the FULL VIEW button to display the entire image in a new
window. There may be times when the custom symbol you have created may be too large
for even the new window.

Entering and Working with Text on the Map

Although the labeling feature takes care of most of your text needs, you will still need to create text
objects with the Text tool to annotate your map or layout (e.g., map titles and subtitles). Unlike
labels, text objects have no connection to data.
To create text, make sure the layer you want to draw the text to is editable and choose the Text
tool. The cursor changes to an I-beam. Place the cursor where you want the text to be and type in
the text you want.
To change the style of the text:
1. Select the text with the Select tool.
2. Do one of the following:

Click the TEXT STYLE button

On the OPTIONS menu, click TEXT STYLE.

Using either method, the Text Style dialog box displays where you can change the font,
the size, color and create various effects such as haloing or drop shadows.
These settings will remain in effect for any text you subsequently draw on the map until
you change them.
3. To save changes, on the FILE menu, click SAVE. To save objects drawn to the Cosmetic
Layer, on the MAP menu, click SAVE COSMETIC OBJECTS.
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Editing Objects
In all likelihood, you will need to change or edit some of the objects you have drawn or mapped. To
begin this process, you need to make the layer that you want to change editable (on the MAP
menu, click LAYER CONTROL).
To edit an object:
1. Select the object with the SELECT tool.
If the object is a line, edit handles appear at either endpoint.
If the object is a boundary or region, edit handles appear at the outer corners of the object.
2. Drag the object to a new position or change its line style, fill pattern, or symbol.
3. On the FILE menu, click SAVE to save your changes.
To delete an object:
1. Click the object with the SELECT tool.
2. Do one of the following:

On the EDIT menu, click CLEAR or on the EDIT menu, click CUT.
Press the DELETE key.

Using either method, MapInfo Professional deletes the object.

To view an objects nodes, centroids, and line direction when editing and drawing, set the
conditions in the (Layer Control) Display Options dialog box.

Positioning and Sizing your Map Objects

To move an object to a new location, make the objects layer editable and click the object to select
it. Hold down the mouse button for at least one second until the cursor turns into a four-headed
arrow. Drag the object to its new location and release the button. The object maintains its shape.
To move an object (in an editable layer) one pixel at a time, click it and press and hold the CTRL
key and press the ARROW button corresponding to the direction you want the object to move. To
move the object 10 pixels at a time, press and hold the CTRL and SHIFT keys and press the ARROW
button corresponding to the direction you want the object to move.
Also, if you click the on the fifth edit handle (rotate handle) and hold down the mouse button, you
can rotate the highlighted box to the desired angle. A rubber banding box is drawn representing
the bounds of the rotated object. If you press and hold SHIFT key while the rubber banding box is
being drawn, the rotation will be limited to 45 degree increments.

Moving Objects on the Map

You can move selected objects within its editable map layer easily.
To move an object on the map:
1. Click your map to make it active.
2. Make the layer where the object is located editable (on the MAP menu, click LAYER
CONTROL).
3. Select the object(s) using the Select tool.
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If you select more than one object at a time to move, the objects move in the same way.
Take care to ensure that you do not move an object off the map or off land by mistake.
Note:

When you move the objects, you move them all at once, maintaining their
positions relative to one another.

4. Do one or all of the following:

To move the selected object(s) using the mouse, hold down the mouse button and
drag the object to its new location
To move the selected object(s) one screen pixel at a time, press and hold the CTRL
key and press the ARROW key in the direction you want the object(s) to move
To move the selected object(s) 10 screen pixels at a time, press and hold the CTRL
and SHIFT keys and press the ARROW key in the direction you want the object(s) to
move

Note:

Since the moves are made in screen pixels, the zoom level affects how far the
object is moved.

Offsetting Objects on the Map

The Offset feature makes a copy of the object(s) you select from the original source object(s) and
saves them in the original data file.
You can both move and offset the objects you select using this process. The difference between
these two operations is whether MapInfo Professional makes a copy of the data (as in the case of
copy) or simply moves the objects and stores the new value in the original table.
To move/offset selected objects on the map:
1. Click your map to make it active.
2. Make sure a layer is editable (on the MAP menu, click LAYER CONTROL).
The offset/move functionality is available when any layer is editable, not just when the
objects you want to move or offset are in the editable layer. However, you can only move
an object within its editable layer. Copy is always permitted as long as a layer is editable.
3. Select the object(s) using the Select tool.
4. On the OBJECTS menu, click OFFSET to display the Offset Objects dialog box.

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5. To move your selected objects, enter or select from the following options and click OK to
apply the changes.
To copy your selected objects to offset them, enter or select from the following options and
click NEXT. Then go to step 6.

ANGLE To offset your selected object at an angle, type the angle (in degrees) in this
field. The new object is created based on the original object and is offset in the
direction of the angle you specified, measured from the positive X-axis. If you enter a
positive angle, the object is offset counterclockwise; if you enter a negative angle, the
object is offset clockwise.
DISTANCE/UNITS To set the offset distance and units, type the distance and select
the units in the Distance box. The list of units is as follows: inches, links, feet, U.S.
Survey feet, yards, rods, chains, miles, nautical miles, millimeters, centimeters,
meters, and kilometers.

Note:

MapInfo Professional takes the default units from the map window in which you've
selected the object.

CREATE COPY Click this option to create a copy of the selected object(s) in the data.
When you complete this process, MapInfo Professional saves the copy to the editable
layer.
MOVE OBJECTS Click this option to move the object without creating a copy in the
data. You can only move an object within its own editable layer. When you move
objects, the Data Aggregation dialog box does not display, since you are only moving
the data within the layer.
COPY OR MOVE DISTANCE USING The option you select in this box depends largely
upon the projection of your source map. If your map has a latitude/longitude
projection, MapInfo Professional enables the SPHERICAL type only. If you are working
with a non-Earth projection, MapInfo Professional enables the CARTESIAN type only.
When you click SPHERICAL, MapInfo Professional calculates the copy/move distance
by mapping the data into a Latitude/Longitude On Earth projection.
When you click CARTESIAN, MapInfo Professional calculates the copy/move distance
by considering the data to be projected to a flat surface and distances are measured
using Cartesian distance calculations.

6. The Data Aggregation dialog box displays if one of these conditions are true:

You clicked the CREATE COPY option

You selected objects in a different table from the table associated with the editable
layer
The editable layer is not the cosmetic layer and has no text associated with the
geographical objects in it

You may notice that the only controls available to you in this dialog box are BLANK, VALUE,
and NO DATA.
Type a value you will remember in the VALUE field of this dialog box. For more information
about data aggregation, see Aggregating and Disaggregating Data in Chapter 10 on
page 331.
7. Click OK to copy the data and offset the objects you selected.

Rotating Objects on the Map

To rotate an object or objects by a specific angle, use the Rotate Objects tool, which is available
whenever you have selected an object(s) in an editable layer in a Map or Layout window.
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To rotate an object or objects in a Map or Layout window:

1. On your editable layer, select the object(s) you want to rotate.
2. On the OBJECTS menu, click ROTATE to display the Rotate Objects dialog box.
These entries can be in degrees
decimal or degrees/minute/second
format and are determined by the
Display Coordinates setting in your
Map Options dialog box. You cannot
use the Military Grid Reference here.

3. In this dialog box, you specify the angle and the anchor point of the rotation. Type the
rotation angle in the Rotation field.
Note:

The rotation angle can be positive (counter clockwise) or negative (clockwise).

4. Determine the anchor point by doing one of the following:

Accept the default anchor point of the selected object(s) by leaving the X and Y
coordinates that display in these field as they are

Note:

The default anchor point varies depending upon how many objects you have
selected and the kind of objects they are. See Understanding an Objects
Default Anchor Point on page 233 for more about default anchor points.

Type new entries in the X and Y coordinate fields to select a new anchor point
Click the PICK FROM MAP button and click the anchor point you want on the Map or
Layout window. Click the mouse button only once to establish this point.

To return to the default anchor point, click the RESET ANCHOR button.
5. Decide whether or not you want to lock the anchor point. Click the LOCK ANCHOR POINT
POSITION check box to lock the anchor point.
When you lock the anchor point, you ensure that the anchor point will not be recalculated
when you return to the Map or Layout window. If you do not lock the anchor point, MapInfo
Professional recalculates the anchor point in the based on the rotated selection. Once the
objects are rotated, they may have a different anchor point.
Note:

You cannot maintain an anchor point lock when you change the selection from the
Map window to the Layout window or from the Layout to the Map window.

6. When you have completed these entries or selections, click OK to rotate your object(s).
Understanding an Objects Default Anchor Point
When rotating objects in an editable layer, the default anchor varies depending upon how many
objects you are rotating and the kind of objects you select. If you select:

A single object (not a polyline), the default anchor point is the object's centroid

A single polyline or several objects, the default anchor point is the center of the polylines
or the selected objects minimum bounding rectangle (MBR)

Multiple objects, the default anchor point is the center of the MBR of the selected objects

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Changing your Map Object Attributes

When you double-click a region, line, point or text object with the Select tool, MapInfo Professional
displays an Object Attribute dialog box. This dialog box gives you the objects size, its position, and
other information specific to the object. For example, if you double-click a region, MapInfo
Professional displays the perimeter, centroid, and area. It also shows the type of distance
calculation that was used to obtain these values.

If the layer is Selectable but not editable, you can only view these attributes. If the layer is also
editable, then you can change these attributes by typing new values into the text boxes of the
dialog box. The illustration above shows the Object Attribute dialog box for a region object in an
editable layer. You can also access this dialog box on the EDIT menu (click GET INFO).
Changing an objects size and position with the Object Attribute dialog box gives you much greater
control over its exact size and position than you have through drawing it on the screen. For
example, you have a list of ten radio towers and their X and Y coordinates. You could geocode
these points using the Create Points command. However, if you bring up the Points Object
Attribute dialog box and type the new X and Y coordinates, you can create ten points with the
Symbol tool and then individually place them in the correct location.
You can also use the Text Object Attribute dialog box to change the points actual text. For
example, you have typed the title World Population on a Map window. You want to fix your
typographical error. Bring up the Object Attribute dialog box for the text object. You can correct
your error in the box that displays the text.

Reshaping Map Objects

You can reshape regions, polylines, lines, arcs and points. A region is an object created with the
Polygon tool. You cannot reshape objects created with the Rectangle tool, the Rounded Rectangle
tool, or the Ellipse tool.
To reshape an object:
1. Select an object with the Select tool.
2. Do one of the following:

On the EDIT menu, click RESHAPE

Use the RESHAPE button on the Drawing Toolbar.

You are now in Reshape mode. MapInfo Professional draws nodes at every juncture
where two polyline or polygon line segments meet.
3. To reshape the object, move the nodes, add nodes, or delete nodes from the object.
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To move a node, click it and, while holding down the mouse button, drag the node to the
desired location. The line segments connected to the node are moved to a new position.
To add a node, click the ADD NODE tool from the Drawing Toolbar, position the cursor
where you want to add the node, and click the mouse button. MapInfo Professional adds a
node. You can now move this node or delete it, just as you would any node.
To delete a node, position the cursor over the node, click it, and press the DELETE key. To
delete the last node when creating a polyline or polygon, click the BACKSPACE key.
Note that the maximum number of nodes for regions and polylines is 1,048,572 nodes for a single
polygon region or polyline. The limit drops by seven nodes for every two additional polygons. If an
object with more than 32K nodes is saved and the table is read in a version of MapInfo
Professional prior to version 4.5, the object(s) will not be visible. Objects in the table that do not
exceed the 32K limit will be visible.
The Reshape command is very useful when you are creating sales territories or other merged
boundaries. For example, you are merging postal code boundaries together to create school
districts. Some postal code boundaries fall into more than one school district. Use the Reshape
command to reshape the school district to incorporate a section of a postal code boundary.

Moving the Endpoints of an Arc

You can also change the endpoints of an arc with the Reshape command. Select the arc with the
Select tool and choose Reshape. Grab either end of the arc and move it to the desired location.
Reshaping an arc will not change the shape of the ellipse that it is part of, merely its endpoints.

Selecting Multiple Nodes

Reshape mode allows you to easily select nodes of an existing object and copy and paste them,
drag them to reshape the object, delete them, etc. To trace an existing object, we recommend that
you use the autotrace feature, which is explained in the next section, Snap to Nodes. The following
illustrations show how to copy the border between Kentucky and Indiana.

1) Select the object. Click RESHAPE

MODE to display the nodes.

2) Select the nodes you want to

copy.

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4) Click and drag the object to

move to another location.

3) Choose Copy and Paste to

display the new objects with edit
handles.

To reshape an object (such as the state of Kentucky):

1. Select Kentucky to enable Reshape mode.
2. Select the first node with the Select tool.
SHIFT-CLICK the last node to be copied. MapInfo selects all nodes in between following the
shortest route between nodes.
(To select all nodes except those between the shortest distance, use CTRL-CLICK with the
SELECT tool.)
3. On the EDIT menu, click COPY to copy the nodes to the clipboard.
4. Paste the duplicate nodes onto the map. On the FILE menu, click PASTE. The object you
copied is drawn on top of the original object as a polyline.
5. To move the polyline click it, hold down the mouse button, and drag the polyline to a new
location.

Using Snap To to Select Nodes and Centroids

Not only can nodes be used to reshape an object, they can also be used to align one object to
another object. MapInfo Professional refers to this process as snapping to a node.
Note:

You can also use the snap to capability to snap to visible centroids in region objects.

In the Map window, regions, polylines, lines, arcs and rectangles all have nodes that can be
attached (or snapped) to each other. When the Snap mode is enabled, MapInfo Professional
searches for nodes and centroids as you move around a window. MapInfo Professional
automatically snaps the cursor to a node or centroid when the cursor comes within the snap
tolerance of the node. The crosshairs display when the node is snapped to.
To toggle Snap to Nodes, press the S key. The Status Bar displays with the word SNAP when
Snap mode is activated. When you activate the Snap mode, a circle displays around your cursor
showing the size of the tolerance of the Snap mode in pixels.
The S key acts like a toggle on/off switch. You can set the snap tolerance in pixels in the Map
Window Preferences dialog box. The Snap Tolerance field allows you to specify a tolerance within
which snap operates. For example, if you set the snap tolerance to 3 pixels, whenever you move
the cursor within 3 pixels of a node, the cursor will snap to the node.
Snap mode works in the Map Window and Layout window (but not raster layers). It works with all
MapInfo Professional tools in the Main and Drawing toolbars except Pan, Drag Map, and Text tool.
Additionally, snap mode works on object types, including regions, points, multipoints, collection
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objects, lines and polylines, rectangles, and arcs. It is not available for text objects, ellipses, and
rounded rectangles. You set the Snap in one window at a time and can save it with your
workspace.
Snap to Nodes applies to all selectable layersthis is useful if you are drawing an object in one
layer and want to attach it to an object in another layer. If you do not want to snap to objects in
certain layers, make those layers unselectable.

Move Duplicate Nodes

In most maps, nodes of various objects are usually connected, especially for adjoining streets and
boundaries that share a common border. Using the Move Duplicate Nodes Option under Map
Window Preferences, you can specify where MapInfo Professional looks for connected nodes in
order to move them in unison. Choose the NONE OF THE LAYERS button to turn the option off.
Choose the SAME LAYER button so that connected nodes in the same layer are moved when one
of them is moved.

Autotracing Existing Objects

MapInfo Professional makes it much easier to trace an existing polygon/polyline network, e.g., the
United States. The new autotrace feature allows you to trace the nodes of another polyline or
polygon. Autotrace is available when Snap mode is turned on. Note that you can only use
autotrace on existing polylines and polygons. You cannot autotrace rectangles, ellipses, arcs, or
other shapes made with the drawing tools.
To autotrace a polyline/polygon, do the following:
1. Turn on Snap mode (click the S key), and click a node of the polyline/polygon you want to
autotrace.
2. Move the mouse to another node of the same object.

For polylines, hold down the SHIFT key and click.

For polygons, hold down the CTRL key and click.

3. Do one of the following:

For polylines, hold down the SHIFT key and click.

For polygons, hold down either the SHIFT or CTRL key and click.

As soon as you press either the SHIFT or CTRL key, MapInfo Professional highlights the
path to be autotraced. When you click, MapInfo Professional automatically traces all the
segments between the two nodes and adds them to the polyline/polygon you are drawing.
Note:

The SHIFT key autotraces the shorter path between the two nodes (the path with
the lessor number of nodes), and the CTRL key autotraces the longer path (the
path with the greater number of nodes). Autotrace works the same way as when
you are selecting multiple nodes in Reshape mode.

You can only autotrace one object at a time. The second node you SHIFT/CTRL-CLICK must belong
to the same object as the first node. If it belongs to a different object, MapInfo Professional will
draw a straight line between the two nodes. If you click a node thats shared by two objects (e.g., a
shared border), you can begin autotracing from either polygon.

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Smoothing and Unsmoothing Lines

You can use the Smooth command to convert polyline angles into polyline curves.
To smooth a polyline angle into a polyline curve:

Click a polyline with the Select tool and on the OBJECTS menu, click SMOOTH. MapInfo
Professional smooths the line so that it appears to be one continuous line with curves
instead of angles.

To undo the process choose either the Undo Smooth command or on the OBJECTS menu,
click UNSMOOTH.

Both the Smooth and Unsmooth command can be used only on polylines. A polyline is a line
drawn with the Polyline tool. Smooth and Unsmooth do not work with objects drawn with the Line
tool. If you attempt to smooth or unsmooth any object besides a polyline, MapInfo Professional
displays a warning message.

Converting Regions to Polylines

You may find it necessary, on occasion, to change an object into a polyline or a polyline into a
region during an editing session. You can do so simply by selecting the object and on the OBJECTS
menu, click CONVERT TO REGION or CONVERT TO POLYLINE.
For instance, you select a group of nodes that you want to copy and paste elsewhere on your map.
MapInfo Professional treats the group as a polyline and copies it to the clipboard. After you paste
the polyline on your map, you can convert it to a region on the OBJECTS menu, click CONVERT TO
REGION.
If you want to create a buffer zone within one mile of a boundary, meaning you want a zone that
extends one mile from the boundary to the outside and to the inside, you must first convert the
region to a polyline and then create the buffer. If you first create the buffer on the region, you will
include too much territory in the buffer (the entire region in the buffer plus the one mile buffer that
extends outside of the region).
Converting objects to polylines and regions allows you to perform node-editing operations on
objects that ordinarily do not allow node editing. For example, you cannot add nodes to a rectangle
object. If, however, you first convert the rectangle into a polyline or region, you can then add nodes
to the object.

Editing Street Maps (StreetPro)

MapInfo Professional sells street maps for every county in the United States. If you have
purchased any of these StreetPro maps, you will need to know how to edit them. You can add and
delete streets, rename streets, or edit existing streets.
We have included a StreetPro file with your sample data. This map contains streets in San
Francisco, California (SF_STRTS.tab).
StreetPro files are read-only files; you cant change them. But, associated with each StreetPro file
are two files that you can change: SF_STRT1.tab and SF_STRT2.tab. SF_STRT1 contains the
graphic information about the streets and address ranges for each segment (hence, well call it the
segments file). SF_STRT2 contains the street names (well call it the names file).
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These two files are associated through a field called MI_REFNUM, which contains a reference
number. A segment with a reference number 23 in SF_STRT1 will be associated with the name in
SF_STRT2 that has the same reference number.
The other fields in the segments file are:

FromLeftStarting point of address numbers, left side of the street.

ToLeftEnding point of address numbers, left side of the street.

FromRightStarting point of address numbers, right side of the street.

ToRightEnding point of address numbers, right side of street.

TypeThese numbers indicate the type of street or highway.

Adding a Segment to an Existing Street

Lets assume you want to add a segment to an existing street or want to add a street for which a
name already exists.
When you want to add a segment to an existing street, you already know that the street name is in
the name file.
Adding a street where the name already exists isnt as odd a situation as you might imagine since
StreetPro maps are county-wide. You might want to add Poplar St to one town. If another town
already has a Poplar St, then you dont need to add that name to the name file since it contains all
the names used in the county. To find out whether a name already exists in the name file, use the
FIND command from the QUERY menu.

In either case the basic idea is that you have to add a new record to the segments file and
associate that record to the name file through the reference number. Assume we are working
in the Washington D.C. files; the procedure is the same for any StreetPro file.
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN to open the DCWASHS, DC_STRTS, AND DC_ZIP files.
2. Choose Layer Control from the Map menu. Make the DCWASH layer Editable and the
DC_STRTS layer Selectable.
3. Using the FIND command or the Info tool, locate the street you want to edit.
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4. Click the street with the Info tool. Scroll through the Info window until you locate the
MI_REFNUM (MapInfo Professional reference number) field. Make a note of that number.
5. Go to the DCWASHS layer in the Map window and draw the new segment. By setting the
Snap to Node mode, MapInfo Professional will guide you to connect the node from the
existing street with the node from the new segment.
6. Click the new segment with the Info tool. Type the appropriate textual information, address
ranges, street type, and MapInfo Professional reference number.
7. Repeat the process for each additional new segment.

Adding a New Street

Now lets consider the case where you want to add a completely new street. Since the street is
new, you have to make changes in both DCWASHS1 and DCWASHS2. The following procedure
will work with any StreetPro file.
1. Open DC_STRTS and DCWASHS1 in a Map window.
2. Open DCWASHS2 as a Browser and make it the active window.
3. Choose NEW ROW from the Edit menu. Scroll down to the bottom of the Browser. MapInfo
Professional appends an empty row to the Browser.
4. Type the name of the street into the empty record.
5. The new street name also needs a corresponding MI_REFNUM. The easiest way to select
a reference number is to keep these numbers continuous. Simply add 1 to the last
MI_REFNUM listed in the Browser. Use that number as the MI_REFNUM for your new
street name.
6. Choose LAYER CONTROL from the Map menu.
7. Make the DCWASHS1 layer Editable and the DC_STRTS layer Selectable.
8. Draw the new segment on the DCWASHS1 layer.
9. Click the new segment with the Info tool. Type the appropriate textual information, address
ranges, street type, and the new MapInfo Professional reference number.
10. Repeat the process for each additional new segment.

Renaming a Street
If you want to rename a street, simply change its name in the name file, which is the S2 file in
StreetPro. Note that changing a name in that way affects all segments that reference it.
For instance, if you want to change the name of Broadway in one town, you have to make sure
there arent other towns in the county that also have a Broadway. If there are, then you have to add
the new street name to the names file and give it a reference number. You would then go into the
segments file and give the new reference number to those segments you want to change.
If you want to rename only a part of the street, you have to add a new record to the names file,
give that record a new reference number, and then assign that new reference number to the
appropriate segments in the segments file.
How do you find those segments? One way would be to call up a Map window of the town and
select the segments using the Select tool. Those segment records will then be highlighted in the
Browser, where you can change their reference number.

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Editing Street Colors

You can change the street colors and line types in StreetPro maps. For example you might want to
do this to indicate streets under repair or all streets that make up a sanitation pickup route.
1. Open the street file in a Map window.
2. Choose LAYER CONTROL from the Map menu and make the street layer editable.
3. Select all the streets you want to change.
4. On the OPTIONS menu, click LINE STYLE.
5. Select a line width, line style, and color.
6. To save your changes, choose the SAVE command from the File menu.
You can use any method to select the streets, depending on the nature of the situation.
You can use the Select tool to click the segments, one-by-one. You could also use the
Radius Select, Marquee Select or Boundary Select tools, or the SQL Select or Select
commands.

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Selecting and Querying

Data

This chapter presents the ins and outs of selecting records from tables. As you use MapInfo Professional
you will find yourself selecting records quite often. This chapter covers an overview of selecting and
querying methods using tools from the Main toolbar.

In this Chapter:

Selecting your Data in MapInfo Professional. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243

Querying Your Data in MapInfo Professional. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250

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Chapter 8: Selecting and Querying Data

Selecting your Data in MapInfo Professional

While MapInfo Professional allows you to attach data to objects on a map, its true analytical power
is its ability to group and organize data. Once your data is broken down into logical groups, you
can analyze it based on one or more variables.

For example, you have a basket of fruit. You want to organize the fruit into different categories,
based on one or more variables:

Put all the apples into one group

Put all the citrus fruit into one group (oranges, lemons, grapefruit)

Put all the fruit that begins with a vowel into one group (oranges, apples, apricots)

There are many different ways that you could group the fruit. Some fruit would fall into more than
one category (oranges are citrus fruit and also begin with a vowel). You could also use more than
one variable to group your fruit put all the citrus fruit that begins with a vowel into one group.
MapInfo Professional can retrieve information or even individual records from within your data. We
refer to the record or records that are retrieved this way as selections. A selection is a subset of
data that has been collected based on one or more variables.
For example, you have a table of customer records. You could create a subset of all customers
who live within a 50 mile radius of Prague. Or, you could create a subset of all customers who
purchased over $1000 of merchandise. Or, you could create a subset of all customers whose last
name begins with the letter B.
The statements above used to create these subsets are known as queries. A query is just another
word for a question which of my customers spent more than $1,000? Which of my customers
lives within 50 miles of Prague?
As with the fruit example, there are many different ways to group your data. Some data records will
obviously fall into more than one category. You could also use more than one variable to group
your data. Which of my customers lives within 50 miles of Prague and purchased over $1000 of
merchandise?

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This section gives you some examples and some practical applications of selecting in MapInfo
Professional.

Characteristics of Selections
Selections are temporary tables. When you make a selection, MapInfo Professional creates this
temporary table (called a selection) to store the records youve selected.

You can perform many of the tasks with a selection table that you can perform with a permanent
(base) table such as:

View it in a Browser, a Map window (if it has graphic objects), a Graph or a Layout window.

Cut and copy it into the clipboard and paste it into another table, or even into another
application.

Use it to edit a table. If you want to edit only certain records in a table, you can get those
records into a selection and then edit that selection.

Make a further selection from it.

To convert selections into permanent tables, on the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS. Once youve
saved the temporary selection table as a permanent table, you can treat the new table like any
other table.
Selection tables are totally dependent on the table from which they were created. If you close a
base table, all associated selection tables are deleted.

Selection Commands and Tool Descriptions

MapInfo Professional gives you a number of commands and tools for making selections. They fall
into two categories:

Selecting from the screen: Select tool, Radius Select tool, Boundary Select tool,
Polygon Select tool, Marquee Select tool, Invert Selection tool, Select All command. To
select records with the tools, click or encircle the associated graphic objects. To select
records from a layer at the same time, on the QUERY menu, click SELECT ALL.

Selecting with queries: Select, SQL Select. When you select records with either of these
methods, you create a logical expression that MapInfo Professional uses to select the
records. For example, the expression SALES > 20000 means that MapInfo Professional
will select only those records with sales higher than $20,000. We discuss Select and SQL
Select in more detail in Using Select to Create Queries on page 253 and Using SQL
Select to Query Data on page 256).
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Selecting from the Screen

To select objects from the screen, the layer that contains the objects must be Selectable. To make
a layer Selectable, on the MAP menu, click LAYER CONTROL and select the Selectable check box
for that layer.
When you select map objects in a Selectable layer, MapInfo Professional highlights the objects
using the settings defined in the Highlight Control section of the Preferences dialog box (Options
menu). When you select map objects in an Editable layer, MapInfo Professional places edit
handles (small squares) around the extents of the object you selected.
If you have more than one Selectable layer in a Map window, MapInfo Professional selects objects
from the topmost Selectable layer.
For example, you have a Selectable layer of county boundaries and a Selectable layer of state
boundaries. If the county boundaries are in the topmost layer in the Map window, MapInfo
Professional selects objects from the county layer. If the state boundaries are in the topmost layer
in the Map window, MapInfo Professional selects objects from the states layer. When you use the
Select tool, MapInfo Professional also displays InfoTips for the topmost Selectable layer. As you
move your cursor over the objects, InfoTips display the objects label expression. You can turn off
the InfoTips in the Map window Preferences (on the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and
click MAP WINDOW).
Likewise, if you perform a boundary search, the boundary object that you want to search should be
in the topmost layer.
For example, you have a layer of postal code boundaries and a layer of state boundaries. If you
want to select all objects that fall within a postal code boundary, the postal code layer should be
the topmost boundary layer. If you want to select all objects that fall within a given state, the state
layer should be the topmost boundary layer. You can reorder the layers by selecting the MAP
menu, and clicking LAYER CONTROL.
You can select objects from tables other than the topmost table, by holding down the CTRL key
when you are selecting an object.
For example, say you have three selectable layers, such as STATES, COUNTIES, and CITIES. If
you want to select objects in the STATES table, but it is the bottommost layer in the Map window,
do the following:
1. Hold down the CTRL key and click the map with the Select tool. You are now in the second
layer.
2. Hold down the CTRL key and click the map again with the Select tool. You are now
selecting objects from the third layer, the STATES layer.

Selecting Tools
MapInfo Professional includes several tools on the Main toolbar to allow you to choose records for
further viewing and analysis, including:

Select tool

Radius Select tool

Marquee Select tool

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Polygon Select tool

Boundary Select tool

Invert Selection tool

Chapter 8: Selecting and Querying Data

Each tool is discussed in the next section.

Using the Select Tool

Use the Select tool to select objects one at a time or to select all objects that are generally in the
same area of the Map window. You select an object by clicking it using the mouse.
To select an object using the Select tool:
1. Make the layer that you want to select objects from Selectable (on the MAP menu, click
LAYER CONTROL).
2. Choose the SELECT button from the Main toolbar.
3. Click an object in the Map window. If that objects layer is Selectable, MapInfo
Professional highlights the object. If the layer is Editable, MapInfo Professional puts edit
handles around the extents of the object. If the layer is neither Editable nor Selectable,
MapInfo Professional does not allow you to select the object.
4. On the WINDOW MENU, click NEW BROWSER WINDOW to display selected records in a
Browser. Choose Selection from the list of tables. MapInfo Professional creates a Browser
of the new temporary table. To select records from the Browser, simply click each record
with the Select tool.
To select multiple objects individually:
1. Click the first object to select it.
2. Hold down the SHIFT key and click another object. MapInfo Professional selects that
object, too.
If you select a second object without holding down the SHIFT key, MapInfo Professional
unselects the first object and selects the second object.
When selecting a point object, you generally want to position the Select tool in the center of the
symbol. However, some symbols have a hot spot that you must hit in order to select it. For
example, the hot spot on the golf flag symbol is the base of the pole.
Moving Selected Objects
You can also move the selected object(s).
1. Do one of the following:

Hold down the mouse button and drag the object to its new location
Press the UP, DOWN, LEFT and RIGHT Arrow keys to move the selected objects 1
screen pixel in the corresponding direction.

If you press the SHIFT key when the arrow key is selected, the object will move 10 pixels.
Since the moves are made in screen pixels, the zoom level affects how far the object is
moved.

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Rotating Selected Objects

Finally, you can also rotate selected objects.
1. Select the object. The object is highlighted and bounded by four edit handles and a fifth
handle below the lower right corner.
2. Click the fifth handle (rotate handle) and hold down the mouse button. Rotate the
highlighted box to the desired angle. A rubber banding box is drawn representing the
rotated object.
Press the SHIFT key while the rubber banding box is being drawn to limit the rotation to 45
degree increments.
Note:

You can rotate Lines, Polylines, Polygons, MultiPoints, Collections, Arcs, Ellipses,
Rectangles, Round Rectangles. You cannot rotate points.

Radius Select Tool

The Radius Select tool is used to select all objects that fall within a given radius. For example, you
have a table of blood donors and a table of blood donation sites. Using the Radius Select tool, you
could create a temporary list of blood donors that live within a one-half-mile radius of each blood
donation site.
Note that the Radius Select tool selects all objects whose centroid falls within the circle. The object
doesnt have to be completely bounded by the circle.

To select objects within a radius:

1. Make the layer you want to select objects from selectable (on the MAP menu, click LAYER
CONTROL).
2. Choose the Radius Select tool from the Main toolbar. The cursor becomes a hand when
moved over the Map window.
3. Click a place on the map that you would like to use as the center point of your radius
search. For example, if you want to select all the fire hydrants that fall within two miles of a
fire station, click the fire station and use that as the center point.
4. Hold down the mouse button and drag the mouse away from the center point. MapInfo
Professional draws a circle around the point and reports the radius of the circle in the
StatusBar (lower left corner of the screen).
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5. When you have the desired radius release the mouse button. MapInfo Professional
highlights all map objects that fall within that circle.
6. To see a list of all the records that fall within that circle, choose New Browser Window from
the Window menu. Choose Selection from the list of tables. MapInfo Professional creates
a Browser of the new selection table.

Marquee Select Tool

The Marquee Select tool is used to select objects within a rectangle. By clicking and dragging
using the Marquee tool, you create a dotted rectangle, or marquee box around objects you
want to select. All Selectable objects in the topmost Selectable layer will be included in the
marquee box. To select objects from a layer below the topmost Selectable layer, in Layer
Control, make sure it is Selectable and turn off Selectable for the layer(s) above.
To select objects within a rectangle:
1. Make the layer that you want to select objects from Selectable (on the MAP menu, click
LAYER CONTROL).
2. Choose the MARQUEE SELECT tool from the Main toolbar. The cursor becomes a hand
when moved over the Map window.
3. Click a place on the map outside of the area you want to include in the marquee box.
4. Hold down the mouse button and drag the mouse to form a dotted rectangle around the
points you want to select.
5. When you have reached the desired rectangle size release the mouse button. MapInfo
Professional highlights all map objects that fall within that rectangle.
6. To see a list of all the selected records, on the WINDOW menu, click NEW BROWSER
WINDOW. Choose SELECTION from the list of tables. MapInfo Professional creates a
Browser of the new selection table.

Polygon Select Tool

The Polygon Select tool selects map objects within a polygon that you draw on a map.
To select objects with the Polygon Select tool:
1. Make the layer that you want to select from Selectable (on the MAP menu, click LAYER
CONTROL).
2. Choose the POLYGON SELECT tool from the Main toolbar. The cursor becomes a pointing
hand when moved over the Map window.
3. Click the map location at which you want to place the first end point of the polygon. Move
the cursor over your map in any direction. MapInfo Professional draws a line from the
point where you clicked to the cursor.
4. Click to create another endpoint. Continue to move the cursor and click until you have the
desired number of sides to your polygon.
5. To close the polygon, make your last click as close as possible to the first click. MapInfo
Professional closes the polygon and selects the objects that are within it.

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Boundary Select Tool

If you want to select objects that fall within a given region or boundary, use the Boundary Select
tool. When you use this tool, MapInfo Professional selects all objects within any boundary on the
map, such as state or county boundaries, police precincts, or sales territories.
For example, you have a layer of states and a layer of retailers. Using the Boundary Select tool,
you could click a state and create a temporary list of all the retailers in that state.
To select objects within a region:
1. Make the layer that you want to select objects from Selectable (on the MAP menu, click
LAYER CONTROL).
2. Choose the BOUNDARY SELECT tool from the Main toolbar. The cursor becomes a cross
hair when moved over the Map window.
3. Click within a boundary object. MapInfo Professional selects all objects that fall within that
boundary.
4. To see a list of all the records that fall within that boundary, on the WINDOW menu, click
NEW BROWSER WINDOW. Choose Selection from the list of tables. MapInfo Professional
creates a Browser of the new selection table.

Invert Selection Tool

The Invert Selection tool is a convenient way to select many objects at once. You simply select the
few objects that you dont want, and then invert the selection to select all the objects you do want.
1. Make the map layer that you want to select from Selectable (on the MAP menu, click
LAYER CONTROL).
2. Make the SELECT tool active, and click one or two map objects.
3. Click the INVERT SELECTION tool. MapInfo Professional selects all the objects that are not
part of the current selection, and cancels the current selection.
You can also find Invert Selection in the Query menu.

Other Search Methods

You can draw your own polygons and search for objects within them. For example, you have a
table of city streets and a table of retail businesses. Since streets are made of lines and not
boundaries, you cannot search within a city block. However, you could create boundaries by
tracing the street map with the Polygon tool. You could then search for objects within that
boundary.
You can also create search polygons with the Buffer command. The Buffer command is used to
create boundaries around points, lines, or other boundaries. For example, you want to search for
all customers who live within five miles of Interstate 90. Using the Buffer command, you could
create a polygon that would encompass any area within five miles of Interstate 90.
You could even use the Buffer command to create a boundary around another boundary. For
example, you want to search for all radio stations that are located within twenty miles of a given
county. Using the Buffer command, you could create a polygon that would encompass any area
within twenty miles of the county boundary.
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To find a point in a polygon (perform a polygon search), two layers must be Selectable: the layer
containing the objects you are selecting, and the layer containing the boundary you want to use in
selecting those objects.

Unselecting Objects or Records

You may choose to:

Unselect one object or record from a group of selected objects or records.

Unselect a group of selected objects or records.

Unselect all selected objects.

To cancel the selection of one object or record from a group of selected objects or records, hold
down the SHIFT key and click the object or record with the Select tool. When you click it, the
selection is cancelled.
To cancel the selection of all selected objects, you can either click the Map window where there
are no objects or choose the UNSELECT ALL command from the Query menu.

Querying Your Data in MapInfo Professional

A query is a mathematical question that you pose to your database to collect information. In
MapInfo Professional, there are two query builders available under the Query menu, Select and
SQL Select.
SQL Query to Determine Homes Affected by Airport Noise Pollution

In the case of Select, you can pose a question of a single table. For example,

Which of my customers spent more than $20,000?

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Which of my customers live in Vermont?

In the case of SQL Select, you can ask your question from one or several table(s) of information
and perform these tasks:

Derive new columns columns that calculate new values based on the contents of your
existing columns.

Aggregate your data so that you see only a listing of subtotals instead of seeing your
entire table.

Combine two or more tables into one results table.

Show only the columns and rows that interest you.

Selecting and Using Queries

Select allows you to query a table. It allows you to select records and objects from a table
according to their attributes. You can use it to highlight objects in a Map or Browser window that
meet certain criteria. You can also create a results table that you can browse, map, or graph like
any other table.
For instance, by formulating queries with Select, you can ask MapInfo Professional to:

Show only postal code regions where the average household income is above $65,000.

Show only postal code regions where the median age is 42.

Show only the postal code regions where the household income is above $65,000 and the
median age is 42.

Show only records for all orders received in July or September.

Show cities of over 100,000 people in Texas, California and Florida.

When you are working in a Browser, MapInfo Professional highlights the records meeting the
criteria of the query. When you are working in a Map window, the graphic objects of the chosen
records are highlighted. When you are working in both windows, the objects in both are
highlighted. In all cases, MapInfo Professional automatically creates a working table called
Selection that contains the results of the query. You can browse, map, or graph this table like any
other table. The table can also be saved as a separate table with SAVE COPY AS.

Creating Expressions
To perform a Select query, you must create an expression. An expression is a logical statement
that is used to ask your question. For example, you have a table of apartments for rent. If you want
to create a temporary table of all apartments that cost less than $800 a month, you could use the
expression:

RENT < 800

where RENT is the name of a numeric column that contains the per month rent rate.
MapInfo Professional searches the apartment table for all records that satisfy this condition and
puts those records in a temporary table that you can map, browse, graph or carry out additional
queries.

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You can also perform mathematical operations on your data. For example, you want to create a
temporary table of all apartments that have a total cost of less than $800. Total cost is equal to the
sum of the rent and the monthly utilities.
You could use the expression:

RENT + UTILITIES < 800

You are telling MapInfo Professional to add the number in the RENT column and the number in the
UTILITIES column and then compare that number to 800.
There are two ways of creating an expression. The first method is to type in the expression
directly. When you are creating very simple expressions, this method is usually faster. The second
method is to press the ASSIST button in the Select dialog box and build your expression using the
pop ups in the Expression dialog box. This method is particularly useful when you are just learning
how to build expressions or when you are building very complex expressions.

The Expression dialog box gives you three drop-down lists that you can use to build your
expression: columns, operators, and functions.

Columns
This pop up lists every column in the table from which you are selecting. If the table contains
derived columns from previous queries, those columns will also be listed.

Operators
This pop up contains mathematical and logical operation symbols. The mathematical operators in
this pop up include addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, greater than, less than, and equal
signs. You can use these symbols to create mathematical formulas.
For example, from your table of sales representatives you want to select those sales
representatives who, on the average, gross more than $2000 per month. Gross sales is computed
by adding together sales and commission.
You have two columns in your table: TOTAL_SALES, which is total sales for the year for each
representative and COMMISSION, which is total commission for the year for each representative.
You could build the following expression:

(TOTAL_SALES + COMMISSION) / 12 < 2000

This expression tells MapInfo Professional to add the number in the TOTAL_SALES column with
the number in the COMMISSION column. However, this gives you gross sales for the year. We
want average gross sales for the month. Therefore, we divide the sum by 12, which will give us a
monthly average. We then compare that figure with 2000.

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The Operators pop up also includes logical operators conjunctions AND, NOT, OR and LIKE. The
LIKE operator can be used with two wildcard characters: % and _. The % character matches
zero or more characters. The _ character matches only one character.

Functions
This pop up contains mathematical functions that take one or more parameters and return a value.
You use functions to perform basic mathematical functions on the data in that column. For
example:

abs(<number>)

takes the absolute value of the numbers in the specified column.

For example, a meteorologist wants to select all days where the temperature in her city was more
than 10 degrees warmer or cooler than the national average. She has a column in her table,
AVG_DIFF, that contains the difference between the national average and city average. She could
create the following expression:

AVG_DIFF < 10 Or AVG_DIFF > 10

This expression tells MapInfo Professional to select all records that have an average difference
less than -10 or greater than +10. However, she could also create the following expression:

abs(AVG_DIFF) > 10

This expression tells MapInfo Professional to select all records where the absolute value of the
average difference is greater than ten.
The Functions pop up contains many other functions, including area, perimeter, sin, cos, and daterelated functions. For a complete list of functions, see Creating Expressions in Chapter 15 on
page 477.

Verify
This button reviews the expression you have created and verifies that it is valid. This is particularly
helpful if you are new to writing expressions.

Using Select to Create Queries

In general the process for selecting objects using Select is:
1. On the QUERY menu, click SELECT to display the Select dialog box.
Select the table from which to
select records
Create the expression to select
records
Choose a storage place for
results
2. To see a list of the records you have selected, select the Browse Results check box.
3. MapInfo Professional creates a Browser of the new selection table.

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MapInfo Professional names the table Query1. It will name the next temporary selection table
Query2. You can override MapInfo Professionals default name and give the selection a descriptive
name. Type the new name into the Store Results in Table box. The table can also be saved as a
separate table with Save Copy As.

Example: Selecting
MapInfo Professional makes finding information and locations easy. You can use the Select
feature to create subset databases of your information. As an example, we will use the sample
WORLD table to select particular countries with a literacy rate greater than 90%.
1. Open the WORLD.tab table.
2. On the QUERY menu, click SELECT to display the Select dialog box.

3. Complete the Select dialog box:

SELECT RECORDS FROM TABLE From the SELECT RECORDS FROM TABLE drop-down
list, choose WORLD.
ASSIST Click the ASSIST button to display the Expression dialog box.

4. Complete the Expression dialog box as shown in the following figure:

From the Columns drop-down list, choose LITERACY.
From the Operators drop-down list, choose > (the greater than sign).
Type 90.
Click VERIFY to confirm the syntax of your expression. Click OK to close the Verify dialog
box.
5. Click OK to close the Expression dialog box. The Select dialog box redisplays.
6. Select the Browse Results check box.
7. Click OK. MapInfo Professional creates a Browser that contains the selections. Notice that
the selections display in both the World map and Browser.

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Making a New Table Using a Subset of a File

Many of the data sets that are used with MapInfo Professional include more objects and
information than necessary for some projects. In many cases it is easier to work with a subset of
the complete data product. For example, if you were tracking crime statistics for a certain county
by census tract, you would not need the census tracts for the entire state. You could extract just
the census tracts for the county.
There are two ways to create a new table that will contain a subset of the records from an existing
file. You can interactively select the objects representing the records you would like to put in the
new table using one of the select tools. Or, you can use the SQL Select command to choose a
subset of objects based on an SQL function. For an example using the SQL Select command, see
Example 1 Computing Population Density Using Area on page 257
Saving the resulting table is the same procedure, whether you choose the objects interactively or
use an SQL select statement.
Note:

Many of the queries on the following pages can be done either by using the SQL SELECT
command or through the simpler Select command. Because SQL Select is more versatile
and more commonly used, the SQL Select dialog box is used in the following examples.

Interactively Selecting Objects

1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN and open the table in a Map window.
2. Select the objects that will make up the subset with the Select tool, Radius Search
Selector tool, or Polygon Search Selector tool. SHIFT-CLICK to select multiple objects.

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3. On the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS and save the Selection table. The table can be
saved with any filename.

Using SQL Select to Query Data

A selection is a subset of data rows in a table, chosen based on the contents of one or more
columns from the table. You create selections by formulating questions, or queries, about your
data. How many customers live in the state of Idaho? Which police precinct has the highest rate of
violent crime? MapInfo Professional stores the results of these questions in temporary tables
called query tables.
In the first part of this chapter, we discussed selections and query tables as a result of using Query
Select command. We now turn our attention to an extremely powerful and useful feature in
MapInfo Professional, querying by SQL Select.
While MapInfo Professionals Select command lets you formulate sophisticated queries, SQL
Select goes even further. The records in the query table generated by the Select command dont
have any information in them that isnt contained in the records of the base table. They are, in fact,
the same records. They have been arranged so that they can be viewed together.
With SQL Select you can create query tables containing information that was only implicit in the
base table(s).
The SQL Select dialog box is one of the most elaborate ones in MapInfo Professional. But dont be
intimidated. Once you learn what each box is used for, it is fairly simple to create powerful
selection statements. You can type directly into the boxes or you can use the pop up menus on the
right to enter items into the boxes.
The easiest way to describe the dialog box is to walk you through an example, step-by-step. This
example uses data from the WORLD table included in MapInfo Professional, so you can try out
this SQL Select exercise yourself. We have included a brief description of the parts of the dialog
box with each step. A complete description of each box is given after the example.

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Example 1 Computing Population Density Using Area

In this example, well use the world map to create a table of all the countries that have a population
density of over 500 people per square mile. The following formula computes population density:

POPULATION / AREA

While the WORLD table has a population column (pop_1994), it does not include a column for
country area. However, since the WORLD table has graphic objects associated with the records,
MapInfo Professional can compute the total area for each country.
Open the WORLD.tab table, and maximize its display by clicking the windows maximize button.
On the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT to display the SQL Select dialog box.
To complete the SQL Select dialog box, do the following:
1. In the From Tables box, choose WORLD from the Tables drop-down list.
You can specify more than one table in an SQL statement. This example uses only one
table, WORLD.
2. You should fill in the From Table box before you fill in the Select Columns box. MapInfo
Professional uses the tables in the From Tables box to generate the list of columns in the
Columns drop-down list.
3. Place your cursor in the Select Columns box and delete the asterisk (*). In this example,
we will specify a list of columns to be included in the resulting query table, instead of
including all columns.
Note:

An asterisk (*) in the Select Columns box means by default that all columns would
be queried.

Remember, the query table is the temporary table that MapInfo Professional creates to
store the results of the query.
4. Select COUNTRY from the Columns drop-down list.
5. Select POP_1994 from the Columns drop-down list.
Now, we need to compute population density. Remember, population density is computed
by dividing population by area. There is no Area column in the table. However, there is a
function, Area, which will compute the area of any mappable object. Since the WORLD
table is mappable, MapInfo Professional can compute the area of each country and,
therefore, the population density of each country.
6. Select the division sign (/) from the Operators list.
7. Select AREA from the Functions popup.
This creates a derived column. A derived column is a column that contains the results of
calculations performed on another column or columns. When MapInfo Professional
creates the query table, it will include two columns: the COUNTRY column and the
POP_1994/AREA(OBJ, SQ MI) COLUMN, which is our population density column. MapInfo
Professional includes a units statement with all geographic functions. If you wanted
MapInfo Professional to return the area in square kilometers, you would change sq mi to
sq km.
Now, we need to build an expression that selects only those countries whose population
density is over 500 people per square mile.
8. Tab to the Where Condition box and select POP_1994 from the Columns drop-down list.
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9. Select the division sign (/) from the Operators drop-down list.
10. Select AREA from the Functions pop up.
11. Select the greater than sign (>) from the Operators drop-down list.
12. Type the number 500.
We have now built the expression Select all countries whose population density
(pop_1994/Area(obj, sq mi)) is more than (>) 500 people per square mile.
13. Leave the Group by Columns box blank.
14. Tab to the Order by Columns box and select COUNTRY from the Columns list.
The Order by Columns box allows you to specify the order the records in the query table
will display. By selecting Country, MapInfo Professional will list the records in alphabetical
order, according to country name.
15. Tab to the Into Table Named box and type DENSITY.
By default, MapInfo Professional names the query table Query1. Subsequent query tables
will be named Query2, Query3, and so on. You can change the name of the query table by
typing in a new table name in the Into Table Named box. MapInfo Professional will name
the query table DENSITY.
16. Click VERIFY. MapInfo Professional checks the syntax of your SQL statement. If there are
any errors in your statement, MapInfo Professional gives you an error message telling you
what the error is and which box contains the error.
17. Select the Browse Results check box to create a Browser of the query table. If you do not
select Browse Results, MapInfo Professional still creates the temporary query table but
doesnt display it. If you wanted to display the table after the face, choose the Browse
option in the Window menu and select DENSITY from the drop-down list.

18. Click OK to create the following table.

The first column contains the country name. The second column contains the population
density. Note that the countries are listed in alphabetical order (Order By: Country) and the
population density for each country listed is over 500 people per square mile (pop_1994/
Area(obj, sq mi) > 500).

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Example 2 Computing Population Density with SQL

To set up an SQL Select statement that selects only those states with a high population density, do
the following:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN TABLE and open the STATES table in a Map window.
2. On the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT and fill in the SQL Select dialog box.

This creates a new table, HIDENSTY, that contains only those states with a relatively high
population density (population divided by total area). The asterisk (*) in the Select
Columns box transfers all of the columns in the STATES table to the HIDENSTY table.
3. On the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS and save the Selection table. The table can be
saved with any filename.

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Saving Queries
Any query created using the Select or SQL Select commands can be saved as an MapInfo
Professional query table. Query tables consist of a .tab file and a .QRY file. After you have
executed a Select or SQL Select statement, on the FILE menu, click SAVE QUERY to save the query
as a table. When you open this table, the tables on which the query is based are re-opened and
the query is re-executed.
Note:

Queries made against other queries cannot be saved as a table or in a workspace.

Saving Queries to Workspaces

You can also save queries in workspaces. When you open a workspace that contains a query, the
query will execute and any windows created by the query will redisplay. Unlike saving a query as a
table, a separate .tab file is not created when you save a query to a workspace.
Note:

To save queries to a workspace, the Save Queries in Workspaces check box must be
selected in the Startup preferences. MapInfo Professional selects this check box by
default.

Using Templates for Queries

Query templates enable you to save Select or SQL Select statements as templates and reload
them. This saves you the trouble of having to rebuild a query each time you want to use it. Both the
Select and SQL Select dialog boxes have Load Template and Save Template options to enable
you to do this easily. Query templates are useful for re-creating a query with an updated version of
the table used in the original query, or for executing a query on a table that has the same fields as
the table on which the query statement was created.

Saving a Template
After you have finished writing your Select or SQL Select query, you can save the query as a
template.
To save a query as a template:
1. In the Select or SQL Select dialog boxes, click the SAVE TEMPLATe button to save the
query to a template, or query file. The Save Dialog to Query File displays.
2. Give the query file a name, select a folder, and click SAVE. Query files are saved with a
.QRY extension and are saved in the directory specified in the Directories preferences.
Note:

The query does not need to be complete or syntactically correct to save it to a template.

Loading a Template
You can load any saved query template.
To load a query template:
1. In the Select or SQL Select dialog boxes, lick the LOAD TEMPLATE button. The Load Dialog
From Query File dialog box displays. It lists the .QRY files.
2. Select the .QRY file you want to use, and click OPEN. The Select or SQL Select dialog box
displays with the values from the template already filled in. Simply execute your query to
create the query browser.

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Deriving Columns
A derived column is a column in a query table whose contents are created by applying an
expression to the values of columns already existing in some base table. In the example above,
population density was a derived column.
By default, the Select Columns box contains an asterisk (*), indicating that all of the columns in the
base table are to be included in the query table. If you dont want all of those columns, you should
delete the asterisk and list only those columns that you want to use.
You arent limited to creating one derived column. You can create as many derived columns as you
want. Note that the more derived columns you create, the longer it will take MapInfo Professional
to execute the query.
You can also created derived columns based on the aggregate functions count, sum, avg, wtavg,
max, and min. For example:

sum(Population).

would give you the population for the entire world.

sum(Area(obj), sq mi).

would give you the area for the entire world.

Creating Column Aliases

When MapInfo Professional creates a derived column, it uses the expression itself as the name for
that derived column. That can be awkward. You can, however, specify an alias for the column.
For example, the population density column in our DENSITY Browser was titled:

Population / Area(obj, sq mi)

We can rename that column so that it is more descriptive. To rename the column, add the new
name to the Select Columns box when you are listing the columns. The alias must follow the
expression. It must also be separated from the expression by a blank space and enclosed in
quotes. For example:

Country, Population / Area(obj, sq mi) POP_DENSITY

When MapInfo Professional creates the temporary query table, the population density column will
now be named POP_DENSITY.
You can use aliases to rename any column in a table, not just derived columns. For example, if
each country in your table is a separate sales territory for your corporation, you might want to
rename the Country column TERRITORY. The procedure is identical:

Country TERRITORY, Population / Area(obj, sq mi) POP_DENSITY

Example 3 Computing Total World Population Density

In this example, we demonstrate several SQL Select features:

Create derived columns based on an aggregate function.

Rename columns by typing column aliases.

Create a new results table based on the WORLD table.

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Perform SQL Select on the new table.

In this example, you have a table of world population statistics (WORLD). You would like to create
a table that shows the population density of the entire world. Use the following formula:

TOTAL POPULATION / TOTAL AREA

While the WORLD table does not have total population or total area columns, we can derive them
by applying the sum() aggregate function to the Population column and the Area function. We will
do this in our first query.
1. Open the WORLD table, and maximize its display.
2. On the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT. The SQL Select dialog box displays.
3. From the SQL Select dialog box, do the following:

In the From Tables Box, choose WORLD from the Tables drop-down list and delete
the * from the Select Columns box
Select SUM from the Aggregates drop-down list
Select POPULATION from the Columns drop-down list. After you select Population, the
cursor will be on the inside of the end parenthesis [)]. Move it to the outside with the
RIGHT ARROW key.

Note:

Press the SPACEBAR once and type the column alias TOTAL_POP. Remember, an alias
has to be separated from its expression by a blank space.

Note:

Sum(Area) will create a derived column that will compute the total area.

Press the SPACEBAR once and type a column alias Total_Area.

Note:

The Sum(Population) column will appear in the results table as Total_Pop.

Select SUM from the Aggregates drop-down list.

Select AREA from the Functions drop-down list. After you select Area, the cursor will
be on the inside of the end parenthesis [)]. Move it to the outside with the RIGHT Arrow
key.

Note:

Sum (Population) will create a derived column that will compute the total world
population.

The Sum(Area(obj, sq mi)) column will appear in the results table as Total_Area.

Leave Where Condition, Group By Columns, and Order By Columns blank.

In the Into Table Named box, type TOT_POP_AREA as the name for this table.

4. Click VERIFY. Click OK.

5. Select the Browse Results check box.

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6. Click OK.
MapInfo Professional produces a query table named TOT_POP_AREA containing two
columns. The first column shows a value for the total population and the second column
shows a return value for the total area.

Now that we have the total population and total area, we can compute the worlds
population density by performing an SQL Select on the TOT_POP_AREA table we just
created. In this SQL Select, we will divide the total population by the total area.
1. On the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT to display the SQL Select dialog box.
2. Fill in the dialog box as follows:

In the From Tables Box, choose TOTAL_POP_AREA from the Tables drop-down list.
Tab to the Select Columns box and delete the information from our last query.
Select TOTAL_POP from the Columns drop-down list. Remember, Total_Pop is the
column we created from our last query.
Notice that when you select Total_Pop, COL1 appears in the Select Columns field.
This is the column number of that field. When choosing derived columns from a
previous query, MapInfo Professional uses the column number instead of the name.
Columns can be referred to by name or number, where the number designates the
order the column has in the Select Columns box. COL1 and COL2 refer to the first and
second columns, respectively.

3. Select the division sign (/) from the Operators drop-down list.
4. Select TOTAL_AREA from the Columns drop-down list. COL2 displays in the Select
Columns field.
5. Leave Where Condition, Group By Columns, and Order By Columns blank.
6. Tab to the Into Table Named box and type WORLD_DENSITY as the name of this table.
7. Click VERIFY. Click OK.
8. Select the Browse Results check box.
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9. Click OK.
MapInfo Professional produces a query table named WORLD_DENSITY that will return a
value for the population density in people per square mile for the entire world.

Aggregating Data
When you aggregate data, you perform a mathematical operation on all of a columns values in all
of the records in your table. Unlike the Select command, which only allows you to perform
mathematical functions on individual records, SQL allows you to aggregate (or summarize) data
across records.
MapInfo Professional looks for each unique set of data values in the specified column or columns
and creates one row for each such unique set. When you aggregate data, you need to specify:

How the records will be grouped.

How the data will be aggregated (summarized).

For example, you have a table of sales representatives and their sales figures for the past three
months:
SALES_REP

MONTH

SALES

John

May

1200

Cathy

May

900

Julie

May

1100

John

June

900

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SALES_REP

MONTH

SALES

Cathy

June

1400

Julie

June

600

John

MONTH

sum(SALES)

May

3200

June

2900

July

2900

MapInfo Professional has six aggregate functions:

Count(*): counts the number of records in a group. It takes * as its argument because it
applies to the record as a whole, and not to any particular field in the record.
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Sum (expression): calculates the sum of the values in <expression> for all the records in a
group.

Average (expression): calculates the average of the values in <expression> for all the
records in a group.

WtAvg (expression): calculates the weighted average of the values in <expression> for all
the records in a group.

Max (expression): finds the highest value in <expression> for all records in a group.

Min (expression): finds the lowest value in <expression> for all records in a group.

Grouping and Ordering Your Data

You can group your SQL query by a particular column so that all rows that contain the same value
are grouped together. Specify this column in the Group by column box in the SQL Select dialog
box. When used in conjunction with aggregate functions, rows with the same value in all grouping
columns are treated as a group. Duplicate rows are suppressed and aggregate values are
reported for derived columns based on the aggregate functions. Specify the column(s) by name or
by position number as listed in the Select Columns box. When using derived columns, you must
specify the column number.
Along the same lines, you can tell MapInfo Professional to order the results of your query in a
certain way. By default, MapInfo Professional orders records by their ascending value (which is
alphabetical for character fields). When you list more than one column, MapInfo Professional
orders the records by the first column. Records with identical values in the first Order by column
are ordered by their values in the second Order By column. Like the Group By clause above, use
column names or position number. For derived columns use the number. Do not use col with the
position number.

Joining Tables Using SQL Select

When performing an SQL Select operation with multiple tables, MapInfo Professional needs to join
information from the records in the various tables. You may have a map table containing only
graphic objects and their names and a table of statistical data for some geographic region. You
want to display the statistical data on the map table. You could use SQL Select to create a query
table in which your statistical data and map data are joined in one table.
Whenever you are working with multiple tables, you must put a statement in the Where Condition
telling MapInfo Professional how to match up the rows in the different tables.
For example, you have the WORLD table that contains countries and a table of economic statistics
(Eco_Stats), also broken down by country. You want to create a query table that contains both sets
of data:

Select Columns: * (an asterisk indicates include all columns in the query table)

From Tables: World, Eco_Stats

Where Condition: World.Country = Eco_Stats.Country

The two columns that you want to match do not have to have the same name. For example, you
have a table of international customers (Int_Cust) that contains a sales territory column
(TERRITORY). This column contains continent names, since your company breaks up its sales
territories according to continent. If you wanted to temporarily join the two tables:
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Select Columns: *

From Tables: World, Int_Cust

Where Condition: World.Continent = Int_Cust.TERRITORY

Example: Total Population and Area by Continent

Given that MapInfo Professional can aggregate data, we can compute total population and total
area for every continent in the world. We want to create a table with the following information:

Number of countries per continent (in alphabetical order)

Total population per continent

Total area of each continent

To create a table that captures this data:

1. Open the WORLD.TAB table, and maximize its display by clicking the MAXIMIZE button.
2. On the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT to display the SQL Select dialog box, and do the
following:
3. In the From Tables Box, choose WORLD from the Tables drop-down list.
4. In the Select Columns box, choose CONTINENT from the Columns drop-down list, and
choose COUNT(*) from the Aggregates drop-down list.
Press the SPACEBAR once and type the column alias COUNTRIES as the column alias.
Remember, an alias has to be separated from its expression by a blank space.
Note:

The Continent Count(*) column will appear in the results table as COUNTRIES.

5. Select SUM from the Aggregates drop-down list.

6. Select POPULATION from the Columns drop-down list. After you select Population, the
cursor will be on the inside of the end parenthesis [)]. Move it to the outside with the RIGHT
Arrow key.
Note:

Sum (Population) will create a derived column that will compute the total world
population.

7. Press the SPACEBAR once and type the column alias Total_Pop. The Sum(Population)
column will appear in the results table as Total_Pop.
8. Select SUM from the Aggregates drop-down list.
9. Select AREA from the Functions drop-down list. After you select Area, the cursor will be on
the inside of the end parenthesis [)]. Move it to the outside with the RIGHT Arrow key.
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Sum(Area) will create a derived column that will compute the total area.
10. Press the SPACEBAR once and type a column alias Total_Area.
Note:

The Sum(Area(obj, sq mi)) column will appear in the results table as Total_Area.

11. In the Group by Columns box, choose CONTINENT from the Columns drop-down list.
12. In the Order by Columns box, choose CONTINENT from the Columns drop-down list.
13. In the Into Table Named box, type POPULATION as the name for this table.
14. The Count(*) counts all the records in the table. However, since we are grouping the
countries according to continent, MapInfo Professional reports the number of countries in
each continent and puts it in at a column called COUNTRIES (the alias).

The resulting query table is shown in the following figure.

Using the Where Condition

The order of fields used in the Join does not matter. Either of the following syntaxes is acceptable:
Select * from A,B where A.field1 = B.field1
Select * from A,B where B.field1 = A.field1

However, keep in mind that when you switch the order of geographic operands, the geographic
operator must also change. The following statements will produce identical results:
Select * from states, cities where states.obj contains cities.obj
Select * from states, cities where cities.obj within states.obj

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Order of Clauses
The order in which Join clauses are performed does not matter. For example, each of the following
are valid clauses:
Select * from Us_custg,States,City_125
where States.state = City_125.state and States.state = Us_custg.state and
Us_custg.order_amt > 10000
Select * from Us_custg,States,City_125
where States.state = City_125.state and States.state = City_125.state and
Us_custg.order_amt > 10000
Select * from Us_custg,States,City_125
where Us_custg.state = States.state and Us_custg.order_amt > 10000 and
States.state = City_125.state

Error Handling
If an invalid Where condition that uses an OR as a logical operator is detected, MapInfo
Professional will indicate an error has occurred. Usually this error will display whenever MapInfo
Professional cannot find a join between two tables. For example, if you have specified the
following incorrect condition:
Select * from A,B where A.field1 = B.field1

or A.field1 = B.field2

This error message displays:

No join specified between A and B. Invalid join condition in Where clause

Performing Outer Joins

An SQL outer join refers to the process of joining data from a larger table and a smaller table
where you would like the result to be all the records in the larger table joined to whatever records
matched from the smaller table. A problem arises if this is done as a standard join. A standard join
in SQL Select will yield a table of only those records that matched. You would like to have empty
fields where there is no match.
For example, suppose you have a table containing a listing of all of the apartments in a building.
There is also a table containing records for each of the tenants. The tables each have a field with
the apartment number in it. Your task is to generate a table of all of the apartments and the tenants
occupying the apartments. Some of the apartments will be vacant and have no match in the tenant
field.
The first step is to create a subset of the data where you can successfully match the apartment to
the tenant.
1. On the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT. Set up the following SQL query:

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2. Click OK. Your selection appears as a query browser. Save this query to a base table.
3. On the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS. The Save Copy As dialog box displays. Choose
the appropriate directory for your file and name it RESULT.tab. Click SAVE.
4. On the FILE menu, click OPEN TABLE and open the RESULT table. This table includes all of
the records from both tables where there was a match.
5. Select the records from the APARTMNTS table that had no match in the tenants table. On
the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT and set up the following SQL query:

The resulting query table is a list of all of the apartments that are not in the RESULT table.
To include these records in your RESULT table, you must append them.
6. On the TABLE menu, click APPEND ROWS TO TABLE. Append the last query table to the
RESULT table. This will append the list of vacant apartments to the list of occupied
apartments.

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Using the Instr Function to Find Data

The InStr function is used to locate a substring within a larger string. This function is useful for
searching a character field to find the position of a specific character or group of characters. It can
also be used to find any occurrence of the substring.
For example, to select all of the streets in the POINTS table that contain the word Main in the
STREET column, set up your SQL Select statement as follows:

In the above example, if the InStr function finds the word Main anywhere in the STREET column
of the Points table, it will return a value greater than zero (the position of the first letter of Main in
the string being searched). The syntax of the INSTR function is as follows:
INSTR (position, string, substring)
where:
position is the starting position of the search
string is the text string or field containing the string to be searched
substring is the text string that you are searching for
For example, to find the position of the word test in a given text string, the InStr function will look
something like this:
INSTR(1,This is a test of the Instr function ,test)
When this statement is executed, the value 11 will be returned.
Note:

If the string that you are searching for does not exist in the larger string, the value 0 will be
returned.

Selecting Records from One Table that are Not in Another

The following SQL statement allows you to select records from one table that are not in another
table based on a field common to both tables. For example, if you have a table, STATE1 and want
to select all of the records from STATE1 that are not in CITY125.
1. On the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT.
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The statement syntax is as follows: NOT columnname IN (SELECT columnname

FROM secondtable)

2. This SQL statement produces a query of all records in the table STATE1.tab that do not
exist in CITY125.tab.

Selecting Even or Odd Records from a Table

Every record in a table has a sequential record number or a RowID. Suppose you want to select
every other record from your table. The easiest way is to check the table through RowID.
To select records that have an odd record number, do the following:
1. On the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT.
2. Fill in the SQL Select dialog box:

Note:

RowID is a function, not a column name in the Soils table.

3. To select records that have an even record number, on the QUERY menu, click SQL
SELECT.
4. Fill in the SQL Select dialog box:
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RowID is a function, not a column name in the Soils table.

5. Click OK.

Finding Duplicate Values in a Column

Often data is entered into tables by many different users. Sometimes data is repeated, or there is
common information in several different records. This section explains how to find all rows in a
table that, for a given column, share a value with another row. This is accomplished by performing
two SQL Select statements.
The first SQL Select statement produces a query table with two columns. The first column is a list
of all unique values in the data column and the second column lists the number of times that each
unique value occurs. The second SQL statement compares each data column value with all rows
in the Query table where the count is greater than one.
In the next example, there is a table EMPLOYEE that has two columns Id_Num and Name. To find
the duplicate values, perform the two SQL Selects, modifying them where indicated.
1. On the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT and fill in the SQL Select dialog box.

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Substitute the name of your data column for ID_Num and the name of your table for
EMPLOYEE. The number 1 in the Group By Columns box will group the row by ID_Num
(the first column). The 2 Desc in the Order by Columns box will arrange the records in
descending order based on the values in the count(*) field (the second column).
This SQL Select statement returns a query table with two columns. The first column
contains every identification number possessed by at least one employee. The second
column contains the number of employees that have that identification number. The rows
are sorted by the number of employees that have each id number (i.e., the count).
2. On the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT and fill in the dialog box.

Also, change EMPLOYEE to the name of your table and ID_Num to the name of your data
column.
In the example, the SQL statement returns a query table containing all of the rows from
EMPLOYEE with duplicated data column values. The where condition selects all rows
from EMPLOYEE that have an identification number that is the same as one of the ID
numbers in the Count_By_ID query table. This sub-select finds all identification numbers
that occur more than once.
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Calculating the Distance to a Fixed Point

In MapInfo Professional it is possible to calculate the distance from one point to another. This
example shows how to calculate the distance from a fixed point to every point in a geocoded table
and store the result in another table.
1. Determine the location of the fixed point. To find the position of a symbol on the map,
double-click the symbol with the Select tool. In this example, the X value is -101.697209
and the Y value is 36.050036.
2. On the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT and fill in the SQL Select dialog box, substituting
your X and Y values for the values mentioned above. As in the previous SQL query,
replace EMPLOYEE with the name of your table, and ID_Num with the name of the
relevant column from your table.

3. Click OK. The resulting query table contains last names and first names plus a new
column called DISTANCE which records the distance between the fixed location (101.697209, 36.050036) and the point associated with each row of the table.
4. To save the results in a permanent table, on the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS, and save
the CUSTDIST table.

Selecting Data from a StreetPro Table

If you are using MapInfo Professional StreetPro products, you may want to create a separate layer
of just the highway data. The following selection demonstrates a typical selection of highways.
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN. Select your StreetPro file. In this example, the table name
is NYSHCHES.tab.
2. On the QUERY menu, click SQL SELECT. Fill in the SQL Select dialog box.

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This will create a new table called HIGHWAYS that contains all the primary roads
contained in the StreetPro NYSCHES table.
3. On the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS and save the HIGHWAYS table. The HIGHWAYS
table can now be added to your map as a separate layer.
Note:

The above SQL Select statement selects all of the primary roads as defined by
the CFCC codes. To determine the class of the streets that you want to select, use
the Info tool on a few of the streets that you want to select, or refer to your
StreetPro documentation for explanations of the classes.

Entering SQL Queries using the Expert Button

In the Open DBMS Table Options, Expert Mode, the SQL view button can be used to invoke the
following dialog box:

This dialog box allows the user to enter queries much more complex than the wizard allows using
the standard DBMS SQL syntax.
Use the features in this dialog box, review these notes:

To get a new line press ENTER.

To tab press <CTRL TAB>.

To cut and paste from the clipboard, use <CTRL X> to cut, <CTRL C> to copy, and <CTRL
V> to paste.
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Click OK to move to the final dialog box of the wizard

Click CANCEL to cancel the query. MapInfo Professional returns you to the step in the
wizard where you originally clicked the Expert button

Click LOAD to load a SQL statement that has been saved in a file. This button activates the
Load SQL Query dialog box, which provides you with access to existing files containing
SQL statements (*.SQL files). When you load an SQL file, its format will be preserved.

Click SAVE to save the SQL statement in a file for later use. This button activates the Save
SQL Query dialog box, which saves the newly constructed SQL statements, or
modifications to existing statements. When you save an SQL file, its format will be
preserved. Once saved, the SQL statement appears in the list of available *.SQL files in the
Load SQL Query dialog box.

Click LAST QUERY to load the last query that was executed in this MapInfo Professional
session.

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Creating Thematic Maps,

Legends, and Other
Maps

Thematic mapping is a powerful way to analyze and visualize your data. You give graphic form to your data
so that you can see it on a map. Patterns and trends that are almost impossible to detect in lists of data
reveal themselves clearly when you use thematic shading to display the data on a map.
You can create thematic maps with MapInfo Professional using the following methods: ranges of values,
graduated symbols, dot density, individual values, bar and pie charts and continuous grid. There are also
several variations on and options within these methods, such as bivariate thematic mapping and inflection
point, that give you even more ways to analyze your data.

In this Chapter:

MapInfo in Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279

Using Thematic Mapping to Analyze Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Types of Thematic Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Working with Your Thematic Maps and Legends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Updating Column Information using Thematic Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Bivariate Thematic Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Working with Legends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Working with Grid Surface Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Working with 3D and Prism Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313

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Chapter 9: Creating Thematic Maps, Legends, and Other Maps

MapInfo in Action
Since you have all the tools you need to make effective and useful maps, it is time to talk about
what makes a map effective and useful. Whatever you need your map to say, whether it is to
convey information, calculate distances between health care providers and their patients, or get a
count of the number of customers that live within a given radius of an outlet location, MapInfo
Professional can help you do that. By making selections from your table, you can extract
information from sets and subsets of your data or see patterns and distributions, getting answers
to such questions as: Which of my customers bought more than $5000 of equipment? Which of my
customers is located within a 200 mile radius of my warehouse? Which of my customers bought
more than $5000 of equipment and is located within a 200 mile radius of my warehouse? For more
on selecting, see Selecting your Data in MapInfo Professional in Chapter 8 on page 243, and
Querying Your Data in MapInfo Professional in Chapter 8 on page 250.
MapInfo Professional refers to this grouping of like information as thematic mapping.

Can You Give Me an Example?

Imagine that your job is to purchase advertising time from radio stations to market your product, a
statewide tire service. You have demographic information for your state by county, and radio
stations have supplied you with their own demographics and transmission ranges. You also have a
list of your tire service center locations.

What is a Thematic Variable

The data that you display on your thematic map is called the thematic variable. Depending on the
type of thematic analysis you are performing, your map can show one or more thematic variables.
Ranges of values, grid shading, graduated symbols, dot density, and individual values maps all
examine one variable. With bar or pie charts, you can display more than one thematic variable at a
time.
A thematic variable can also be an expression. Choose Expression from the field list in place of a
data field to construct a statement that derives information from the data in your table(s). Although
an expression can be made up of more than one variable (e.g., POP_1990 POP_1980), for
purposes of thematic mapping, a complete expression is equivalent to one thematic variable. See
Querying Your Data in MapInfo Professional in Chapter 8 on page 250, and Creating
Expressions in Chapter 15 on page 477, for more detailed information.
You can also create bivariate thematic maps, where one map object, such as a symbol, represents
two different pieces of data. The symbol color, for example, can represent one thematic variable,
and the symbol size can represent another.

Where to Obtain the Data

Before you begin your thematic map, you need to decide what information you want to display and
locate where that information resides. It can either be in the table on which you are basing the
map, or it can be in another table.
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If the data is in the same table on which you are basing the map, choose the desired field directly
in the Field list box in the Thematic Step 2 of 3 dialog box.
If the data is in another table, you must first bring the data into the table on which youre basing the
thematic map. This requires creating a temporary column using Update Column.
Each situation is described in the next few sections.

Using Data from the Same Table

If you are using data from the same table, choose the table and field on which you want to base
your thematic map in the Thematic Step 2 of 3 dialog box.
For example, you have a table of parking meters that contains the location of the parking meter
and the last time the parking meter was emptied. Using Individual Values you want to shade the
parking meter symbols according to the last time each meter was emptied. MapInfo Professional
will assign a color to each time. In Step 2 of 3, choose the parking meter table as your table, and
choose the field that contains the time each meter was emptied.

Using Data from a Different Table

The Join feature within the Thematic Step 2 of 3 dialog box enables you to use data from other
open tables to create a thematic map. Choose Join in the Field list box to display the Update
Column dialog box where you can create a temporary column in the base table.
The temporary column can contain data taken directly from the other table, or you can aggregate
the data to create derived information for the temporary column.
For example, you have two tables: a table of county boundaries and a table of police stations. You
want to shade the table of county boundaries according to the number of police stations in each
county.
To do this, all the information you want to use must be in the county table. Therefore, you must add
police station data to this table.
Using Update Column, you create a temporary column in the county boundaries table that will
store the police station information. To create this column, the two tables must have a link so that
MapInfo Professional can access the data that goes into the temporary column. The link can either
be a matching field (like county name), or you can make the link geographically (police stations
contained within counties).
An example later in this chapter explains more about Update Column.

Methods of Thematic Mapping

When you create a thematic map in MapInfo Professional, the thematic shading is added to your
map as a separate layer. It is drawn on top of the base map layer.

Separating Thematic Layers

Separating thematic layers from the base map layer provides you with several important options:

Graduated symbol thematic maps do not require that your base map contain point objects.
Instead, graduated symbol objects are built regardless of the map object type. Therefore,
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even if your base map contains region or line objects, you will still be able to create a
graduated symbols map.

You can have multiple thematic layers per base map layer. In some cases, you do not
have to add another base layer to the map to create another thematic layer. You can
display more than one thematic layer at a time, as well as perform bivariate thematic
mapping.

You can use Layer Control to turn the display on or off for a given thematic layer. The layer
it is based on can continue to display. You can also set individual zoom layers on thematic
maps.

Ordering of Thematic Layers

Displaying Thematic Layers

You can turn the display on and off for thematic layers the same way you can for other map layers.
All the display settings in Layer Control are also applicable to thematic layers, enabling you to set
a zoom level for each thematic layer. You can also access the Modify Thematic Layer dialog box
through Layer Control by clicking the THEMATIC button.
Thematic layers are always drawn after their base layer. Therefore, they appear above their base
layer in the Layer Control list, and are indented to distinguish them from other map layers.
Layer Control (Showing Thematic Layer above Base Map)

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Thematic layers are displayed in the list with this naming convention:
<Thematic type> with/by <variable-list>

The type of thematic map is noted first, followed by the list of variables used to create the map. For
example, a pie thematic layer that uses commuting data is listed this way:
Pies with ComAlone, ComCarpool...
The variable list is truncated if there is not enough room to display each variable used in your
thematic analysis.

Types of Thematic Maps

With MapInfo Professional you can create seven types of thematic maps, as listed under Type in
the Step 1 of 3 dialog box.

Ranges

Bar Charts

Pie Charts

Granulated

Dot Density

Individual

Grid

Each has its own purpose and unique attributes. For example, using Ranges of Values, you could
thematically shade a map of the world according to population density. You could shade the
countries with graduated shades of red, the darkest red representing the most densely populated
countries, and the palest red representing the least densely populated countries. At a glance you
can see the distribution of the worlds population.
You are not limited to representing numeric values with thematic mapping. Nominal values also
may be shaded thematically. For example, you have a table of underground cables. Those cables
that havent been serviced in the past six months are labeled priority status. Using Individual
Values, you can shade the cables according to their repair status. All records with the same value
will be shaded the same.
See the individual sections later in this chapter for more information on each type of thematic map.
The following sections offer general information on the methods available for creating thematic
maps. For more information on any of these methods and options, see Thematic Mapping in the
Online Help.

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Individual Map Values

Individual Values maps show points, lines, or boundaries that are shaded by individual values
contained in a particular field. You can use both numerical and nominal values in individual values
maps. MapInfo Professional gives each unique value its own color or symbol. When an individual
values map uses symbol types, the symbols are taken from the base table.
For example, a soft drink distributor maintains a table of the supermarkets that buy soft drinks from
him. Each supermarket sells the distributors brand of soft drink for a different price. If the
distributor shades the supermarket points by price, using individual values, all stores that sell the
soft drink for 49 cents are shaded one color, all stores that sell the soft drink for 51 cents are
shaded another color, and so on. Each unique value is assigned its own color. The distributor is
able to see the price distribution among the supermarkets and can determine where he should
increase his sales volume, based on the price.
If you are shading your points, lines or boundaries using nominal data, you can shade only by
individual values. Nominal data is either non-numerical data (name, type of cuisine served, or
brand of automobile sold) or numeric data where the numbers represent non-numeric data like an
ID number. Dates are considered numeric data and can be used in both ranged and individual
values maps.
For example, you have the results from a consumer survey. One question on the survey reads
What is your favorite Sunday afternoon activity? The possible responses are:
1. Sleeping
2. Watching TV
3. Taking a drive
4. Reading
5. Playing or watching sports
6. Visiting museums or art galleries
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7. Going to the movies

You want to shade each consumer point with the response for the favorite Sunday activity. The
SUNDAY column of your table contains the number that corresponds to the consumers favorite
activity. However, the numbers in this column do not represent quantitative values. Going to the
movies is not greater than Playing or watching sports even though 7 > 5. When numbers are used
as names instead of values, you must shade your objects by individual values. The numbers are
only used to reference the pastimes so color can be assigned to them.

Ranged Maps

When you create a ranged thematic map, MapInfo Professional groups all records into ranges and
assigns each records object the color, symbol, or line for its corresponding range. For example,
you have a table of weather stations for your television viewing area, and you want to shade the
locations according to their reported snowfall amounts.
With the Ranged map feature, MapInfo Professional groups the snowfall amounts into ranges. For
instance, all weather stations that received between zero and five inches of snowfall in the past
month are grouped into one range. Stations receiving between five and 10 inches are in a separate
range. Sites that received between 10 and 15 inches are in a third range, while those stations
reporting greater than 15 inch snowfall amounts are in a fourth range.
All records are assigned to a range and then assigned a color based on that range. For instance,
the weather stations reporting the 15 plus inches of snow are shaded red. The other ranges are
shaded in lighter shades of red with the last range in gray (default colors). When you display the
map, the colors make it readily apparent which locations received the most and least snow
accumulation.
Ranges are also useful when the size of the region is not directly related to the magnitude of the
data values. In our population density example in this section, we see that countries that are small
in size can be very densely populated, and countries that are large in size may not be densely
populated. Differences like these are more readily apparent when the regions are shaded in this
manner.

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Types of Ranged Values

MapInfo Professional can create ranges automatically using five methods: Equal Count, Equal
Ranges, Natural Break (Standard Deviation), Quantile, and Custom. To set ranges manually, use
Custom.
Equal Count has the same number of records in each range. If you want MapInfo Professional to
group 100 records into 4 ranges using Equal Count, MapInfo Professional computes the ranges so
that approximately 25 records fall into each range, depending on the rounding factor you set.
When using Equal Count (or any other range method), its important to watch out for any extreme
data values that might affect your thematic map (in statistics, these values are referred to as
outliers). For example, if you tell MapInfo Professional to shade according to Equal Count with this
database:
John

5000

Andrea

7000

Penny

6000

Kyle

5500

Miguel

4500

Angela

7500

Linda

5000

Elroy

6000

Ben

100

Mark

7000

Ben and Miguel are grouped in the same range (since they have the two lowest values). This may
not produce the results you want since the value for Ben is so much lower than any of the other
values.
Equal Ranges divides records across ranges of equal size. For example, you have a field in your
table with data values ranging from 1 to 100. You want to create a thematic map with four equal
size ranges. MapInfo Professional produces ranges 125, 2550, 5075, and 75100. (Since
ranges use => and <=, they need to overlap.)
Keep in mind that MapInfo Professional may create ranges with no data records, depending on the
distribution of your data. For example, if you tell MapInfo Professional to shade the following
database according to Equal Ranges:
John

100

Andrea

Penny

Kyle

Miguel

Angela

Linda

Elroy

Ben

Mark

MapInfo Professional creates four ranges (125, 2550, 5075, and 75100). Notice, however,
that only two of those ranges (125 and 75100) actually contain records.
Natural Break and Quantile are two ways to show data that is not evenly distributed.

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Natural Break creates ranges according to an algorithm that uses the average of each range to
distribute the data more evenly across the ranges. It distributes the values so that the average of
each range is as close as possible to each of the range values in that range. This ensures that the
ranges are well-represented by their averages, and that data values within each of the ranges are
fairly close together.
Quantiling enables you to build ranges that determine the distribution of a thematic variable
across a segment of your data. For example, you can quantile state population by urban
population to illustrate how urban population is distributed across the United States. Your legend
will not indicate that you have used Quantile to build your ranges. You can customize the legend
so that it shows which field you used to quantile the table.
When you create ranges using Standard Deviation, the middle range breaks at the mean of your
values, and the ranges above and below the middle range are one standard deviation above or
below the mean.
You can also define your own ranges using Custom.

Customizing Range Styles and Inflection Point

When you customize range styles, you can choose which attributes to display on your map: color,
size, or all attributes. The size attribute becomes available when you are working with point and
line data. You can change the size of each symbol, or use graduated symbols to represent your
ranges.
Another effective way to customize the display of ranges of data is by inserting an inflection point
between ranges. An inflection point is a color style that provides you with a second interpolation of
your data. This option is useful for showing two sets of contrasting information, like data that
contains positive and negative values such as profit and loss figures, or population growth.
The colors of the top and bottom ranges spread to, but never reach, the inflection point color. They
only approach the inflection point. For example, if the inflection point is white, and the top and
bottom range colors are blue and red respectively, the color spreads from blue to white, and from
white to red. The ranges closest to the inflection point are either very pale blue or red, but they
never actually become white.
See Using an Inflection Point to Show Distinction in Chapter 9 on page 301 for more on using
an inflection point.

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Graduated Symbol Maps

Graduated symbol maps use symbols to represent different values. You can use graduated
symbols regardless of the type of map object with which you are working.
For instance, use graduated symbols to show the number of housing units by city. When you
select the graduated symbols option, MapInfo Professional varies the size of each symbol
according to the value in the sales order field. You can also represent how much interest each
customer has expressed in a given product by assigning a symbol whose size is proportional to
the customers interest.
Graduated symbols maps work best when you use numeric data. If you are working with a layer of
restaurants, it makes no sense to create graduated symbols based on the type of cuisine each
restaurant serves. However, graduated symbols are appropriate when you want to show the
number of hamburgers sold at 20 different fast food restaurants.
There are three attributes you can customize on a graduated symbols map: the color, type, and
size of the symbol. To change the symbols attributes in Thematic Step 3 of 3, choose CUSTOMIZE
SETTINGS and click the symbol icon in the Customize Graduated Symbols dialog box to access the
Symbol Style dialog box. The default symbol is a red circle.

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Customize Graduated Symbols

In the Customize Graduated Symbols dialog box, the size of the symbol in the Symbol box is the
size for the value listed in the at Value box. All values between the high value and zero have
interpolated point sizes. If you want the symbols at the low end to be larger, increase the point
size.
You can also display symbols for negative data values. To change it, click Options in the
Customize Graduated Symbols dialog box. There is a separate symbol picker so that you can
make this symbol as distinct from the symbol for positive values as you want. When you click the
icon a different Symbol Style dialog box displays, enabling you to choose a different symbol type,
change the color or the size, or change any combination of the three attributes. The default symbol
for negative values is a blue circle, and all values between zero and the low value (a negative
number) also have interpolated point sizes.

Dot Density Maps

Dot density maps use dots to represent the data value associated with a boundary or region. The
total number of dots in a region represents that regions data value. If you have 10,000 senior
citizens in a county, and each dot represents 100 senior citizens, there would be 100 dots in the
county boundary.
Dot density is particularly useful for showing raw data where one dot represents a large number of
something: population, number of fast food restaurants, number of distributors who carry a brand
of soda, etc.
For example, if you have a table of age demographics broken down into postal codes, you could
use the dot density option to show the concentration of small children in each postal code
boundary.

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Rensselaer
County

There are three customizing options for dot density maps. You can specify the value of one dot.
For example, you have a table of population statistics, broken down by county. There are 10,000
pre-school students in Rensselaer County, New York. If you display Rensselaer County according
to the number of pre-school students using the dot density method, each dot could represent 200
students. In that case, there would be 50 dots in Rensselaer County. You can specify the number
of units each dot represents using the Customize Dot Density Settings dialog box.
When you increase the value each dot represents, you decrease the number of dots that display
on the map. You could modify your dot density map so that one dot represents 400 students. In
that case, there would only be 25 dots in Rensselaer County.
A second option is to change the size of the dots according to your needs, either large or small. If
you are working with large populations, or large counts of something, make the dot size smaller so
that the distribution of dots is easier to see. Conversely, if your working with a small data set,
making the dot size larger might illustrate your analysis more clearly.
Note:

Distribution of dots is random within the region. If you shade states according to
population, the dots for New York are spread out throughout the state; they are not
concentrated in New York City, where the majority of the states population lives.

Thirdly, in the Customize Dot Density Settings dialog box, change the color of the dot to either red
or black to add more variety to the final map. You can create multiple dot density maps on the
same layer by varying these options.

Bar Chart Maps

Unlike thematic maps for single variables such as ranges of values or graduated symbols, a
thematic bar chart map allows you to examine more than one variable per record at a time. A bar
chart is built for every map object at the centroid of the object, enabling you to analyze the
thematic variables in a particular chart by comparing the height of the bars. You can also examine
the same variable across all the charts in your map.

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For example, you have a table of country boundaries of Africa containing the urban and rural
populations, you can create a thematic map that displays a two-bar chart for each country: one bar
representing the rural population, and the other representing urban population. You can compare
the relative population, or you can examine several countries and compare one countrys
population growth over anothers. For best results, use no more than four to six bars per bar chart
in your analysis.

You can customize the color of each bar, create a frame around each chart, and fill the empty
space inside the frame with a pattern or color. In addition, you can change the bar charts
orientation, such as displaying horizontal bars instead of vertical (the default). You can also control
where to display the chart: over the objects centroid (the default) or any of eight other locations.
You can also change the type of bar chart. In our example, you can create a multi-bar chart, where
each thematic variable has its own bar, or a stacked bar chart with each thematic variable on top of
one another, or a graduated bar chart, where the bars are graduated in size based on some value.
You can also scale the bars in a multi-bar chart independently from one another. To show negative
values in a bar chart map, the bars extend in the opposite direction to the charts orientation. Note
that negative values do not display in stacked bar charts.

Pie Chart Maps

Thematic mapping using pie charts also enables you to examine more than one variable per
record at a time. Like comparing the height of the bars in bar charts, in pie charts you compare the
wedges in a single pie, or examine a particular pie wedge across all of the pies. Pie charts also
enable you to compare parts of a whole.

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Both pie and bar charts are particularly useful for analyzing demographic data. For example, you
have a table of demographic information for the United States. Your table shows the populations of
several major demographic groups. Using pie charts, you can show the population of each
demographic group, and see what fraction of the pie it makes up in each pie. This enables you to
see the distribution of demographic groups on a per state basis, or across the entire United States.
You can also look at one demographic group and see how the population of the group varies in
different states. For best results, use no more than four to six pie wedges per pie chart in your
analysis.
You can customize the color of each pie wedge as well as the borders of the wedges and the
whole pie. You can also specify the angle at which you want to place the first pie wedge, and
whether the variables go in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Like bar charts, you can
also change the pies orientation. The default is to place the pie over the centroid of the object.
You can choose from graduated pies or half pies. Graduated pies will graduate the size of the pies
according to the sum of their components. With half pies your data will be distributed across half a
pie instead of a whole pie.

Working with Your Thematic Maps and Legends

This section covers changing and saving thematic map information and thematic legends.

Modifying a Thematic Map

Once you create your theme, it is likely that you will want to change something about it. MapInfo
Professional provides two ways to reach the Modify Thematic dialog box where you can customize
a variety of settings, styles, and legend components.

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To modify a thematic map, do one of the following:

On the MAP menu, click MODIFY THEMATIC MAP

Double-click the themes legend frame within the legend window to display the dialog box.

When you are modifying a map, a quick way to change a number of settings at once is to change
the template of the current theme.
To merge a template into your current map:
1. On the MAP menu, click MODIFY THEMATIC MAP to display the Modify Thematic Map dialog
box.
2. In the Modify Thematic Map dialog box, click the MERGE button in the Templates group.
The Merge a Template into the Current Theme dialog box displays with a list of the same
type templates as your theme (all range of values templates, for example.)
3. Choose the new template and click OK to return to the Modify Thematic Map dialog box.
4. Click OK again to display the map with the new thematic template. The settings in this
template will now be applied to your theme.
The Merge feature is only available once you have created the thematic map.

Saving Your Thematic Settings

MapInfo Professional provides a way to save your themes and the templates from which you
created them.

Saving Thematic Map Layers

To save your thematic maps, on the FILE menu, click SAVE WORKSPACE. A workspace is a listing of
all the tables and settings used in a map. When you open the workspace, MapInfo Professional
opens the tables and re-creates the thematic map. If you close a table or Map window without
saving your session to a workspace, MapInfo Professional displays the Save Map Objects dialog
box and prompts you to do so. The dialog box indicates what types of objects will be lost (e.g.,
thematic layers, label layers) if you do not save your session to a workspace. You can turn off the
warning prompt in Map Window preferences.

Saving Thematic Templates

Every thematic map begins with a template from which you can then customize for your particular
needs. These settings can be saved for future use. In the Create Thematic Map Step 3 of 3,
choose the SAVE AS button in the Template group box. The Save Theme to a Template dialog box
displays. To save your new settings to the existing template, click OK. To retain both the new and
the original template, type a different name into the Name field. To recover any template that ships
with MapInfo Professional, copy it from the \THMTMPLT directory on the product CD. Templates
have the extension .THM. In MapInfo Professional 7.5 files are stored on a per-user basis.
For individual value themes you can also save the actual categories in a theme template. For
example, if you choose to build an individual value theme on a table to show land usage, you can
assign a different region style to each type of land usage (commercial, forest, residential, farm land
etc.). You may then want to take those same assignments and apply them to another table. You
can do this by storing the category in a template, it will be associated appropriately when the
template is applied to the second table.
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Bivariate Thematic Mapping

Bivariate thematic mapping uses point or line objects to represent two thematic variables. For
example, a star can represent one variable, such as the number of teenagers, while a blue fill for
the star represents their annual purchase amounts.
To create a bivariate map in MapInfo Professional, you create two thematic maps, and layer one
over the other so that the objects display two variables.

Types of Maps and Variables

The only types of thematic maps suitable for bivariate mapping are ranged and individual values
maps. You can choose between two combinations for a bivariate map, depending on your data:

two ranged maps

one ranged map and one individual values map

Prism maps can also be used for bivariate theme mapping. See Bivariate Prism Maps on
page 318 for more information.
If you have a non-numeric variable, one of your maps must be an individual values map. You
cannot create a bivariate map with two non-numeric variables.

Displaying Attributes of a Symbol

To display two variables within one symbol, it is important to choose a different symbol attribute for
each variable. For example, you cannot choose color for both variables because one color will
overwrite the other. Choose from the following combinations:

Color and symbol type

Color and size

Size and symbol type

Symbol type should only be used for nominal or non-numeric data, as there is no inherent
association between a symbol type and a quantity.
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Example of Bivariate Thematic Mapping

To illustrate this process, suppose as a sales manager you want to know which businesses have
generated the most sales in your territory. You have a table of customers with their total sales and
sales representative.
First, you must decide what combination of thematic maps to use. Because you are working with
sales representatives (non-numeric data) and total sales (numeric data), you must create both an
individual values map and a ranged map.
Second, decide how you want to display the data. You can use a combination of color and size
attributes to display your thematic variables. You want to assign a color to each sales
representative and use a different size symbol to represent each range of sales figures. Note that
this is different than a graduated symbols map, where the symbol is scaled to one value. Here, the
size of the symbol represents a range of values.
Third, you must create a separate thematic map for each variable. For the Individual Values map,
use the table of customers as the table and choose Sales_rep as the field to which to assign
values. MapInfo Professional assigns each sales representative a different color.
Next, create a ranged thematic map that shows the customers total sales. Choose the Customer
table as the table, and choose Sales as the field. Divide the total sales into six ranges with
approximately the same number of customers in each range. In the Thematic- Step 3 of 3 dialog
box choose the RANGES button, change the number of ranges to six, and verify that the type of
range is set to Equal Count.
To show the ranges as sized symbols, choose Styles in the Thematic- Step 3 of 3 dialog box. In the
Autospread Group choose SIZE. The symbols in the Styles group change to graduated size.
However, the only variable you want to display is size, as the symbols color is coming from the
individual values map. Choose OPTIONS to display the Apply group and choose the SIZE button
again.
Note that the selection in the Apply group overrides any selection you make in the Autospread
group. To specify or change which symbol attributes display, you must choose OPTIONS, and
choose the COLOR or SIZE button in the Apply group.
The symbols become hollow circles that are graduated in size. Choose OK, and your ranged map
draws over the individual values map. The symbol color from the individual values map indicates
the sales representative, and the size of the symbol represents a range of total sales figures. The
map legend lists the bivariate map as two separate thematic maps, in effect displaying two
legends. The legend does not combine the two variables.

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If you do not see both variables displayed on the map, make sure your variables did not
overwrite each other. Also check Layer Control to see that the Display box is checked on
both maps.

Using an Inflection Point to Show Distinction

In thematic mapping, an inflection point is a color style you insert between ranges. It provides a
second way to interpret your data.
The inflection point is placed where there is a distinct marker between the ranges of values above
it and the ranges of values below it, or where a numeric shift in your data occurs. Most often, the
inflection point is inserted as close to the zero value as possible, since zero marks the shift
between positive and negative values, or at the mean of your data values.
The inflection point enables you to see this shift on your map. You see two different color spreads
in your ranges. Instead of spreading toward each other, the top and bottom range colors both
approach the color of the inflection point.
Another type of inflection point map is a grid surface thematic map. Here every color that displays
in the legend is an inflection point. Values that fall between these inflection points display with a
blend of the two colors. This allows you to see a continuous gradation of color across the map.
See Working with Grid Surface Maps on page 304 for a discussion on this type of thematic
map.

Example of an Inflection Point Map

To show positive and negative population growth in the United States, you can insert an inflection
point close to where the zero value is in your ranges. The top and bottom range points will spread,
or graduate, toward the inflection point: one for increased population, and one for decreased
population.
For a detailed description of the figures involved in this process, see Updating Column
Information using Thematic Mapping on page 296. Since here we are focussing on the
Inflection Point options, the process will cover that aspect of this map in more detail.

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To enhance a map using an inflection point:

1. From the Create Thematic Map Step 1 of 3 dialog box select Ranges and a template type.
Click NEXT to display the Create Thematic Map Step 2 of 3 dialog box.
2. Create an expression to show population growth. For this example, we are using the
expression (POP_1990 POP_1980)/POP_1980 * 100. Choose NEXT to display the
Create Thematic Map Step 3 of 3 dialog box.
3. Click RANGES to customize the ranges. For our example, choose EQUAL RANGES, and set
the number of ranges to 14.
When you use an inflection point, it is important that your data distribute well across the
ranges. You may want to increase the number of ranges, or compare the distribution of the
data between Equal Count, Equal Ranges and Natural Break to see which gives the best
representation of your data.
You may also want to use CUSTOM to adjust the range values so that zero is the minimum
value in one range, and the maximum value of the range below it. This is optional.
4. After you complete these changes click OK. The Create Thematic Map Step 3 of 3 dialog
box redisplays.
5. Click STYLE to choose the style for the ranges. Choose OPTIONS to display the Inflection
options.

6. Determine where among the ranges the inflection point should lie and specify the range
position for the inflection point.
Examine the preview before you create the inflection point to locate where you want to
place it. When you choose an inflection point, you must choose a number that identifies
the position of a range in the legend. Count the ranges in the preview legend until you get
to the range with a zero at one of its ends. If your Legend Label Order is Descending,
count the ranges up from the bottom. If it is Ascending, count down from the top.
You can keep the default color spread between the ranges (red to blue), or you can
choose a different color spread. For this example, keep the top range at red, and change
the bottom range to blue.
In the Inflection at box, choose 2 for the second range, as you determined above. The
default is None, meaning no inflection point.

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7. Set the style for the inflection point and click OK to return to the Create Thematic Map
Step 3 of 3 dialog box.
To choose the style for the inflection point, click inside the STYLE box in the Inflection
group. The Fill Style dialog box displays. Select the color for the inflection point and click
OK. The default style is a white fill with no pattern.
Preview your legend in the Thematic Step 3 of 3 dialog box. Your legend does not show
explicitly where the inflection point is, as your range colors only approach the inflection
point. You can, however, add the inflection point to the legend title or subtitle.
8. Click OK to create the map with the inflection point you created.

Working with Legends

Legends are an important part of making your map understandable to your audience. In MapInfo
Professional, you can create two kinds of legends: cartographic and theme legends. Theme
legends are those associated with thematic maps. Cartographic legends enable you to create a
legend for any map layer(s) in your Map window. The combination of the two types makes it
possible to provide cartographic data for all of your map layers.

What are Cartographic Legends?

Cartographic legends display cartographic data for a map layer. A legend is created for each layer
in your Map window that you choose to include in the legend. Cartographic legends can be
displayed in a layout, expanding MapInfo Professionals presentation capabilities. You can create
a legend for an individual layer, giving it particular emphasis, or you can place legends for several
layers in one legend window. You can also customize many elements of the cartographic legend
and the legend window, including the window title, legend frame borders, and the legend title and
subtitle.

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Here is a brief description of how to create a cartographic legend:

1. On the MAP menu, click CREATE LEGEND. The Create Legend Step 1 of 3 dialog box
displays.
2. Select the layers you want to use in the legend and click NEXT. The Create Legend Step
2 of 3 dialog box displays.
3. Specify the legend properties and legend frame defaults and click FINISH or click NEXT to
select and set attributes for each legend frame.

If you click FINISH, your legend displays.

If you click NEXT, the Create Legend Step 3 of 3 dialog box displays.

4. Specify the legend frames and give titles to them in the fields provided and click FINISH to
display your legend.
For more details on the options available in the cartographic legend feature, see Creating a
Cartographic Legend in Chapter 12 on page 402.

What are Thematic Legends?

Theme legends are created automatically when you create a thematic map. They provide a key of
the colors, symbols, and styles used in the map. Their display is controlled via the Show/Hide
Theme Legend Window command in the Options menu. Use the appropriate command in the Map
menu to modify them (on the MAP menu, click MODIFY THEMATIC MAP), or simply double-click the
legend to display the Modify Thematic Map dialog box.
If a theme legend is part of a cartographic legend, and you click it to modify it, the Modify Thematic
Map dialog box displays. Click the LEGEND button to modify the legend. For more on theme
legends and thematic mapping, see Using Thematic Mapping to Analyze Information in
Chapter 9 on page 281.

Working with Grid Surface Maps

Up to now, the thematic maps we have discussed are based on vector layers. MapInfo
Professional takes thematic mapping to a new level with a method that displays data as
continuous color gradations across the map. This type of thematic mapping, known as grid
mapping or surface theme mapping, is produced by an interpolating point data from the source
table. MapInfo Professional generates a grid file from the data interpolation and displays it as a
raster image in a Map window.
Grid theme maps are appropriate analytical tools in traditional GIS environments and other
industries where the data points have measured values that reflect those locations. For example,
use grid shading to illustrate temperature changes, snowfall amounts, or change in elevation. The
next figure shows the light to dark gradual transition across the United States, which represents
low to high average annual temperatures. The continuous shading allows you to derive
measurements at places other than where measurements were taken.

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Grid Image Files

Grid mapping produces a file type called a grid image. When you create a grid thematic map using
MapInfo Professionals grid handler, MapInfo Professional generates a default file name of
tablename_fieldname with the extension .MIG (e.g., USELEV_ELEVFEET.MIG). In the Step 2 of 3
dialog box MapInfo Professional displays the path and the root file name, where you can change it
as necessary.
MapInfo Professional contains one read/write grid handler and a Grid Engine tool kit that shows
you how to create your own. Once you have written a grid engine, you place this file in your
MapInfo Professional application directory and set the preference in the Map window dialog box.
Specifically, to set the default grid writeable handler, go to the Map window preferences and
specify your grid handler file. The available handler formats depend on what grid handlers have
been installed. Changing the default grid handler will change the default file extension of the grid
file name.
Grid files are stored by default in the data directory specified as a preference. Grid files can be
opened from the FILE menu, click OPEN command like other MapInfo Professional supported file
types.
When you open a table that has a grid filename associated with it, MapInfo Professional searches
for the file if it cannot find it immediately. For example, the search capability can simplify opening
tables if your .tab file refers to an image that resides on a CD-ROM drive, and different letters are
used to designate the CD-ROM drive on different systems.
MapInfo Professional uses the following search order:
1. Search for the file where specified by the FILE tag in the .tab file.
2. Search for the file in the same directory as the .tab file.
3. Search for the file in the Table Search path specified in the Directories preferences.
MapInfo Professional either opens the table as though it found the file in the specified location, or it
will report an error because the file could not be found in any location.

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Grid Handlers
In addition to the MapInfo Professional read/write grid handler (*.MIG) we also supply READONLY grid handlers to support the direct opening of the following grid file formats:

DEMUSGS ASCII(*.DEM)

DTEDlevels 1, 2, and 3 (.DT0, .DT1, *.DT2)

GTOPO30 (*.DEM)

MapInfo Vertical Mapper (.GRD, .GRC)

You can open these grid file types directly from the Open dialog box. You will see the file
extensions listed next to the Grid Image file type in the Files of Type drop-down list in the bottom of
the dialog box. Because the handlers are read-only, they cannot be used to create grid files during
the thematic mapping process.
If the relief shading option is enabled (Create Thematic Map Step 3 of 3 > STYLES > GRID
APPEARANCE), a separate file will be created to store the hill shade information. The hillshade file is
stored in the same location as the grid file and has the same base name as the grid but with the
extension .MIH. If the grid file is read-only, e.g., its located on a CD, the .MIH files will be created
in the same location as the .tab file. The .tab file will contain a new metadata key, for example:
"\Grid\Hillshade File" = "d:\tmp\AntiochSouth.MIH"

Vertical Mapper Grid Handler

MapInfo Professional also includes the Vertical Mapper Grid handler to enable users who have not
purchased the full Vertical Mapper add-on product to open, view, and print Vertical Mapper Grid
(*.GRD, *.GRC) format files.
The Vertical Mapper Grid files can also be opened directly in MapInfo Professional. The *.GRD or
*.GRC extension is listed with the other Grid Image formats in the Files of Type drop-down list.
Currently, grids using the Vertical Mapper handler cannot be modified in the Modify Thematic Map
dialog box. They are read-only. They must be created or modified in the Vertical Mapper source
application, which is available from MapInfo. In addition, you cannot create .GRD or .GRC files in
MapInfo Professional, however, you can convert *.GRD files to *.MIG files with Gridtools.MBX.

Creating Custom Read/Write Grid Handlers

This section shows how to write your own read/write grid handler. MapInfo Professional provides
two interpolators for creating grid themes: Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) and Triangulated
Irregular Network (TIN).
IDW Interpolator
The IDW interpolator is best suited for data values that produce arbitrary values over the grid, that
is, data that does not have any relationship or influence over neighboring data values, such as
population. This method of interpolation also works well for sparse data.

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The IDW interpolator calculates the value of grid cells that cover the mapping area. Each data
point value from your source table that is considered in the calculation for a cell value is weighted
by its distance from the center of the cell. Because the interpolation is an inverse distance
weighting calculation, the farther the point is from the cell, the less influence its value will have on
the resulting cell value.
MapInfo Professionals grid mapping process begins by determining the minimum bounding
rectangle (MBR) of the source table. The grid is divided into equal sized square cells of some size.
For example, using the Grid default template, the STATES table in MapInfo Professionals sample
data set creates a grid dimension of 200 cells by 303 cells. By calculating the number of cells in
the grid and knowing the dimension of the MBR, MapInfo Professional determines that each cell
needs to be 18.1 by 18.1 miles square. (Your cell size will be in whatever distance units you have
set for the Map window. To change the units, go to the MAP menu, point to OPTIONS and click MAP
UNITS).

The settings for the IDW interpolator are controlled via the Settings button in the Step 3 of 3 dialog
box. The illustration above shows the settings for the STATES table if you are basing the grid
theme on the Grid Default or Grid Gray Default templates that ship with MapInfo Professional.
Note the cell size number represents both the height and width of the cell. Any change to the cell
size will result in an automatic update of the grid dimensions.
With the cell size and the source points and values known, MapInfo Professional calculates a
value for each cell. This value is determined by calculating a distance-weighted average of the
points that lie within the specified search radius. Points are inversely weighted by their distance
from the center of the cell.
In IDW, the exponent determines how much influence each point will have on the result. The
higher the exponent the greater the influence closer points will have on the cell value. Exponents
can range from one to 10.
You can also choose an aggregation method for the z-values of source data points that are in the
same grid cell. Choose from: average, count, sum, min, and max.
TIN Interpolator
The TIN interpolator works best for terrain data and for data points that have a linear progression
or relationship to each other across the grid, such as temperature.

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The TIN interpolator produces triangles from a network of points that more closely reproduces the
original map terrain than the IDW interpolator. It draws lines between points, dividing them into
triangles and connecting all the points that it can. It creates a mesh of connectivity so that the grid
points can be interpolated. The interpolation is not influenced by the neighboring original data
values, so you do not get the false bumping of data that you can get with the IDW interpolator.
Included in the Grid templates in the Create Thematic MapStep 1 of 3 dialog box are two
templates that work best with the TIN interpolator. The TIN interpolator settings are specified in the
Step 3 of 3 dialog box. Click the Settings button to display the TIN Interpolator Settings dialog box.

As in the IDW interpolator, the cell size indicated in the TIN interpolator is square: the number
represents both the height and width of the cell. The grid dimensions are automatically updated
when the cell size is changed.
The TIN settings can be manipulated to give more or less detail to the map terrain. The Tolerance
setting controls whether closely spaced points are discarded. The tolerance is a fraction of the
diagonal length of the bounding box of the points.
The Distance value controls the output. For non-zero distance values, only edges or triangles
contained within a sphere centered at mesh vertices are output. This is useful to constrain the
triangulated irregular network to a specified distance; otherwise, the triangulation will cross
concave regions.
The Feature Angle setting controls the angle (in degrees) that defines a sharp edge. This setting is
used for smoothing the final grid. If the difference in angle across neighboring polygons is greater
than this value, the shared edge is considered sharp.

Grid Appearance
Once the cell values are calculated, MapInfo Professional groups them into a color spectrum that
is bounded by the minimum and maximum values in the table. The grids appearance is controlled
in the Grid Appearance dialog box, which you can access by clicking the Styles button in Step 3.

Inflection Methods
You can control how the color is spread by specifying an inflection method, and the number of
inflection points. The Number of inflections drop-down list shows numbers 216, but you can type
any number between 2 and 255. You can also apply a rounding factor to the inflection values. If the
inflection method is based on cell count, you may not see the effects of the rounding factor until the
inflection values are calculated. The inflection methods include:

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Equal Cell CountSets the inflections so that approximately an equal number of grid cells
fall between each inflection value.

Equal Value RangesSpreads the inflections evenly between the minimum and maximum
values of the data range.

Custom Cell CountUse this method to specify your own percentages.

Custom Value RangesUse this method to specify your own values.

The Grid default template assigns blue to the minimum value and red to the maximum value.
These minimum and maximum values are also expressed as percentages of the range. These
color settings/values are known as inflection points and will display in the legend with a particular
color, value and percentage. If a cell has the exact value as the inflection point, it will display that
color on the map. A cell value that falls between two inflection points displays with the color that is
in between the colors of those inflection points.

When you increase the number of inflections, MapInfo Professional chooses default colors for the
new inflections. The last inflection color remains the same. New ones are inserted between the
new last inflection and the one before it.
To change the color of an inflection point, double-click the color swatch and choose a new color
from the palette. To edit the inflection percentages/values, single or double-click a value. You can
type the new value right over the old value.

Relief Shading
Relief shading allows you to shade your grid surface map according to a virtual light source.
MapInfo Professional adjusts the brightness of each grid cell based on its orientation to the light
source. This enables you to take surface slope and direction into account relative to the direction
of the light.

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The brightness values that MapInfo Professional assigns to each cell correspond to light striking
the surface. The light source can be the sun shining on a topographic surface. The maximum
brightness is assigned at points where the suns rays are perpendicular to the surface (the slope
directly faces the light source). As the slope faces turn away from the light source, lower
brightness values are assigned.

Grid Translucency
The translucency setting allows you to set how much you can see through the grid layer. For
example, in a boundary map, you may want to be able to see the boundaries as well as the
topological terrain. A translucency setting of 0% produces a completely opaque image. A setting of
100% produces a completely transparent image. Set the translucency according to how much of
the details in the layers underneath the grid you want to see.

Final Adjustments
You can make other color adjustments to your grid surface map. You can set the contrast and
brightness level, or show the grid in gray-scale. You can also invert the inflection colors using the
Flip Colors button.
Once the inflection settings, any relief shading, and other color settings are finalized, you are
ready to produce the map. MapInfo Professional generates the grid theme map layer as a raster
image. The inflection points grade from one color to another in smooth transitions to illustrate the
distribution of the data.

Zoom Layering
Zoom layering for grid layers is now controlled in the Map window preferences. To change the
zoom layering setting for a grid surface map that you are currently working with, go to the Map
Options dialog box (MAP > OPTIONS) and either activate or turn off zoom layering. The setting is
turned off by default.

Working with Grid Theme Layers

The grid thematic layer is different from other thematic layers in that, once it is created, it is
independent of its base layer. Because it is a type of raster image, it can be reordered in the Map
window as a separate layer. If the data in the base layer changes, the grid will not automatically
update. In that case, you must re-interpolate the grid. The layer displays in Layer Control with a
default layer name of table name_fieldname.

Info Tool and InfoTips

You can use the Info tool to get information on individual grid cells. When the Map window is
active, click the Info tool button on the Main toolbar to select it and click the map. The Info tool
displays the surface grids name and the data value associated with it. The information in the Info
tool window is read-only in this instance, as you cannot change the cells value.
When InfoTips are active, hovering the cursor over a grid cell will display the cells value.

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Grid Tools Tool

The Grid Tools tool contains three tools that help you get the most from your grid layers.
Note:

Grid Tools replaces the DEM2Grid tool included in earlier versions of MapInfo
Professional.

Converting Grid Files

The Grid File Converter enables you to convert any grid file supported by a grid handler to an
MapInfo Professional grid file (.MIG). You must provide a color file that defines the inflection points
of the new grid file. The tool gives you the option of generating relief shading for the new file, and
opening the file after the conversion. It replaces the DEM2Grid MapBasic tool included in earlier
versions of MapInfo Professional.
To load Grid Tools, choose TOOLS > TOOL MANAGER, and select the Loaded check box next to the
Grid Tools tool. Then choose TOOLS > GRID TOOLS > CREATE MAPINFO GRID FROM OTHER GRID
FILE to display the dialog box.

To select the input and output grid files and the color file:
1. Use the corresponding BROWSE buttons to navigate to their respective locations.
2. Select the RELIEF SHADE check box to activate relief shading for the converted grid file.
Click the RELIEF SHADE OPTIONS button to display the Relief Shade Options dialog box,
where you can specify the angle of the light source and the vertical scale factor.
3. Select the OPEN AND MAP GRID FILE check box to have MapInfo Professional display the
grid in a Map window.
4. Click OK.
Other Grid Tools
In addition to the Grid File Converter, Grid Tools enables you to create a MapInfo Professional grid
file from a table of points. This works best if the records in your table represent a regular grid of
points. On the TOOLS menu, point to GRID TOOLS and click CREATE MAPINFO GRID FROM TABLE OF
OBJECTS to display the Grid File Converter dialog box.
Finally, loading Grid Tools places a grid info tool on the Tools toolbar that you can use to display
the x, y, and z coordinates of a mouse-click location in a grid layer. Click the button to activate it,
and then click anywhere on your grid layer to display the coordinates for that location.

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Clipping a Grid Map

MapInfo Professionals grid feature allows you to clip the grid map with a table of region objects.
MapInfo Professional generates a rectangular grid based on the MBR of the source table. In order
for the grid boundary to follow the outline of your map boundary, specify that the grid be clipped by
the map or another table of boundaries. MapInfo Professional first creates a single object out of all
objects in the clipping table and then clips the grid to match it. Set the clipping table in the Step 2 of
3 dialog box under Grid Options.

If your source data points do not extend beyond your clipping region, your grid map will not be
completed filled with grid cells. To avoid this, in the Interpolator Settings dialog box for IDW
Interpolation (reached by the Settings button in the Step 3 of 3 dialog box), type a value in the Grid
Border box to represents the miles you want added to the grid that will meet or exceed the source
tables MBR. This value will add the same amount to all four sides of the grid.
Areas with missing grid cells

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Working with 3D and Prism Maps

A 3D Map allows you to express your data using three axes: length, width, and height, which can
give your maps greater impact. Prism Maps are a type of 3D map in which the height of the
geography correlates to a specific value so that the greater the value, the higher the height of the
geography. For more about prism maps, see Working with Prism Maps on page 316.
MapInfo Professional contains a 3D viewing capability. Based on Microsofts implementation of
OpenGL software graphics interface, it allows freehand tilt and rotation of the image. The
traditional pan, zoom, and Info tools also operate in the 3DMap window.
You can create a 3D view of any map that contains a continuous grid layer. For example, import
digital elevation model (DEM) files or interpolate from a layer of points that contain elevation
values. The image of any other layers will be draped over the 3D surface. Keep in mind, the 3D
surface is not limited to representing elevation. It can also be used to show property value, sales
potential, population density, air temperature, etc.

Use the Create 3DMap command (MAP > CREATE 3DMAP) to create a 3D view of a Grid Thematic
map when the Grid Thematic map is in the active window. You can rotate, zoom, and pan the 3D
view. Additionally, you can clone the 3D view.
The 3DMap window is a stand-alone window. If you modify the tables in the Grid Thematic map
used to create the map, you can update it using the Refresh Grid Texture option in the 3DWindow
menu. To change the settings in a 3DMap window, select PROPERTIES on the 3DWindow menu.

Creating a 3DMap
To create a 3DMap:
1. Create a Grid Thematic map or open an existing grid layer. See Working with Grid
Surface Maps on page 304 for more information.
2. Choose MAP > CREATE 3DMAP. The Create 3DMap dialog box displays.

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From this dialog box you can set:

CAMERA: Specify the camera position and orientation.

LIGHT: Designate the position and color of the light source.
APPEARANCE: Specify appearance attributes including Units, Resolution, and Scale.
Units is only available when first creating a 3DMap. Resolution and scale are available
later as well.

3. To create a 3DMap using the default settings click OK. The 3D View of the map displays.
The map displays land elevations in the United States. It is available from the MapInfo
Professional CD. Open the Elev_ft.MIG file from the NAmrca\USA\Grid folder.

Understanding the 3DWindow Menu

When the 3DMap is the active window, the 3DWindow menu displays in the menu bar. The
3DWindow menu contains the following commands:
Refresh Texture: Regenerates the image used for the texture on the grid. Use this option if you
change or update the tables or objects used in the 3DMap.
Clone View: Creates a clone of the 3DMap window.
Previous View: Returns to the previous view of the 3DMap.

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View Entire Layer: Re-centers the 3DMap in the window. If you zoom or pan the map from view,
use this option to redisplay the map in the window.
Viewpoint Control: Displays the Viewpoint Control dialog box which duplicates the functionality
you have with the selection and the zoom tools, and includes a MAPPER VIEW button that
repositions the 3DMap window to match the view from the original Map window.

WireFrame: Toggles between a wireframe and surface representation of the grid. Additionally,
cloned 3DMap windows have the surface representation of the grid, even if the cloned window is in
wireframe mode. To toggle the wireframe mode on and off, press the W key on the keyboard
while the 3DMap window is active. Here is an example of a wireframe map:

Note:

This option is not saved to a workspace.

Properties: Display the 3DMap Properties dialog box displaying the current 3DMap settings. Use
this dialog box to modify the Light and Appearance settings of the active 3DMap. Additionally,
display this menu by right-clicking when in the 3DMap window.

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Manipulating a 3DMap
You can move the 3DMap window around to determine the most effective angle for displaying your
information.
To manipulate the view of a 3DMap window:
1. Display a 3D Map.
2. Choose the Select tool.
3. Click and hold the left mouse button in the 3DMap window. As you move the mouse the
viewpoint will be rotated around the focal point.
You can also use the Grabber, and Zoom tools to move the 3DMap window around the
Map window.
The Info tool displays the grid elevation value at the point you select.

Working with Prism Maps

Prism maps offer another way to create a three-dimensional view of your map. In a Prism map, the
height of the geography is raised according to a specified column value from your table or a
derived value from an expressionthe greater the value, the higher the height of the geography.
Each geography becomes a prism, allowing you to compare data values of objects relative to each
other according to the height of each prism.
Prism maps are created using region layers. Other closed objects such as rectangles, ellipses,
and rounded rectangles are also included in the Prism map, as well as the region portion of
Collection objects. Point objects are not included in the Prism Map.
The prism effect does not interfere with the display of other components in a Map window,
including other map layers, themes, or labels. When the Prism map is created, the image from the
original Map window is pasted on the resulting 3D objects.
Note:

Creating a Prism map from complex geographical objects (e.g. high resolution
boundaries) requires a significant amount of memory and time. Memory resources may
run out on some systems.

The 3DWindow menu is shared between 3DMaps and Prism maps. When a Prism map is the
active Map window, the 3DWindow menu displays on the menu bar.

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The commands in the 3DWindow menu for Prism maps are the same as those for 3DMaps. You
can control the view of the map, create a duplicate view, and set the maps point of view, enabling
you to choose the angle that will best emphasize the prism effect of the raised geographies.

Creating a Prism Map

To create a Prism map:
1. Make sure a Map window is the active window and that it contains a region layer.
2. Choose MAP > CREATE PRISM MAP. The Create Prism Map dialog box displays.

3. In the Choose Layer and Column group, choose the layer to map, and choose a column
value. Only numeric columns from the layer you chose display in the dialog box.
To use a character column, create an expression. Choose EXPRESSION from the Column
drop-down list to display the Expression dialog box.
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Select the character column you want to use, and use the Val() function to convert a
character string to a numeric value. This function returns zero for any character string that
has no numeric meaning.
4. In the Appearance group, specify the Background color. This color is used for the
windows background. Also specify the Light color. This color is the lighting for your map. It
acts as a cover to the camera lens as it views the map.
5. In the Camera group, choose the cameras position and orientation. The Horizontal Angle
measures the rotation of the map around the center point of the grid. This value can range
from 0360 degrees. The Vertical Angle measures the rotation in elevation from the start
point directly over the map. This value ranges from 090 degrees.
6. Click OK. The Prism map displays in your Map window.

Bivariate Prism Maps

Because prism maps preserve the display of other map elements, including themes, you can
easily add a second theme to your prism map, such as ranges or individual values, to create a
bivariate map. For more about Bivariate maps in general, see Bivariate Thematic Mapping on
page 299.

Prism Map and Browser Editing

If you change a row value of an object in a Prism map or edit an object directly in a Map window,
the Prism map will reflect these changes. For example, if you change a data value that was used
directly in a Prism map, or as part of an expression that was used to calculate a value, the prism
height of the corresponding objects will change to reflect the new value. This includes single row
changes and column updates.
When you move objects in a Prism map, the Prism map object that is based on the original object
will also move. When you add objects to the Prism map, they will display flat because data values
for new objects are initially set as zero.
Sometimes an object in a Prism map displays the incorrect texture or image. This usually occurs
when the geometry of an object has changed for some reason, for example, as a result of map
clipping, moving the object, or adding or removing nodes. Use the Refresh Texture command in
the 3DWindow menu or the shortcut menu in the Prism map window to correct the display.

Modifying a Prism Map

To modify a Prism map:
1. Do one of the following:

Choose PROPERTIES from the 3DWindow menu

Right-click to display the shortcut menu, and then choose PROPERTIES.

Using either method, the Prism Map Properties dialog box displays.

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2. In addition to modifying the Background and Light color settings, you can specify InfoTips
and set a scale for the Z direction (vertical) of the map.
3. The InfoTip information can come from any column in the table or valid expression. The
values will display when you hover the cursor over an object using a tool that supports
ToolTips.
A scale for the Z direction is calculated during the initial creation of the Prism map. If you
decide to modify it, keep in mind that the values used for the prism height may greatly
exceed the x and y dimensions.
For example, in a Prism map of population, values could easily be in the millions. The
scale must be small enough so that the objects can be viewed. A scale value >1 will
exaggerate the topology in the Z direction; a value <1 will scale down the topological
features in the Z direction.
4. Click OK to save the prism properties.

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Buffering and Working

with Objects

Two of the most important features in MapInfo Professional are buffers and the tools we provide to work
with objects. Buffers allow you to create grouping areas around objects, lines and regions, which is
important for providing a visual analysis. You can edit an manipulate objects in a wide variety of ways. The
Set Target editing model allows you to apply a wide range of editing operations to an object or a series of
objects. Using MapInfo Professional you can also create territories and create objects. This chapter covers
these topics and discusses the advanced topics of enclosing, checking, and cleaning objects.

In this Chapter:

Buffering Your Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321

Editing Objects using the Set Target Model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Creating Territories by Combining Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Creating and Manipulating Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344

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Buffering Your Data

If you would like to search for all underground cable wires that are buried within 440 yards of
Interstate 490 or you would like to contact all families with pre-school age children who live within
five miles of a proposed school district, buffering is the tool for you.

Understanding Buffers
A buffer is a region that surrounds a line object, another region, symbol, or any other object in a
Map window. For example, you can create a buffer region that surrounds Interstate 90 by 440
yards on either side. You can create a buffer region that surrounds the proposed school district by
five miles on all borders. Both the 440 yards and five miles are their respective regions buffer radii.
The buffer table is then joined to data associated with the original buffered objects.

Creating a Buffer
To buffer objects:
1. Select the objects that you want to buffer. Make sure there is an editable layer in the Map
window. The output buffered objects will be placed in that layer.
2. On the OBJECTS menu, click BUFFER. The Buffer Objects dialog box displays.

3. Select appropriate buffer radius, segments per circle, distance type calculation to use, and
buffer method as described.

RADIUS The radius is the width of the buffer you want to create around the object
you selected. The Value and the From Column radio buttons give you different ways to
specify that width.
VALUE Type a value into this field if the radius of the buffer you want to create is a
specific distance. Examples might include 10 feet, 20 kilometers, 50 chains.
FROM COLUMN Select this radio button if the buffer you want to create is specified in
a particular column or is to be calculated by an expression. Then select the column or
choose EXPRESSION from the drop-down list.

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If you select EXPRESSION, the Expression dialog box displays. Specify the expression
you want MapInfo Professional to use to calculate the buffer radius and click OK to
return to the Buffer Objects dialog box.

UNITS Select the units for the buffer from this drop-down list. Options include:
inches, links, feet, US Survey feet, yards, rods, chains, miles, nautical miles,
millimeters, centimeters, meters, kilometers.
SMOOTHNESS Type the number of segments per circle that determines the
resolution of the curves in the buffer polygon. You can enter a number between 3 and
100. The default value is 12 segments per circle.
The more segments you enter, the smoother the curve. The fewer segments, the more
jagged the curve. More segments produce a smoother curve; fewer segments make a
more jagged curve.

ONE BUFFER OF ALL OBJECTS Select this option to create one buffer for all of the
objects you have selected. For example, if you are buffering Pennsylvania, New York
and New Hampshire, one buffer will be created for all three of these objects.
ONE BUFFER FOR EACH OBJECT Select this option to create one buffer for each
object you have selected. For example, if you are buffering Pennsylvania, New York
and New Hampshire, each object will have a separate buffer.
BUFFER WIDTH DISTANCE USING SPHERICAL Select this option if you want the buffer
to take into account the curvature of the Earth. Using this method, MapInfo
Professional converts the data to Latitude/Longitude and then creates a mathematical
calculation of the buffer. You cannot use this method for non-Earth projections.
BUFFER WIDTH DISTANCE USING CARTESIAN Select this option if you want the buffer
to be calculated as if the map is on a flat plane. Cartesian coordinates are a pair of
numbers, (x, y), defining the position of a point in a two-dimensional space by its
perpendicular projection onto two axes which are at right angles to each other. If you
are using a Latitude/Longitude projection, this option is disabled.

4. When you have completed your entries and selections in this dialog box, press the NEXT
button. The standard Data Aggregation dialog box displays.
Note:

If the editable layer is the Cosmetic layer, the Data Aggregation dialog box will not
display because there is no data in the layer to aggregate. The OK button displays
in place of the NEXT button. Press OK to begin the buffer operation.

5. Highlight each of the columns you want to complete the fields in this dialog box.

BLANK Select this option to store blank values in the selected column(s). To store
blank values in all displayed columns, check the NO DATA check box. Only choose the
Blank option to blank out individual columns.

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VALUE Select this option to store the value that displays in the edit field in the new
row. When you select this option, enter an appropriate value in the field.
NO DATA Check this check box if you want no data aggregated to any column.

6. After setting the appropriate data aggregation parameters, press OK. MapInfo
Professional calculates the buffer according to the parameters you sent and creates the
new objects in the editable layer. The original objects remain unchanged.
Once MapInfo Professional has created the buffer region, it puts it in the editable layer.

Saving your Buffer as a New Layer

You can create a buffer and save it as a new table (layer) or as part of another layer in your map.
This process is similar to the Voronoi process described in Saving your Voronoi Polygon as a
New Layer on page 339. This process is also similar to the Combine Using Column process,
except that there is no Group By functionality for buffers.
Note:

The table must be mappable to use this feature.

To create the buffer as a distinct layer:

1. To create a selection to buffer, select the object in the map. This step is not required if you
want to buffer all objects in a particular table.
2. On the TABLE menu, click BUFFER. The Table Buffer dialog box displays.

3. Do one of the following:

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To buffer the selected object, leave the SELECTION object selected in the BUFFER
OBJECTS IN TABLE drop-down list box.
To buffer objects from a particular table, select the table in the BUFFER OBJECTS IN
TABLE drop-down list box.

4. Select the type of table you want to place the buffer into from the STORE RESULTS IN TABLE
drop-down list box. Select one of the following:

NEW TABLE allows you to save the buffer in a new table

<TABLENAMES> allows you to save the buffer in one of the currently open tables

After you make this selection, click NEXT to continue.

Note:

You cannot save a buffer to the Cosmetic Layer.

5. Do one of the following:

If you chose the NEW TABLE option, go to Saving a Buffer to a New Table on
page 324.
If you chose <TABLENAMES>, go to Saving a Buffer to an Existing Table on
page 325.

Saving a Buffer to a New Table

You can create a buffer and save it as a new table (layer) in your map. You must complete the
instructions in Saving your Buffer as a New Layer on page 323 before you begin this operation.

1. Use the Create New Table and check boxes to indicate where you want the new buffer to
display. You can click more than one check box.
OPEN NEW BROWSER Click this check box to display the new buffer in a new Browser
window only.
OPEN NEW MAPPER Click this check box to display the new buffer in a new Map window.
ADD TO CURRENT MAPPER Click this check box to display the new buffer in the current
Map window.
2. Choose the table structure for the new table, using only one of these options:
CREATE NEW Click this check box to specify a new table structure and create the new
fields in the New Table Structure dialog box.
USE TABLE Click this check box to create the new table structure based on the fields in
an existing table. You can base your new table structure on any open table.
3. Click CREATE. The New Table Structure dialog box displays.
If you selected CREATE NEW in the last step, the New Table Structure dialog box displays
no fields and you need to add the fields you need.

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Click the PROJECTION

button to set the projection
for this table. For more
about Projection, see
Understanding
Coordinate System and
Projection Terminology
in Chapter 14 on
page 437.

4. Click the ADD FIELD button and enter the field name, select the field type, and enter the
field width for each new field in your table. Continue this process until your table structure
is complete.
5. Click CREATE to create the table and display the buffer according to the display
instructions you specified. The Create New Table dialog box displays prompting you to
save the name of the new table.
6. Select the directory for this table and type the name of the new table in the File Name field.
Click SAVE.
Saving a Buffer to an Existing Table
You can create a buffer and save it as a layer in an existing table in your map. You must complete
the instructions in Saving your Buffer as a New Layer on page 323 before you begin this
operation.
1. When you choose to store the table results in the existing table, the Data Aggregation
dialog box displays.
Click a field here
Specify the data
aggregation method
here.

Note:

If you selected tables with disparate values, there may be additional fields in this
dialog box. You need to reconcile these table values using this dialog box.

2. In the Data Aggregation dialog box, click a field and specify an aggregation method:
BLANK Click this radio button to indicate that this field should remain blank.
VALUE Click this radio button to indicate that this field should contain a specific value or
should retain its existing value. If the field should contain a specific value, enter that value
into the Value field.

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SUM Click this radio button to add the field values from the original objects to create a
field total for the field in the new column. (Applies to numeric fields only.)
AVERAGE Click this radio button to average the field values from the original objects.
(Applies to numeric fields only.)
WEIGHTED BY Click this radio button to give more weight to one value over another
when averaging. You can choose a numeric field in your table as the weighting factor or
choose area (where the weighted average is based on the relative geographic area of the
regions to be combined). Applies to numeric fields only.
3. To add no data to the existing table, select the NO DATA check box. This disables the
Blank and Value radio buttons.
4. After you have completed these selections and entries, click OK.
5. The Buffer Objects dialog displays. From here the process is the same as described in
Creating a Buffer on page 321.
Note:

The values in the Buffer Objects dialog box are saved at the end of the operation. If you
perform another Buffer operation using the Table Buffering option or the Objects Buffering
option using the same base table, MapInfo Professional restores the previous values.

Buffer Radius
The buffer radius determines the dimensions of the buffer region. For example, if you want to
create a region that covers an area one mile on either side of a freeway, set your buffer radius to 1
mile. If you choose to use a field from the table or an expression, MapInfo Professional will
calculate the radius of the buffer based on that value.
You can set the radius to be a constant value or you can choose a data value from the table to be
used as the radius. For example, to create buffers around major cities that reflect the size of their
population, choose the population field as the value.
You can go even further to calculate the buffer radius using an expression. For instance, you want
to create buffers around cities showing the population density. Since you do not have a field
containing population density, you will need to write an expression that can calculate density from
population and area. This is no different than writing an expression for thematic mapping or query
selection.

Buffering - Setting the Number of Segments per Circle

The number of segments per circle determines the level of detail in the buffer region. The more
segments per circle, the higher the level of detail. The default level is 12 segments per circle.

Buffer Width Distance

MapInfo Professionals buffering feature calculates the buffer width to create a buffer that is some
measured distance from the outline of the object. This distance is calculated using either the
Spherical or Cartesian method.
Spherical calculations measure distance according to the curved surface of the Earth. This means
that the distance from the boundary of the original object to the boundary of the new buffered
object may vary from node to node.

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Cartesian calculations measure distance on data that has been projected onto a flat, X-Y plane.
This produces buffers that are exact in width, as long as the data is not in a Latitude/Longitude
projection.
The availability of the Spherical and Cartesian buttons depends on the type of calculation that is
appropriate to the tables projection. The Cartesian button will not be available if the table is in a
Latitude/Longitude projection. Conversely, the Spherical button will not be available if the table is in
a Non-Earth projection.

Buffer Methods
You can create a single buffer to include all selected objects, or create individual buffers for each
object.
There are two ways you can buffer multiple objects at the same time. The first method is to create
one buffer for all objects. Buffers are produced around each input object, and the resulting buffer
objects are combined into a single output object.
The more powerful method is to create one buffer for each object. For example, you have a layer
of satellite offices. You would like to create a five-mile radius buffer around every satellite office
symbol. You select all office symbols (with either the Select All command or Select tool), on the
OBJECTS menu, click BUFFER, and select the option to create one buffer for each object. MapInfo
Professional creates five mile buffer polygons around each point. With this method, MapInfo
Professional considers the resulting buffers as individual region objects and does not combine
them into one region.
Once you create a buffer region, you can search for objects within it, as with any other boundary.

Types of Buffers
There are two basic types of buffers that we support in MapInfo Professional.

Concentric ring buffers allow you to create circles around map object(s) or point(s) and
compute aggregated values for underlying data that occur within each ring. You would use
concentric ring buffers to determine the number of customers within a certain radius of a
store or other location.

Convex hull buffers create a region object that represents a polygon based on the nodes
from the input object. You can think of the convex hull polygon as an operator which
places a rubber band around all of the points. It will consist of the minimum number of
points so that all points lie on or inside the polygon. With convex hull buffers, no interior
angle can be greater than 180 degrees.

Concentric Ring Buffers

In the Creating a Buffer on page 321, you learned how to create a buffer around one or more
objects. Concentric ring buffers allow you to create multiple buffers of different radii around an
object or a set of selected objects.
To access the Concentric Ring Buffer tool, use the Tool Manager:
1. On the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER. The Tool Manager dialog box displays.

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2. Find the Concentric Ring Buffer Tool in the list, and check the LOADED and AUTOLOAD
boxes next to it.
3. Click OK. The tool is added to the Tools menu, and will be loaded automatically each time
you start MapInfo Professional.
To create concentric ring buffers:
1. In the Map window, select the object(s) you want to place buffers around.
2. On the TOOLS menu, point to CONCENTRIC RING BUFFERS and click CREATE RING BUFFERS.
The Concentric Ring Buffers dialog box displays.

3. To add a ring, specify the radius in the Radius field and click ADD RING. Continue this until
you have added all of the rings you want from the smallest to largest.
4. Select the units of each radius in the Units drop-down list.
5. To set the smoothness of the ring buffer, type a number between 3 and 100 in the
Smoothness field. The larger the number, the smoother and less jagged the curves of the
ring.
6. Type the table name and select the path in which you want to store this buffer information.
MapInfo Professional stores the concentric ring buffer information into this table including
the columns containing the ring number, radius value, radius units, area, and area units for
each ring.
7. When you have finished the buffer settings, click OK.
Use the MODIFY RING and DELETE RING buttons to change the ring settings, or click CLEAR ALL to
start all over and create new concentric rings. To change the style of a buffer ring, select it in the
Buffer Radii list, and use the style buttons to change the fill pattern and line style for the buffer. You
can also collect data within each buffer ring using the CALCULATE RING STATISTICS button.

Convex Hull Buffers

The Convex Hull command provides another means of creating a polygon around a selected
object or objects. Convex Hull is similar to creating a buffer in several ways. Like a buffer, the
Convex Hull command always creates an object from the input objects, and it will place the result
objects into the editable layer. In addition, you have a choice to create one convex hull object from
all of the input objects, or to create one convex hull object for each input object.

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The resulting region object(s) are based on the nodes from the input object. The Convex Hull
operation can be thought of as an operator that places a rubber band around all of the points. It
consists of a minimal set of points such that all other points lie on or inside the polygon. Since the
polygon is convex, no interior angles are greater than 180 degrees. No attribute data is
aggregated in this operation.
To use Convex Hull, a Map window must be active, it must have an editable layer, and objects in
the editable layer must be selected.
To create convex hull objects:
1. On the OBJECTS menu, click CONVEX HULL. The Create Convex Hull dialog box displays.

2. Select the type of convex hull objects you want to create. You have two options:

ONE OUTPUT OBJECT FOR ALL INPUT OBJECTS button is the default setting. It creates
one convex hull object around all of the selected objects.
ONE OUTPUT OBJECT FOR EACH INPUT OBJECT button creates a convex hull object
around each selected object.

3. Click OK. Your map redisplays. The convex hull object(s) is displayed over the input
objects. If you want to save this data, save the editable table.
The convex hull object is selected when it displays. To change the fill of the convex hull object, do
one of the following:

Double-click it to display the Region Object dialog box. Click the STYLE icon at the bottom
of the dialog box to display the Region Style dialog box. Make any changes you like and
click OK.

Select the convex hull object, if it is not already, and on the OPTIONS menu, click REGION
STYLE. The Region Style dialog box displays. Make the changes you want and click OK.

Editing Objects using the Set Target Model

With MapInfo Professionals advanced set target editing functionality, you can combine, split,
erase map objects, and overlay nodes using a Set Target Apply Action editing model. This
model allows you to use objects from the same table or another table to create new objects.
Sophisticated data aggregation methods allow you to calculate new data values that match the
new objects.

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Buffered retail locations showing market penetration

The Set Target editing model in MapInfo Professional allows you to set a map object as the target
for editing, then create a modifying object that will act as the cookie cutter that overlays the target
and performs the editing action on the target. Set Target is located under the Objects menu.
The Set Target model for editing map objects can be broadly described as a three-step process:
1. Set the object you want to edit as the target.
2. Choose and select another object or objects to act as the modifying object for the editing
operation. You can also create a new object.
3. Perform the edit operation (combine, split, erase, erase outside, or overlay nodes).
A new object (or objects) is created in place of the target object.
The following table describes valid cutter/target objects for supported object processing
operations:

Object Type

Split, Erase,
Erase Outside

Overlay Nodes
Cutter

Target

Closed

Linear

Cutter
X

Combine

Target

Other
non-target

Target

Points

Multipoints

Collections

Text

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You are not limited to working with map objects in the same layer. While the target objects must be
in the Editable layer, you can choose the modifying objects from another layer.
The set target process is essentially the same whether you want to combine objects or create new
objects by splitting objects or erasing portions of objects. Each operation is discussed individually
in this chapter.
In addition to creating new map objects, the Set Target model allows you to control how the data
associated with the target object will be transferred to the new object or objects. The next section
discusses a number of data aggregation and disaggregation methods that give you tremendous
flexibility with editing map objects.

Aggregating and Disaggregating Data

If you have data attached to map objects that will be edited, you can proportion the data for each
field to match the new object(s). This is called data aggregation or disaggregation, depending on
whether you are combining or splitting objects. MapInfo Professional calculates new data values
for the object depending on how you specify the aggregation or disaggregation.
When combining objects, you can choose from several methods of data aggregation, including:

SUM adds the field values from the original objects to create a total for the field in the
new object.

AVERAGE averages the field values from the original objects.

WEIGHTED AVERAGE gives more weight to one value over another when averaging. You
can choose a numeric field in your table as the weighting factor or choose area (where the
weighted average is based on the relative geographic area of the regions to be combined).

VALUE stores a specific value in the field of the new object.

NO CHANGE maintains the value of the target object in the new object.

When splitting or erasing portions of a map object, you can choose from:

BLANK removes the original value of the target object.

VALUE maintains the original value of the target object.

AREA PROPORTION removes a portion of the original value based on the size of the new
object.

With any of the editing operations under Set Target, you can elect not to bring over any data at all
by choosing the NO DATA check box. You might do this, for instance, if you are only editing map
objects for presentation purposes and do not need any data associated with the objects.
The data aggregation (or disaggregation) dialog box displays after you have set the target, chosen
the modifying object, and chosen an editing operation. In these dialog boxes, you must specify
how you want the data calculated for each field. Once you are satisfied with the aggregation
method, you can carry out the editing operation.

Combining Objects with Set Target

Combine allows you to combine separate map objects from the same layer into a single object. By
using COMBINE WITH SET TARGET, you can use objects from another layer as the modifying object
for editing, which can be more powerful than using the Combine functionality alone. It is also

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useful when one object is more important than the others you are combining it with, for instance,
when adding islands to a mainland region. Using Combine with Set Target allows the mainland
region to retain its name after the objects are combined.
You can only set one object as the target at a time when using Combine with Set Target. The
modifying object can consist of more than one object.
To combine map objects using Set Target:
1. Select one object in an editable layer to be the target object.
2. On the OBJECTS menu, click SET TARGET. The object displays in a different style to
indicate that it is the target object.
3. Select (or create and select) one or more map objects from any layer in the Map window.
This is the modifying object.
4. On the OBJECTS menu, click COMBINE. The Data Aggregation dialog box displays.
5. Choose the appropriate aggregation method (or NO DATA) for each field in the Destination
list. See the definitions for these methods in Aggregating and Disaggregating Data on
page 331.
Note:

To select more than one field in the Data Aggregation dialog box at a time, use
these keystrokes:

SHIFT-CLICK to apply the same method to consecutive fields

CONTROL-CLICK for non-consecutive fields.

When you have chosen the aggregation methods for each field, click OK.

MapInfo Professional computes the new object and displays it as a single object. Use the Info tool
to view the aggregated data (if any) associated with the object.

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Keep in mind that the Objects Combine command works with selected map objects. To apply the
combine operation to an entire table, use SELECT ALL in the QUERY menu. To combine into groups
rather than objects, or output to a separate table, use COMBINE OBJECTS USING COLUMN in the
TABLE menu.

Combining Objects with Different Table Structures

If the tables you are combining have the same table structure, the process we have discussed in
Combining Objects with Set Target on page 331 works perfectly. When you are working with
two tables with different table structures, the Data Disaggregation options are slightly different.
When the input table has a different table structure from the output table, the Data Disaggregation
dialog box displays a Column Name field to accommodate the table structure.

Column Name field

The AREA PROPORTION radio button is active if the selected field is numeric. Also the Value entry
field is enabled when you select the Value radio button and the drop-down list contains none.

Splitting Objects
Splitting Objects allows you to divide the target object into smaller objects, using another object as
a cutter. You can also combine objects into territories using redistricting. For more about the
redistricting process, see Redistricting Grouping Map Objects into Districts in Chapter 15
on page 470.
For instance, you might use Split to separate a large territory into smaller units.
To split map objects using Set Target:
1. Select the object(s) in an editable layer to be the target.
2. On the OBJECTS menu, click SET TARGET. The object(s) displays in a different style to
indicate that it is the target object.
3. Select (or create and select) one or more map objects from any layer in the Map window
to be the cutter object. The object must be a closed object.
4. On the OBJECTS menu, click SPLIT. The Data Disaggregation dialog box displays.

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Value Edit
field

5. Highlight each field and select the appropriate disaggregation method in the Destination
list. You can select the NO DATA check box to indicate that you want to bring over no data
for any fields. See the definitions for these methods in Aggregating and Disaggregating
Data on page 331.

BLANK Select this option to store blank values in the selected field(s). We
recommend you choose the Blank option to blank out individual fields only.
VALUE Select this option to store the value that you enter in the Value Edit field in
the selected field(s) of the new table.
If the table structure you are splitting from has a different table structure than the table
you are saving the results to, a drop-down list displays beside the Value Edit field. This
list contains the columns associated with the table you are saving the split data to.
To save the value in this field to a particular column in the new table (layer), select the
column from the list.

AREA PROPORTION Select this option if the field is a numeric field, to adjust the area
proportion to reflect the proportion of the newly split object.

Note:

To select more then one field in this dialog box at a time:

SHIFT-CLICK to apply the same method to consecutive fields

CONTROL-CLICK for non-consecutive fields

6. Click OK.
MapInfo Professional computes the new objects and displays them. Use the Info tool to view the
disaggregated data (if any) of the split objects.

Splitting Map Objects Using a Polyline

You can split multipoints and collections, as well as closed objects (regions, ellipses, rectangles,
and rounded rectangles), and linear objects (polylines, lines and arcs) using the Polyline Split
command.
As mentioned previously, splitting objects requires that the cutter be a closed object. With Split
Using Polyline, the polyline cutter will first be transformed into a region suitable for the cutter
operation. The region created will be displayed for acceptance. The polyline(s) used as the cutter
must be contiguous and non-branching. In general, if the cutter polylines were to be combined, the
result would be a one single section polyline. If the cutters are not polylines, and are not
contiguous and non-branching, then an error will occur, and the operation will be cancelled.

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You cannot use Polyline Split on text objects or to cut objects that are not in editable layers. To split
a map object:
1. Make the Target Table editable (on the MAP menu, click LAYER CONTROL) or by picking the
editable layer in the Editing box in the bottom tray.
2. Select the object(s) to be used as targets for editing using the selection tools or by using
the QUERY menu to click SELECT or SQL SELECT.
3. Set the objects as targets using the Set Target command, or by using the MapBasic Set
Target On statement.
4. Create the cutting object(s) (or use objects from the same or different layer). The cutter
object(s) must be contiguous, non-branching polylines.
5. Select the cutting object.
6. On the OBJECTS menu, click POLYLINE SPLIT.
7. A region object is created from the polyline to be used as the cutter object.
Note:

Only objects that intersect the original polyline will remain as targets. Some
objects may be removed from the list of target objects.

8. Choose NEXT to display the Data Disaggregation dialog box.

The Data Disaggregation splits the data associated with a map object into smaller parts to
match the new map objects. For example, you may want to split a state into regions and
have the data previously associated with the entire state proportioned for each new
region. Complete the Data Disaggregation dialog box.
9. Click OK. The target object(s) will now be split into smaller map objects.
After splitting the target object(s), MapInfo Professional deletes the original target from the table.
The new objects are appended to the end of the table.

Creating Territories by Combining Objects

Creating territories is one of the most common tasks performed with MapInfo Professional. Most
people create territories by combining two or more smaller regions to create a larger one. Police
departments combine postal code boundaries to create precinct boundaries. Sales managers
combine county boundaries or state boundaries to create sales territories. Political analysts
combine census tract boundaries to create voting districts.
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Remember, when you are combining regions, you are also combining the data associated with the
regions. If you combine regions without somehow aggregating the data associated with the
regions, that data will be lost. For some applications, you might not want to save your data. For
example, you are merging census tract boundaries to create school districts. The census tract data
is of no interest to you; you merely want the boundaries. There is no reason to aggregate the data,
but you would want to apportion the demographic data. For most tasks, youll want to save the
data associated with the regions.
MapInfo Professional gives you three methods for combining regions.
1. The first method, Combine, works with objects that are selected.
2. The second method, Combine Objects Using Column, is used to combine objects into
groups based on a specified column.
3. The third method, Redistricting, is covered in Redistricting Grouping Map Objects
into Districts in Chapter 15 on page 470.
Most frequently, the Combine Regions options are your easiest and quickest options for combining
regions and creating territories.

Combining Selected Objects

When you choose to combine objects, MapInfo Professional performs two operations:

MapInfo Professional geographically combines the selected objects. The new object
represents the geographical union of the original objects and the border between the
regions disappears.

MapInfo Professional performs data aggregation. As described earlier in this chapter, data
aggregation is a process where MapInfo Professional calculates what the column values
for the new object should be, based on sums or averages of the original objects.

Your setup of the Layer Control dialog box depends on whether you want to copy the result object
to another layer (and, thus, save the original objects) or combine the objects in the original layer
(and, thus, lose the original objects).
If you want to copy the result object, make the regions layer Selectable and another layer
Editable. Specify a target object, then select the objects using any selection method and on the
OBJECTS menu, click COMBINE. This will display the Data Aggregation dialog box where you tell
MapInfo Professional how to combine the data. Fill in this dialog box and click OK to combine the
objects to combine the objects data. This method was discussed earlier in this chapter.
If you want to combine objects in the original layer, make sure that the layer is editable, select the
objects in the layer, and on the OBJECTS menu, click COMBINE. Do not set a target. The data
Aggregation dialog box displays. After the operation is complete, a new object will be added to the
layer, and the original objects will be deleted.

Combining Objects Using Column

Combine Objects Using Column allows you to modify geographic data to create new map objects
that contain data about the group. This feature is similar to redistricting in that it groups objects
together, but goes beyond redistricting to combine a copy of the relevant objects while leaving the
original objects untouched.

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To access Combine Objects Using Column:

1. On the TABLE menu, click COMBINE OBJECTS USING COLUMN.
For example, you have a layer of states. You want to combine the state boundaries to
create sales territories. The data record associated with each state looks like this:
SALES_REP

STATE

CUSTOMERS

AVG_SALES

Benita

West Virginia

1782

24231.4

Benita

Ohio

121

33265.0

SALES_REP: Sales representative assigned to that state

CUSTOMERS: Number of customers per state
AVG_SALES: Average spent per customer

You would like to aggregate the data in the following manner:

SALES_REP: Combine all records that list Benita as the sales representative
CUSTOMERS Sum up the number of customers in the sales territory
AVG_SALES: Average the amount spent per customer in the sales territory

When performing a Combine Objects Using Column operation, you must specify which
column contains the grouping information. In the preceding example, the grouping
information is located in the SALES_REP column. We want to combine all of Benitas
individual territories into one large territory.
2. Choose the appropriate column from the Group Objects by Column popup.
In our example, you would choose the SALES_REP column from the Group Objects By
Column popup. MapInfo Professional combines all records that have common data in the
column. In other words, MapInfo Professional combines all records that have the same
sales representative.

3. Specify the table and the grouping column.

If you choose <NEW> from the STORE RESULTS IN TABLE drop-down list to create a new
table for the combined objects you will be prompted with a series of dialog boxes to
create a new table.
If you specified an existing table, you need to tell MapInfo Professional how to
combine the data. To aggregate your data, press the NEXT button to display the Data
Aggregation dialog box.

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4. Once you have completed both dialog boxes, press OK. MapInfo Professional combines
the records based on the column specified in the Group Objects By Column drop-down
list. MapInfo Professional also aggregates the data and combines any objects associated
with the records.

Creating a Voronoi Polygon

The Voronoi polygon is a partition of space into cells. Voronoi takes points and produces regions
(cells) as output where each cell contains exactly one point. Each cell is an area in which the
contained points are closer to the enclosed site than to any others. Use Voronoi to generate these
polygons from a designated set of points. It is useful for dividing areas of responsibilities for field
offices or possibly postal zones. It ultimately gives you the areas that are closest to your point of
interest. You can create a Voronoi polygon within the same layer, or select points from one layer
and place the Voronoi polygon in another layer.
To create a Voronoi polygon:
1. Select at least three points. The Voronoi polygon is constrained by the bounding box of the
selected points. You can also use a target region to constrain the size of your polygon.
2. On the OBJECTS menu, click VORONOI. The Data Aggregation dialog box displays.
Note:

To save the Voronoi polygons you create to a new table, see Saving your
Voronoi Polygon as a New Layer on page 339.

3. Select a column from the list and select the data aggregation method for that column by
selecting one of the following:
Note:

Note:

Not all of these data aggregation methods display. The options depend upon the
kind of data you are aggregating and whether the columns match.

Click the BLANK radio button to store blank values in the selected columns.
Click the VALUE radio button to enter an appropriate value which to be stored in the
new row.

You can specify the data aggregation method to be performed for one column or for more
than one by following these directions:

Click a column name to select a single column

SHIFT-CLICK columns to select contiguous column names and apply the selected
aggregation method to all of them
CONTROL-CLICK to de-select a column

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To create a voronoi table of the selected objects with no data in them, click the NO
DATA check box instead. Selecting this check box disables the column selection in
the Data Aggregation list.

The following is a sample of a Voronoi polygon used in northern Africa:

Saving your Voronoi Polygon as a New Layer

The Table Voronoi operation provides an another way to create Voronoi polygons from a table and
provides a mechanism to place the results into a new table. This process is not directly available
using the Objects Voronoi operation.
Note:

You cannot place Voronoi polygons in the Cosmetic Layer.

To set up a Voronoi polygon in new table or in an existing table:

1. Open and display the table for which you want to create Voronoi polygons.
Note:

If you want to use a selection to create the Voronoi polygon, hold down the SHIFT
key and select the points you want. This is not required. If you do not make a
selection at this point, MapInfo Professional will use all of the points on the
selected layer to create the polygon.

2. To create a boundary for the Voronoi polygon layer you are creating, use the Target Object
feature described in Overlaying Nodes on page 354. This is not required.
3. On the TABLE menu, click VORONOI. The Table Voronoi dialog box displays.

4. Select the layer you want to create the Voronoi polygon with in the PERFORM VORONOI
USING OBJECTS FROM TABLE drop-down list. If you selected points you want to use to create
this polygon, choose the Selection entry in this list.
5. Select the table type for the results of the Voronoi polygon from the Store results in table
drop-down list:

NEW TABLE allows you to save the Voronoi polygon in a new table
<TABLENAMES> allows you to save the Voronoi polygon into one of the currently
open tables that contain point objects

6. After you make this selection, click NEXT to continue. Do one of the following:

If you selected the NEW TABLE option, go to Save the Voronoi Polygon to a New
Table on page 340.
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If you selected the <TABLENAMES> option, go to Save the Voronoi Polygon to an

Existing Table on page 341.

Save the Voronoi Polygon to a New Table

To save the Voronoi Polygon to a new table:
1. In the New Table dialog box, follow these directions:

2. Use the CREATE NEW TABLE AND check boxes to indicate where you want the new Voronoi
polygon to display. You can click more than one option. The options include:

OPEN NEW BROWSER Click this check box to display the new Voronoi polygon in a
new Browser window only.
OPEN NEW MAPPER Click this check box to display the new Voronoi polygon in a
new Map window.
ADD TO CURRENT MAPPER Click this check box to display the new Voronoi polygon
in the current Map window.

3. Choose one of these options to specify the table structure for the new table:

CREATE NEW Click this option to create a new table structure and add the new
fields in the New Table Structure dialog box.
USE TABLE Click this option to create the new table structure based on the fields in
an existing table. You can base your new table structure on any open table.

4. Click CREATE. The New Table Structure dialog box displays.

Click the PROJECTION
button to set the
projection for this table.
For more about
Projections, see
Understanding
Coordinate System
and Projection
Terminology in
Chapter 14 on
Note:

If there are entries in this dialog box, you are copying the table structure of an
existing table. If you opted to create a new table structure, there are no fields to
list.

5. In the New Table Structure dialog box, you can add and remove fields to create a new
table structure. Click the ADD button and type a name, field type, and field width in the
fields and drop-down list provided to create a new field in the new table.
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6. When you have completed the table structure, click CREATE to create the table and display
the Voronoi polygon according to the display settings you specified. The Create New Table
dialog box displays so you can save the name of the new table.
7. Type the name you want the new table to have in the File Name field and click SAVE to
save it. You can choose a new directory in this dialog box as well.
Save the Voronoi Polygon to an Existing Table
1. When you choose to store the table results in the existing table, the Data Aggregation box
displays.
Select the field here

Specify the data aggregation

method here.

If the columns in the tables you

are combining do not match,
specify the source column in this
field.
Note:

If you selected tables with disparate values, there may be additional fields in this
dialog box. You need to reconcile these table values using this dialog box.

2. To specify the data aggregation you want MapInfo Professional to use to create the new
table structure, highlight each field in turn and do one of the following:
BLANK Use this option to indicate that this field should remain blank.
VALUE Use this option to indicate that this field should contain a specific value or should
retain its existing value. If the field should contain a specific value, enter that value into the
Value field.
Note:

Other aggregation methods may be available based on the data columns in the
tables. See Aggregating and Disaggregating Data on page 331 for these
details.

3. If the new table information should add no data to the existing table, select the NO DATA
check box to disable the other field options.
4. After you have completed these selections and entries, click OK.

Grouping Objects using Multipoint and Collection Object Types

The Multipoint and Collection object types allow you to group multiple objects into a single object.
One way to create multipoints and collections is by using the Combine command (on the OBJECTS
menu, click COMBINE). These object types aid in the translation and live access of other GIS data
formats, such as ArcView Shape Files, and are more compatible with GIS standards. This is
particularly useful for sharing maps with others using different software.
A Multipoint object consists of a number of points that have been grouped into a single object. The
Multipoint object displays in a Browser window as a single record, and all the points within the
object have the same symbol. One method you can use to create a multipoint object is to select a
group of point objects and combine them.
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A Collection object consists of multipoint objects, zero or one polyline objects, and zero or one
region objects that have been grouped into a single object.
MapInfo Professional automatically converts homogeneous Collection objects to a more specific
type, e.g., a Collection object that contains only polylines is automatically converted to a multipolyline object.
To create a Multipoint or Collection object using Combine:
1. Make the layer that you are going to select from editable if it is not already.
2. Select the objects you want to combine.
3. On the OBJECTS menu, click COMBINE. The Data Aggregation dialog box displays.

Note:

Text objects cannot be used as input in a Combine operation.

4. Select the column(s) that you want to use in the aggregation and an aggregation method.
5. Click OK. The objects are combined into a single object.
Any point objects selected are combined to form a multipoint object. Any polyline objects
selected are combined to form a a new region object. The resulting multipoint (if one
exists), polyline (if one exists) and region (if one exists) are grouped together to form a
new collection object.
For an existing multipoint or collection object, you may need to change its styles or view the
bounds information. To do so, either double-click the object, or right-click the object to display the
shortcut menu and choose GET INFO. The Object Info dialog box for the selected object displays. If
the object is not editable, the controls in the Object Info dialog box are read only.

In multipoint objects, you can change the style of the symbol that represents the multipoint. Click
the STYLE button to display the Symbol Style dialog box.

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In a collection object, you can change the styles of the different object types in your collection.
Click the corresponding STYLE button for each object type you want to change.

Combining Objects with Multipoint and Collection Objects

The Combine command makes use of the Multipoint and Collection object types introduced in
MapInfo Professional 6.5. You can use Points, Multipoints, and Collections as input in a Combine
operation.
In addition, heterogeneous combines are now possible using any combination of input objects,
including Multipoints and Collections.
Note:

Text objects cannot be used as input in a Combine operation.

The result of such a Combine is a Collection object.

Multipoint Objects
If you are combining point or Multipoint objects, the Combine operation produces a single
Multipoint object comprising all input points.
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Combining points is similar to other Combine operations in that the symbol style of the resulting
object is the same as that of the first object to be combined. This object is normally the first object,
in row order, of the table being combined.
Collection Objects
The result of a Combine operation that uses heterogeneous object types as input is a Collection
object. The input objects of a Collection object can be a mix of any of the following:

Point or multipoint objects (zero-dimensional)

Linear objects lines, polylines, and arcs (one-dimensional)

Closed objects regions, rectangles, rounded rectangles, and ellipses (two-dimensional)

Collection objects

Heterogeneous Combine operations take place in stages. First, all objects of the same dimension
are combined separately. The Combine operations are done in the following manner:

All point and Multipoint objects, as well as the Multipoint component of any Collection
object in the input are combined into a new Multipoint object.

All line, polyline, and arc objects, as well as the polyline component of any Collection
objects in the input are combined into a new polyline object.

All regions, rectangles, rounded rectangles, and ellipses, as well as the region component
of any Collection objects in the input are combined into a new region object.

Note:

As in other Combine operations that involve rounded rectangles, all rounded rectangles
are treated as rectangles.

The resulting Multipoint, polyline, and/or region objects are then assembled into a new Collection
object.
The styles for the new Collection object are derived from the styles of the separate Combine
operations. These styles are assigned according to the style of the first object, in row order, of the
table being combined. Keep in mind that the row order of an object may have nothing to do with
the order in which you selected the objects for the Collection.
For example, the style of a Multipoint component of a Collection object is the style of the first point,
Multipoint, or Multipoint component of a Collection encountered in row order. The style of a
polyline component of a Collection object is the style of the first linear object or polyline component
of a Collection encountered in row order. The style of a region component of a Collection object is
the style of the first closed object or the region component of a Collection encountered in the input,
in row order.

Creating and Manipulating Objects

The operations in this section do not make use of a target object to perform analysis or data
aggregation. These tasks use selections to create new objects so that you can perform further
mapping operations on those objects. The results of the operation are placed in the editable layer.
The original objects remain unchanged.

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Enclosing Objects
The Enclose command enables you take polyline objects and create regions from the polygonal
areas formed by the intersecting polylines. You can form a new region network anyplace where the
polylines form an enclosed area. For example, you could create regions from a road network,
where the regions would be the parcels of land between the roads.
You can also use the Enclose command with region objects.
This command is modeled after the Combine command, but has two important differences:

Combine always produces one object, while Enclose may produce many objects.

No data aggregation is performed with the Enclose command.

To use the Enclose command, your Map window must be active, it must contain an editable layer,
and objects in the editable layer must be selected. This is a highway map of the greater New York
City metropolitan area. A number of the highways have been selected.

If you specified Overlap Detection, click the REGION STYLE button to change the fill pattern
for the regions that represent the areas of overlap.
8. Click OK. Your map redraws, and the self intersections, overlapping regions and gaps, if
specified, are displayed. If you specified Gap Detection, check the REGION STYLE button in
the Gap Detection group to change the fill pattern and color used to represent gaps.
The settings are retained per session and per layer. When you close MapInfo Professional and
reopen the program, the Overlap Detection check box is reset to the default. If you select another
layer, Overlap Detection is also reset to the default (not selected). This per-session and per-layer
scheme is also used in other operations such as Buffer and Convex Hull.
Note:

Check Regions does not correct your data; it only shows the location of the incorrect data.

Cleaning Objects
The CLEAN command available from the OBJECTS menu enables you to remove any selfintersections in your region data and optionally alter region data to remove overlaps and/or gaps.
CLEAN is available whenever there are objects selected, and the table that the objects are in is
editable.
Note:

All of the objects selected must be closed objects (e.g., regions, rectangles, rounded
rectangles or ellipses).

To use the Clean command:

1. Open any Map window that includes a region layer.
2. Make the region layer editable if it is not already (on the MAP menu click LAYER CONTROL).
3. Select the objects that you want to clean. Ideally, all the objects in the table would be
selected.
4. On the OBJECTS menu, click CLEAN. The Clean Objects dialog box displays.

5. Click the ENABLE OVERLAP REMOVAL check box to remove any overlapping areas. The
area of overlap will be retained in the region that has the largest area; the overlap will be
removed from any other overlapping regions.
6. Click the ENABLE GAP REMOVAL check box to remove any gaps between regions, where
the area of the gap is less than the area provided. The area of the gap will be added to the
adjacent region with the longest shared edge. Specify a maximum gap area and the area
units you want to use.
7. Click OK.

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Overlap

There are several things you should be aware of when using the Clean command. Although Clean
works on a selection of objects, it is designed to be used on an entire table at once. If clean is used
on a selection, rather than on the whole table, problems can occur. For example, if not all the
objects are included in the Clean operation, some of the object intersections can be missed, and
problems can remain.
In addition, Clean could introduce new overlaps and gaps if not all of the objects in the table are
used as input. The Clean operation places new nodes at the point of each intersection it
encounters. The presence of these nodes can slightly change the size and shape of objects,
although you would have to zoom in very closely to the site of the new nodes to notice it. These
slight alterations have the potential to create small gaps and overlaps in what were previously
common boundaries with other objects not included in the Clean operation.
Clean also removes the overlap when one object is completely inside another, however, if one
object is completely inside another object, the object which is inside (often smaller than the
containing object) remains, while a hole is punched in the containing object. The result does not
contain any overlaps.

Snapping Nodes and Thinning Objects

The Snap/Thin command enables you to set snap tolerances for nodes in different objects, and
node and polygon thinning settings for your data. Snap/Thin also removes any self-intersections
and overlaps in region data.
The Snap/Thin command has three main functions:

The Inter-Object Node Snap Snaps nodes from different objects together.

The Node Thinning/Generalization Removes nodes from objects while retaining their
shape. When you thin region objects, shared boundaries are retained.

Polygon Area Thinning Removes small polygons from selection.

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Snap/Thin is available whenever objects are selected in an editable table. The selected objects
must either be all closed objects or all linear objects. Snap/Thin cannot be used on a selection that
contains a mix of closed and linear objects.

Inter-Object Node Snap

In addition to snapping nodes of different objects together, Inter-Object Node Snap enables you to
eliminate small overlaps and gaps in region objects as well as connect polyline objects that are
close, but do not touch each other.
The End Node tolerance setting is the tolerance value for the end nodes of a polyline. If there is
another node in the same object or a different object that is within the specified tolerance of an end
node of a polyline, one or both of these nodes will be snapped together so that they occupy the
same point. The Internal Node tolerance is used for all other non-end point nodes of a polyline.

For polylines, the End Node tolerance must be greater than or equal to the Internal Node
tolerance. You will receive a warning message if they are not. In many instances, the End Node
and Internal Node tolerances should be set to the same value, although they can be set
separately.

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For regions, the designation of end nodes and internal nodes is irrelevant, since the nodes of
regions form closed loops. Therefore, when you specify tolerance settings for regions, the End
Nodes Tolerance box is unavailable. The only tolerance value you specify is the Internal Node
Tolerance. This value is used for all nodes in region objects.
Specify the unit of measurement for the snap tolerance in the Tolerance Units drop-down list.

Node Thinning and Generalization

In node thinning and generalization, nodes are removed using a 3-Node Co-linear Deviation value.
This value is determined by connecting three nodes to form a triangle and measuring the
perpendicular distance between the second node and the line segment connecting the first and
third nodes. If this distance is less than or equal to the 3-Node Co-linear Deviation distance, the
three points are considered co-linear and the middle (second) point is removed from the object.
The Node Separation tolerance is used to thin nodes within an object that are close together. If two
successive nodes in an object are closer than the Distance tolerance, then one of the nodes is
removed from the object. Set the unit of measurement for the Thinning/Generalization values in
the Distance Units drop-down list.

Polygon Area Thinning

In polygon area thinning, polygons that are smaller in area than the Minimum Area value will
automatically be removed. The polygon can be part of a multi-polygon region, in which case only
that polygon is removed from the region, and the rest of the polygons in the region are retained.
Set the unit of measurement polygon thinning in the Area Units drop-down list.
To use Snap/Thin:
1. Open a Map window containing the layer whose objects you want to work with.
2. Make sure the layer is editable (on the MAP menu, click LAYER CONTROL).
3. Select the objects you want to manipulate.
4. On the OBJECTS menu, click SNAP/THIN. The Set Values for Snap & Thinning dialog box
displays.

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5. Specify the Inter-Object Node Snap settings. Select the ENABLE NODE SNAP check box to
activate the settings.
6. Specify the End Node, Internal Node, and the Tolerance units.
7. Specify the Node Thinning/Generalization settings.
8. Select the ENABLE NODE THINNING/GENERALIZATION check box to activate the settings.
9. Specify the 3-Node Co-linear Deviation, Node Separation, and Distance Units values.
10. Specify the Polygon Area Thinning settings. Select the POLYGON AREA THINNING check
box to activate the settings.
11. Specify the Minimum Area and Area Units for the polygons to be removed.
Note:

Distance measurements for all three Snap/Thin operations are calculated using the
Cartesian method. Tables that are in a Latitude/Longitude coordinate system will not
measure these tolerances accurately.

Snap/Thin will clean bad data (self-intersections and overlaps), even if no Snap or Thin values are
used. It uses a related, but not identical, mechanism as is used in the Clean command, and thus
may produce similar, but different, results than can be obtained using Clean. For example,
overlapping polygons will have the overlap removed, but which region retains the overlap, and
which region it is removed from will often be different from those that result from the Clean
command. It is generally not easily determine this before the operation.

Disaggregating Objects
The Disaggregation feature breaks apart objects and their data into their component parts.
You can use Collections as input, ignoring all other objects, to produce a region object, a polyline
object, and a multipoint object, if each exists in the Collection. As many as three new objects will
be created from disaggregating the Collection.
You can also break any multi-part object into its components:

Regions produce new region objects with one polygon per object. Optionally, holes
(interior boundaries) of the original object can be retained as a hole in the result object.
Otherwise, a hole will produce a separate, single (solid) polygon region.

Polylines produce new Polyline objects with one single segment polyline per object.

Multipoint objects produce Point objects, with one new Point object produced for each
node in the Multipoint.

Collections will be recursively broken up. If a Collection contains a region, then that region
will be broken up into multiple region objects as noted above. If the Collection contains a
polyline, then it will be broken up into multiple polyline objects as noted above. If the
Collection contains a Multipoint, then it will be broken up into point objects as noted above.

All other object types, including Points, Lines, Arcs, Rectangles, Rounded Rectangles, and
Ellipses, will remain unchanged. This is only for Regions, Plines, Multipoints, and Collection
objects.
To disaggregate objects:
1. Select the objects you want to disaggregate.
2. On the OBJECTS menu, click DISAGGREGATE. The Disaggregate Objects dialog box
displays.
3. Choose one of the following:
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Select the ALL OBJECTS button to break up a multi-part object into its component
parts.
Select the COLLECTIONS ONLY button to break up Collection objects.

4. If you selected All Objects, check the RETAIN HOLES IN REGION box to retain holes in the
output objects. If you do not select the check box, a series of single polygon region objects
will be produced, one object for each polygon in the original object. Holes, or interior
boundaries, will produce solid polygon regions. No output region object will contain any
holes.
5. Choose NEXT. The Data Disaggregation dialog box displays.
6. Select the NO DATA check box to prevent columns from the input table being carried to the
output table.
7. Select a Disaggregation method: VALUE, BLANK, or AREA PROPORTION.
8. Click OK.

Erasing Objects
You have two choices in the Objects menu when you want to remove some portion of the target
map object. Use ERASE to erase the portion of the target object that is overlapped by the cutter
object. Use ERASE OUTSIDE to remove the portion of the target object that is not overlapped by the
cutter object.
For example, to add a lake to a region, create the lake as the cutter, position it appropriately and
use the Erase command to remove that portion of the target object under the lake.
Both the Erase and Erase Outside commands support point, multipoint, and collection objects.
To erase map objects using Set Target:
1. Select the object(s) in an Editable layer to be the target.
2. On the OBJECTS menu, click SET TARGET. The object(s) displays in a different style to
indicate that it is the target object.
3. Select (or create and select) one or more map objects from any layer in the Map window
to be the cutter object. The object must be a closed object.
4. On the OBJECTS menu, click ERASE (or ERASE OUTSIDE). The Data Disaggregation dialog
box displays.
5. Choose the appropriate disaggregation method (or NO DATA) for each field in the
Destination list.

Shift-click to apply the same method to consecutive fields

Control-click for non-consecutive fields

6. Click OK.

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End result of Set Target - Erase. Circular

object is removed.

End result of Set Target - Erase Outside. All

but circular object is removed.

MapInfo Professional will compute the new object and display it. Use the Info tool to view the
disaggregated data (if any) of the split objects.

Overlaying Nodes
Overlay Nodes allows you to add nodes to the target objects at the points where the target
intersects the cutter object.
For instance, when adding streets to a map that cross existing streets at intersections, use the
Overlay Nodes command on the new street to add nodes that exactly overlay the nodes from the
existing street.
To overlay nodes with Set Target:
1. Select the object(s) in an editable layer as the target. This is the object to which you want
to add nodes. The objects may be closed or linear objects.
2. On the OBJECTS menu, click SET TARGET. The object(s) displays in a different style to
indicate that it is the target object.
3. Select as the modifying object one or more map objects that intersects the target from any
layer in the Map window. The cutter object may be closed or linear objects.
4. On the OBJECTS menu, click OVERLAY NODES.
MapInfo Professional adds the intersecting nodes to the target object(s).
Note:

No data aggregation or disaggregation is performed with Overlay Nodes. The data after
the operation remains unchanged.

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Graphing Your Data

The graphing feature in MapInfo Professional enables you to create a myriad of different graphs from
three-dimensional bar graphs to exploded pie graphs. Each type of graph has its own set of features that
you can customize to emphasize a particular piece of information, or create the aesthetic look you want for
your graph. These features, plus additional formatting options, give you full control over the look and
content of the graph.

In this Chapter:

Identifying the Right Type of Graph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357

Graphing Your Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Working with Multi-Table and Multi-Variable Graphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366

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Identifying the Right Type of Graph

Think about this. What do you need your graph to tell your audience? This determines the type of
graph you should select. In MapInfo Professional, you can choose from 10 different graph types.
Each type of graph includes at least one graph template that you can use to create your graph.
Each graph type, with a brief description of each template, is explained in the next section.

Graphing Terms
There area a couple of graphing terms you should be aware of as you read this chapter.

Axis (Axes)
An axis refers to a graduated line bordering the plot area of a graph. Coordinates are measured
relative to the axes. By convention, the X-axis is horizontal and the Y-axis is vertical.

Y Axis
X Axis

Data Series
A data series is the information your graph is based on.

Graph Object
A graph object is any selectable element in your graph.

Graph Series
A graph series is the row of objects you are graphing.

3D Graphs
The 3D graph option enables you to create three-dimensional (3D) graphs, which can give your
information impact and depth. Most of the 3D template options are variations of a bar graph.
Choose from any of the 3D templates listed in this section for the look you want for your graph.
Once you create the basic graph, many more customizing options enable you to fine-tune its
appearance, particularly the 3D Viewing Angle feature, where you can set the angle at which your
3D graph displays.
3D Bar A conventional bar graph in 3 dimensions.

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3D Floating Cube Each value being measured, such as population, is displayed as a cube. The
value is indicated by the placement of the cube in the graph. Cubes that have higher values
appear to float within the graph.
3D Floating Sphere This graph is the same as the 3D Floating Cube, except that each value
being measured is displayed as a sphere.
3D Line The values being measured for a category, such as a country or a city, are displayed as
a continuous line across the axis. The line will dip and spike according to the values.
3D Pyramid Each value being measured is displayed as a 3-dimensional pyramid. This graph is
based on a bar graph the higher the value, the taller the pyramid.
3D Round This graph is the same as the 3D Bar graph, except that the values are displayed as
cylinders instead of bars.

Area Graphs
Area graphs enable you to view your graph series as an area, where the area from the X axis to
the plot line of the data series is filled in with a pattern or color. You can choose from the following
templates:
Clustered A clustered area graph draws area risers overlapping each other to show the
absolute relationship between data series.
Percent The percent area graph is an area version of a pie graph whose parts total 100%. Each
group calculates the percent of the total required for each series. The axis goes from 0 to 100%.
Stacked The area risers are stacked on top of each other. The axis is the cumulative total of all
the groups.

Bar Graphs
Clustered The clustered bar graph is a side-by-side group of bars. This is the standard type of
two-dimensional graph.
Percent The percent bar graph is a bar-graph representation of a pie graph. Each group
calculates the percent of the total required for each series. The axis goes from 0 to 100%.
Stacked The stacked bar graph displays stacked groups of bars. Each stack is made up of all
series in this group, added up to obtain a total. The axis is the total value of the cumulative points.

Bubble Graphs
The bubble graph allows you to plot values on an X-Y axis and compare a third value, Z, by the
size of the markers in the graph. The bubble graph requires three values per marker, X, Y, and Z,
in that order. Another way to think of it is that the graph is an X-Y plot where the marker size
depends on a third value, Z.

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Column Graphs
Clustered Each group of columns for a category are clustered together.
Percent The percent column graph is a column-graph representation of a pie graph. Each group
calculates the percent of the total required for each series. The axis goes from 0 to 100%.
Stacked The stacked column graph shows stacked groups of columns. Each stack is made up of
all series in this group, added up to obtain a total. The axis is the total value of the cumulative
points.

Histogram Graphs
Histograms show frequency distribution. This graph type groups your values into ranges based on
value. It measures the number of data values that fall within each range. The ranges are displayed
as bars. Choose from these templates:
Horizontal The orientation of the bars is horizontal.
Vertical The orientation of the bars is vertical.

Line Graphs
Clustered In a clustered line graph, lines draw on top of each other to show the absolute
relationships between data series.
Percent The percent line graph is a line-graph representation of a pie graph. Each group
calculates the percent of the total required for each series. The axis goes from 0 to 100%.
Stacked In a stacked line graph, lines stack on top of each other. The axis is the cumulative total
of the all the groups.

Pie Graphs
Pie The pie graph displays percentages of a total as pie wedges.
Ring Pie The ring pie graph is a variation of the standard pie graph. It looks like a ring or donut.
The total value of all the pie slices displays in the center.

Scatter Graphs
A scatter graph is a standard X-Y plot. It requires two values per marker, X and Y, in that order.

Surface Graphs
Surface The surface graph displays all data points as a surface, like a rolling wave.
Surface with Sides A variation of the surface graph, where the surfaces in the graph have solid
sides.
Surface, Honeycombed A variation of the surface graph, where the surfaces in the graph have
a honeycombed look.

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Graphing Your Data

As in earlier versions of MapInfo Professional, you create a graph via the New Graph Window
menu command in the Window menu. You choose tables and fields to graph similarly, but you are
no longer limited to four fields. Older versions of MapInfo Professional may behave differently. See
the Help System for a description of these differences.

Creating a Graph using the Graph Wizard

Graphing in MapInfo Professional is done through a two-step graph wizard, similar to the Create
Thematic Map wizard. To access the wizard and create a graph:
1. On the WINDOW menu, click NEW GRAPH WINDOW. The Create Graph Step 1 of 2 dialog
box displays.
Here, select the graph type and the graph template you would like to use.

2. Click one of the graph types shown in the Graph group in the left pane. When you select a
graph type, the templates for that graph type display in the Template group.
3. Next, choose a template from the right pane. Some graph types have several templates to
choose from. Others, such as the bubble and scatter graph types, have only one template.
See Using Graph Templates on page 372 for more information about templates.
4. Click NEXT when you have selected a template. The Create Graph step 2 of 2 dialog box
displays.
Here, select the table and the fields from the table you want to graph. You can also choose
what column you want to use for your labels.

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This dialog box is the same for all graph types.

5. Choose the table you want to graph from the Table drop-down list. The list displays the
currently open tables.
6. Choose the fields from the table you want to graph. Select a field from the Fields from
Table list, and either double-click it, or highlight it (single click) and click the ADD button.
Both methods will move the field to the Fields for Graph list. You can use the REMOVE
button in the same way to move fields back to the Fields from Table list.
7. Arrange the fields in the desired order using the Up and Down buttons. Select a field you
want to move and use the Up and Down buttons to place it in the position you want.
Some graph types use the first field for axis labels (bar, 3D, column), and other graph
types use the order of the fields to determine X and Y values. In the case of bubble
graphs, the field order also determines the Z value.
8. If applicable, choose whether you want to graph your series by row or by column. This
option is not available for bubble, histogram, or scatter graphs. Click the button beside the
option you want.
9. Click OK. Your graph displays in a Graph window.

Editing a Graph
Once you create the basic graph, your ability to customize it is unlimited and depends only upon
the message your graph needs to convey. You have complete control over virtually every aspect of
your graph and every item in the Graph window. The customizing options available depend on the
graph type you have selected.

Selecting Graph Objects

To select a graph object to format it, click the object. When you make a graph selection, related
graph objects may also be selected. For example, if you click a series bar in a column graph, all
the series bars and the corresponding legend marker will also be selected. If you select an axis
label, all the labels on that axis will be selected. All the items that are selected will be altered when
you make your selections.

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Moving and Resizing Graph Objects

To move a graph object, click it in the Graph window and drag it to the desired location. You can
move the titles, data labels, and the legend. To resize the legend, select it to display legend
handles. Click and drag on one of the edit handles to make the legend larger or smaller.

Using the Graph Menu

The Graph menu contains all the editing options to customize your graph. When you create a
graph, the Graph menu displays in the MapInfo Professional menu bar. You can also access the
Graph menu options by right-clicking in the Graph window to display a shortcut menu.

Formatting Graph Objects

On the GRAPH menu, click FORMATTING to access the formatting options, which allow you to
customize the line and fill patterns of your graph objects and graph titles. You can also add color
gradients, different textures, and pictures to your graph. You can quickly access the Formatting
dialog box by selecting a graph object and double-clicking in the Graph window. The formatting will
apply to whatever object is selected in the Graph window. It could be the background, the titles, the
axes, the graph series, graph markers, etc. The formatting options that display in the dialog box
depend on what element in the Graph window is selected.

Layout and Display

Go to the General Options command (On the GRAPH menu, click GENERAL OPTIONS) to change the
general options for the type of graph you are creating, as well as customize its display. The
General tab displays options that enable you to customize the markers for the type of graph you
selected. For 3D graphs, you can change the shape of the risers, and the gap between the risers.
For pie graphs, you can create an exploded pie graph, as well as specify the pies rotation, tilt, and
depth. For bubble graphs, you can customize the size and shape of the marker. In column graphs,
you can customize the columns, etc.

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Modifying Axis Attributes

The Grids and Scales dialog box (on the GRAPH menu, click GRIDS AND SCALES) is used to format
graph axes, gridlines, and perform scaling. The tabs on the left of the dialog box indicate the
available axes in the graph: Category Axis, Y1 Axis, Y2 Axis (for dual-axes graphs), X Axis (for
bubble and scatter graphs), and Series Axis (for 3D graphs).

When you select an axis tab, the tabs at the top of the dialog box will change to reflect the
available formatting options for that axis. Each axis is described in this section:

Category Axis All graph types, except bubble, histogram, and scatter graphs, have a
category axis. The category axis defines the groups of items that are being graphed.
When category axis labels are displayed, the labels are taken from the first row in your
table.

Y1 Axis All graph types except pie graphs have a Y1 axis, or primary numeric axis. This
axis plots the values from the rows and columns in your table.

Y2 Axis Area, bar, bubble, column, line, and scatter charts can be drawn on two numeric
axes, Y1 and Y2. When a dual-axes graph is selected, MapInfo Professional automatically
divides the number of series in half and assigns half of the series to one axis and the other
half to the second axis. The two axes can be drawn up or out from the same plane/base
line or physically split into two separate sections on the graph.
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X-Axis Bubble, histogram, and scatter graphs include an X-axis. These graphs have two
numeric axesa Y1 axis that is drawn on the left side of the graph and an X axis that is
drawn on the bottom of the graph frame.

Series Axis A series axis is included only in 3D riser and 3D surface graphs. The series
axis is also called a secondary ordinal or O2 axis. In two-dimensional graphs, the series or
rows of objects being graphed are shown in the legend area of the chart. In 3D graphs,
these objects are shown on the series axis, which is on the lower left side of the 3D graph.

Specifying Titles for Your Graph

On the GRAPH menu, click TITLES to specify titles for your graph. In the Titles dialog box, check the
boxes next to the titles that you want to display in the graph.

The text boxes next to those titles become available. You can use the default titles or create your
own. Choose from these titles:

Title Displays the main title of the graph. The title is centered over the top of the graph.

Subtitle Displays the subtitle of the graph. The subtitle displays directly underneath the
main title.

Footnote Displays a note at the bottom right hand corner of the graph.

Category title Displays a title for the category axis of the graph. It is placed just above,
below, or next to the category axis labels.

Value title (Y1) Displays a title for the primary numeric (Y1) axis of your graph. Use the
title to explain what is being plotted on this axis.

Value title (Y2) Displays a title for the secondary numeric (Y2) axis of your graph. In
dual-axes graphs, the primary (Y1) axis shows some of the groups in your data, and the
secondary numeric (Y2) axis plots other groups of data. Use the title to explain what is
being plotted on this axis.

X-Axis title Displays a title for the X-axis, where applicable. Histogram, bubble, and
scatter graphs include a numeric X-axis.

Series Axis Displays series labels along the lower left side of a 3D graph. Series titles
can further describe the information that is being graphed on this series axis. These titles
normally correspond to the series labels displayed in the legend.

All graphs can include a title, subtitle, and footnote. Most graphs can also include a Category Axis
title and a numeric Y1-Axis title. Other axis titles may be available depending on the graph type.
Titles can be moved from their default positions by clicking and dragging them to the desired
position. To change other elements in the title, such as the font or the text color, select the title
directly in the Graph window and choose the Formatting command in the Graph menu.
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Editing a Graph Series

You can apply formatting changes to an individual series in your graph, as well as to the whole
graph. The Series Options command in the Graph menu is available whenever a series is selected
in your graph. If no series is selected, the message, No series is selected displays when you
attempt to access the dialog box.

To format an individual series:

1. Click a riser (area, bar, line, marker, pie slice, etc.) or a legend marker to select a series.
2. On the GRAPH menu, click SERIES OPTIONS. The Series Options dialog box displays.
3. Make the desired changes in each of the dialog box tabs and click OK. You can also apply
changes as you go by clicking the APPLY button. The Apply operation applies your
changes to the graph without closing the dialog box. This enables you to see your
changes in the Graph window, continue working, and experiment with different options
without having to close and reopen the dialog box.
4. Click OK when you are finished.
The options available in the Series Options dialog box depend on the graph type you have
selected. Each of the dialog box tabs is explained briefly in this section:

General Contains general formatting options for a series for each type of graph. For
instance, in 3D column graphs, you can change the riser shape; in bubble graphs and
other graph types that may use markers such as line graphs, you can change the shape of
the markers. In pie graphs, you can manipulate the individual pie slices. You can detach a
slice from the pie, delete a slice, or restore the pie back to its original state. In many graph
types, you can also display the selected series as another graph type. For example, if you
create a bar graph, you can change a selected series to display as a line or an area,
contrasting that series to the rest of the series in the graph.

Data Labels Specify whether you want to display data labels for the selected series and
where you want to place the labels. Data labels show the actual values from your table.

Number Specify how you want to display data label numbers. You can choose from a
number of categories: general, number, currency, date, time, percentage, fraction,
scientific, special, and custom. This tab is available when the Data Labels box is checked
in the Data Labels tab.

Trendlines Contains formatting and display options for trend lines. This tab is
unavailable for 3D and pie graphs. You can display a trend line according to different types
of regression: Linear, Logarithmic, Polynomial, or Exponential. You also have several
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other display options. You can display the equation used to create the trend line, show the
coefficient values, or specify that the trend line display in the same color as the series.

Working with Multi-Table and Multi-Variable Graphs

This section of the chapter provides some examples of ways you can customize your graphs. The
first example illustrates some of the ways you can customize a pie graph. The second example
demonstrates how you can customize a 3D graph using the 3D viewing angle feature.

Exploding a Pie Graph

Creating a basic pie graph is easy using the Graph wizard. Simply select the table and the fields
you want to graph. You can also graph a subset of a table, as shown in the next figure, by
browsing the selection, and using the Save Copy As command to save the selection as a
permanent .tab file. This example graphs selected states from the STATES table.

The General Options for pie graphs enable you manipulate the look and rotation of the pie slices
easily. The left side of the dialog box shows a preview of what the finished pie graph will look like.
You can change the tilt, or the angle at which you view the pie. You can give the pie a 3D look by
using the Pie Depth setting.

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You can also rotate the pie or explode the pie. When you explode the pie, you detach all the slices
away from the center. You can also detach an individual slice away from the pie center using the
Series Options (on the GRAPH menu, click SERIES).
The next graph shows the same pie graph, based on the General Options settings indicated
above.

3D Graphs - Using the 3D Viewing Angle

The 3D Viewing Angle feature enables you to display your 3D graph at different angles, as well as
customize other aspects of the graphs position, such as its rotation and position in the Graph
window. The 3D graph graphs the same selection from the STATES table that was used in the pie
graph, but graphs different columns of the table. Here, the angle of the 3D graph has been rotated,
and the thickness of the walls of the 3D cube has been changed.

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When you choose the 3D Viewing Angle option, preset angles for your graph display. You can
choose one of these, or use the Advanced options to create your own angle, position, and rotation.
The Advanced portion of the dialog box displays additional controls that allow you to scroll through
the presets more quickly, and manipulate the angle and position of the graph manually.

Use the controls along the bottom of the graph preview to scroll through the preset viewing angles.
You can also select one from the drop-down list.

Rotating Your 3D Graph

Use the options Rotate, Pan, Walls, and Move at the lower right of the dialog box to manipulate the
graph. In the ROTATE tab, you can click directly on the arrows to rotate your graph in the direction
indicated by the arrow. A preview of the graph in its new position displays above. You can also
rotate the graph one click at a time using the X, Y, and Z buttons.

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Click the X, Y, and Z

arrows to rotate the
graph one click.

Click an arrow
to rotate the
graph.

Panning Your 3D Graph

Use the Pan tab options to move the graph across the window. Again, click directly on the arrows
to move the graph in the direction indicated by the arrow, or use the X and Y buttons to move the
graph one click at a time. Use the Zoom buttons to zoom the graph in and out.

Customizing Cube Walls

The Walls tab helps you change the dimensions of the 3D graph walls. You can alter the length
and thickness of the walls directly using the arrow keys on the wall image on the left side of the
tab, or use the X, Y, and Z buttons.

Moving Your 3D Graph at an Angle

The Move tab options are used to move the graph diagonally across the window. Click the arrows
on the diagram in the Move tab to move the graph in the direction indicated by the arrow, or use
the X, Y, and Z buttons. The X button moves your graph from the top left to the bottom right of the
window. The Y button moves your graph from top to bottom. The Z button moves your graph from
the bottom left to the top right of the window.

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Above, the same graph that was shown earlier is displayed here using a different preset angle.
The walls of the cube have also been removed, as well as the values for the Value Axis, in the
Display Status tab of the General Options dialog box.
All of the 3D Viewing Angle options have been used in this graph. The graph has been rotated
about 90 degrees from the earlier example. The Pan and Move options have also been used to
position the graph. And the Walls option has been used to increase the thickness of the floor of the
cube.

Selections in Graphs and Their Tables

Selections you make in your graphed table will also be highlighted in your Graph window.
Conversely, using the new Graph Select tool, selections in the Graph window change the current
selection in the graphed table.

Table Selections
In a graphed table, any selections you make in the table with the Select tool will be reflected in the
corresponding Graph window as long as the selected table row or map object corresponds to an
object in the graph. For example, in a bar graph, one or more of the bars will be highlighted. In a
pie graph, one or more of the pie wedges will be highlighted. The selection in the Graph window
uses the same pen and brush styles that are used to highlight selected objects in the Map window.

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Using the Graph Select Tool

When you select objects in a Graph window using the Graph Select tool, you also change the
current selection in the graphed table. Your Graph window selection must correspond to a row in
the table. Your Graph window selection will be reflected in the Map or Browser window.
If you select an object in the Graph window that does not correspond to a row in the table, any
other selections in the Graph window are cleared. As in other types of windows, selecting multiple
objects by shift-clicking works the same way in Graph windowseither adding the target object to,
or removing it from, the selection.
Note that selecting graph objects with the Graph Select tool is not the same process as selecting
objects in the Graph window to edit the graph object. The default mode is to select graph objects
with the Select tool in order to edit them. To select graph objects for the purpose of changing the
selections in the table, you must use the Graph Select tool.
In some graph types, there is no relationship between the graph objects and the rows in the table,
e.g., histograms. The Graph Select tool is unavailable for these graph types. Selections in the
Graph window will not highlight any records or map objects in the table.

Saving a Graph
Graphs are saved to workspaces. For each Graph window in the workspace, MapInfo Professional
saves a uniquely named .3TF file in the same directory as the workspace. The name of the graph
file is:
<WORKSPACE NAME>, <WINDOW TITLE>.3TF

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The <workspace name> is the root name of the workspace being saved and <window title> is the
title of the Graph window being saved. For example, if you save a workspace named MY
WS.WOR and it contains a Graph window with the title, Scatter Graph, MapInfo Professional
creates the graph file MY WS, SCATTER GRAPH.3TF in the same directory as the original
workspace, MY WS.WOR.

Using Graph Templates

MapInfo Professional stores the various graph template files in folders in the GraphSupport
directory. The GraphSupport directory is located in the MapInfo Professional directory by default in
versions 6.0 and earlier. In MapInfo Professional 7.5 files are stored on a per-user basis. Other
support files containing numerous kinds of fill patterns, as well as the 3D viewing angle files, that
help you format your graph are also located in this directory.
Each type of support file stored in the GraphSupport directory is listed in the next table, according
to the name of the folder in which the files are stored:
Folder Name

File Description

3D Viewing Angles

Files correspond to the preset viewing angles available in the 3D Viewing

Angle dialog box (on the GRAPH menu, click 3D VIEWING ANGLE).

Gradients

Files correspond to the preset gradients available in the Choose Gradient

dialog box (on the GRAPH menu, point to FORMATTING and click FILL TAB).

Pictures

Files correspond to the pictures available in the Choose Picture dialog box
(on the GRAPH menu, point to FORMATTING and click FILL TAB).

Templates

Contains the available graphing templates listed in the Graph wizard (Create
Graph step 1 of 2 dialog box).

Textures

Files correspond to the textures available in the Choose Gradient dialog box
(on the GRAPH menu, point to FORMATTING and click FILL TAB).

Location Preferences
Using the Directory preferences, you can change the location where MapInfo Professional looks
for all the support files. To do so:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click DIRECTORIES. The Directory
Preferences dialog box displays.
2. In the Initial Directories for File dialog boxes group, select Graph Support Files.
3. Click MODIFY. The Choose Directory dialog box displays. It shows the current location of
the Graph Support files. Navigate to the directory where you want to store the files, and
click OK. The new location of the files displays in the Initial Directories list.
4. Click OK to close the Directory Preferences dialog box.
Although the location of the GraphSupport directory can be changed, the names and locations of
the support file folders inside the GraphSupport directory cannot. MapInfo Professional looks in
the GraphSupport directory specifically for the appropriate support folders and files as listed
above.

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Saving a Graph Template

You can easily add to the available set of templates when you create a graph by saving an existing
Graph window as a template file. For example, you prefer the legend to display on the left side of
the Graph window instead of on the right (the default position). You can make this modification in
the Graph window and then on the GRAPH menu, click SAVE AS TEMPLATE.

1. Make the modifications in the Graph window that you would like to save as a template.
2. On the GRAPH menu, click SAVE AS TEMPLATE. The Save Graph Template dialog box
displays. It shows the template folder that corresponds to the type of graph you are saving
as a template.
3. Name your graph template and click SAVE.
The next time you create a Graph window, the saved template file will be available in the Graph
wizard for that graph type.
Note:

You can save a template file to a location other than the GraphSupport\Templates
directory; however, it will not be available unless you save it to a folder in the Templates
directory.

Using Graphs From Earlier Versions of MapInfo Professional

If you are using graphs created in versions of MapInfo Professional prior to version 5.5 and you
bring them into version 7.5, you will not be able to use the new graphing options on those graphs.
The Help System topic, Working with Graphs Prior to Version 5.5 can help you use these graphs
effectively.

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Stylizing Your Map for

Presentations and
Publishing

Most of us do not get to make maps solely for our own use. We use the maps we create in MapInfo
Professional to create presentations, to publish them on the web, or to include as part of another
document. This chapter will help you create presentation quality maps and prepare you for printing and
exporting your work.

Sections in this Chapter:

Changing a Maps Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375

Labeling Your Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Working with Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Creating a Cartographic Legend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Printing and Exporting Your Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418

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Changing a Maps Style

Changing the look of the map is an important part of making it more effective. In this section, we
review how to change the way your map looks one piece at a time. For a more comprehensive
change in your maps appearance, see Creating Thematic Maps, Legends, and Other Maps in
Chapter 9 on page 278.

Changing a Regions Style

To change the style of a region:
1. Do one of the following:

To change the style of one region, click the region and on the OPTIONS menu, click
REGION STYLE from the main menu.

To change the style of all regions in the same layer, click

to display the Layer
Control dialog box, highlight the layer you want to change and click DISPLAY.

Using either method the Region Style dialog box displays.

2. Make the region changes you want to see in your map window in this dialog box and click
OK to save them. If you opened Layer Control, you will need to click the OK button in that
dialog box as well to see the results.

Fill
These are the fill options you have in the Region Style dialog box.

PATTERN Choose a palette for patterns. If you do not want to use a pattern, choose
the letter N, for none; the foreground and background color are disabled. If you
choose the solid black pattern, the background color is disabled.
COLOR Choose a color for the object(s) foreground. The Sample box displays the
pattern using the foreground color you chose. The foreground color is applied to the
part of the pattern that displays as black. Therefore, to make the object a solid color,
choose the solid black pattern in the Fill Pattern palette and a color from the
Foreground Color palette. The color you chose displays in the Sample box as a solidcolored region.

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BACKGROUND COLOR Check the box to display a background color; clear for a
transparent background. Choose a color for the objects background. The
background color is applied to the part of the pattern that displays as white.
Background color is grayed if you have chosen the solid black pattern.

Border
These are the border options you have in the Region Style dialog box.

STYLE Choose the border line style.

COLOR Choose the border line color.
WIDTH Choose the border line width. In the Pixels field, enter a number from 1-7,
each number represents a line width in pixels. In the Points field, select a point size
from the drop-down list, or enter a point size.
SAMPLE Displays the sample of the pattern and color selections you have made.

Changing a Lines Style

To change the style of a line:
1. Do one of the following:

To change the style of one line, click the line and on the OPTIONS menu, click LINE
STYLE from the main menu.

To change the style of all lines in the same layer, click

to display the Layer
Control dialog box, highlight the layer you want to change and click DISPLAY.

Using either method the Line Style dialog box displays.

2. Make the line style changes you want to see in your map window in this dialog box and
click OK to save them. If you opened this dialog box from Layer Control, click the OK
button in that dialog box as well to see the results.

STYLE Select the new line style from the drop-down list.
COLOR Choose a color for the line from this drop-down list. The Sample box
displays the pattern using the color and line style you select.
WIDTH (IN PIXELS AND POINTS) Choose the line width from one of these drop-down
lists. In the Pixels field, select a width of the line in pixels. In the Points field, select a
point size from the drop-down list, or enter a point size.
INTERLEAVED If you select a line style that uses multiple passes to create it, MapInfo
Professional enables the Interleaved check box. Keep in mind these notes:
The Interleaved option is not enabled for solid lines
The Interleaved option is not activated for borders
The Interleaved option is not appropriate for all multiple pass lines

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Changing a Symbols Style

To change the style of a symbol:
1. Do one of the following:

To change the style of one symbol, click the symbol and on the OPTIONS menu, click
SYMBOL STYLE from the main menu.

To change the style of all symbols in the same layer, click

to display the Layer
Control dialog box, highlight the layer the symbol displays in and click DISPLAY.

Using either method the Symbol Style dialog box displays.

Note:

The options in this dialog box may be different based on the symbol(s) you
selected.

2. Complete your selections and entries in this dialog box and click OK. If you opened this
dialog box from Layer Control, click the OK button in that dialog box as well to see the
results.

Font
Choose a font from the drop-down list. In addition to the symbol sets provided by MapInfo,
the list displays any fonts installed on Windows. The Custom Symbols category lists those
bitmaps you have created and saved to the CUSTSYMB directory.

Size
Choose a size or type a different point size. The maximum size is 240 points.

Symbol
Choose a symbol type from the symbol palette.

Color
Choose a color from this list for the symbol.

Reload
Click this button when you have added your own custom symbols to update the list. If you
restarted MapInfo Professional since adding the new custom symbols you do not need to
select the RELOAD button.

Full View
Click this button to display large images in a separate window.

Rotation Angle
Specify number of degrees the symbol should be rotated; 0-360.
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Background
In this box, you can specify a background. Select one of these:

NONE: Click this option to display no background.

HALO: Click this option to display the symbol with a white border outline.
BORDER: Click this option to display the symbol with a black border outline.

Effects
In this box, you can specify special effects for the symbol. Not all of these options display
all the time. You can select one or more of these:

BOLD: Click this check box to draw the symbol in boldface.

DROP SHADOW: Click this check box to draw a drop shadow under the symbol.
SHOW BACKGROUND: Click this check box to display the custom bitmap symbol with
the background with which it was created.
APPLY COLOR: Click this check box to replace all non-white bitmap pixels with the
color you select from the Color palette.
DISPLAY AT ACTUAL SIZE: Click this check box to display the image at the actual size.

Sample
When you select a symbol style, it displays in this box to show you a sample of the symbol
using the designated selections.

Changing the Text Style

To change the style of text:
1. Do one of the following:

To change the style of one text entry, click the text and on the OPTIONS menu, click
TEXT STYLE from the main menu.

To change the style of all text entries in the same layer, click
to display the Layer
Control dialog box, highlight the layer the text entries display in and click DISPLAY.

Using either method the Text Style dialog box displays.

2. Make your selections and entries in this dialog box and click OK. If you opened this dialog
box from Layer Control, click the OK button in that dialog box as well to see the results.

Font
Choose a font from the font drop-down list.

Size
Choose a point size from the point size drop-down list.
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Text Color
Display the color palette; choose a text color.

Background
In this box, you can specify background options for the selected text. You can select only
one of these options:

NONE Set no specific background for the selected text.

HALO Display the text outlined in a designated color.
BOX Surround the text with a box in a designated color.
COLOR Display the color palette; select a color to halo or box the text.

Effects
In this box, you can specify special effects for the selected text. Not all of these options
display all the time. You can select one or more of these:

BOLD Select this check box to display text in boldface.

ITALIC Select this check box to display text in italic.
UNDERLINE Select this check box to display text underlined.
ALL CAPS Select this check box to display text in all upper case letters.
SHADOW Select this check box to display a grey drop shadow under the text.
EXPANDED Select this check box to insert double spaces between each letter in the
text.

Sample
The results of the options you choose show in this box.

Labeling Your Map

The labeling features in MapInfo Professional make it easier for you to display, edit, and save
labels. You can specify whether to display labels automatically when you display the map or
display the map without labels. You can edit automatic labels, use the customizing options to make
your labels unique, and create individual labels with the Label tool. Text enhancements such as
haloing, and more positioning options enable you to get the precise look you want for your labels.

Designing Your Labels

The design of the label feature in MapInfo Professional is important for understanding how to
create and manipulate labels on your map. Most important among the design elements are the
following:

Labels are not drawn to the Cosmetic layer.

Labels are attributes of geographic objects in the map layer. The text is based on data
associated with that object.

Labels are always selectable and editable.

Labels are saved to a workspace.

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Labels are attributes of geographic objects in the map layer. They are not drawn to the Cosmetic
layer, as in previous versions of MapInfo Professional, and they are not Cosmetic objects. Their
drawn location is based on the location of the geographic objects centroid and additional
information such as anchor point and offset controlled in the Label Options dialog box.
As attributes, labels are dynamically connected to their map objects. If the layer is closed or is
made invisible, the labels no longer display. If the data or geographic information changes, the
labels change. If you create an expression for your labels and change the expression, the current
labels are dynamically replaced with new ones.
Labels are always selectable and editable, so you do not have to make the map layer editable or
selectable to work with them. And, since labels are not Cosmetic objects, you do not have to
remember to make the Cosmetic layer selectable or editable to label your map. They are already
part of the map layer.
Saving labels is easy. Because labels are attributes of the map object, you do not have to
remember to save them to a separate table. Any label edits you have pending, or changes you
have made to the Label Options settings, are easily saved to a workspace.
You can label your map automatically through Layer Control, in the Label Options dialog box. All
global settings for labels are controlled in the Label Options dialog box.

Choosing the Label Content

When you label your map automatically, or interactively using the Label tool, the content of the
labels is determined by the data associated with the geographic object. You can obtain the labels
from the columns in your table, or the derived result of an expression using the column
information. If the column information or an expression does not suit your needs, you can edit the
label content or type in new text. See Editing Labels on page 385 for more information.
Text you create yourself using the Text tool is a text object and behaves like other objects you draw
on your map such as squares and circles. Although labels are no longer text objects, text objects
are still useful for additional map annotation such as titles. For information on text objects, see
Entering and Working with Text on the Map in Chapter 7 on page 229.
The Autolabeler tool, available from the Tool Manager (on the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER),
creates labels as text objects in the Cosmetic Layer, emulating the way labeling worked in MapInfo
3.0. This application may be useful if you need to create labels that can be transferred to a
permanent table. In addition, you can create text objects and convert labels into text objects using
another tool from the Tool Manager set, the Labeler tool, which is explained later in this chapter.

Labeling with a Column

The content of labels is controlled in the Label with drop down list in the Label Options dialog box.
You can label an object with any column from its associated table. For example, you can label the
STATES table with the state name, abbreviation, 1990 population, or any other field in the STATES
table. Simply choose a column from the list, and the objects in that layer will be labeled with the
information contained in that column.

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Labeling with Expressions

You can also label objects with an expression. Select Expression from the drop-down list in the
Label Options dialog box. Create the expression in the Expression dialog box. You can type the
expression directly or use the drop-down lists to create it.
For example, you want to label the countries of Africa with their name and population density on
two lines. Your table contains the country names and population figures for each country. To figure
the population density, divide population by each countrys area. You can let MapInfo Professional
calculate the area of each country using the Area function in the Expression dialog box. To create
the expression, in Layer Control, highlight the Africa table and choose the Label button. Select
Expression from the Label with drop-down list in the Label Options dialog box. The Expression
dialog box displays. Using the drop-down lists, create the following expression:
Country + Chr$(13) + POPULATION / Area(Object, sq mi)

The Chr$(13) function tells MapInfo Professional to add a carriage return to the first line. Now
using the Label tool, click a country. MapInfo Professional labels it with the result of the
expression.

Packing a Table with Customized Labels

Note that packing a table that contains customized labels can corrupt the labels. For example, you
delete one or more rows from your table and save the table. Then you create a map with
customized labels and save the labels to a workspace. You pack the table to purge the deleted
rows. Since the Pack command closes the Map window, youll need to reload the workspace.
When you do so, your labels are corrupted.
This problem occurs most often when the deleted rows are located near the top of the Browser. To
avoid the problem, pack the table before you create the labels.

Using AutoLabeling
In addition to label content, you control the position, display and look of automatic labels in Layer
Control. The settings in the Label Options dialog box allow you to set conditions for displaying
labels, in what style they will display, and in what position for all the objects in the layer.

Controlling Label Display

The Auto Label attribute in Layer Control is off by default for all map layers.
To activate labels for a layer(s):
1. Select the layer or layers in the Layer Control dialog box and select the AUTO LABEL check
box for each layer. When you return to your map, labels display for all layers you selected.
You can easily turn the display of automatic labels on or off. In Layer Control, clear the AUTO
LABEL check box to turn labeling off. Any settings you have specified in the Label Options dialog
box will be deactivated.
You can also go into the Label Options dialog box and click OFF in the Visibility group. Either way,
when you go back to your map, the labels no longer display. These settings also apply to labels
you have edited.
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To make more changes to the labels of a selected layer:

1. Select a layer in the Layer Control dialog box and select the LABEL button. The Label
Options dialog box displays.

2. Select the appropriate options for your new labels and click OK to save them.

VISIBILITY Use these options to indicate whether this label should display.
Click ON to display the labels for this layer.
Click OFF to hide the labels for this layer.

DISPLAY WITHIN RANGE You can also display labels within a specified zoom range,
much the same way that you display map layers within a certain zoom range. Select a
layer, click LABEL, and in the Label Options dialog box, click the DISPLAY WITHIN
RANGE button. This activates the Min. and Max zoom boxes. Fill in the minimum and
maximum zoom distances in the appropriate boxes.
When labeling a dense table of streets such as a StreetPro Display layer, only a few of
the streets will be labeled when the map is zoomed out.
The check boxes on the right side of the Visibility group control which labels display
and determine how they appear on the map.

ALLOW DUPLICATE TEXT Select the ALLOW DUPLICATE TEXT check box to allow
duplicate labels for different objects to display, e.g., Portland, OR and Portland, ME.
This option is also used with street maps to label street segments individually.
ALLOW OVERLAPPING TEXT Select the ALLOW OVERLAPPING TEXT check box to allow
labels to be drawn on top of each other. Some labels do not display because they
overlap labels that are have been given higher priority on the map.
LABEL PARTIAL OBJECTS Select the LABEL PARTIAL OBJECTS check box to label
polylines and objects whose centroids are not visible in the Map window.
MAXIMUM LABELS To specify the maximum number of labels you want to display on
your map, type the number in the Maximum labels box.
STYLES In this box, you can select the styles for the Labels and Lines in the
selected layer.
NO No line displays extending to the label.

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SIMPLE Create a callout by using a simple line that connects the label to the objects
centroid. Label lines display after you move the label from where it was originally
created.
ARROW Create a callout by using an arrow and line that connects the label to the
objects centroid. Label lines display after you move the label from where it was
originally created.

POSITION Use the Anchor Point and Offset options to specify the labels placement.
The anchor point is the labels position relative to the map object. Click one of the
buttons to select an anchor point. The next table describes each of the nine anchor
point buttons.

Anchor Point
Button

Position

Description

Top Left

Places the label above and to the left of the anchor

point.

Top Center

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The labels anchor point and offset move a label with respect to its current location and the
current zoom. Whenever you want to make minor adjustments to the labels position, you
should use these two options.
You can also select and drag a label to move it, but this is not recommended because you
are actually moving the label location on the map. If you drag a label a few pixels, the
distance you move it is in the current map units, regardless of the zoom. For example, if
you are displaying a map of the United States and drag New York states label a few
pixels, at that zoom, the label looks fine. However, if the Map Units distance is in miles and
you zoom in on New York state, the label will display much farther away than at the
previous zoom.
Note:

Affecting Label Priority: Labels display following the order of records in the table. To
change the order of priority for displaying labels, save a copy of the table, sorted in order
of priority -- most important record first -- and use that table for labeling instead of the
original.

In a table sorted alphabetically by street (like the StreetPro Display layer) this often means that
streets with names beginning with A, B, or C are almost the only labeled streets on your map.
Labeling effectively gives a small side street like Aberdeen Street priority over State Highway
177 or other major roads that might actually be useful in navigating or orienting a viewer. This will
be true for any dense StreetPro Display layer.

Creating Callouts
Callouts are labels with lines pointing to the objects they are labeling. They are very useful when
there are many labels in a relatively small area. For example, you are labeling a map of Asia.
There are many small countries that are relatively close together. If you tried to label all the
countries, the labels would overlap and be difficult to read.
To create callouts, set the Label Lines option in the LAYER CONTROL menu, click LABEL OPTIONS
dialog box to SIMPLE or ARROW for the layer that you want to label. Click the LINE STYLE button to
choose the style of line you want for your callouts. On the map, select a label with the Select tool
and drag it away from its anchor point. When you release the mouse, MapInfo Professional draws
a line from the label to the anchor point.
You can move the endpoint of the callout to position it more precisely. Select the label and drag the
edit handle at the end of the callout to its new position.
Note:

As in previous versions, you can double-click the text and set the label line in the Text
Object dialog box.

Label Styles
The Text Style dialog box gives you a number of choices for label and text object styles. You can
also change the styles of multiple selected labels at a time.
To make style changes for all the labels, click the Style button in the Label Options dialog box to
display the Text Style dialog box.

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To change the styles of a selected label or labels, select the label(s) and either on the OPTIONS
menu, click TEXT STYLE, or click the TEXT STYLE button in the Drawing toolbar to display the Text
Style dialog box. If you change the styles of multiple labels at once, hold down the Shift key as you
select each label.
Make the style changes you want. When you return to the map, the selected labels display with the
style changes you specified. The available styles are explained in the next table.
Option

Description

Bold

Uses bold text to create the label.

Italic

Uses italic text to create the label.

Underline

Places a line underneath the text.

All Caps

TEXT DISPLAYS IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.

Shadow

Creates a shadow behind the text. (not shown)

Expanded

A space is placed between each character in th

e l a b e l o r t e x t o b j e c t.

There are also three background options.

Click NONE to have no background.

Choose HALO to create a halo effect around the text. This puts the text into relief from
whatever it covers (e.g., part of a region, or a street, etc.).

Click BOX to create a background box behind the text.

When you choose either the BOX or HALO backgrounds, the Color list is activated. Click it to
display a palette of colors for the halo or the background. The color you choose corresponds to the
button that is currently activated. The color displays in the box and in the Sample. Click OK to
accept.

Labeling Interactively
Although you will probably do most of your labeling automatically, you will need interactive labeling
to edit and create individual labels.

Editing Labels
It is very easy to edit individual labels, either those you have displayed automatically or those you
have created interactively with the Label tool. Using the Select tool, double-click the label. The
Label Style dialog box displays. The changes you make in Label Style dialog box apply only to the
selected label. Changes you want to apply to all the labels must be done through Layer Control in
the Label Options dialog box.

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The Label Style dialog box allows you to make changes to the text, position, and angle of the
labels. You can also make changes to callouts, add, or delete them.
To change the label content, simply type the new label text into the Text box. The other controls in
this dialog box work the same way as in the Label Options dialog box.
Moving a selected label is the same as moving other objects; simply drag them with the mouse. If
you move a label that has a callout, the line will reappear automatically after you move the label.
You can also rotate the label manually about its anchor point. When you select the label, use the
rotation edit handle that appears to the lower right of the label.

Creating Labels with the Label Tool

Use the Label tool to create individual labels. First, make sure that the layer containing the objects
you want to label is selectable. Click the Label tool to activate it, and click a map object. MapInfo
Professional labels the object with the column or expression you specified for that layer in the MAP
menu, point to LAYER CONTROL and click LABEL OPTIONS dialog box. Remember that InfoTips are
active for the Label tool, so you can view the objects label before you actually label the object.

Using Text Objects as Labels

While labels in MapInfo Professional are attributes of the map layer, text objects look like labels
but behave like other annotations you draw on the map. They are stored in the Cosmetic layer, and
you can save them to a table.
The Labeler tool in the MapInfo Professional Tool Manager helps you use text objects to perform
several common labeling tasks:

Convert labels into text objects, so that they can be saved in a permanent table.

Create labels for only the currently-selected objects.

Draw text objects one at a time using the Text Label button. This allows you to create
multiple annotations for a single map feature, which is something you cannot do using
labels.

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Saving Labels as Text Objects

If you have a Map window with labels, you may want to convert those labels into text objects, so
that you can save the labels in a permanent table. You will also want to convert labels into text
objects if you want your labels to grow larger as you zoom in. Text objects grow larger as you
zoom in; labels do not.
To add the Labeler tool to your Tool Manager:
1. On the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER.
2. Locate the Labeler tool in the list and check the LOAD box.
To have the Labeler tool load automatically every time you open MapInfo Professional,
check the AUTOLOAD box. The next time you run MapInfo Professional, the Labeler tool
will be on the Tools menu.
3. Click OK. The Labeler tool is added to Tools menu.
The Labeler tool also adds a custom toolbar button, Text Label, to the Tools toolbar.
To convert the labels on your map to text, do the following:
1. Run the Labeler tool.
2. Make the Map window the active window.
3. On the TOOLS menu, point to LABEL FUNCTIONS and click TRANSFER CURRENT LABELS.
MapInfo Professional displays the Transfer Labels dialog box, which gives you the
following options:

FROM LAYER - Lets you choose which layers labels are converted.
TO LAYER - Lets you choose where to store the labels after they are converted into text
objects. If you choose <New> from the list, MapInfo Professional creates a new table
to store the text objects. (MapInfo Professional prompts you to type in the tables
name after you click OK.)
INCLUDE HIDDEN LABELS - When you create autolabels and manually delete some of
those labels, MapInfo Professional considers each of the deleted labels to be hidden.
If you want to create a text object for each of the hidden labels, check the box;
otherwise, clear the box.
TRANSFER LABELS FROM: Map View or Layout View
This option is available if the Map window appears in a Layout. If you are using
autolabels, the Layout window might display different labels than the Map window,
because MapInfo Professional tries to fit as many autolabels as will fit in the view.
Click MAP VIEW or LAYOUT VIEW to choose whether MapInfo Professional creates text
objects that match the Map window or the Layout window labels.

4. When you click OK, MapInfo Professional converts the labels for the selected layer into
text objects.
If you display the Layer Control dialog box, you will notice that the layers Auto Label check box is
no longer checked. The Labeler tool automatically clears the box to prevent map features from
looking like they are labeled twice. If the Auto Label check box remained selected, MapInfo
Professional would display both a label and a text annotation for each map feature, causing the
map to appear to be labeled twice.

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Labeling the Current Selection

At times, you may want to label only the rows that are currently selected.
To label the selected rows, do the following:
1. Run the Labeler tool.
2. Make the Map window the active window.
3. On the TOOLS menu, point to LABEL FUNCTIONS and click LABEL SELECTION.
MapInfo Professional draws a text annotation for each of the selected map objects. Note
that these annotations are text objects, not labels.

Creating Manual Text Labels

Although the Labeler tool lets you convert labels into text, you might find that it is easier to simply
create text objects from the beginning. If you annotate your map using text objects (not labels),
then you will never have to worry about converting your labels to text.
The Labeler tool creates a custom button, Text Label, on the Tools toolbar.
To use the TEXT LABEL button, do the following:
1. Run the Labeler tool.
2. Make the Map window the active window.
3. On the Tools toolbar, choose the TEXT LABEL button.
4. Click an object in the map.
When you click the map object, MapInfo Professional draws a text object for it. Because
the annotation is a text object, you can edit it in ways that you cannot edit labels.
For example, suppose you are labeling a highway map. If you use the standard Label button, you
will find that you can only label a highway polyline once, because each polyline can have only one
label. However, if you use the TEXT LABEL button, you can create multiple text annotations for a
single highway.

Removing Labels
The easiest way to remove all labels in a layer is to use the Visibility controls in the Label Options
dialog box. To remove all the labels from a layer:

Click the OFF button to turn the display of the labels off. It will disable the display of all the
labels in that layer, both automatic and interactive.

To display only edited labels or those you have created with the Label tool:
1. On the MAP menu, click CLEAR CUSTOM LABELS to remove the labels. You will be
prompted to discard the custom labels and revert back to the default settings.
2. Click DISCARD. Your labels will revert back to the automatic labels. If you do not want any
labels to display, turn Visibility off.
To delete individual labels from a Map window:

Use the DELETE key or on the EDIT menu, click CLEAR command. This is useful if you have
a number of edited labels and you want to delete one and still keep the rest.

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Do not use the DELETE key or on the EDIT menu, click CLEAR options to delete more than
a few labels from the map.

To replace labels already displaying with new ones, do not delete the old ones first. You will get
unexpected results if you do this. For example, if you create labels with an expression and want to
change the expression, do not delete the labels first. Simply change the expression in the Label
Options dialog box. If you delete the labels first, you are deleting the label for the object, not a
piece of text. So, if you create labels with a different expression, they will not display because by
deleting the old labels, you have edited the table so that it does not display labels for these objects.
On the MAP menu, click CLEAR CUSTOM LABELS to revert back to the default settings.

Saving Labels
Whenever you manually edit automatic labels (including deleting using the EDIT menu, and click
CLEAR or press the DELETE key), change the settings on automatic labels, or create labels with the
Label tool, you will need to save your map to a workspace to have them display in your next
session.
For example, label settings are deactivated by default. You check the Auto label attribute in Layer
Control to display automatic labels on your map and do not save the change when you close the
table. The next time you display your map, the labels do not display because the settings go back
to the defaults. As with the other Layer Control options, label settings are temporary unless you
save the table to a workspace.
Manually edited labels and labels created with the Label tool behave differently. These are edits to
the table, not temporary settings. If you close a window or a table and you have label edits
pending, MapInfo Professional will specifically prompt you to save the session to a workspace.
This also applies to labels you have deleted using the EDIT menu, click CLEAR or press the DELETE
key. You may not have any labels visible on your map, but because deleting a label is an editing
operation, MapInfo Professional will ask you if you want to save the edits to a workspace.

Working with Layouts

Once you have created the perfect map, MapInfo Professional gives you the tools you need to
create high-quality presentations or output. Using the Layout window, you can create and
customize a page layout that shows off your maps, browsers and graphs. Display improvements in
the Layout and printed output ensure that your Map, Browser, and Legend have been made in the
way Map, Browser, and Legend windows display in the Layout and in your printed output so that
your results are better than ever.

What is a Layout Window?

MapInfo Professionals Layout window is a page layout feature that allows you to combine your
Map, Browser and Graph windows on a page and arrange them for output. You can add any
currently open window to the layout and move and resize it to find the best look to show off your
work. Add text such as titles and labels to pull the entire presentation together.
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While you can print individual Map, Browser, and Graph windows directly without the Layout
window (on the FILE menu, click PRINT), you can only print a thematic legend by first adding it to a
Layout window. You can also print the data contained in the Info tool, statistics and message
windows from the Layout Window.
The Layout window is available as soon as you open MapInfo Professional. On the WINDOW menu,
click NEW LAYOUT window to access it. When the Layout window is active, MapInfo Professional
puts a Layout menu on the menu bar, allowing access to a number of layout features.
When you add your windows to the Layout window, MapInfo Professional places them inside
layout frames. Using frames to hold your maps and browsers allows you to resize and reposition
your windows with ease. The contents of the frame match the contents of the corresponding Map,
Browser or Graph window.
The Layout window provides dynamic linking between it and a parent window. For instance, if you
change the zoom in a Map window, that map will be updated in the Layout window once you make
the Layout window active again.
The rest of this chapter is devoted to learning how best to create a layout, move around in the
Layout window, and customize your layout using a variety of options.

Working in the Layout Window

The Layout window functionality includes a number of options to help make it easier to design and
create your layouts.

Getting Around in the Layout Window

The Layout window includes a rule along the top and left side of the window to assist you when
resizing and positioning frames. To hide the rule, on the LAYOUT menu, click OPTIONS. The Layout
Display Options dialog box displays. Clear the SHOW RULES check box.
If you are creating a multi-page layout, MapInfo Professional displays the page breaks by default.
If you wish to turn off the page breaks, clear the SHOW PAGE BREAKS box in the Options dialog
box.
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Controlling Zoom Level

MapInfo Professional displays the Layout window at a zoom level that is a fraction of the actual
size of the printed layout. The zoom level is represented as a percent of actual size in the lower left
corner of the status bar.
In order to better position or resize layout objects, you may want to change the zoom level of the
Layout window to see more detail. Keep in mind that you are changing the overall zoom of the
Layout window, not the zoom of individual windows in frames. (If you want to change the zoom
level on a frame containing a Map window, change the zoom for the Map window itself.)
There are four ways to change the zoom level of the Layout window:

Use the Zoom-in and Zoom-out tools. These tools work exactly as they do in the Map
window. You can click the Layout window with the tools or draw a marquee box around the
areas of the Layout window.

On the LAYOUT menu, click CHANGE ZOOM to set the zoom. You can set the zoom
anywhere between 6.3% and 800%.

Use the number keys (18) on your keyboard to set the zoom level. As the numbers
increase, the zoom increases geometrically. For example, press 1 to get a zoom of 6.3%,
press 2 to get a zoom of 12.5%, and press 3 to get a zoom of 25%. (Remember to use the
number keypad, and make sure NUM LOCK is on.)

Use the View commands in the Layout menu: View Actual Size, View Entire Layout,
Previous View.

Ordering Overlapping Objects

You may add enough windows to the Layout window to cause objects to overlap one another. In
the Layout window all objects are ordered from front to back. Think of them as being stacked in the
Layout. When you draw a new object, it is automatically the front most object, even if it is not
overlapping any other objects in the layout.
In order to display your objects properly, you may need to bring an object forward in front of other
objects.
You can use the Bring to Front and Send to Back commands to change the order of objects. Click
an object with the Select tool. Choose the Bring to Front option to move the object into the
foreground. Choose the Send to Back object to move the object into the background.
When you select an object using the Control key along with the Select tool, MapInfo Professional
selects the object one layer down. Selecting again chooses the next layer.

Before You Create a Layout

The first step in generating quality output is creating good Map windows. MapInfo Professional is
set up to do a great deal of on-screen data entry, object editing, geocoding, and geographic
analysis. There are many windows available to work with that can be easily arranged on the
screen. When you prepare any MapInfo Professional window for output through a Layout window,
you must change the way you think of using MapInfo Professional. For example, in a MapInfo
Professional session, if you want two views of a map, you may simply use the Grabber tool and

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shift to a different location, and then return via MAP menu (click PREVIOUS VIEW). To get two views
of the same map for a Layout, you must have two separate Map windows. There are many
techniques that can be used to prepare the windows to make output easier.

Creating Multiple Views of the Same Map

One very popular way to display maps is to have a detailed map with an inset of an overview map
representing the general area. For example, government planners have a detailed flood plain map
thematically shaded for an area around a major city. They want to include an inset map showing
the location of that city in relation to the entire region. We can simulate this exercise with the
WORLD.tab table included with MapInfo Professional.
To create multiple views of the same map:
1. Open the WORLD.tab and WORLDCAP.tab tables from the MapInfo/Data/World directory.
The tables display in a Map window.
2. Choose the area you want to show in detail and zoom in on it. The Map window now
contains the detailed view.

3. As stated previously, there must be a separate Map window for each view you want to
include in a layout. Instead of re-opening the tables to re-create the Map window, on the
MAP menu, click CLONE VIEW to create a duplicate Map window.
4. A new Map window displays. Zoom out on this map to create the overview map.

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The new Map window is independent of the original Map window. You may add or
remove layers without changing the original map.

Getting Labels Right for your Layout Window

There are many considerations in getting labels to look good on your maps. As with changing
views of the map, there is a significant difference between using labels in a MapInfo Professional
session and using them in a layout. Labeling in a MapInfo Professional session is best handled
using the Auto Label check box in Layer Control.
When you create a map to place in a Layout window, you usually need to spend more time making
your labels look aesthetically pleasing. It is also more likely that you will want to save these labels
to a separate layer. With the default labeling, label styles can be changed; however, customized
labels are not saved in their own layer for future use or editing. To create labels that can be easily
saved, use Autolabel.mbx or Labeler.mbx. These MapBasic applications allow you to create labels
that can be saved to a separate layer for future use.
Using the Autolabeler Tool in your Layout Window
This application gives you the same labeling functionality as in MapInfo 3.0. This MapBasic
application lets the user determine what layer to autolabel. The labels are drawn in the Cosmetic
layer where they can then be edited and saved.
Using the Labeler Tool in your Layout Window
While labels in MapInfo Professional are attributes of the map layer, text objects look like labels but
behave like other annotations you draw on the map. The text objects are stored in the Cosmetic
layer, and you can save them to a table.
The Labeler tool available from the Tool Manager (on the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER) helps
you use text objects to perform several common labeling tasks:

Convert labels into text objects, so that they can be saved in a permanent table.

Create labels for only the currently-selected objects.

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Draw text objects one at a time using the Text Label button. This allows you to create
multiple annotations for a single map feature, which is something you cannot do using
labels.

Rotating Labels in your Layout Window

The RotateLabel tool contains support for labels in Layouts. Load the tool through the Tool
Manager, make the Map window active, and on the TOOLS menu, click ROTATE LABELS. Make sure
that you select the Prepare labels for use in Layout window check box when you are setting your
Rotate Label options.

Creating a Layout
Creating a layout involves adding your Map, Legend, Graph, and Browser windows to the Layout
window, positioning these items where you want them, and adding any annotations such as text
and titles so that your final layout presents the message you want to send.

Adding Open Windows to a Layout

First, decide what you want to put in the Layout window. You can choose whether you want to
display all, some, or none of your open windows. Choose the WINDOW menu and click NEW
LAYOUT WINDOW to display a dialog box, prompting you to choose which windows to add to the
layout.
You bring your windows into the Layout window by adding them to placeholders, or frames. A
frame is a graphic object through which you can view a window. Each frame may contain the
contents of one Map, Graph, Browser, or Legend window.
At the New Layout Window dialog box, you have three options. You can add one frame to the
layout, add frames for all currently open windows, or create a blank Layout window (no frames).
Each situation is described in the next table.
Situation
One Frame for
Window

Description
MapInfo Professional places a single open frame in the center of the layout.
You select the contents of this frame through the drop-down menu that lists all
open windows.
If you choose a Map or Graph window from this list and there is an active map
legend, MapInfo Professional automatically places the legend in the layout. You
can reposition or delete this legend from the layout. Legends are positioned in
the same way as Map, Browser, and Graph windows. Their relative locations
are preserved on the screen.

Frames for all

Currently open
Windows

This option tells MapInfo Professional to place all open windows in the layout.
Since MapInfo Professional places windows in the approximate location and
size as they appear in the MapInfo Professional window, you should arrange
and size the windows before you bring them into the layout.

No Frames

If you prefer, you can create a blank layout by choosing the No Frames option.
If you do not have any windows open, choosing New Layout Window
automatically creates a blank layout. The New Layout Window dialog box does
not display.
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Since a frame is a graphic object, you can:

Reposition it using the Select tool.

Change its fill, and the line style of its border.

Copy or cut the frame and paste it into another Layout window.

You can also position frames so that they overlap one another or overlap other graphic objects.
To change which window is displayed in a frame, double-click the frame with the Select tool. Use
the drop-down list in the Frame Object dialog box to change the frames contents.

Adding Windows to Current Layout Using the Frame Tool

After you have created a layout, you may decide that you want to add other maps to it. You do not
have to create a new layout to do this. You can create frames by hand to contain other windows.
Use the Frame tool to draw window frames where you want them. The Frame tool is available
whenever the Layout window is active.
Note:

If you draw a frame when no windows are open, MapInfo Professional places a blank
frame in the Layout window.

To add a window to a layout you are already working with:

1. Make the Layout window active and click the FRAME button. The Frame tool is activated.
2. In the Layout window, click and drag to draw the frame for the new window. When you
release the mouse, the Frame Object dialog box displays.

Note:

This dialog is slightly different for each type of frame. The Map Scale options are
only available when you select a Map window in the frame. The FILL FRAME check
box does not display for Browser, Cartographic Legend, and Graph windows.

3. In the WINDOW drop-down list, select the window you want to add and review the options
for creating this frame.

BOUNDS X1 AND 2, BOUNDS Y1 AND Y2 Use these fields to define the x and y
boundaries for the new frame. When you change bounds entries, the Center, Width,
and Height entries change accordingly. When you change the bounds entries, the
MAP SCALE changes as well.
CENTER X, Y Use these fields to define and adjust the center point of your new
frame.

Note:

When you make a change to the CENTER X or Y entries, the WIDTH and HEIGHT
bounds do not change.
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WIDTH, HEIGHT Use these fields to define and adjust the width and height of the
new frame.
CHANGE MAP ZOOM Click this radio button to implement the correct map scale
without changing the size of the frame. This option changes the zoom of the actual
Map window so that the Layout frame is in the correct scale. This option is selected by
default. Type the scale you want within this frame in the Scale. The units are set by the
Paper Unit setting in the System Preferences dialog box. For example:
Map Scale = Scale field entry x (Frame width / Map window width)

Note:

Changing the map scale with this option will not change the values in the Bounds
fields or the Width and Height fields because there is no change to the size of the
frame, only the look of the map within the frame. To undo the change to the map
zoom, return to the Map window and click PREVIOUS VIEW.

4. Select one of these options:

RESIZE FRAME Click this radio button to change the size of the frame based on the
data you enter into the Scale field. When you change this entry, the bounds, Center,
Width, and Height entries change accordingly.
FILL FRAME WITH CONTENTS Click this check box to display as much of the Map
window as fits in the frame. When you do not select this button, the frame may be only
partially filled but it will have the same contents as the window it contains.

5. Click OK to display the new frame in the Layout frame.

Note:

When you click the CHANGE MAP ZOOM or RESIZE FRAME radio button, you set your
selection as the default for the rest of the session. If you change it during the session, the
change becomes the default.

Adding a Maximized Map Window to a Layout

You can place a maximized Map window into a frame in a Layout. The frame objects dimensions
are created according to the Map windows size instead of the page layout size. MapInfo
Professional also allows the maps image to completely fill the frame, preserving the maps center
and zoom settings. If you double-click the frame, you will notice that the Fill Frame with Map check
box in the Frame Object dialog box is checked. This allows the map image to fill the entire frame.
The box is checked by default for all Map windows in frames.

Using Legends in a Layout

You can use both cartographic and theme legends in your layout. Both types of windows display in
the layout at the same size as they do on the MapInfo Professional desktop. When you resize a
legend frame to make it smaller, it crops the legend rather than shrinking it to fit. The text styles
(e.g., font, size) used in the cartographic and theme legend windows are preserved in the layout.
Adding a legend to the Layout window is a different process, depending on the type of legend. You
can add a theme legend to a layout even when no theme legend displays in the MapInfo
Professional desktop.
To do this, make sure the Layout window is active and click the FRAME button. In the Layout
window, click and drag to draw the frame for your theme legend. When you release the mouse, the
Frame Object dialog box displays. In the Window drop-down list, select the theme legend and click
OK. The theme legend displays in the layout frame. This is also how you add other types of
windows on your desktop to the current layout.

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In cartographic legends, you must create the legend on your desktop (on the MAP menu, click
CREATE LEGEND) before you can add it to the Layout window.

Moving Frames in a Layout Window

Once you have brought in the windows you wish to include in the layout, you can reposition or
resize them to create a professional looking product.
To move a frame:
1. Click the frame with the Select tool and hold down the mouse button.
2. When the cursor becomes a four-headed arrow (after about one second), drag the frame
to the new location and release the mouse button.

Aligning Objects in a Layout Window

MapInfo Professional includes a command to help you perfectly align objects in the Layout
window. You can align objects to each other horizontally and vertically or to the Layout window
itself.
Choose the objects you want to align and on the LAYOUT menu, click ALIGN OBJECTS. The Align
Object dialog box displays. Specify the appropriate vertical and horizontal alignment. Choose from:
Horizontal Alignment

Vertical Alignment

Dont change alignment

Align left edges of

Align top edges of

Align center of

Align right edges of

Align bottom edges of

Distribute

Each alignment can be performed with respect to each object or to the entire layout. When you
choose the entire layout, the objects are aligned with respect to the top, bottom, left, and right
edges or margins of the layout.
If you want to align objects with respect to each other, the objects are aligned with respect to an
imaginary rectangle, called the bounding rectangle, that completely encloses the objects. The
horizontal and vertical settings you choose position the objects at the top, bottom, left, right, and
horizontal or vertical center lines of the bounding rectangle, rather than at the edges of the layout.
The Distribute option tells MapInfo Professional to distribute the vertical and horizontal space
between objects evenly.
You can perform multiple alignments in one layout.

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Examples of Aligning Objects in a Layout Window

Consider this example. You have several elements in the Layout window: one large map, one
small map showing a different view, a browser, and some text. You have them in the general
position you want, but you want to line them up precisely to make a professional looking layout. In
this case you want to align the objects with respect to each other:

To align the small map and text that are located side by side below the large map:
1. Select the small map first.
2. Shift-click to select the text without cancelling the selection of the small map. (You can
also use the Marquee Select tool to select both at once.)
3. On the LAYOUT menu, click ALIGN OBJECTS.
4. Align the two objects so that they are vertically centered with respect to each other. In the
Align Objects dialog box, disregard the horizontal component for the moment (make sure
it says DONT CHANGE).
5. Choose ALIGN CENTER of from the drop-down list in the vertical component.
6. Choose with respect to each other and click OK.
The layout readjusts by moving the objects vertically to show the centers of the map and text lined
up with each other.

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Now you want to align the large and small maps so that their left edges are horizontally aligned
with respect to each other. Select the two objects and on the LAYOUT menu, click ALIGN OBJECTS.
In the Align Objects dialog box choose Align left edges of and with respect to each other in the
horizontal component. In the vertical component choose DONT CHANGE. Click OK.
The map now shows the left edges of the two maps in alignment.

As a final alignment, you want to align the right edges of the large map and the browser. Select the
objects and specify Align right edges of the selected objects with respect to each other.
Your layout now looks like this:

Setting the Map Scale for a Layout Window

One of the most difficult tasks in generating good output is setting the scale of the map. There are
two ways to set the map scale. The first method is to choose MAP menu and click CHANGE VIEW.
This scale setting affects the on-screen scale of your map according to your monitor size. This
scale setting isnt used as often, because generally the scale on screen does not need to be exact.
Use the on-screen scale when you are making a presentation that will be viewed directly in
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Accurate scale is more important on the printed map. To get the correct scale for output, you must
coordinate the Map window with the Layout window. You must also decide on the desired end
result. For example, you may want a map that has a 1:25000 scale and fits in a nine inch Layout
frame. If this is the case, you will have to alter the zoom level of your map to fit these conditions.
Or, in the case where you must show a set distance across the map, you may have to allow for a
larger page size. The following two formulas will help you set the right map zoom, scale, and frame
width.

Limiting Frame Size When Setting the Layout Scale

The following formula calculates the zoom that must be set in your Map window in order to have a
map meet set scale and frame width criteria.
((Frame Width in Inches * Scale)/12) /5280 = Map Zoom in Miles

For example, you need to make a map that will be in a scale of 1:24000 and fit in an eight inch
frame. You need to determine the zoom level that will accommodate the map scale and frame
width. Calculate the following:
((8 * 24000) / 12) / 5280) = 3.03

On the MAP menu, click CHANGE VIEW and enter 3.03 miles as your new zoom level.

Limiting Map Zoom when Setting the Layout Scale

The following formula calculates the number of inches to make the frame for a map in order to
meet set scale and zoom level criteria.
(Map Zoom in Miles * 5280 * 12) / Scale = Necessary Frame Width

For example, you need to make a map that will be in a scale of 1:100000, and you must view a
twenty mile zoom level. You need to determine the frame size that will accommodate the scale and
zoom. Calculate the following:
(20 * 5280 * 12) / 100000 = 12.67

Your frame needs to be 12.67 inches wide. If your printer is not large enough to handle this,
change your layout size to spread over two pages.

Creating a Simple Scalebar

If you want to include scale on your map or layout for a general reference of distances, use the
Scalebar tool. The Scalebar tool includes the ability to draw a scale bar in the Layout window.

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To load the ScaleBar tool:

1. On the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER.
2. Scroll down the Tools list and check the box that will load the ScaleBar program. The
program is added to the Tools menu.
A ScaleBar tool

is also added to the Tools menu.

Now you are ready to draw the ScaleBar. When you create a ScaleBar in a layout, the Adjust font
size to match scale check box is only available in the Set up ScaleBar options. On the TOOLS
menu, point to SCALE BAR and click SET UP SCALEBAR to select this option before you proceed.
To draw the scalebar:
1. On the TOOLS menu, point to SCALEBAR and click DRAW SCALEBAR. This option
automatically positions the ScaleBar in the lower left corner of the Layout window. A
Warning dialog box displays, telling you that the Layout frame and the associated Map
window are not currently set up to print to scale.
2. You can adjust the Layout frame or the Map window, or ignore the message. Select the
check box if you do not want to receive warnings about the scale again. The Draw
Distance Scale in Mapper dialog box displays.
3. Choose the width of the ScaleBar and the aspect ratio.
4. Set the text style and fill colors.
5. Click OK. The scalebar is drawn to your Layout window in the lower left corner.

If you select the Curve ScaleBar with latitude lines check box, the scalebar is accurate
only along its curve and only if the Spherical calculation method is used.
If you do not select the check box, the ScaleBar is accurate straight across, but only if
the Cartesian calculation method is used.

Check the Map Options dialog box (on the MAP menu, click OPTIONS) to see which
distance calculation method is in use for your Map window.
The ScaleBar tool that is placed on the Tools toolbar when the ScaleBar tool is loaded
enables you to create a ScaleBar and position the left edge of it anywhere on your layout.
Click the SCALEBAR tool, and click the Layout where you want to position the left edge of
the scalebar. Follow step 2 to step 5 above to complete the ScaleBar.

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The objects that make up the scalebar are drawn to the Cosmetic layer. To move the
scalebar, make sure that all of the objects are selected, and click and drag the ScaleBar to
a new location.

Cloning a Map View

You can create a second view of your map with the Clone View command. Clone View creates a
duplicate Map window that you can then alter to create a different view of your map, e.g., a street
map of a city and a zoomed in view of a major intersection, or use a different kind of thematic
analysis for each view. It is particularly useful when you are creating a Layout and you want to
present side-by-side views of the same location.
Note:

Cloned windows in a workspace are written as MapBasic commands to the .WOR file.
These command statements cannot exceed 32,000 bytes.

Now that you have completed your professional looking layout, printing is a simple matter.

Creating a Cartographic Legend

You can utilize the cartographic legend feature in a variety of ways. This feature enables you
to create a legend for any map layer(s) in your Map window. Many of the elements in the
cartographic legend and legend window can be customized, allowing you to enhance your
map presentation. You have the added proficiency of being able to use the table metadata in
your cartographic legend text as well as save legend attributes to the metadata. You are also
able to align all of the legend frames in your Map window. Furthermore, the cartographic
legend feature has the ability to join tables on-the-fly, thus allowing you to obtain legend
feature descriptions from another table while you are creating the legend.

What is a Cartographic Legend?

Cartographic legends are based on the map layers in your Map window. Each legend in the legend
window corresponds to a layer on the map, and each legend is enclosed in a legend frame within
the legend window. The attributes for each legend frame, such as the title and label styles can now
be derived from several sources. These are:

Map table metadata

Map table attributes

Joined tables

Manual creation

A legend frame is another way to refer to a particular layers legend. You can create an individual
legend window for each layer in your map, or you can have several legend frames in one legend
window. The properties for each legend frame can be edited individually.

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Creating a Cartographic Legend

It is easy to create a cartographic legend using the Create Legend wizard. This section runs
through the procedure of creating a legend quickly, and is followed by more detailed information
about the options in the Create Legend dialog boxes. In this example, well create a cartographic
legend for a landmark map of upstate New York, shown in the next figure.

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9. Continue in the same manner for the Us_hiway legend frame.

For the Us_hiway layer, enter Highways as the title, click the UNIQUE MAP STYLES button,
and choose EXPRESSION in the Label styles with box. The Expression dialog box displays.

10. Type Highway in the text box, and click OK. It displays in the Label Style with box.

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11. If you want to save your settings for the title, subtitle, the styles column, and the styles
label for the selected frame to the table metadata, click the SAVE FRAME SETTINGS TO
METADATA button.
12. Click FINISH when you have selected the desired attributes for each legend frame.
The cartographic legend displays on your screen.

Using the Legend Wizard

To use the Legend Wizard follow these steps:

Step 1 - Selecting Layers

The layers listed in the Legend Frames group of the Create Legend Step 1 of 3 dialog box are all
the layers that will be included in your legend. All the layers in your Map window are included by
default.

Use the Up and Down buttons to reorder the layers in this list. To exclude a layer from the legend,
click the layer in the Legend Frames group and click the REMOVE button. The layer is added to the
Layers group and will not be included in the legend. If you change your mind, select the layer in the
Layers group, and click ADD. The layer goes back to the Legend Frames group for inclusion in the
legend.

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Step 2 - Defining Window Properties and Frame Defaults

In Step 2 of the Create Legend wizard, you specify the settings for your Legend window and the
default settings for the legend frames.

Legend Window Properties

The legend properties pertain to the legend window. You can change the default window
title, specify whether the legend window contains scrollbars, and specify the orientation of
the legend window.
The default window title is based on the layers in the Map window. The default will be:
Legend of <layer1>, <layer2>, <layer3>... . To change the window title, enter the title you
want into the Window Title box. Scrollbars for the legend window are displayed by default.
To deactivate their display, clear the Scroll Bars check box. To specify the orientation of
legend frames in the window, click the button next to the orientation you desire: portrait or
landscape.

Legend Frame Defaults

The Legend Frame defaults are used when there are no metadata keys in the underlying
table. These settings show the default values for the legend text, style, and the border
style of the legend frame. You can change the default values for any legend you are
currently working with. Unlike metadata defaults, which can be different for each legend
frame, these settings apply to all the frames in the legend.

Creating a Legend Frame Title

Use the Title Pattern box to specify a title for the legend frame and its text style. Notice the
# character in the Title box. It is a placeholder for the name of the layer on which the frame
is based. For instance, if you are creating a legend for the Austrlia layer, # Legend in the
Title box will display as Austrlia Legend in the legend, where # is the name of the layer.
The name of the layer will display in whatever position you put the # character.
To create a title with the # character in it, precede it with the \ character. For example,
Northeast \# displays as Northeast #. Click the Style button next to the Title Pattern box
to display the Text Style dialog box. Here, specify the font, color, size, and type of
emphasis of the text in your legend title.

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Creating a Legend Frame Subtitle

Specify a subtitle for the legend frame in the Subtitle Pattern box. Use the # and \
characters in the same manner as you did in the Title Pattern box. Click the Style button
next to the Subtitle Pattern box to specify the style of the text in the subtitle.

Creating Text for Legend Symbols

Use the Style Name Pattern box to specify the text that displays next to each symbol in a
legend frame. Use the % character to include the symbol type: point, line, or region in the
style name text. It acts as a placeholder for the type of symbol displayed and is used the
same way as the # character. The # character can also be used in this box. Again, to
create text with these characters in it, precede the characters with the \ character. Click
the STYLE button next to the Style Name Pattern to change the style of the text.
Note:

Although the # character can be used in all three text boxes in the legend frame
properties, the % character can only be used in the Style Name Pattern box.

Designating Border Style

Check the Border Style box to place a border around your legend frames. To change the
border style, click the Style button next to the check box to display the Line Style dialog
box. Here you can specify the line type, color, and width for the frame border.
To change the Legend Frame defaults for all subsequent mapping sessions, use the
Legend window preferences (on the OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click
LEGEND WINDOW).

Step 3 - Legend Attributes

The Create Legend wizard allows you to create attribute-driven legends. This makes creating text
descriptions easier because they can be automatically generated from values in an attribute
column. In addition, the process by which the legend is generated can be saved to the map table
metadata in the underlying map layer, or from a joined table. The metadata is then used as the
default attribute settings for the selected legend frame. These settings can be different for each
frame. The metadata defaults override the Legend Frame defaults in Step 2 of the wizard. If no
metadata keys exist in the table, the Legend Frame defaults from Step 2 are used as the default
values.

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Selecting Attributes
Select attributes for one legend frame at a time. Click a legend frame in the Legend
Frames list to select it. The default settings for the selected frame display on the right side
of the Step 3 dialog box.
The title and subtitle text is derived either from the tables metadata, or if there are no
metadata keys for the table, from the defaults indicated in Step 2 of the Create Legend
wizard. You can type in a new title or subtitle or use the default settings.

Legend Styles
The legend styles are the symbols used in the legend to identify the map features. Each
type of object: point, line, or region displays its own symbol in the legend. Point objects are
represented by point symbols, line objects by lines, and region objects by boxes. In
addition, support for the new multipoint and collection objects has been added to the
cartographic legend feature. Multipoint objects will display as a point symbol in the legend.
A collection object will display a combination of symbols indicating the different object
types it contains.
Example of a Cartographic Legend for a collection of points, polylines and regions.

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Displaying Legend Symbols

You can display your legend symbols according to unique map styles or from unique
values in a column. When you select unique map styles, one legend symbol for each
unique map style is displayed in the legend frame. When you select unique values in
column, a legend symbol displays for each unique value in the selected column. This
creates multiple symbols of the same type. If you are creating a legend based on the
AUS_CAPS cities using the Sit-ups table and you select the column PLACE_NAME, a
symbol for each capital city will display. You can then label each symbol according to
PLACE_NAME, or any other column, to have the column value display next to each
symbol.

Labeling Legend Symbols

You can label your legend symbols in several ways. You can use the Style Name pattern
indicated in Step 2 of the Create Legend wizard. You can also provide more description
using column values from your table, as noted above. The column can be any column in
the table, or it can be one that you create specifically for this purpose. You can then write
your own feature descriptions for each item in the table.
To create a label based on a value derived from your table, use an expression. You can
also perform a join, enabling you to add a temporary column from another table that you
can use for your feature descriptions.
To create an expression, choose EXPRESSION from the Label Styles with drop-down list.
Write your expression in the Expression dialog box, and click OK. When you click FINISH in
the Step 3 dialog box. The results of the expression are the labels for your legend
symbols. Note that an expression can be multi-line.
To join tables, choose Join from the Label styles with drop-down list, select Join. (Note that
the Join option is only available when there are at least two tables open.) The Update
Column dialog box displays. Choose the table you want to join to, specify the matching
columns, choose the temporary column you want to add to the table, and click OK. You
can now use this column for your feature descriptions. Again, this column can be any
column value, or one that you create. This column is saved automatically in the
workspace.
Note:

If the temporary column name is saved to legend metadata, but the temporary column
isnt saved in the workspace (e.g. you close tables and the join), youll get an error when
you re-create the legend from metadata. You must either redo the join to get the temporary
column, or choose a different label expression for the legend text.

Saving Legend Attributes to Metadata

To save your current attribute settings to the tables metadata, click the Save frame settings to
Metadata button. This overrides the metadata defaults. Your settings become the new metadata
defaults for the selected legend frame.

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Other Legend Attribute Considerations

If you select a theme layer, the title and subtitle currently set for the thematic legend will display.
You can change the title and subtitle text, but the other controls are not available. Changing the
theme legends title and subtitle affects all occurrences of the thematic legend. In addition, fonts
specified in Step 2 of the Create Legend wizard are not applied to thematic legends.
If you have Display Style Override activated in a layer, (on the MAP menu, point to LAYER CONTROL
click the DISPLAY button and click DISPLAY OPTIONS), the column and label fields will be ignored
when the legend is created. Step 3 of the Create Legend wizard will indicate whether Display Style
Override has been activated for the selected legend frame. If the Style Overrides are turned off for
a map layer and the legend is refreshed, it will be refreshed according to the column and label
originally set.
MapInfo Professional contains metadata keys for labels for layers that have Display Style
Override activated, but they must be put in manually.

Changing a Cartographic Legend

Creating a cartographic legend places a Legend menu on the menu bar. Use the commands in the
Legend menu to add frames and modify the legend window properties. The Legend menu
behaves the same way as menus for other types of windows. The active window determines what
type of window menu is available, so when the legend window is active the Legend menu appears
in the menu bar.

Adding Frames to a Cartographic Legend

Adding frames to a cartographic legend you have already created is easy. The procedure is the
same as for creating the legend, except that you are just adding frames to it. Do the following:
1. On the LEGEND menu, click ADD FRAMES or right-click to display the shortcut menu and
click ADD FRAMES. The Add Frames Step 1 of 3 dialog box displays.

2. The Legend Frames list displays the map layers in your Map window that are not currently
included in your legend. The US_CNTY, USA, and US_CTY 8K layers display in the box.
To remove the USA and US_CTY 8K layers, click the layer you want to remove and click
the REMOVE button.
3. Click NEXT. The Add Frames Step 2 of 3 dialog box displays.
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Here, specify the legend window properties and legend frame defaults as you did in the
Create Legend wizard. The legend frame defaults you specify here are used if there are
no metadata keys in the table.
4. Click NEXT. The Add Frames Step 3 of 3 dialog box displays.
[

The default values that display for the frame title and subtitle are taken either from the
defaults you specified in Step 2, or the tables metadata. As in the Create Legend wizard,
you specify attributes for one frame at a time.
This dialog box works exactly the same way as choosing styles for the initial creation of
the legend. You can select either a column, the Style Name Pattern (the default settings in
Step 2), EXPRESSION, or JOIN.
5. Type Area Counties as the title for the Legend frame.
6. Click the unique map styles button.
7. In the Label styles with box, choose EXPRESSION. In the Expression dialog box, type:
Albany and Rensselaer and click OK.

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8. To save your frame settings to the tables metadata, click the SAVE FRAME SETTINGS TO
METADATA button. These settings become the new legend frame defaults.
9. Click FINISH. Your legend redisplays with the added frame(s).

Modifying Legend Window Properties

To modify the Legend window properties, on the LEGEND menu, click WINDOW PROPERTIES. You
can also double-click in the legend window, outside of a legend frame to display the dialog box.
The Legend window properties are for the entire Legend window. You can change the window title,
include scrollbars, or activate Autoscroll and Smart Pan.

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For the New York Legend, clear the SCROLL BARS check box to remove the scroll bars.

Modifying a Legend Frame

To modify a particular legend frame, right click the frame you want to change. The frame is
selected and a shortcut menu displays. Click PROPERTIES to display the Legend Frame Properties
dialog box. You can also double-click the legend frame to display the Legend Frame Properties.
This example shows the frame properties for the Landmarks layer.

You can edit the title, subtitle, legend symbol text, as well as the title and subtitle text styles, the
border style, and the styles of the legend symbol text. When you edit legend symbol text, you can
add multi-line text in the Edit selected text box.
Lets choose a different font for the frame title. Click the font style button for the Title to display the
Text Style dialog box. Choose a different font, a larger font size, and check the bold box. Click OK
when you are finished with the modifications.

Go into the legend frame properties for each of the other frames and make the same modifications
to the title font.
This is what the legend now looks like. The scrollbars have been removed and the frame title text
has been modified.
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If you modify a legend for a thematic map (a theme legend), clicking the Properties option
in the shortcut menu displays the Modify Thematic Map dialog box. Click the Legend
button to modify the theme legend. See Using Thematic Mapping to Analyze
Information in Chapter 9 on page 281 for details on thematic mapping and theme
legends.

Deleting Frames
You might decide that you want to remove one or more of your legend frames from the legend. To
delete a frame, right-click inside the frame you want to remove to display the shortcut menu. Click
DELETE. Here is the updated legend.

Refreshing Frames
If any edits you make in the legend cause changes to the formatting in the window, on the LEGEND
menu, click REFRESH (or right-click to display the short cut menu and click REFRESH).

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Printing Options
Changes you make to these settings override the default settings in the Output preferences for this
printing job.
When you are ready to print:
1. Make sure the Layout window is active. On the FILE menu, click PRINT. The Print dialog
box displays.
2. Choose the number of copies you want to print and whether you want all pages or a
specific range of pages to print. As in the Page Setup dialog box, the Print dialog box also
allows you to override the default printer settings.
3. Click the NAME drop-down list in the Print dialog box to select a printer. All of the printers
available on your system display in the list. You can specify printer properties here as well,
plus specify whether to print to a file.
4. To use the advanced print settings to take advantage of additional output options that help
you control transparency and color, particularly for raster images, click the ADVANCED
button. The Advanced Printing Options dialog box displays.

a. Indicate whether you want to print your Layout using the new Enhanced Metafile
format, or with the method used in previous versions of MapInfo Professional (Print
Directly to Device).
b. Next, indicate how you want to handle transparency. If you have transparent vector fill
patterns and symbols, check the Internal Handling for Transparent Vector Fills and
Symbols box to have MapInfo Professional handle the transparency internally.
Note:

Windows 95/98 users: you cannot use the larger fill patterns as they display as
solid fill, however smooth scrolling is supported. The Windows 95/98 operating
systems do not support brush patterns larger than 8 x 8 pixels.

If you are using transparency in a raster image, clear the USE ROP METHOD TO
DISPLAY TRANSPARENT RASTER box to have MapInfo Professional handle the
transparency internally. The image will be broken down into small rectangular regions
that do not contain transparency. It is recommended that you check this option
because printers do not always handle transparent raster images correctly.
Note:

This method may produce large plot files.

c. If you are using 24-bit, true color raster images, check the Print Raster in True Color
When Possible box, and select a dither method from the Dither Method drop-down list.
The Print Border for Map Window check box is not available for Layout windows.

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You can control the border for each frame by selecting the frame and setting by
selecting the OPTIONS menu, clicking REGION STYLE.
d. Click OK to return to the Print dialog box.
5. Click OK to print.
More and more often, users want to save their maps electronically to files rather than print them on
paper. MapInfo Professional offers many choices for electronic map output.

Exporting a Layout
The easiest way to make electronic copies of maps and layouts from MapInfo Professional is to
use the Save Window As command. You can export to Windows Bitmap, Windows Metafile,
Windows Enhanced Metafile, JPEG File Interchange Format, JPEG 2000, Portable Network
Graphics Format, Tagged Image file Format (TIFF), CMYK, and Photoshop 3.0.
When using the Save Window As command, keep in mind that all additions and edits must be
made in the Map window. When you have the Map window the way you want it, then create the
Layout window.
You can use the new advanced export options to produce better quality output. The same
transparency and raster options available when you print your Layout are also available when you
export the Layout. Click the Advanced button in the Save Window As dialog box to display the
Advanced Exporting Options dialog box. The same check box settings are available.

As with the advanced print options, changes you make to the advanced export settings override
the default settings in the Output preferences for this export operation. See Setting your Output
Setting Preferences in Chapter 2 on page 59 for more complete information.

Creating an Encapsulated Postscript File

If the available Save Window As formats are not appropriate for your needs, or you want to use the
options in the Layout window, you may want to send your output to an encapsulated postscript
(EPS) file. This file type is widely used by service bureaus and print shops.
There is not a set export or save command for EPS files. You must set up a postscript printer driver
and print the map or layout to a file. Do the following:
1. From the Windows Control Panel, select PRINTERS.
2. In Printer Setup choose ADD PRINTER. The Add Printer Wizard displays.
3. Follow the wizard for the setup. Choose a postscript printer from the printer list, and select
FILE as the available port. The print driver may have an option to specify EPS that should
be enabled.

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4. Once the postscript driver is installed on your system, you will use that printer to print the
map or layout to a file from MapInfo Professional.
5. In MapInfo Professional, once you have created your map, on the FILE menu, click PRINT.
The Print dialog box displays.
6. Under printer name, select the postscript printer. Click OK.
7. The Print to File dialog box displays. Give your file a name and choose SAVE. You will now
have an encapsulated postscript file.

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Registering Raster
Images

Raster images can provide context to your maps by giving them detail and definition. This chapter reviews
the details of registering and working with raster image files.

In this Appendix:

Working with Raster Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423

Opening a Raster Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
Printing/Exporting Translucent Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434

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Working with Raster Images

There are a number of ways you can obtain raster image files. If you have a scanner and scanner
software, you can use the scanner to create raster image files. MapInfo Professional can read and
display the raster image files created with the scanner software.
Some graphics software packages let you save or export images into raster file formats, such as
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format). So if you can create a TIFF file with your draw or paint package,
you can display it in MapInfo Professional.
You can also purchase raster images from MapInfo Professional or other commercial vendors.
Some vendors also offer scanning services.

Understanding Raster Images in MapInfo Professional

Using raster image files, you can bring paper maps, photographs, and other graphic images into
MapInfo Professional. For example, if you work with paper maps, you probably want to use those
paper maps as the foundation for the maps you create in MapInfo Professional. Once you scan
your paper map into a raster image file, you then can display it in a Map window.

Using Raster Images As a Backdrop for MapInfo Professional Maps

Using a raster image as the base layer of your map gives you a detailed backdrop for your other
map layers. You can easily change the size, scale, or center point of the displayed image. For
example, if you want to enlarge part of the image, use the Zoom-in tool. Keep in mind, however,
that as you increase the images size, the display will become grainier if you exceed a 1-1 pixel
ratio. Each pixel in the image becomes more distinct, causing the image to look more like a series
of blocks instead of the intended picture.

Using Raster Images As a Stand-Alone Image

You may have a satellite image of topography that would be impossible to duplicate as a vector
image that you want to use for a presentation. You can display the image in MapInfo Professional
and then incorporate it into a page layout.

Map Editing with Raster Images

Once you have superimposed map layers on top of your raster image, you can use the raster
image as a reference while you edit your map layers. The process of editing based on a screen
image is known as heads-up digitizing. (To minimize image distortion, only digitize from map
images with known projections or rectified aerial photographs.)

Placing a Logo on a Page Layout with Raster Images

Most raster images displayed in MapInfo Professional are images of paper maps or aerial
photographs, but almost any image can be scanned and made into a raster image. For example,
with an image like your company logo, you can open and display the raster file in MapInfo
Professional without registering it because control point coordinates are irrelevant. You can then
place it in a frame in a Layout window and incorporate the logo into your page layout.
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Raster Image Details

There are many different raster image file formats. MapInfo Professional can read the following
types of raster files:

filename.GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)

filename.JPG (JPEG format)

filename.JP2 (JPEG 2000 format)

filename.TIF (Tagged Image File Format)

filename.PCX (ZSoft Paintbrush)

filename.BMP (Windows bitmap)

filename.TGA (Targa)

filename.BIL (SPOT satellite images)

filename.SID (MrSID format)

filename.WMF (Windows Metafile format)

filename.EMF (Enhanced Metafile) format

filename.PNG (Portable Network Graphics format)

filename.PSD (Photoshop 3.0)

filename.ECW (ECW 2.0 format handler)

filename.GEN (ADRG format)

filename.GEN (ASRP format)

filename.* (CADRG format)

filename.* (CIB format)

filename.NTF (NITF format)

Color Options for Raster Images

MapInfo Professional can read the following types of raster images:

Monochrome images: Each pixel in a monochrome image can be displayed using two
colors, usually black and white. These images take up the least amount of space and will
display the fastest. In MapInfo Professional monochrome images can also display as two
different shades of gray.

Gray-scale images: Each pixel in a gray-scale image can be black, white, or a shade of
gray.

Color images: Each pixel in a color image can be any color from a palette of available
colors. The set of available colors depends in part on the image file format and the source
of the image. An 8-bit image contains eight bits, or one byte, of information for each pixel;
this means that the image has a palette of 256 different colors. A 24-bit image contains
twenty-four bits, or three bytes, of information per pixel, which means that the image has a
palette of over 16 million colors. MapInfo Professional now supports 24-bit, True Color
display, with transparency.

For best results when viewing a raster image, we recommend using a high resolution video
display.

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Opening a Raster Image

When you open a raster file, you need to know about a process called raster image registration.
Using a vector map as a reference, you identify the coordinates of control points on the vector map
and match them with equivalent points on the raster image. This coordinate information allows
MapInfo Professional to determine the position, scale and rotation of the image so that you can
overlay vector data on top of the image. The coordinate information is stored in a TAB file created
during the registration process. The TAB file enables you to re-open the raster file in MapInfo
Professional format. The registration process is explained in more detail in the next section.
You usually register the image the first time you open it. However, you do not need to register the
image if you do not plan to use vector data with it, or if it already contains georegistration
information.
Raster images usually fall into one of three categories:

A fully registered image, containing control points and a projection (e.g., GeoTIFF file).

A partially registered image containing control points, but missing a projection (e.g., an
image with an associated World file).

An unregistered image missing control points and a projection.

Once the image is registered, opening it again requires a slightly different procedure. Opening
both unregistered and registered images is explained in the next section.

Opening Unregistered Raster Images

In MapInfo Professional, you can open an unregistered raster image and display it directly in a
Map window without manually registering the image. This is useful whenever accurate control
point coordinates are unnecessary, such as when the image is not a map (e.g., a logo) or when
you are using a stand-alone image.
To open an unregistered raster image without manually registering it:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN. The Open dialog box displays.
2. In the List Files of Type drop-down list, choose RASTER IMAGE.
3. Select the file you want to open, and choose OPEN. A dialog box displays asking you if you
want to display the unregistered image.
4. Choose DISPLAY. The image displays in a Map window.
A TAB file is created for the image using non-earth coordinates. MapInfo Professional will use
dummy registration points to position the image.
If you decide later that you want to use the image with a vector map, you can re-register the image.
Follow steps 1 and 2 above. Since a TAB file has already been created for the image, MapInfo
Professional will tell you that a table definition already exists and ask you if you want to overwrite it.
Choose Register to proceed to the Image Registration dialog box and register the image.

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Opening Georeferenced Raster Images

MapInfo Professional includes support for the direct opening of georeferenced raster images.
Georegistration information consists of three or more control points and a projection. Any raster
image that contains complete georegistration information can be opened directly in MapInfo
Professional using the Open command.
If the raster handler for the image can return all the georegistration information, a .tab file can
automatically be created. For example, MapInfo Professionals tiff.rhl raster handler can return
georegistration information for GeoTIFF files.
To open a georeferenced image:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN. The Open dialog box displays.
2. In the List Files of Type drop-down list, choose RASTER IMAGE.
3. Select the file you want to open, and choose OPEN. Your image displays in a Map window.
Additional support has also been included for World files (*.TFW). World files contain control point
information, but no projection. When you open a raster image that does not contain registration
information, the raster engine will search for a World file associated with it to obtain control points
for the image. MapInfo Professional will then display the Choose Projection dialog box, where you
can specify a projection and open the image.
If there is no registration information and no World file associated with the image, the Display/
Register dialog box displays. You can either display the unregistered image, or register it. As
explained above, when opening unregistered images, the Display option creates a .tab file for the
image using a non-earth projection and dummy control points. The Register option displays the
Image Registration dialog box, where you register the image.

Opening Registered Raster Images

You only have to register a raster image once. Once a .tab file has been created for it, you can
open the image like any other MapInfo Professional table each subsequent time you open the file.
The sample raster image files included with MapInfo Professional have already been registered
(contain a TAB file). If you purchased a raster image from another source, it may already have a
TAB file attached. You will not need to register these images either.
To open a registered raster image:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN.
2. Leave the File Format as it is (MapInfo). The registration process already created a
MapInfo Professional readable file (TAB file).
3. Choose the table file (e.g. PARCELS.tab) from the list in the dialog box. (The TAB file
contains the control point information supplied during the registration process.)
4. Choose OPEN. MapInfo Professional opens the raster image table and displays the image
in a Map window.

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Raster File Search When Opening Tables

When you open a MapInfo Professional table that contains a raster or grid file, MapInfo
Professional searches for the file if it cannot find it immediately. For example, the search capability
can simplify opening tables if your .tab file refers to an image that resides on a CD-ROM drive, and
different letters are used to designate the CD-ROM drive on different systems.
MapInfo Professional uses the following search order:
1. Search for the file where specified by the FILE tag in the .tab file.
2. Search for the file in the same directory as the .tab file.
3. Search for the file in the Table Search path specified in the Directories preferences (in the
OPTIONS menu, point to PREFERENCES and click DIRECTORIES and select SEARCH
DIRECTORIES FOR TABLES).
MapInfo Professional either opens the table as though it found the file in the specified location, or it
will report an error because the file could not be found in any location.

Registering the Coordinates of a Raster Image

Before you can overlay vector data on top of a raster image, you must first register the raster
image so that MapInfo Professional can position it properly in a Map window. In the Image
Registration dialog box, you can identify control point coordinates and specify the appropriate
projection for the raster image.
Control points are the coordinates you identify on the raster image that MapInfo Professional can
use later to match up to other layers. It is very important to provide accurate control point
information when registering a raster image, so MapInfo Professional can display raster images
without distorting or rotating them. Later, when you overlay vector data, MapInfo Professional
distorts and rotates the vector data so both layers can line up properly. Identifying significant
control points makes this match up process easier. We suggest you use highway/street
intersections and prominent landmarks as control points, as they rarely move.
Specifying the correct projection of the raster image is also important for accurate display. Images
that do not have known projections, such as unrectified aerial photographs, are less suitable for
use with vector data.
There are two ways to register a raster image in MapInfo Professional. Each involves specifying
the map coordinates of control points on a reference map and matching them with equivalent
points on the raster image. To determine map coordinates, you can:

Identify a points coordinates from the paper map.

Determine a raster images control point coordinates on screen and automatically transfer
the information to the Image Registration dialog box.

Note:

If you scanned in the image from a paper map, the map most likely contains a graticule
(latitude and longitude grid). You can choose those coordinates for prominent features and
enter them in the Image Registration dialog box.

To register the coordinates of a raster image and create a .tab file from the raster image:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN and specify the Raster Image file format in the Files of type
drop-down list.
2. Choose a raster image file and choose OPEN. The Display/Register dialog box displays.
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3. Click REGISTER to display the Image Registration dialog box.

Control Points list

box

Preview of Raster
Image

4. Choose the PROJECTION button to specify the raster images projection. It is easier to
match up the maps if you select the same projection for the raster image as the vector
images (layers) you want to use. Choosing the same projection minimizes image
distortion when overlaying the vector map layers. You cannot change the projection from
the Map window.
Note:

If you do not set the projection, MapInfo Professional defaults to Longitude/

Latitude or to the default table projection set by using the map window
preferences you set.

5. You can set the units for the control point entries by clicking the UNITS button.
6. To select the actual coordinates to register in the raster image, click the ADD button to add
a new entry into the CONTROL POINTS list box. The Add Control Point dialog box displays.

7. Specify the coordinates from the paper map in the dialog box. The location of each point is
marked on the preview image with a + symbol. You can change the Label to something
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more meaningful to you, such as US85/LA132, to describe an intersection in the raster

map. You might also select a prominent building or other very specific address that is
easily identifiable in both maps.
8. Repeat this process (step 6 and step 7) until you have registered at least three or four
points on the raster image. Try to vary the position of these control points to better define
the map. If too many points are in a straight line, an error displays.
If you are working with an image for which you do not know the projection (such as an
aerial photograph), enter at least three control points to improve accuracy.
9. When you have completed your control point entries, click OK. The raster image displays
as a .tab file.
Use the + and - buttons to zoom in and out of the raster image. Zooming in on the image
may help you obtain greater accuracy in control point location. If you are having difficulty
finding a control point in the Image Registration image, click the control point entry in the
Image Registration list and click the FIND button to display the point in the image.

Transferring Vector Map Coordinates Directly to a Raster Map

To transfer the coordinates automatically from a vector map to a raster image, you need a vector
map of the same image. Then, you display the vector map side by side with the Image Registration
dialog box, which shows a preview of the raster image. Click a prominent feature in the vector map
to determine its coordinates and transfer this control point to the Image Registration dialog box.
To transfer a vector maps coordinates to a raster image:
1. On the FILE menu, click OPEN and Raster Image file format.
2. Choose the raster image file and click OPEN. The Display/Register dialog box displays.
3. Click REGISTER. The Image Registration dialog box displays. A preview of the raster image
appears in the lower half of the dialog box.
4. Choose the PROJECTION button to specify the images projection. If you do not set the
projection, MapInfo Professional defaults to Longitude/Latitude or to the default table
projection set in the Map Window Preferences.
5. To add control points, click the ADD button to add a control point entry to the Control Points
list.
6. Click the PICK FROM MAP button and select a location in the Map window that matches a
location in your raster image. MapInfo Professional updates the Map X and Map Y fields in
the Edit Control dialog box with the new coordinates. Click OK to save this entry and close
the dialog box.
7. Highlight the entry in the CONTROL POINTS list and click the matching control point location
in the image pane. The Edit Control Point dialog box displays showing the control points
location in pixels in the Image X and Image Y fields. Click OK to save these entries.
Note:

Remember to type a meaningful description of this location in the LABEL field.

8. Repeat this process until you have identified three or four non-linear points in the preview
pane of the Image Registration dialog box.
9. After you have defined all of the control points, click OK in the Image Registration dialog
box. The raster image displays in the Map window under the vector layer.
Use the Layer Control feature to position the raster map appropriately with your vector
layers.

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Converting D/M/S Coordinates to Decimal Degrees

If you are entering map coordinates in degrees, you must enter decimal degrees as opposed to
degree/minute/second (d/m/s) coordinates. For example, to specify the coordinates 40 degrees,
30 minutes, enter 40.5 degrees. Be sure to use negative numbers when specifying west longitude
and south latitude coordinates.
MapInfo Professional includes the Degree Converter program in its tool set, which easily converts
coordinates from d/m/s to decimal degrees, and vice versa. You can also use the Degree
Converter to convert a single Latitude/Longitude coordinate to either decimal degrees or d/m/s.
To run the Degree Converter and convert columns to decimal degrees:
1. On the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER and check the LOADED check box next to the
name of the program. MapInfo Professional adds the Degree Converter to the Tools menu
for your current session of MapInfo Professional.
Note:

To have the tool load automatically each time you open MapInfo Professional,
check the Autoload box.

2. On the TOOLS menu, point to CONVERTER and click CONVERT COLUMN TO DECIMAL
DEGREES.

3. Select the table that contains the degree, minute, second information in the Table dropdown list.
4. Select the LATITUDE or LONGITUDE option in the Get Decimal Degree value from list and
select the column in which you want to store the results.
If you are registering a raster image that does not use longitude and latitude coordinates,
specify the appropriate projection in the Image Registration dialog box and enter your
coordinates in the native units of that coordinate system. For instance, if you are
registering a UTM map image, enter the coordinates in meters.
5. Click OK to convert the coordinates.

Raster Image Registration Error Value

After you register the image, the Image Registration dialog box may display an error value in pixels
for a control point. This value is the difference between the control point location on the image and
the X and Y coordinates you specified in the Add Control Point dialog box. It is important to keep
the error value as small as possible. A large error value will cause the raster image to line up
improperly with the vector overlays. Make sure that you are as precise as possible with your
control point choices. You should display your image using a high resolution for best results. You
can add more control points to improve the registration.

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To add more control points to improve the registration:

1. On the TABLE menu, point to RASTER and click MODIFY IMAGE REGISTRATION.
2. Choose the ADD button from the Image Registration dialog box and choose another point.
3. Click PICK FROM MAP to select an equivalent point in the Map window and to transfer the
coordinates to the Registration dialog box. We recommend adding points near the center
of the raster image and in areas where the match is the poorest.
4. Click OK to save the new control points.

Modifying Control Points for Raster Images

If you must adjust the coordinates of a control point because the error is unacceptable, highlight
the point in the Image Registration dialog box and choose another location for it in the Map
window. To delete control points, click the point and choose the DELETE button.

Raster Image Display Options

You can display more than one raster image in a window at a time. This is limited only by your
computers memory. However, if you want to digitize from the raster image, it is best to use only
one image in a Map window. This is because two raster images will probably have slightly different
rotations.
When using two raster images with different projections, keep in mind that MapInfo Professional
will use the projection of the image that takes up the larger portion of the Map window. This means
that the second image is only positioned approximately.

Color (Raster Images)

Once you have displayed a raster image file in a Map window, you can make adjustments to the
colors in the image. On the TABLE menu, point to RASTER and click ADJUST IMAGE STYLES to
change the settings for that .tab file. On the MAP menu, point to LAYER CONTROL and click DISPLAY
and select STYLE OVERRIDE to adjust the raster style only in this Map window. The Adjust Image
Styles dialog box lets you set the contrast and brightness of the image, set translucency, display
color raster images in shades of gray, and make one color in the image transparent.

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Using the Adjust Image Styles dialog box does not modify the raster image file; instead, it changes
the way MapInfo Professional displays the raster image file. If you change an images display
style, MapInfo Professional records the new display style in the table file (e.g. PARCELS.tab) or in
the workspace for per layer styles, but MapInfo Professional does not alter the contents of the
raster image file (PARCELS.GIF) in any way.
If you change an images display style and choose OK, the new display style is applied
immediately. It will also affect all Map windows in which the image is displayed if you select the
TABLE menu, and point to RASTER and click ADJUST IMAGE STYLES. You do not need to choose
SAVE to save the changes.

Contrast and Brightness (Raster Images)

Adjusting a raster images contrast and brightness can help make your map more readable. When
you overlay additional map layers on top of your raster image, you may find it hard to tell which
lines are part of the raster image and which lines are part of the additional layers. Changing the
contrast and brightness can make it easier to differentiate the separate layers.
To soften the appearance of a raster image:
1. On the TABLE menu, point to RASTER and click ADJUST IMAGE STYLES. The Adjust Image
Styles dialog box displays.
2. Set the CONTRAST scroll bar to a low setting, such as 30%. (The default Contrast setting is
50%.)
3. Set the BRIGHTNESS scroll bar to a high setting, such as 70%. (The default Brightness
setting is 50%.)
4. Examine the image preview in the lower half of the dialog box. If the new display style
suits your needs, choose OK. If you want to go back to the previous display style, choose
CANCEL.

Color to Gray-scale (Raster Image)

To change a color raster image to gray-scale, click the GRAYSCALE button in the Conversions
group of the Adjust Image Styles dialog box. To change it back, click the ORIGINAL IMAGE button.

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Transparent Color (Raster Image)

You can also make one color in the image transparent. Making a color transparent will make the
parts of the map displayed under that color visible. In the Adjust Image Styles dialog box, check
the Transparent box to activate the Select Color button. Click SELECT COLOR. To select the color
you want to be transparent, click the color in the preview image. The color you selected appears in
a box next to the left of the Select Color button. The transparent color will display as white in the
preview image. When you redisplay the image in the Map window, the selected color will be
transparent.

Translucent Color (Raster Image)

MapInfo Professional provides the ability to display a translucent raster image. Translucent images
allow you to partially see through them, enabling you to lay translucent raster images over other
layers so that details of the layers below are partially visible. An image set to 0% translucency is
completely opaque; an image set to 100% translucency is completely transparent.

Style Override for Raster Images

MapInfo Professional provides the ability to change the display style for raster and grid images on
a per-layer basis through the Layer Control dialog box. The Style override option for raster images
works the same way as it does for other map layers. Just choose the MAP menu, and click LAYER
CONTROL, and select a raster layer in the Layer list. Click the DISPLAY button. The Display Options
dialog box for the image displays. Select the Style Override check box and click the STYLE button.
The Adjust Image Styles dialog box displays. You can change any of the raster image style
settings.

Zoom Layering for Raster Images

Zoom layering for raster images controlled from preferences (in the OPTIONS menu, point to
PREFERENCES and click MAP WINDOWS and select AUTOMATIC RASTER ZOOM LAYERING). To
change the zoom layering setting for a raster layer that you are currently working with, go to the
Display Options dialog box (in the MAP menu, and point to LAYER CONTROL and click DISPLAY) and
to either activate or turn off zoom layering. The setting is turned on by default.

Limitations in Using Raster Images

Many of MapInfo Professionals features cannot be applied to raster image tables. As a general
rule, you cannot use MapInfo Professional to modify a raster image file. Specific limitations of
raster tables include:

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No Data Saved with Raster Images

A raster table does not have columns, therefore, you cannot attach text or numeric data directly to
a raster table, and you cannot perform queries, such as Find, on a raster table. You can, however,
overlay a conventional (vector-based) MapInfo Professional table on top of the raster image, and
attach data to the conventional table.

Map Projections Limitation with Raster Images

When a raster image file is displayed in a Map window, the Map window automatically adopts the
map projection used by the raster image. You cannot reset the projection of the Map window.
If two raster images in a Map window use different map projections, MapInfo Professional will use
the projection of the map that takes up the larger portion of the Map window.
The Map window will redraw slowly when you overlay other map layers on top of a raster image.
The map redraws slowly because MapInfo Professional is re-calculating map coordinates so that
the vector map objects conform to the projection of the raster image.

Printing/Exporting Translucent Images

When printing or exporting a translucent raster image, youll want to take advantage of Advanced
options.
To print a translucent raster image:
1. Do one of the following:

On the FILE menu, click PRINT

On the FILE menu, click SAVE WINDOW AS

2. Click ADVANCED and choose from the following settings according to your printing and
exporting requirements.

PRINT/EXPORT BORDER Select to include the black rectangle border when

exporting.
INTERNAL HANDLING FOR TRANSPARENT VECTOR FILLS AND SYMBOLS Select to allow
MapInfo Professional to perform special handling when exporting transparent fill
patterns or transparent bitmap symbols. If unchecked, the process is handled by
Windows.
USE ROP METHOD TO DISPLAY TRANSPARENT RASTER Use this option if the output
format is a metafile (EMF or WMF). Using the ROP method allows any underlying data
to be rendered in the original form. For example, vector data that is under transparent
pixels will not be rasterized. In metafiles, using ROP method will not draw any data in
the areas of the raster pixels, allowing the background to be truly transparent.
PRINT/EXPORT RASTER IN TRUE COLOR WHEN POSSIBLE Use 24-bit true color to print
raster and grid images. This is possible when the image is 24 bit and the printer
supports more than 256 colors.
DITHER METHOD Choose when it is necessary to convert a 24 image to 256 colors,
use either halftone or error diffusion. This option is used when printing raster and grid
images. Dithering occurs if Print Raster In True Color When Possible is disabled or if
the printer color depth is 256 colors or less.

3. Click OK to print or export your files.

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In the MapInfo Professional advanced printing options the, Print Directly to Device option
does not work for translucent images. Select Print Using EMF Method instead.

Storing Raster Image Files

Each raster table can contain only one raster image file. You cannot add rows to a raster table, and
you cannot append additional raster image files to the table.

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Working with Coordinate

Systems and Projections

How do you flatten the curved surface of the earth so that you can draw maps on flat pieces of paper and
(nearly) flat computer screens? You use a projection. A projection is a system that defines how to flatten
objects. MapInfo Professional allows you to display your maps in different projections. This chapter
concentrates on the simpler tasks you can perform with projections: adding ocean and grid layers,
changing a maps projection, and saving a map with a new projection.

In this Chapter:

Understanding Coordinate System and Projection Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437

Choosing Projections for Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439
Converting Coordinates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442
Working with Projections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443
Creating Custom Coordinate Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445
Using Earth and Non-Earth Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 449
Using the Ocean and Grid Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450

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Understanding Coordinate System and Projection Terminology

When you transfer objects from the spherical world to the relatively flat computer screen, there is
bound to be some distortion.
Mollweide (Equal-Area)

Think about it in terms of an orange. If you write the phrase Think Visually with MapInfo on an
orange with a felt-tipped marker, the words look relatively normal. However, when you peel the
orange and flatten it out, the words are barely legible. When words or objects drawn on a round
surface are transferred to a flat surface some distortion must occur.

What is a Projection?
A projection is a method of reducing the distortion that occurs when objects from a spherical
surface are displayed on a flat surface. There are many different types of projections, each
designed to reduce the amount of distortion for a given area
Notice the difference between the next two maps. While the first one flattens Alaska, the second
shows Alaskas true size. The relative distance between the continental US, Alaska, and Hawaii is
very different in the two pictures. The border between the continental US and Canada is much
more representative of a curved surface in the second projection.
Projections are most often used for:

Digitizing a map that has an explicit projection.

importing a DXF file that has an explicit projection.

Running a GIS application that requires the geographic precision of a given projection.

Cosmetically altering your map for output.

Projections are not used for:

Non-earth maps, whose coordinates do not have any reference to locations on earth.

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Using Latitude/Longitude

Using Azimuth Equidistant (NorthPole) Projection

What is a Coordinate System?

You may hear the term coordinate system when talking about projection. A coordinate system is a
set of parameters that tells you how to interpret the locational coordinates for objects. One of those
parameters is projection. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, projection is only one
part of a coordinate system.
Projection relates to how the objects display on a flat surface. A coordinate system tells you what
projection is being used for the map, along with other reference information.
In MapInfo Professionals Choose Projection dialog box, you are in fact choosing more than a
particular map projection. You are choosing a coordinate system.
MapInfo Professionals default map projection (Longitude/Latitude) is actually an equidistant
cylindrical projection, using longitude/latitude coordinates. This projection is called Longitude/
Latitude to convey that when you choose it, you will be working in degrees long/lat.
For a discussion of the parameters that make up a coordinate system and instructions on how to
create your own, see Creating a New Coordinate System on page 446.

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Types of Coordinate Systems and Projections Available

The datum is established by tying a reference ellipsoid to a particular point on the earth and
includes:

The number used to identify the datum in the MAPINFOW.PRJ file.

The datums name

The maps for which the datum is typically used

The datums reference ellipsoid

For a complete listing of projection datums, see Projection Datums in Appendix B on page 532
for further information.

Choosing Projections for Display

As mentioned earlier, all projections create some sort of distortion. For example, some
projections distort the relative area of regions. Two regions that have the same area on the
earth will appear to have different areas on the map. Other projections, such as equal area
projections, show regions with the correct area relationships (two regions that have the same
area on the earth will have the same area on the map). However, equal area projections distort
the shapes of regions, usually by flattening map objects near the North and South Poles.
Conformal projections (such as Mercator and Lambert Conformal Conic) show the shapes of
small features accurately, but distort the shapes and areas of large regions.
For example, on the earth the area of Greenland is approximately 1/8 the area of South
America. However, on a Mercator map, Greenland and South America appear to have the
same area. While detailed areas of Greenlands coastline are displayed with the correct
shape, Greenlands shape, as a whole, is distorted out of proportion.
Greenland

South America
Longitude/Latitude

Mercator

If you are not familiar with the different projections (or you are changing projections for strictly
cosmetic purposes), choosing the optimal projection for display may involve some trial and error.
You cannot destroy or damage your data by displaying maps in different projections. Technically,
you can apply any projection to any earth map. However, we offer these general guidelines:
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If you are creating a thematic map on regions (countries), an equal-area projection is

recommended, especially if you are mapping the entire world.

Use the Projections of the World for maps of the entire world. They are generally
unsuitable for mapping smaller areas.

Use the U.S. State Plane Coordinate Systems for maps of the respective states. You
should not use them for mapping different states or other countries.

Options in Choosing a Projection

Choosing a projection may rely on the way the map comes to you.

Digitizing a Projected Map

When digitizing a projected map, use the PROJECTION button in Digitizer Setup to specify the
projection of your paper map. Once you have finished digitizing a map, use SAVE COPY AS to save
the table to any other projection.

Importing a Map
When importing a MIF file, the CoordSys line of the file specifies the projection of the map. If there
is no CoordSys line in your MIF file, MapInfo assumes the coordinates are in longitude/latitude.
When importing a DXF file, MapInfo presents a series of dialog boxes to specify the projection.

Creating a Projection for a New Table

To specify the projection for a new table, choose the PROJECTION button from the Create Table
Structure dialog box that displays when you choose FILE > NEW TABLE. If you do not choose a
projection, your table will use the default table projection.

Creating Points
When creating new points in MapInfo Professional, you specify which coordinate system these
new points are in by choosing the PROJECTION button in the Create Points dialog box. For more on
creating points, see Create Points - Putting Latitude/Longitude Coordinates on a Map in
Chapter 4 on page 158.

Displaying Raster Images

When you want to bring in a raster image to display in MapInfo, you must first register the image
and specify its projection so that MapInfo can display it properly. To specify the projection of the
paper map, choose the Projection button from the Image Registration dialog box. If you cannot
determine the images projection, use the default map projection (Longitude/Latitude). For more
on registering raster images, see Opening a Raster Image in Chapter 13 on page 425.

Projection Tips
Keep the following points in mind when displaying and saving maps with different projections.

Every earth map table in MapInfo Professional is stored in a particular projection, known
as its native projection.

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When you display a table in a different projection, new coordinates are calculated to
display each object in that map. These coordinates are only used to display the table in
the current Map window; the coordinates in the table itself are not affected.
For example, assume you are viewing the STATES table and want to display it in the
Mercator projection. Choose the PROJECTION button (on the MAP menu, click OPTIONS) to
choose the MERCATOR projection. MapInfo Professional redraws the Map window using
the new projection. If you open another Map window of the STATES table, it will open in its
native projection.

MapInfo Professional calculates distance and area using the method that is appropriate to
the projection of the Map window (Spherical or Cartesian). Non-earth projections use only
Cartesian calculations. Long/Lat projections use only Spherical calculations. Changing the
Map windows projection may affect what type of calculation method is available for use in
the Map Options dialog box (on the MAP menu, click OPTIONS).

After you choose a projection for a Map window, any layer added to that window will be
displayed with that projection.
If you change the default projection in Map Options, MapInfo Professional will apply the
new projection to all layers in the Map window. If you add an additional layer to the Map
window, MapInfo Professional will apply the new projection to that layer.

If you save a map layer with a new projection, do not delete the old map.
You can convert a map from its native projection to some other projection, but you cant
always convert it back accurately. On the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS. Choose the
PROJECTION button and choose the new projection.

When you display a map table in a projection other than its native projection, it takes more
time to draw the map. That is because the projection is being done on the fly. MapInfo
Professional must calculate new coordinate values for each object in the map.
When projections are calculated on the fly, it can take up to ten times longer to display
your map. If you plan on using a desired projection often, you should save a copy of the
map with the new projection.

Do not edit maps while you are changing projections.

Robinson

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When a map is being projected on the fly, editing that map can have unpredictable results.
Furthermore, MapInfo Professional has to redraw, and therefore re-project, the map after
each edit. This is very time consuming. For these reasons, we dont recommend editing
such maps. You should make your edits before you project the map or save the map in the
desired projection before editing.

If you open a new Map window that contains several tables with different projections,
MapInfo Professional will display the layers using the projection of the topmost layer. To
change the Map window projection, on the MAP menu, point to OPTIONS and click
PROJECTION.

Converting Coordinates
You can enter longitude and latitude coordinate values for points directly into your database. When
you do this, you must enter the coordinates in decimal degrees; MapInfo Professional does not
recognize coordinates entered in degrees, minutes, and seconds. Point coordinates entered in
degree, minute, and seconds appear as incorrect locations on your map.

Converting Degrees, Minutes, Seconds to Decimal Degrees

All it takes is some division to obtain the decimal form from a coordinate that is written in degrees,
minutes, and seconds. Use this formula:
Decimal Degrees = degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600
For example, to convert 42 degrees 45i 30I to decimal degrees:
Decimal Degrees = 42 + 45/60 + 30/3600
DECIMAL DEGREES = 42.7583333
The number 42.7583333 is the decimal degree equivalent of the original number that was in
degrees, minutes, and seconds.

Converting Decimal Degrees to Degrees, Minutes, Seconds

This is best explained with an example. To obtain degrees, first take the whole number from the
coordinate. For, 75.213458 decimal degrees:
DEGREES = 75
To obtain minutes:
MINUTES = (0.213458 * 60)
(Where .213458 is the decimal part of the entire decimal degree coordinate)
= (12.807480)
MINUTES = 12
To obtain seconds:
Seconds = (0.807480 * 60)
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(Where .807480 is the decimal part of the immediately previous calculation)

= (48.4488) (You can keep decimal digits, such as 48.45 seconds)
The final result: 75.213458 = 75 degrees 12i 48I

Working with Projections

A projection is a mathematical model that transforms the locations of features on the earths
surface to locations on a two-dimensional surface, such as a paper map. Since a map is an
attempt to represent a spherical object (the earth) on a flat surface, all projections have some
degree of distortion. A map projection can preserve area, distance, shape or direction but only a
globe can preserve all of these attributes. Some projections (e.g., Mercator) produce maps well
suited for navigation. Other projections (e.g., equal-area projections, such as Lambert) produce
maps well suited for visual analysis.

Displaying a Map with a Different Projection

To change the projection of the current Map, on the MAP menu, point to OPTIONS and click the
PROJECTION button. The Choose Projection dialog box displays. Choose the desired projection.
MapInfo Professional displays all layers in the Map window with the new projection. When you set
a projection for a Map window, all future layers added to that window will display with the new
projection.
Eckert VI (Equal-Area)

Saving a Map to a Different Projection

If you want to do extensive work with a table, but want to work with it using some projection other
than its native one, use Save Copy As to create a new table having a different native projection.
Open the table and on the FILE menu, click SAVE COPY AS. Choose the desired table from the list
and press OK. MapInfo Professional displays the Save Copy As dialog box. Click PROJECTION.
Choose the desired projection and press OK. MapInfo Professional returns to the Save Copy As
dialog box. Click SAVE.

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MapInfo Professional does not perform any conversions between non-earth and earth
projections via the Save Copy As command.

MapInfo Professional creates a new table containing the same geographic objects. However, the
coordinates have been converted to display the objects in the new format. The new projection
becomes the native projection for the new table. When you display the table in a Map window, it
will display rapidly with this new projection.
Whenever you save a map to another projection, you should preserve the original map. Do not
erase the original in order to save disk space. The process of projecting a map is often not
completely reversible.
CAUTION:

You can convert a map from its native projection to some other projection, but
you cant always convert it back accurately.

If you convert a map back to the projection you started from, some coordinate points may be
missing, especially near the poles.

Frequently Asked Questions about Projection

Question: How do I convert a coordinate system with units in meters to use feet?
Answer: You will need to edit the MAPINFOW.PRJ file to modify the same projection in a different
measurement system and adjust the False Eastings and Northings used for the difference.
For example, the first line is the original projection expressed in meters. The second line is a
copied modification of the first, where the units were changed from 7 (meters) to 8 (feet)
indicating this coordinate system is now using feet, and the False Easting (2000000) and Northing
(500000) components were divided by .3048 to convert them from meters to feet.
Example:
California, Zone I (1983)\p26941, 3, 74, 7, -122, 39.3333333333, 40, 41.6666666667,
2000000, 500000
California, Zone I FT (1983)\p26941, 3, 74, 8, -122, 39.3333333333, 40, 41.6666666667,
6561679.7, 164041.99

Question: I chose Longitude/Latitude (NAD 83) as my projection; however, whenever I look at the Choose Projection dialog box, it keeps saying Longitude/Latitude
(GRS 80). Why wont my projection change?
Answer: The GRS 80 datum is exactly identical to NAD 83 datum. MapInfo uses the numeric
parameters, not the name, to decide which coordinate system to highlight in the Choose Projection
dialog box. Since GRS 80 has the same numeric parameters as NAD 83, and GRS 80 comes
earlier in the list, MapInfo chooses GRS 80 instead of NAD 83. (There are several other datums
identical to GRS 80, e.g., EUREF 89, GDA 94, etc.)

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Creating Custom Coordinate Systems

This section briefly defines the elements of a coordinate system. The first element in defining a
coordinate system is the set of equations for the systems projection. The elements after that are
the parameters for the projection. None of the coordinate systems require all of these parameters.

Using the MAPINFOW.PRJ File

MapInfo Professional stores information about coordinate systems and projections in a file called
MAPINFO.PRJ. The file contains the values that define each coordinate system MapInfo
Professional supports, more than 300 such systems.
To review the MAPINFOW.PRJ file, use a text editor or word processor. Each coordinate system is
identified by name, followed by the values that represent the coordinate system parameters,
including projection, datum, origin, standard parallels, azimuth, scale factor, false eastings and
false northings, and range. Each coordinate system is on a separate line, and each parameter
value is separated by a comma, as in the following examples:
You can review the MAPINFOW.PRJ file by using a text editor or word processor. Each coordinate
system is identified by name, followed by the values that represent the coordinate system
parameters, including projection, datum, origin, standard parallels, azimuth, scale factor, false
northings and false eastings, and range. Each coordinate system is on a separate line and each
parameter value is separated by a comma, as in the following examples:
Sinusoidal (Equal Area), 16, 62, 7, 0
New Zealand Map Grid, 18, 31, 7, 173, 41, 2510000, 6023150

If a particular coordinate system is not listed in the file, you can add it to the file yourself, providing
MapInfo Professional supports the projection. See Creating Custom Coordinate Systems on
page 445 for instructions on creating your own coordinate system.

Specifying Coordinate System Bounds

You can specify the bounds for coordinate systems in the MAPINFOW.PRJ file. To do so, add
2000 to the projection number and list the bounds after the projection parameters. The form is:
name, projectionnum + 2000, projection parameters, x1, y1, x2, y2

For example, to define a UTM Zone 10 coordinate system with bounds of (100000, 400000) to
(200000, 450000), use this line:
UTM Zone 10, 2008, 74, 7, -123, 0, 0.9996, 500000, 0, 100000, 400000,
200000, 450000

To define a Longitude / Latitude coordinate system with bounds of (-50, 30) to (-48, 35), use this:
Longitude / Latitude, 2000, 0, -50, 30, -48, 35

You can also define a coordinate system with bounds and an affine transformation. In that case,
add 3000 to the projection number, and list the bounds after the affine transformation constants.
The general form is:
name, projectionnum + 3000, projection parameters, unitnum, A, B, C, D, E, F,
x1, y1, x2, y2
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Editing the MAPINFOW.PRJ File

The MAPINFOW.PRJ file lists the parameters for each coordinate system on a separate line, as in
the following examples:
Mollweide (Equal Area), 13, 62, 7, 0
Albers EqualArea Conic (Alaska), 9, 63, 7, 154, 50, 55, 65, 0, 0
Alabama,Western Zone (1983), 8, 74, 7,87.5, 30.0, 0.9999333333, 600000, 0
UTM Zone 9 (NAD 27 for Canada), 8, 66, 7, 129, 0, 0.9996, 500000, 0

The first element in each list is the name of the coordinate system in quotes. The second element
in each list is the number that identifies the projection. The remaining elements in the list are the
parameter values for that particular coordinate system. Each element is separated by commas.
To create your own coordinate system you will need to add a new entry to the MAPINFOW.PRJ file
that lists the appropriate elements. The process is described in the next section.

Creating a New Coordinate System

To create a new coordinate system for use in MapInfo:
1. Open MAPINFOW.PRJ in a text editor or word processor.
2. On a separate line, and following the convention of the other entries list the name for the
new coordinate system in quotes, followed by a comma.
3. Add the appropriate numbers for each parameter that pertains to your coordinate system.
The order of parameters is important. See Options in Choosing a Projection on
page 440 of this appendix for the parameters for your coordinate system. Separate each
parameter with a comma.
4. If necessary, move your new coordinate system to the appropriate place in the list of
coordinate systems. For instance, if the new coordinate system applies to a hemisphere,
put it in the Projections of a Hemisphere group.
5. Save your edited MAPINFOW.PRJ file.

Example of a New Coordinate System

To illustrate this process, consider the following parameters for a coordinate system that you want
to add to the MAPINFOW.PRJ file:
Projection:

Equidistant Conic

Datum:

NAD 83

Units:

meters

Origin:

30N, 9030W

Standard Parallels:

1020N and 50N

False Easting:

10,000,000 m

False Northing:

500,000 m

1. Open MAPINFOW.PRJ in a text editor or word processor.

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2. On an empty line, put the name of your new coordinate system in quotes, followed by a
comma.
Enter the following information to represent your coordinate system:
6, 74, 7, -90.5, 30, 10.33333, 50, 10000000, 500000

3. Move the entry to its appropriate place among like coordinate systems, if necessary.
4. Save your edited MAPINFOW.PRJ file.
You can now use your custom coordinate system just as you would use any of the coordinate
systems that come with MapInfo.
Things to keep in mind when editing the MAPINFOW.PRJ file:

When specifying projection, datum and units, use the number that represents the
parameter. These numbers are listed in the table for each parameter earlier in this
appendix. In our example, 6 represents Equidistant Conic projection; 74 represents NAD
83 datum, and 7 represents meters.

You must record the coordinates in decimal degrees. See Converting Coordinates on
page 442 for instructions on converting degrees, minutes, seconds, into decimal degrees.

Remember to include a negative sign for west longitudes and south latitudes.

You must list the origin longitude first in the MAPINFOW.PRJ file even though it is
commonly seen elsewhere following the latitude.

Carry out decimals to at least five (5) places for greater accuracy.

Do not use commas to represent thousands or millions in large numbers. Only use
commas to separate parameters from one another.

There are other ways you can edit this file. When you want a shorter list remove coordinate
systems from the file. You can also change the names, change group headings and reorder the file
to suit your needs.
Note:

Group headings are distinguished by the hyphen at the beginning of the name. Names of
coordinate systems cannot begin with a hyphen or a space.

Affine Transformations
An affine transformation is the process that changes the relationship between the coordinate
system you use to draw a map and the coordinate system you use to display it.
MapInfo provides the ability to define rotated or skewed coordinate systems by allowing an
optional affine transformation in any coordinate system definition. You can also define a coordinate
system with bounds and an affine transformation. In that case, add 3000 to the projection number,
enter the Affine parameters (A,B,C,D,E,F) and then list the bounds (x1,y1,x2,y2). The general form
is:
Name, Projection Number + 3000, projection components (see previous section),
Affine units, A, B, C, D, E, F, x1, y1, x2, y2

An example of a MAPINFOW.PRJ line with a rotated Affine transformation might look like this with
the affine parameters in Bold and bounds in Italics:
Equal Area for GA (NAD 27), 3009, 62, 7, -96, 23, 29.5, 45.5, 0, 0, 7, -0.00000000001, 1, 116.071, -1, -0.00000000001, -50.5312, -6972009.20702, -16901023.2253, 26829936.181,
16900922.1627

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Form Description of Affine Transformations

An affine transformation has the following form:
x = Ax + By + C
y = Dx + Ey + F
In these equations, the base coordinates (x, y) are transformed to produce the derived coordinates
(x, y). The six constants A through F determine the effect of the transformation and we use the
post multiply method for homogenous 2D coordinate systems.
This can be considered a matrix operation as follows:
ABC
DEF

X
*

001

X
=

Y
1

Where (X,Y) and (X,Y) are as defined above.

To do various types of affine transformations the values of A, B, B, D, E, and F need to be
determined. It is fairly easy to define the basic Transformations: Translations, Rotations, Scaling in
X, Scaling in Y, Shearing in X and Shearing in Y which can be done using an Affine
Transformation.
There are seven types of basic transformations:

Translation: C and F are the values you want (0, 0) to go to, A=E=1 and B=D=0. So to
move the coordinate system so the origin is at (5, 2) the values would be: A=1, B=0, C=5,
D=0, E=1, and F=2.

Rotation about the origin: A=E=cos(angle to rotate), -B=D=sin(angle to rotate), C=F=0.

So to rotate 60 degree counterclockwise around the origin, A=.5, B=-.866, C=0, D= .866,
E= .5, and F=0.

To Scale in the X direction: A is the scale you want to use. E =1 and the rest are 0. So to
scale to 3 times the size in the X direction the values would be A=3, B=0, C=0, D=0, E= 1,
F=0.

To Scale in the Y direction: E is the scale you want to use. A =1 and the rest are 0. So to
scale to 5 times the size in the Y direction the values would be A=1, B=0, C=0, D=0, E=5,
F=0.

To Scale Overall just make sure that A and E are equal.

To Shear in the X direction: A = E = 1, B is the shear factor and the rest are 0. So to
Shear by 5 units in the X direction then A=1, B=5, C=0, D=0, E=1, F=0.

To Shear in the Y direction: A = E = 1, D is the Shear factor and the rest are 0. So to
Shear by 4 units in the Y direction then A=1, B=0, C=0, D=4, E=1, F=0.

To get a general affine transformation, do a pre-matrix multiplication of the basic pieces of the
transformation. Make sure that you put the first operation on the right.
So to Translate to (5,2) Rotate 60 degrees and then Shear 5 units in Y, set up and multiply the
following matrices:

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0.5

-0.866

0.866

0.5

Multiplying these out gives the following matrix:

0.5

-0.866

0.768

3.366

-3.83

9.17

Therefore, the required values are: A=.5, B=-.866, C=0.768, D=3.366, E=-3.83, F=9.17.

Using Earth and Non-Earth Maps

Earth maps and non-earth maps generally require different treatment. The following section on
projections apply only to earth maps. An earth map contains objects that have a particular location
on the earths surface. All maps that MapInfo Professional sells are earth maps. Coordinates
typically represent an objects location in longitude and latitude, although other coordinate systems
(using various projections) may be used instead.
Sinusoidal (Equal-Area)

Use earth maps to:

Overlay your map onto any maps that MapInfo Professional supplies.

Use or change projections.

Specify objects on the map in terms of longitude and latitude.

Embedding MapInfo Professional Maps

MapInfo Professional brings its power of map display, creation and editing right into your favorite
application so that you may build a map where you need it. This chapter covers the basics of OLE
and the MapInfo Professional features that you may use in other applications to create dynamic
maps.
MapInfo Professionals OLE embedding capability turns your applications such as word
processors and spreadsheets into mini-MapInfo programs where you can create, display and edit
a map for presentation, reporting or publishing. OLE is a process known as Object Linking and
Embedding whereby a server application (such as MapInfo Professional) provides information that
is stored in a client application that can accept OLE information (such as a word processor).
MapInfo Professionals OLE embedding functionality allows you to embed a Map window in any
application that accepts OLE objects and use some of MapInfo Professionals features to create,
display and edit the map directly in that application.
With MapInfo Professional OLE Embedding you can build the map directly in your OLE container
application, or you can create it in MapInfo Professional and drag the Map window into your
application for additional editing or output. Because the MapInfo Map Object is a live OLE object,
you are in fact running MapInfo Professional in the background. When the Map window is active in
the container, the menu and toolbar of your application change to reflect the MapInfo Professional
features that become available. This subset of features is called MapInfo Map. (Some OLE
containers will create a separate window for the object.) With the click of a button or by choosing a
menu command, you have MapInfo Professional functionality in your application where you need
it.

What You Should Know First

Before you get started, it is good to review the system requirements and the registration statement
to ensure that you understand where to look for your MapInfo Map Objects.

System Requirements
MapInfo Map is an OLE server application that runs under 32-bit MapInfo Professional. You must
install MapInfo Professional 32-bit to engage MapInfo Map. On the client side, only container
applications that support OLE embedded objects can run MapInfo Map.

Registering OLE Objects with Containers

Once MapInfo Professional has been installed on your system, the MapInfo Map Object will be
registered automatically and listed as a choice in the Object dialog box of any container application
that accepts OLE objects.

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OLE Terms
This section contains some definitions of common OLE terms.
Activation: An embedded object must be activated to allow editing. This means that the server
program from which it was created must be running in the background while you are working in the
container application. To activate an object, double-click it. Depending on the program, the menu
bar of the application will change to reflect the available features of the server, or the application
will open a separate window.
Container or Client: The application that accepts (contains) the embedded OLE object. Examples
of containers include word processors, spreadsheet programs, databases, and presentation
packages.
Embedding: Inserting an OLE object from a server (e.g., MapInfo Professional) into a container
application (e.g., Microsoft Word) to allow editing and output in the context of other information. An
embedded object is a copy of the object from the server. Once in the container, the object is no
longer linked to the source object from which it came.
Embedding vs. Linking: An embedded item is stored as part of the document that contains it. A
linked item stores its data in a separate file. MapInfo Professional only supports the embedding
aspect of OLE.
Live object vs. static image of object: Embedding an object in a container using OLE means the
object is live; that is, you can edit the object in some manner using the features of the server from
which the object came. The container must accept the object as a live object. If it cannot, only a
static picture (bitmap or metafile) will be embedded.
MapInfo Map Object: You may find you want to include a map in your presentation or report that
lets you convey statistical information geographically. MapInfo Professional OLE Embedding
enables you to embed a map window, known as the MapInfo Map Object, that shows all your data
layers alongside other information such as charts and graphs, tabular data and text.
Object: Any information that is embedded through OLE, whether it is a map, chart, spreadsheet
data, sound effect, or text. With MapInfo Professionals OLE embedding, you embed a Map
window as the object.
Server: The source application that creates OLE objects for use by a container. MapInfo
Professional is the server that creates the MapInfo Map object that can be embedded in OLE
containers such as Microsoft Word or Excel.

MapInfo Map Tools and Menu Commands

MapInfo Map provides a variety of map display, viewing and editing capabilities, including:

Opening multiple tables at once

Controlling individual layer properties such as display and labeling

Creating and modifying thematic maps

Manipulating the Map window view

Finding information associated with a map layer

Controlling map projection and units

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Because MapInfo Map is a subset of MapInfo Professional features, using them in your container
application is the same as using them in MapInfo Professional. So, Layer Control and Thematic
Mapping work the same way whether you are creating a map in MapInfo Professional or in your
word processor.
Lets look in more detail about what you can do with MapInfo Map.
MapInfo Map allows you to create, display and edit map layers in a Map window directly in your
OLE container application such as Microsoft Word or Corel Draw. You can also bring over an
existing Map window from MapInfo Professional to your container via Drag and Drop or by pasting
from the clipboard. When the Map window is embedded in the container and is active, MapInfo
Map is running and replaces much of your applications menu bar with its own menu and toolbar.
From there you can access the power and flexibility of MapInfo Professional.

OLE Tools
MapInfo Maps Toolbar consists of seven tools to help you change the view of your Map window,
get information associated with a layer, and access MapInfo Map help topics. These tools include:
the Grabber, Zoom In, Zoom Out, Info Tool, Change View, Drag Map Window, and Help. When you
activate the map, these tools replace any tools the container application displays.
When MapInfo Map is active, the following tools are available on the applications menu bar:
Grabber tool: Use this to reposition the map contents within the active Map window by
clicking and dragging the map in the appropriate direction. This is the default tool.
Zoomin/out tools: Use the Zoom-in tool to get a closer view of the map contents. Use
the Zoom-out tool to get a wider view. Click the map with either tool or draw a marquee box to
change the zoom.
Info tool: Use this to view the tabular data associated with map objects. Click the map. The
Info tool window displays on your screen showing the objects and the associated data at that point.
Note:

The Info tool window is not embedded in your container like the Map window. You cannot
incorporate the Info tool window into your document. It is a temporary window only
available when the map object is active.

Change View tool: Use this to access the Change View dialog box and change the zoom,
map scale, and center settings to change your view of the map.
Drag Map Window tool: Use this to transfer a copy of your active Map window to MapInfo or
to another OLE container. During the process, the cursor will change to indicate the three stages of
drag and drop: begin drag, dragging, and drop copy. For more on using Drag and Drop, see
Bringing a Map Window into Your Application on page 459.
Help button: Use this to access help topics about embedding a MapInfo map.

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Menus and Commands Available While Using the MapInfo Map

MapInfo Map replaces all container menus except File and Window with five MapInfo Professional
menus: Edit, View, Table, Map and Help. Under each menu, selected MapInfo Professional
features have been included, as outlined in this section. This section contains summaries of
MapInfo Maps menu commands and tools. Be sure to refer to other chapters in this Guide and the
rest of the MapInfo Professional documentation set for more complete discussions.

Edit: Copy, Paste. These commands allow you to place the Map window on the clipboard to
transfer it to MapInfo Professional or another OLE application.
View: Toolbar, Legend. Controls the display of the thematic map legend (if any) and displays or
hides the Toolbar on the menu. To disconnect the Toolbar from the menu, click and drag it to
another location.
Table: Open, Close, Close All. Allows you to open and close multiple tables at the same time. If
you have inserted a new MapInfo Map Object in your document (on the INSERT menu, click
OBJECT), select the TABLE menu, and click OPEN TABLE to begin building your map. The Open
MapInfo Table dialog box displays where you choose one or more tables to open (.tab format
only).
On the TABLE menu, click CLOSE or CLOSE ALL to close any or all map layers. The Close dialog
box allows you to close multiple tables at one time.
Map: Find*, Layer Control, Create Thematic Map, Modify Thematic Map, Change View, Previous
View, View Entire Layer, Options, Redraw Window. Most of MapInfo Maps functionality is found
here where you can locate objects, control the display and look of each map layer, analyze and
display data thematically, and manipulate the view of the map contents within the Map window.

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Use the Find command to locate and mark specific map objects in the Map window. From the first
Find dialog box, specify the table and column that contains the object you wish to locate. At the
second Find dialog box, type the name of the object. When MapInfo Map locates the object, it
marks the location with a symbol. If the object was not previously in view, MapInfo Map redraws
the Map window with the object in its center.
Help: Help Topics, About MapInfo Map. Direct access to instructions on embedding a MapInfo
Map in OLE applications. Refer to the Help topics to learn about embedding a MapInfo Map Object
in your applications. Refer to the About MapInfo Map dialog box to show the product version and
license information (name, organization and serial number). Click the Tech Support button for
information on contacting MapInfo Technical Support.

Shortcut Menu
A shortcut menu is available while you are editing your embedded MapInfo Map in another
application. To access it, click the right mouse button. Choose from Layer Control, Change View,
Previous View and View Entire Layer.

Using Layer Control with MapInfo Map

The Layer Control dialog box determines how your map layers look and act. During the OLE
process you can change the layer order, add or remove layers, access the Display Options, Label
Options and the Modify Thematic Map dialog boxes. You can make layers zoom layered by
clicking the appropriate check box. You cannot make any map layers editable or selectable with
MapInfo Map.

Create/Modify Thematic Map with MapInfo Map

You can analyze your data directly in your application via the Create/Modify Thematic Map
commands. Choose them if you want to add or change a thematic map based on a layer in your
Map window. You can build any of six types of thematic maps (ranged, graduated symbol, dot
density, pie graphs, bar graphs, or individual value). Thematic mapping gives you a great deal of
control from choosing the type of map that best illustrates your data, to how the data is calculated,
how the data is visually presented, and how the map is customized. Thematic mapping is
thoroughly discussed in this Users Guide and Online Help.
When you create a thematic map in MapInfo Map, a legend is created and placed in the Map
window. If the thematic map is modified, the legend automatically resizes itself to accommodate
the changes in thematic content. You can reposition the legend anywhere within the Map window
by dragging it to a new location; however, you cannot resize it.

Change View
This command allows you to specify the settings for viewing the Map window, including window
width, map scale, map resizing and center point.

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Previous View
This command allows you to return to the previous view. If you have changed the view of your Map
window at least once during the work session, the Previous View command is active, allowing you
to return to the last view.

View Entire Layer

This command allows you to see the entire layer (or layers) in the Map window.

Options
The Options command allows you to change the map units for the Map window, including
coordinate units, distance and area units, or the projection of the map.

Redraw Window
This command allows you to redraw the Map window. Use it to refresh the map after you press
ESC to stop an earlier map redraw.

Limitations of OLE
Although MapInfo Map enables you to build a map very easily in your container application, not all
of MapInfo Professionals features are available in the context of map embedding. Among them
are editing map objects such as regions or polylines, querying a table for further analysis,
geocoding to a table in the Map window, or displaying tables in other types of windows (Browser,
Graph or Layout windows).
However, with MapInfo Professionals drag and drop capabilities you can still perform these
functions in MapInfo Professional and bring over the Map window to your OLE container
application for final viewing, formatting and editing enhancements.

Working with Embedded Maps

Now that you have had an introduction to MapInfo Map Object and what it can do for you as you
work in another application, lets get down to the specifics of embedding an OLE object.
Although containers vary in their handling of OLE objects, there are some behaviors that are
common to all. There are three ways that containers accept embedded OLE objects such as a
Map window:

On the INSERT menu, click OBJECT to choose the object to embed from a list.

On the EDIT menu, click PASTE (or PASTE SPECIAL) to embed an object that was previously
copied to the Clipboard.

Drag and drop from the application to the container using the Drag Map Window tool.

The method you choose depends on which application you are in at the moment (server or client)
and how much you want to do to create the final map.

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Creating a New Map Window in Your Container

You just decided that adding a map to your presentation will lend great support to some
conclusions you have reached about your data. In this case, you will need to build the map from
scratch in your presentation application. These instructions apply to any type of container
application.
To embed a MapInfo Map Object in your application:
1. Position the cursor where you wish to place the Map window.
2. On the INSERT menu, click OBJECT (or on the EDIT menu, point to INSERT and click OBJECT
in some applications).
A dialog box displays listing all OLE objects the application can accept.

3. Highlight the MapInfo Map item and click OK. A default Map window of the world and
MapInfo logo displays. The Map window is also in an active state (surrounded by a
hatched border), meaning that MapInfo Professional is running in the background. Your
applications menu has changed to reflect MapInfo Map Objects menu.
4. To begin building your map, on the TABLE menu, click OPEN. The Open MapInfo Table
dialog box displays.
5. Choose a table from the appropriate directory. SHIFT-CLICK or CONTROL-CLICK to choose
additional tables to be opened at the same time. Click OK when you are through.
The tables display as map layers in the Map window. You can now label the layers,
change the display, create or modify thematic layers, resize or reposition the Map window,
or prepare the document for final output.

Bringing a Map Window into Your Application

You have been working long and hard on a map in MapInfo Professional that would really give
your sales report some visual interest. Since the map is nearly complete, it is more efficient to copy
it to your text document instead of making a new map in your word processor. You can either copy
the Map window to the Clipboard or use the Drag Map Window tool to embed it directly in your
document.
To copy a Map window from MapInfo Professional using the Clipboard:
1. In MapInfo Professional, make the Map window active and on the EDIT menu, click COPY
MAP WINDOW. The object is copied to the Clipboard.
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To copy the Map window all objects on the map must be de-selected. If there are
any objects selected, the Copy Map Window command will not be available.

2. Switch to your container application and position your cursor at the location where you
want to place the map.
3. On the EDIT menu, click PASTE to paste from the Clipboard to your document. The Map
window displays.
Note:

The map is not active at this time. If you want to make changes to the map
content, such as changing the view, creating a thematic layer or adding labels,
you will need to start MapInfo Map. Double-click the map to activate it and start
MapInfo Map.

If you only want to resize or reposition the object within your document, you do not need to
start MapInfo Map. Select and change the inactive object according to the methods for
your application.
In many OLE applications you can also choose PASTE SPECIAL to paste the MapInfo Map into your
document. Paste Special allows you to choose from three types of objects: the MapInfo Map object
which can be activated and edited; Picture, a graphic image format that cannot be edited; and
Bitmap format, also a non-editable graphic image. See your application for more on Paste Special.
To copy a Map window from MapInfo Professional using the Drag Map Window tool

1. With both MapInfo Professional and your container application running, adjust their
placement on the screen so that you can see them side by side (To tile MapInfo
Professional and another application running under Windows, click the task bar with the
right mouse button and choose Tile Vertically). Position your cursor in your container
where you want to place the map.
2. In MapInfo Professional, make the Map window active.
3. Click the DRAG MAP WINDOW tool on the Toolbar. The cursor becomes a hand and handle,
indicating you can begin the drag operation.
4. Click anywhere within the Map window (except the title bar). The cursor changes to the
hand grasping the handle for the dragging operation.
5. Drag the cursor to the container and click at the point where you want to drop the map.
When positioned over a valid drop target, the cursor changes again to the DropCopy
cursor. If the position cannot accept the object, the cursor will display a circle with a slash
through it.
This operation will only drag and drop a copy of the object. Moving and linking are not available
with MapInfo Professional OLE Embedding. You may find that for some container applications (for
example, Microsoft Excel) you must use the Control key in combination with the Drag cursor to
copy the object.
The Map window is not active after you drop it in the container. Double-click it to activate the map
if you want to do further editing.

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Saving your Embedded Maps

Once your Map window is embedded in your application, all you need to do to save it is to save
your document. The next time you open the document, the Map window will display in its inactive
state. If you want to edit the map at that time, simply double-click it to activate the map object.
Note: This is only possible if you reopen the document on the system that has both your
application and 32-bit MapInfo installed.
If you wish to save the tables that make up the map for future use in MapInfo Professional, you will
need to drag and drop the Map window, or copy it to the clipboard and paste it, back into MapInfo
Professional. Then save the tables before leaving MapInfo Professional. If you have created a
thematic map or labels, you will need to save the session to a workspace to save the thematic and
label settings. You may wish to save the Map window as a workspace regardless of what type of
map you have created for easy start-up next time.

Resizing and Repositioning an Embedded Map

Once you have your Map window in your container, you may find it necessary to resize or
reposition it in your document. This is accomplished by the container application itself, not MapInfo
Map, so use whatever methods the application supports such as select, cut and paste.
Note:

In some containers the object must be inactive for any changes to take effect.

For example, in Microsoft Word, click outside the object to deactivate it. MapInfo Map closes and
you are returned to the normal Word screen. Click once on the object to select it. With the cursor
over one corner of the image, drag it diagonally to enlarge or reduce the size of the image (this
method retains the correct proportions). Release the mouse button when you reach the desired
size.
In Microsoft Excel, you can simply drag a corner of the Map window to resize it. The Map window
can be either active or inactive during resizing.
For changing the view of the map contents, the object must be active. Use MapInfo Maps Change
View button to re-display the map at a different scale or position. Use the Grabber tool to bring a
different part of the map into view.

Printing a Document with an Embedded Map

When using Print or Print Preview in a document containing an embedded MapInfo map, we
recommend that you first make the map inactive (click outside the map). This will allow your
container to display or print the current map object. This is especially true if you make any changes
to the map object immediately before you print or preview.

Sharing Documents with Embedded Maps

Once you have created a map in your document, you may want to share it with a colleague. Or you
might want to use it on another system. When the document is opened on another system, the
MapInfo Map Object displays as a metafile, or picture of the map, in the inactive state. The map is
like any other graphic image at this point. If no map editing is necessary, the document can be

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printed, reformatted, reorganized, and saved with no special handling required for the map. The
map itself can even be resized or repositioned. You cannot, however, change the content of the
map since it is not an active OLE object.
To activate the map for editing on another system, your colleague must have access to 32-bit
MapInfo Professional and the data used to create the map. Double-click the map to activate the
OLE object. MapInfo Professional will prompt for the location of the data files if it cannot find the
original location. If the data is not available, cancel out of the Locate Data dialog box. The metafile
image is replaced with the MapInfo Professional world map in the active state. To retrieve the
original metafile image, close the document without saving and reopening it.
Note:

Sharing MapInfo Professional and map data on other systems is limited to the extent of
your license agreement(s).

MapInfo Map Objects vs. Data Map Objects

Microsoft Data Map is a feature of Microsoft Excel for Windows 97. Data Map allows you to create
thematically shaded maps based on data in Excel worksheets. MapInfo Corporation developed
Data Map in conjunction with Microsoft Corporation.
When you use Data Map to create a map, the map is an embedded OLE object. However, Data
Map OLE objects are different than MapInfo OLE objects. The following list describes some of the
differences:

Data Map works with data that you select from a Microsoft Excel worksheet, or import from
a Microsoft Access database; MapInfo Professional works with data from MapInfo
Professional tables.

Data Map provides only a small subset of MapInfo Professionals features. For example,
Data Map does not allow you to perform geographic queries, such as finding a street
address. Also, Data Maps editing capabilities are limited to simple operations, such as
adding annotations to the map. Data Maps main use is creating thematic maps; thematic
mapping is but one of MapInfo Professionals many uses.

Data Map objects can only be edited by using the Data Map software; to launch Data Map,
double-click the Data Map object. MapInfo map objects can only be edited by using
MapInfo Map. In other words, the two object types are not interchangeable you cannot
edit a Data Map object in MapInfo Map.

Using MapInfo Tables with Data Map

Data Map uses MapInfo Professional tables. All of the sample maps provided with Data Map are
actually MapInfo Professional tables.
If you have created your own MapInfo Professional tables, you can use your tables in Data Map.
However, before you can display your table in Data Map, you must set up your table using the
Data Map Data Installer. To launch the Data Installer, double-click the file DATAINST.EXE. (To
locate this file, click the Windows Start button, and then click Find.) Once you have launched the
Data Installer, complete the dialog boxes that appear on the screen.
Note that some MapInfo Professional tables cannot be used with Data Map. Specifically:

Data Map cannot display raster image underlay tables.

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Data Map cannot display a table that is actually defined as a relational join of other tables
(such as a MapInfo StreetPro table). To use a street table with Data Map, use MapInfo
Professionals Save Copy As command, which saves a street table in a flat form that
Data Map can use.

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3. Click the HOTLINK button. The HotLink Options for the table display.

4. Choose the Filename Expression from the drop-down list. This is the name of the field you
added to hold the file link information.
You can also use an expression that concatenates two or more fields to define the file link.
For example, in a map of the United States, you can use this expression:
http://www. + State_Name + .com

5. To add the table path to the filename before launching it, check the File locations are
relative to table location box.
6. In the Activate on group, choose how you want the active object to launch when you click
the object with the HotLink tool.

LABELS Choose Labels to launch the active object when you click the HotLink tool
on an objects label.
OBJECTS Choose Objects to launch the active object when you click the HotLink tool
on an object.
LABELS & OBJECTS Choose Labels & Objects to launch the active object when you
click the HotLink tool on either an object or its label.

7. Check the SAVE OPTIONS TO METADATA box to save the HotLink options to the tables
metadata.
8. Click OK.

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Adding the Path to the Filename

If you want MapInfo Professional to add the table path to filenames before launching them, check
the File locations are relative to table location box. This is useful if you are distributing tables
containing HotLinks to files located in the same directory. Regardless of where the data is
installed, the HotLinks will work. If the box is not checked, MapInfo Professional launches the file
without modifying the name.
Note:

Active objects that are URLs are not modified before they are launched, regardless of
whether the box is checked.

Saving HotLink Options to Metadata

Check the Save options to table metadata box to save the HotLink options to the tables metadata.
Every time you open the table, the HotLink options will be restored. This check box is not available
if the table is read only or if metadata operations are not supported on the table type, e.g., Street
Works tables.
If you do not check the box, the HotLink settings will be lost when you close the table, unless you
save your session to a workspace.
The settings are added to the .tab file in the Metadata area. The syntax for the HotLink settings is
as follows:
\ActiveObject =
\ActiveObject\Expr = (where the field or expression is stored)
\ActiveObject\Mode = (type of object from which to launch active object)

Entries can be one of the following:

HOTLINK_MODE_OBJ
HOTLINK_MODE_LABEL
HOTLINK_MODE_BOTH
\ActiveObject\Relative = (relative to path)

Entries can be one of the following:

TRUE
FALSE
Note:

The HotLink options are written to metadata when you click OK in the HotLink Options
dialog box. If you click Cancel in the Layer Control dialog box, the HotLink Options you set
are not applied to the Map window. However, the options are still in the metadata.

Using the HotLink Tool in Browser Windows

If you have saved the HotLink options to the tables metadata, then you can also use the HotLink
tool in the Browser window. Just click the HotLink tool to activate it, move the cursor to the field
you have set up for your active objects, and click any of the links.
Note:

The HotLink tool is available in a Browser window only when the HotLink settings are
saved to the tables metadata. Saving your session to a workspace without saving the
HotLink settings to metadata will not work because there are no user interface settings for
using the HotLink tool in a Browser.

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When you open a new Browser window, MapInfo Professional reads the tables metadata to
determine if the HotLink filename expression matches any of the Browsers field expressions. If so,
the text in that field is underlined, to indicate an active object. The HotLink tool will be available for
that Browser window and you can select links from it.
If the HotLink filename expression is not a table column name, you can create a HotLink field in
the Pick Fields dialog box, using the HotLink filename expression as the field expression. You
cannot edit data in a Browser window while the HotLink tool is active, but you can select rows and
move or resize Browser fields.

HTML Image Maps

Using the HTML Image Map tool, you can convert a MapInfo Professional Map window into an
HTML image that can then be added to a Web page. The HTML Image Map tool supports:

Point, arc, line, ellipse, rectangle, rounded rectangle, and polyline objects, in addition to
the original support for polygon and region layers.

Hotlinks and hyperlinks.

Multiple layers.

Ability to combine landing pages into a single HTML page.

Options in the application allow you to specify a title and copyright information for the Web page,
specify an image size and file format (JPG or PNG), designate a column for tool tips, and create
HTML landing pages for each object on the map.
The HTML Image Map tool is a MapBasic application that ships with MapInfo Professional. It is
available through the Tool Manager (on the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER).
To add the Image Map tool:
1. On the TOOLS menu, click TOOL MANAGER. The Tool Manager dialog box displays.
2. Check the LOADED box for the HTML Image Map tool. If you want the HTML Image Map
tool to load automatically every time you start MapInfo Professional, check the AUTOLOAD
box as well.
3. Click OK. The HTML Image Map menu item is added to the Tools menu.
To create an HTML image map:
1. In MapInfo Professional, open the table(s) you want to use for your map.
2. Arrange the layers the way you want them in a Map window, and set the zoom, projection,
and other display attributes.
3. On the TOOLS menu, click HTML IMAGE MAP. The HTML Image Map dialog box displays.
4. Select the layers for your image map. Use the ADD and ADD ALL buttons to move selected
layers to the Layers in image map list. Use the REMOVE and REMOVE ALL buttons to move
layers back to the Layers not in image map list.
5. Select the column that will be used for your maps tool tips for each layer.
6. Choose a title for your Web page and enter it in the Web page title box.
7. In the Image group, enter the copyright text. Click the COPYRIGHT button to insert the
copyright symbol into your copyright notice. Specify a size, image format, and clip
resolution for your HTML image map.
8. Specify a name and location for the HTML image map file in the HTML file name box. Click
the BROWSE button to navigate to the location you want.
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9. Check the CREATE HTML LANDING PAGES for each object box to create landing pages.
Check the POPULATE LANDING PAGES WITH RECORD CONTENT box to use columns in your
table as the content for the landing pages.
10. Click the COLUMNS button. The Choose Columns dialog box displays.
11. Choose the columns you want to include in the landing pages, and customize the column
text. Customization options are explained in the next section. Click OK.
12. Click OK again to generate the HTML image map.

HTML Landing Pages

The Landing Pages option allows you to click any region in the HTML image map and link to a new
HTML landing page specific to that region. You can put whatever content you want into the landing
pages, including column information from your table. The user interface enables you to select the
columns you want to use and customize the text.

Selecting Columns
You can select which columns you want to display on the landing page. Check the POPULATE
LANDING PAGES WITH RECORD CONTENT box to activate the COLUMNS button. Click the Columns
button to display the Choose Columns dialog box. You can add individual columns or all the
columns from your table. By default all the columns in the table are selected and appear in the
Columns on landing page list.
To remove a column from the landing page content, click a column to highlight it and click REMOVE.
The column name appears in the Columns not on landing page list.

Using Column Name Aliases

You can use column aliases from your tables metadata as the basis of the content of your landing
pages.
To bring your column alias metadata into the Choose Columns dialog box, click the LOAD from
metadata button. The column aliases display in the Column name alias list. Now you can edit the
column aliases so that the content of the landing page is what you want.
To edit a column name alias, click an alias from the Column name alias list to highlight it, and then
click the EDIT button. You can make any text changes you want; it is completely customizable.
Additional buttons in the dialog box, UPPER CASE, PROPER CASE, and REMOVE _, allow you
specify the case of the column text, or remove underscores from column name aliases.
Note:

These buttons will change all the column name aliases in the list.

In addition, you can save your edits back to the tables metadata. Click the SAVE to metadata
button when you have finished editing the column aliases.

ToolTips
When you hover your cursor over a region or polygon in your HTML image map, a tooltip displays.
The tooltip information comes from the column you selected in the dialog box.

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Redistricting Grouping Map Objects into Districts

One popular use of MapInfo Professional is to group map objects with a common field into
districts or territories. MapInfo Professionals Redistricting feature allows you to create new
districts, realign existing districts, all the while doing calculations of the attached data on the fly for
instant analysis and decision-making.

What is Redistricting and How Can I Use It?

Redistricting is the process of grouping map objects into districts in order to perform aggregate
calculations on the data to provide totals of net values for the districts. MapInfo Professional
creates an individual value thematic map where the variable is the district name. The color-coded
map shows the geographic extent of the districts. A special Districts Browser displays the districts
in tabular form.
For example, if you have a layer of states, you might want to combine the state boundaries to
create sales territories. Each state record includes a field, TOT_SALES, which contains the total
sales for the previous year. You would ultimately like to sum up the TOT_SALES field for each
state in a given sales territory. Redistricting is gives you the tools for creating the sales territory
and combining those TOT_SALES fields from each states data into one table.

But that is only one part of the redistricting process. The real power lies in the Districts Browser
where you can see on-the-fly updates of district record counts and data totals when you click a
map object and assign it to another district. This allows you to perform visual what if analysis to
achieve district realignments, a process sometimes referred to as load balancing.
When you are satisfied with the distribution, you can make the district assignments permanent.
Later, as the need arises, you can change the assignments and try out new distributions.
Redistricting does not create new map objects or permanently change the style of the map
objects. Redistricting is simply a dynamic grouping tool that displays map objects that share the
same district information as a group. While the map objects are not permanently affected, you can
make the district assignments permanent by saving the table.
You can redistrict any mappable table containing region, line, or point objects. The redistrict map
will reflect the appropriate fill, line, or symbol style for the objects. The Redistricter limits the
number of districts in a table to 594.

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You can use redistricting in a wide variety of applications such as creating and managing sales
territories, school or voter districts, emergency service coverage areas, delivery routes, natural
resource management areas, etc. Use it wherever there is a high degree of fluctuating data and
the need to try out different realignment scenarios.
You can use redistricting whether you need to create districts from scratch or realign existing
districts.
Before we get into the process, however, there are two key concepts to introduce: the Districts
Browser and Target District.

Using the Districts Browser

The Districts Browser is the key to the process of creating and changing districts. While looking
like other Browsers in MapInfo Professional, the Districts Browser is actually a dynamic window
that allows you to make changes to the groups and recalculates total values on the fly. You can
immediately see the results of your changes. You then have the option to make the changes
permanent or continue to try out new district realignments.
The Browser window lists the districts as specified in your table, the record count for each district,
and aggregate expression columns that contain the net total values of your data. You specify these
columns in the New Redistrict window dialog box when you begin the redistricting session.

Setting up the Target District

The target district is the selected record shown in the Districts Browser. One record is always
selected as the target. In redistricting, the target district receives the map object(s) that you assign
from another district(s). MapInfo Professional automatically sets the target district to be the first
district in the Browser, but you can change it to any district you desire by clicking on a district
records selection box in the first column of the Browser.
There are three ways to set the target district:

Select a record from the Districts Browser.

Select a map object in the Map window, make the Browser active, and on the
REDISTRICTER menu, click SET TARGET DISTRICT FROM MAP. The district that owns the map
object becomes the target district.

Select a map object, make the Browser active, and choose the Set Target District from
Map button.

The target district is identified in the Districts Browser as the selected record. The target district is
also identified on the StatusBar in the lower left corner of the screen.

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It is very easy to select a target district in the Browser when you have a small number of districts.
However, when you have many districts (the limit is 594), you may find it quicker to select a map
object and choose the Set Target District From Map command or button. If your default setting is
Most Recently Used (on the REDISTRICT menu, click OPTIONS), when you select a map object that
is out of view in the Browser, MapInfo Professional will bring the corresponding record up near the
top of the Browser. You can then use any of the three methods described above to set the target
district.
To change the target district, simply select another district in the Browser or select a map object in
a different district and choose Set Target District From Map.
There is always one (and only one) target district selected at a time. You cannot unselect the
district by using UNSELECT ALL in the QUERY menu.
When you select map objects, MapInfo Professional temporarily assigns them to the target district
and recalculates the totals for each district. The changes are instantly reflected in the Districts
Browser. The object count for the target district increases as do the totals for the data columns to
reflect the addition of the selected objects. At the same time, the object count and data totals for
the source district decrease to reflect the removal of the object from that district.

Using Redistricting
In general, the redistricting process follows these steps:
1. On the WINDOW menu, click NEW REDISTRICT WINDOW. Specify your table and field choices
in the Redistrict dialog box. MapInfo Professional displays a color-coded map and Districts
Browser.
2. Select the target district, if necessary.
3. Select the map object(s) that you want to go into the target district.
4. Observe the changes to the data values in the Districts Browser.
5. Assign map objects to the target district.
The process is about the same whether you want to create new districts from scratch or make
changes to a table of existing districts. The two situations are discussed in the next section.

Creating New Districts

If you do not have any established districts in your table, you can create them as you go during the
redistricting session. You should first, however, prepare your table to store the new district names
by adding an empty column to your table. To do so, on the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and
click TABLE STRUCTURE.
With that done, on the WINDOW menu, click NEW REDISTRICT WINDOW. The Redistrict dialog box
displays. Choose your table from the drop-down list. Choose the district field from its drop-down
list. The district field is the empty field you created in your table to hold the district names.

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A powerful feature of redistricting is the ability to calculate net total values from the data in your
table. Any numeric field can be aggregated by sum or percent during the redistricting session. The
Available fields list shows you what calculations are possible for the given table. Choose from this
list and click the ADD >> button to move the expression to the Fields to Browse list. Only those
items listed in the Fields to Browse list will be acted upon and displayed in the Districts Browser.
You can reorder the fields using the Up and Down buttons to list them in a certain order in the
Browser. When you are satisfied with the choices in the dialog box, click OK. MapInfo Professional
performs the redistricting operation.
When processing is finished, MapInfo Professional displays a map of your table with a single color
and a Districts Browser with a placeholder for a district entry. This is because you told MapInfo
Professional to carry out the redistricting on a column with an empty field.

To create another district, make sure the Districts Browser is active so that the Redistrict menu is
available on the menu bar. On the REDISTRICT menu, click ADD DISTRICT. The new district displays
in the Browser with the name DistrictN, where N is the next higher number. Continue to add
districts until you feel you have enough to begin reassigning objects to them. Enlarge the Browser,
if necessary, to see the new district records.
Note:

Each district you add will display with a generic name DistrictN, where N is the next higher
number. To change the names, highlight the name and type in the new name.

To begin building your districts, make one of them the target district. Next, select map objects in
the Map window to add objects to the new district. Notice how the values in the target district
increase as the object(s) are selected.
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At this point the objects are only temporarily assigned to the district. When you have made all the
additions to the district that you want for the moment, make the Districts Browser active and on the
REDISTRICT menu, click ASSIGN SELECTED OBJECTS to make the assignment permanent.
Note:

button from the Main toolbar.

You can also choose the ASSIGN SELECTED OBJECTS
You cannot build another district until you complete the current one.

You must save the table at the end of the redistricting session to retain the new districts.
Continue to add and assign objects to districts until you have created as many districts as you
need. You can now see the geographic extent of each color-coded district in the map window. You
can also see the results of the expression calculations in the Browser showing the new total values
for each district.
Now you can reassign districts to more equitably distribute resources, to include or exclude certain
information, whatever your needs call for.

Reassigning Existing Districts

If you already have districts in your table, or have a column that contains values that are shared
among the records, you can use those as the basis for your districts. When you activate the
Redistricter, these values display as color-coded districts on a map.
For example, choose a column that contains information that will make up groups of more than
one record each, such as sales reps, postal codes, area codes, states. If you choose a column
containing unique values like customer names you will create districts that only contain one record
each, not very useful for creating districts.
Note:

When you perform redistricting, MapInfo Professional alters the values in whatever
column you choose. You may want to make a copy of the column so that you retain the
column values. In addition, do not name your tables Districts. MapInfo Professional uses
Districts internally as a system table when beginning a redistricting session.

On the WINDOW menu, click NEW REDISTRICT WINDOW to start the redistricting session. In the
Redistrict dialog box, specify your table and field that contains the district names. From the
Available Fields list, choose the fields you want displayed during redistricting. Reorder the fields as
necessary. The fields will display in the Districts Browser in the order specified in the Fields to
Browse list. Click OK. MapInfo Professional creates an individual value theme and the Districts
Browser.
Now to begin the actual redistricting, or load-balancing, set the district that you want to add objects
to as the target district. Select the map object(s) and watch the data change in the Districts
Browser. You can select objects from more than one district and assign them to the same target
district. Simply SHIFT-CLICK each additional map object after the first one.

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Before realignment, children under 4 were

unevenly distributed among the districts.

As you choose map objects, the Browser immediately reflects the changes among the districts
with new counts per district and new totals based on expressions you specified in the Redistrict
dialog box, such as the sum or percent of a column value.
When you are satisfied with the reassigned objects for the target district, on the REDISTRICT menu,
click ASSIGN SELECTED OBJECTS to make the changes permanent. You can now choose a different
target object and add other map objects to it. Continue until you are satisfied with the new
distribution of map objects.
After adding the selected objects to the target
district, the Southwest and Northwest districts
contain about the same percentage of children

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Creating New Objects

Keep in mind that MapInfo Professionals redistricting operation does not actually create new map
objects. To combine objects in a district into a single object you must select the TABLE menu, and
click COMBINE OBJECTS USING COLUMN. You will be prompted to save the table first before
proceeding with the combine. For details, see Combining Objects Using Column in Chapter 10
on page 336.
Note:

You can only use Combine Objects Using Column for two dimensional objects such as
regions.

Options in Redistricting
To control the order of districts in the Districts Browser, on the REDISTRICT menu, click OPTIONS.
The Redistricter Options dialog box displays. Choose your preferred sort order from among: most
recently used, alphabetical, or unordered. You can also choose to show the Browser grid lines and
save the options as your default.
As mentioned earlier, the Most Recently Used option can greatly aid you if you have more districts
than the Districts Browser can display in a window. Whenever you select a map object that
belongs to a district that is not currently visible in the Browser, MapInfo Professional will move that
record near the top of the Browser window. You can then more easily set the new target district or
view the changes in the data fields as you carry out your load-balancing scenario.
Changing the display of your districts is simple. Click the fill pattern, line style, or symbol in the
Districts Browser that represents the district. The Region Style, Line Style, or Symbol Style dialog
box displays, where you can change the tools used to display the district.
To save the style changes, you must save the redistricting session as a workspace. SAVE TABLE
will only save the district assignment changes. The styles belong to a thematic layer, not to the
table itself. The district changes are applied to the table and, thus, can be saved to the table.

Records with No Graphic Objects

Redistricting involves grouping map objects into districts. If you are redistricting a table that
contains records that do not have graphic objects associated with them, keep in mind that MapInfo
Professional includes them as well in the Districts Browser. You cannot assign these records to
new districts. They will affect your data calculations when you move objects into new districts.
If you have numerous records without graphic objects in your table, it may be best to create and
save a subset of the table and run the Redistricter on the new table.

Saving New Districts

Once you have settled on the new districts, you must save the changes to the table that contains
the districts using SAVE TABLE. This will save the objects with the new district name.
If you created new districts, you can change the generic DistrictN names before saving the table.

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Exiting the Redistricter

To end the redistricting session, close the Districts Browser window. The redistrict thematic layer
will be removed from the Map window.
Note:

You must end the current redistricting session before beginning a new one.

Creating Expressions
Formulating expressions is something like writing sentences. There is a vocabulary of words from
which you can draw, and these words have to be combined according to syntactic rules. The
syntax of expressions is much simpler than the syntax of English, and the vocabulary is vastly
smaller. However, most of us have been using English for years and so it seems easy and natural
whereas formulating expressions is, at first, sometimes a bit difficult.
However, just as English has simple sentences and complex sentences, so there are simple
expressions and complex ones. Even if you dont get the hang of formulating complex
expressions, you can still use all the MapInfo Professional commands that use expressions. That
is because formulating simple expressions is very easy and, at the same time, allows you to work
with your data in powerful ways.

Constructing Simple Expressions

You formulate expressions using column (field) names and constants (i.e. specific data values), on
the one hand, and functions and operators, on the other. Think of the column names and constants
as nouns, and functions and operators as verbs, prepositions and conjunctions. You always need
at least one column name or a constant in an expression. How many operators and functions you
need depends on what you want to do with your expression.
The simplest possible expression consists of a column name, for example:
1. POP_1990
2. STATE
You could use such an expression in Thematic Mapping to indicate what data is to be represented
on the map. In Update Column such an expression would tell MapInfo Professional what data to
use in updating a column in the target table.
Here are some slightly more complex expressions:
3. POP_1990 > 17893
4. POP_1990 <= POP_1980
5. COUNTY <> Orange
6. POP_1980 * 1.2
7. POP_1990 / TOTAL_AREA
8. round(POP_1990/TOTAL_AREA,.1)

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The first three examples use comparison operators. The first tests to see whether the 1990
population is greater than (>) some constant (17893). The second tests to see whether the value
of one column, POP_1990, is less than or equal to (<=) the value of another column, POP_1980.
The third tests to see whether or not the county is Orange. When the county does not equal (<>)
Orange the record is selected. You could use any of these expressions in Select or in the Where
Condition clause of SQL Select. These commands allow you to select a subset of the records in a
table. The expression defines the characteristics of the subset.
Examples 6 and 7 use arithmetic operators. Example 6 multiplies (*) the value of POP_1980 by a
constant (1.2) while example 7 divides one column, POP_1990, by the value of another column,
AREA.
Example 8 uses the round function to round the value of the expression POP_1990/
TOTAL_AREA to the nearest tenth (.1).
Expressions 6, 7 and 8 dont have comparison operators and therefore they would not be suitable
for use in Select or in the Where Condition clause of SQL Select. However, you could use them
alone in Thematic Mapping, Update Column, or Select columns in SQL Select.

Constructing Complex Expressions

Now consider examples 9 and 10, that are a bit more complex than 1 through 8:
9. POP_1990 > POP_1980*1.2
10. round((POP_1980*1.2)/TOTAL_AREA,.1)
We created expression 9 by taking expression 3 and replacing the constant 17893 with the whole
of expression 6. Similarly, we created expression 10 by taking expression 8 and replacing
POP_1990 with expression 6.
In general, you create complex expressions by combining simple expressions. Perhaps the best
way to learn how to do this is look at some of the examples we have provided (above and
following) and create your own expressions based on those examples. However, there are two
very general techniques for creating complex expressions.

Replace a column name or a specific value with a simple expression.

Combine expressions using logical operators (and, not, or).

Example six illustrates the first technique. There are many examples of the second technique
throughout this entry. See particularly the discussion following Logical Operators.

Entering Specific Values (Constants)

When entering specific character strings, numbers, and dates into expressions, you need to follow
certain conventions.

Character Strings
When typing a particular string into an expression, you should enclose it in double quotes so that
MapInfo Professional knows to treat it as a string, rather than treating it as a column name.
Examples 11 and 12 are valid string constants, but 13 and 14 are not.

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11. Orange
12. New York
13. Orange
14. New York

Numbers
When entering specific numerical values, do not use thousands separators or currency symbols
(such as dollar signs) or any characters other than numerals, the decimal sign (.) or commas (,)
and the minus sign for negative numbers.

Dates
Dates consist of a month, a day, and an optional year. The year is specified by two or four digits
and should be enclosed in double quotes. The components of a date can be separated by
hyphens or slashes. The following are valid data constants:
15. 12092
16. 01/20/1992
17. 1/20

Operators - Mathematical Operators

Operator

Description

Example

plus

A+B

minus

A - B (subtraction)
-A (negative)

times

A*B

divided by

A/B

exponentiation

A^B

integer division

A\B

mod

modulo arithmetic

A mod B

Note that you can:

Add numbers to dates to yield another date

Subtract a number from a date to yield another date

Subtract a date from a date to yield a number

When you add numbers to dates, or subtract numbers from dates, MapInfo Professional treats the
numbers as specifying a number of days. If you want to add or subtract a week, you would use the
number 7. When you want to add or subtract a month, you could use 30 or 31. When MapInfo
Professional subtracts a date from a date, the resulting number indicates a number of days.

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Operators - String Operators

concatenation connects strings and string expressions.

(can be used if preceded by a space)

Strings must be enclosed in double quotes. Consider the following example:

Ms. + Last_Name

When MapInfo Professional evaluates this as part of an expression it places Ms. in front of each
last name. Note that the string constant (Ms. ) is in quotes. Similarly,
Hello, + world

gives you Hello, world. And

4+5

gives you 45.

Operators - Comparison Operators

Operators

Description

equals

not equals

greater than

less than

greater than or equal to

less than or equal to

Numerical Comparison
Numerical comparisons are based on the numerical values of the expressions and numerical
constants.
English: All rows where the household income is above $65,000.
18. HH_INC>65000
Comment: Dont add the dollar sign or comma. MapInfo Professional doesnt know what to do with
it and gives you an error message.
English: All rows where the median age is 42.
19. MED_AGE=42
Comment: This expression selects only those records where the median age is exactly 42. When
your median age data contains a decimal portion (which is the case for MapInfo Professionalsupplied demographic data) then it is unlikely that there are many regions with a median age of
exactly 42.
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The following expression gives you better results:

20. Round(MED_AGE, 1)=42
Comment: The function round(somenumber, somenumber) rounds the first number in the way
specified by the second. In this example, the first number is the median age (MED_AGE) and the
second is 1, indicating that median age is to be rounded to the nearest whole number.
English: All rows where the amount does not equal $23,000.
21. AMOUNT<>23000
Comment: You might want to use the Round function, as in 10, if you are not concerned that the
value be exactly 23000.

String Comparison
String comparisons are based on the exact character content of the string. In this case > means
alphabetically greater than (i.e. comes after in the alphabet) and < means alphabetically less
than.
When typing a string into an expression, you should enclose it in quotes so that MapInfo
Professional knows to treat it as a string, rather than treating it as a column name.
English: All rows where the vendor is Acme.
22. VENDOR=Acme
Comment: Note that Acme is in quotes so that MapInfo Professional knows to treat it literally (as a
character string) rather than to search for a column named Acme.
English: All rows where the vendor is not Acme.
23. VENDOR<>Acme

Date Comparison
English: All entries received on October 9, 1991.
24. RECEIVED=10991
Note:

Consider these conventions:

The date is enclosed in quotes

It is in the form: Month, Day, Year

The numbers in the data are separated by a hyphen or a slash (/)

Two characters were used for the year. You can also use four characters (1991)

English: All received after October 9, 1991.

25. RECEIVED>10991
Comment: This expression does not select those received on October 9, 1991. When you want
them as well:
26. RECEIVED>=10991
English: Records for all received before August.
27. Month(RECEIVED)<8
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Comment: This expression uses the Month function to extract the month in the date. It doesnt
specify any particular year. When your database has records for several years, this expression
does not pay attention to the particular year.

Logical Comparison
English: All that have shipped.
28. Shipped
Comment: The column Shipped is a logical column. It contains T for true, or yes, and F for
false, or no. When an order is shipped, it is marked T. Otherwise, it is not shipped. For orders
that are shipped, expression 28 evaluates to true. For orders not shipped it evaluates to false.
English: All that have not shipped.
29. Str$(Shipped)=F
30. Not Shipped

Operators - Geographic Operators

MapInfo Professional has several geographic operators. Use them to select objects on the basis of
their spatial relationship to some other object. MapInfo Professional has a special keyword you
use with geographical operators: obj or object. This keyword tells MapInfo Professional that it
has to get values based on the graphical objects in the table rather than the tabular data.
The geographic operators go between the objects being specified. Select the geographic
operators from the Operators menu. Here are the geographic operators:
Contains

Object A Contains object B if Bs centroid is anywhere within As boundary.

Contains Entire

Object A Contains Entire object B if Bs boundary is entirely within As boundary.

Contains Part

Object A Contains Part object B if Bs boundary is partly within As boundary.

Within

Object A is Within object B if its centroid is inside Bs boundary.

Entirely Within

Object A is Entirely Within object B if As boundary is entirely within Bs boundary.

Partly Within

Object A is Partly Within object B if As boundary is partly within Bs boundary.

Intersects

Object A Intersects object B if they have at least one point in common.

Contains Part and Partly Within are exactly equivalent to Intersects -- these are all treated the
same way by MapInfo Professional, so the standard syntax Intersects is almost universally used.
Contains and Within are concerned only with objects' centroids.
Contains Entire and Entirely Within are concerned with the area covered by a region object; the
location of the centroid doesn't matter.

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M - Object Centroid
Thus, if A, B, C, and D are all regions:
Object A contains Object B
Object A intersects Object B
Object A does not intersect Object C
Object B does not contain Object A
Object B intersects Object A
Object B intersects Object C
Object C contains Object D
Object C contains entire Object D
Object C intersects Object D
Object D does not contain Object C
Object D entirely within Object C
If A, B, C, and D are all polylines, then the Contains and Within operators are not applicable, but:
Object B intersects Object A
Object B intersects Object C
Object C does not intersect Object D
Object D does not intersect Object C
Similarly, a polyline can not contain a point, but it can intersect a point; a point can not be within a
polyline, but it can intersect a polyline.
Note:

MapInfo Professional can perform a simple Contains or Within comparison more rapidly
than a Contains Entire or Entirely Within. Therefore, unless you must be absolutely sure
that objects are completely inside other objects you should use Contains and Within rather
than Contains Entire or Entirely Within.

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Operators - Logical Operators

Operator

Description

and

is true if (and only if) both of its arguments (the expressions it joins
together) are true. A record must satisfy both of these conditions if it is to be
selected.

is true if either one, or both, of its arguments (the expressions it joins

together) are true. A record need satisfy only one of these conditions if it is
to be selected. It is also selected if both of its conditions are satisfied.

not

is true if its argument (the expression it applies to) is false. A record is

selected if it does not meet the stated condition.

And, or, and not are logical operators. You use them to combine expressions in Select and the
Where Condition clause of SQL Select. MapInfo Professional treats each such expression as a
test which it applies to each record in the table. For each test it gets a yes/no (true/false) answer.
MapInfo Professional uses the logical operators to tell it how to combine the individual yes/no
answers into an overall yes/no answer: Does the current record meet the selection condition?
Suppose you want to select all properties that are worth $250,000 or more and are in Columbia
county. Each record has to meet two criteria, each of which can be formulated as a simple
expression:
31. VALUE >= 250000
32. COUNTY = Columbia
You could perform one selection for all properties worth $250,000 or more. Then you could
perform another selection on that result, looking for all properties in Columbia county. However, it
is easier to combine the two operations into one using the logical operator and.
33. COUNTY = Columbia and VALUE >= 250000
When MapInfo Professional examines a record to see whether or not it meets the condition set by
this expression, it makes the two tests: Does COUNTY equal Columbia? Is the VALUE equal to or
greater than 250000? When the answer to both of these questions is true (or yes), then the record
is accepted into the current selection. When the answer to one or both of the questions is no (or
false), then the record is not accepted into the current selection.
Now, what if you want all properties worth $250,000 or more and not in Columbia county? You can
use not to negate the first clause of expression 33, yielding expression 34:
34. not (COUNTY=Columbia) and VALUE>=250000
Only records where the county is not Columbia satisfy the first clause of expression 34. Now
consider expression 35:
35. not (COUNTY=Columbia and VALUE>=250000)
Expression 35 is simply the negation of expression 33. Any record that would satisfy 33 does not
satisfy 35. Any record that does not satisfy 33 satisfies 35.
You can use or when you want to specify alternative conditions, such as:
36. COUNTY=Columbia or COUNTY=Greene
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Any record evaluated against this condition is accepted if its county is any one of the two specified
counties. One could, of course, use numerical tests as well. For example:
37. TOTAL_AREA>40 or VALUE>250000
This tests to see whether the area is greater than 40 or the value is greater than 250000. When
either one is true of a record, then that record is accepted into the selection.
In formulating expressions using logical operators you have to be careful how you use them. The
following expression, while it seems OK, does not work:
38. COUNTY=Columbia or Greene
Judging from its English translationCOUNTY equals Columbia or Greenethis expression
should operate just like expression 36 and give us any record containing Columbia County or
Greene County. But the rules of computational logic and the rules of English are a bit different.
When MapInfo Professional reads expressions it reads them from left to right. One of the things it
has to do is to determine how the items in the expression are grouped. Think of this operation as
inserting parentheses into the expression. MapInfo Professional reads expression 35 as though it
were grouped like expression 39, which is what we intend. It reads expression 38 as though it
were grouped like 40, which is not at all what we want.
39. (COUNTY=Columbia) or (COUNTY=Greene)
40. (COUNTY=Columbia) or (Greene)
Both 39 and 40 have the same first clause. But their second clauses (after the or) are quite
different. The second clause of 40 is simply a literal string, Greene. By convention, MapInfo
Professional evaluates a record against a literal string as being true if that record is not blank.
When MapInfo Professional evaluates records against expression 40, all non-blank records are
evaluated as true and be accepted into the selection. It does not make any difference how a record
evaluates on the first clause. Any non-blank record evaluates as true on the second clause, and
one true is all it takes to evaluate the entire expression as true.
Let us consider one final example, which is the negation of expression 36:
41. not (COUNTY=Greene or COUNTY=Columbia)
Expression 39 is satisfied if the county is Greene or if it is Columbia, but not if it is Montgomery or
Warren. Expression 41 is satisfied by any county other than Greene or Columbia, including
Montgomery and Warren.

Numeric Clauses
English: All the household income is above $65,000 and the median age is 42.
42. HH_INC>=65000 and Round(MED_AGE, 1)=42
Comment: This expression simply consists of two clauses. The clauses are connected by and,
that means that both clauses must be true of a record for it to be selected.
English: All with a price between $50,000 and $100,000.
43. PRICE>=50000 and PRICE<=100000

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58. PRICE between 50000 and 100000

59. (PRICE between 50000 and 100000) or (PRICE between 150000 and 200000)
These are equivalent to expressions 43 and 44 respectively. You can also use between with
character strings (such as are in examples 48, 50, and 51).

Operator Precedence
When MapInfo Professional evaluates expressions it needs to know which components of an
expression to evaluate first. This is called precedence. By convention, certain operators are
assigned different levels of precedence. Those with the highest level are evaluated first. The
following table lists MapInfo Professionals operators in the order in which they are evaluated.
Operators at the same level of precedence are evaluated from left to right. Exponentiation
evaluates from the right. This affects expressions with multiple exponents: 2 ^ -3 ^ -4 = 2 ^ ( - (3
^ (-4)))
Highest Priority:
parenthesis
exponentiation
negation
multiplication, division
addition, subtraction
geographic operators
comparison operators
Not
And
Lowest Priority:
Or
For example, the expression 3+4*2 produces a result of 11. That is because multiplication has a
higher precedence than addition and is performed first, in effect:
3+4*2=
3+8=
11

We can add parenthesis to force MapInfo Professional to do the addition first:

(3+4)*2=
7*2=
14

Now consider expression 60, which is intended to select all records July or September of 1989.
60. year(RECEIVED)=89 and month(RECEIVED)=7 or month(RECEIVED)=9
Because and has higher precedence than or, MapInfo Professional treats this expression as
though year(RECEIVED)=89 and month(RECEIVED)=7 was enclosed in parentheses.
61. (year(RECEIVED)=89 and month(RECEIVED)=7) or month(RECEIVED)=9

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In this case, any record for July of 89 or for September of any year would be selected. Thats
probably not what you want. However, by adding parentheses to the second expression, you can
get what you want:
62. year(RECEIVED)=89 and (month(RECEIVED)=7 or month(RECEIVED)=9)
In this expression, the parentheses tell MapInfo Professional that month(RECEIVED)=7 and
month(RECEIVED)=9 are alternatives in the second clause of the expression. MapInfo
Professional treats this the same as it treats number 53 above.
Note:

When you are not sure how MapInfo Professional evaluates an expression with several
operators, you should use parentheses to group elements as you want them.

Functions
Functions take data values and perform some operation on them to produce a new value.
Functions have the following form:
SomeFunction(parameters)
Most of MapInfo Professionals functions take one or two parameters. A parameter can be a
column or it can be another expression.
MapInfo Professional uses the keyword obj or object with the geographic functions: Area,
CentroidX, CentroidY, ObjectLen, Perimeter. This keyword tells MapInfo Professional that it has to
get values based on the graphical objects in the table rather than the tabular data.

Abs
Syntax: Abs(num_expr)
Action: Returns the absolute value of a numerical expression. When the expression has a value
greater than zero, Abs returns that value. When the expression has a value less than zero, Abs
returns a value equal to the value of the expression multiplied by negative one.
Example: Consider the following expression:
63. Abs(numA-numB)
(returns the absolute difference between numA and numB, regardless of which is larger)
The following illustrates how Abs works:
Abs(5) = 5
Abs(-3) = 3
Abs(-0.02) = 0.02

Area
Syntax: Area(obj, units)
Action: Returns the area of the object. 0 is returned if the object has no area or there is no object
for the record. Arcs, text, points, lines, and polylines do not have areas.
When you choose Area from a menu the obj keyword is placed between the parentheses along
with the current unit in double-quotes. In most cases the current unit is square miles. When you
want area to be in some other unit, you should type the unit in, between quotes.

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The units available are:

Unit Name

square miles

sq mi

square kilometers

sq km

square inches

sq in

square feet

sq ft

square survey feet

sq survey ft

square yards

sq yd

square millimeters

sq mm

square centimeters

sq cm

square meters

sq m

square chains

sq ch

square links

sq li

square rods

sq rd

perches

perch

roods

rood

acres

acre

hectares

hectare

Examples: To select all rows for objects that have an area greater than 59 square miles:
64. Area(obj,sq mi)>59
To calculate the population density for an object:
65. Population/Area(obj,sq mi)
To select all rows for objects with a population density less than 250 people per unit area:
66. Population/Area(obj,sq mi)<250
When you want the area in hectares:
67. Area(obj,hectare)
When you want the area in square kilometers:
68. Area(obj,sq km)

CentroidX
Syntax: CentroidX(object)
Action: Returns the x coordinate of the centroid of the object, which is the longitude value for earth
maps. The centroid is usually the center of the objects minimum bounding rectangle (MBR).

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The value is in decimal degrees if the coordinates are latitudes and longitudes. The value is in
whatever units were specified for the table if its coordinates are not latitudes and longitudes.
Examples: To select all objects west of New York City:
69. CentroidX(obj)<-73.997890
To select all objects east of New York City:
70. CentroidX(obj)>-73.997890

CentroidY
Syntax: CentroidY(object)
Action: Returns the y centroid of the object, which is the latitude value for earth maps.
The value is in decimal degrees if the coordinates are latitudes and longitudes. The value is in
whatever units were specified for the table if its coordinates are not latitudes and longitudes.
Examples: To select all objects north of New York City:
71. CentroidY(obj)>40.750450
To select all objects south of New York City:
72. CentroidY(obj)<40.750450
To select all objects northeast of New York City:
73. CentroidX(obj)>-73.997890 and CentroidY(obj)>40.750450
The first clause in the expression selects objects east of New York City while the second clause in
the expression selects objects north of New York City. Because the two clauses are joined by and
an object must satisfy both clauses to be selected.
To select all objects that are either north or east of New York City:
74. CentroidX(obj)>-73.997890 or CentroidY(obj)>40.750450
The first clause in the expression selects objects east of New York City while the second clause in
the expression selects objects north of New York City. Because the two clauses are joined by or
an object needs to satisfy only one of them in order to be selected.

Chr$
Syntax: Chr$(num_expr)
Action: Chr$ interprets the value of num_expr as a character value. It returns the character
corresponding to that value. Accordingly, num_expr should be an integer between 0 and 255.
Example: You might want to have labels with information on two lines. You can use Chr$ to insert
a carriage return into a label expression. The ANSI value for a carriage return is 13. Assume that
you want the first line of a label to be a country name and the second line of a label to be the
county population.
The following expression produces that result:
75. Proper$(County)+Chr$(13)+Population

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Some BASIC languages use the convention Chr$(10) to represent a line feed. MapBasic
allows you to specify either Chr$(13) or Chr$(10).

Cos
Syntax: Cos(num_expr)
Action: The Cos function returns the cosine of the value of a numeric expression, where that
expression represents an angle expressed in radians.

CurDate
Syntax: CurDate()
Action: Returns a date value representing the current date.
Examples: To enter the current date into a column:
76. CurDate()
You might use this in conjunction with Update Column where you want to enter the current date
into some column.
To select all received 30 or more days ago:
77. Received<=CurDate()-30

Day
Syntax: Day(datefield)
Action: Returns the day of the month from the date. The day is represented as an integer from one
(1) to thirty-one (31).
Examples: To select all rows where the date is the first of the month:
78. Day(date)=1
To select all rows where the day is Friday and the date is not the thirteenth:
79. Weekday(date)=6 and Day(date)<>13
This expression has two clauses. The first clause uses the Weekday function to select records
where the day of the week is a Friday. The second clauses uses the Day function to select records
where the day of the month does not equal (<>) 13. Since the two clauses are connected by and
both clauses must be true for a row to be selected.

Distance
Syntax: Distance(x1, y1, x2, y2, units)
x1 and x2 are East-West (Longitude) coordinates for earth maps
y1 and y2 are North-South (Latitude) coordinates for earth maps
Units is the current distance unit
Action: Calculates the distance between two points.
When you choose Distance from a menu the obj keyword is placed between the parentheses
along with the current unit in double-quotes. In most cases the current unit is miles.

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When you want distance to be in some other unit, you should type the unit in, between quotes. The
units available are:
Unit Name

Unit Represented

miles

kilometers

inches

feet

survey ft

survey feet

links

rods

chains

yards

millimeters

centimeters

meters

nmi

nautical miles (1 nautical mile

represents 1852 meters)

Examples: To calculate the distance between some objects and New York City, located at 73.997890 longitude and 40.750450 latitude:
80. Distance(-73.997890, 40.750450, CentroidX(obj), CentroidY(obj),mi)
To select all objects west of New York and not more than 20 miles from it:
81. CentroidX(obj)<-73.997890 and Distance(-73.997890, 40.750450, CentroidX(obj),
CentroidY(obj),mi)<=20
This expression has two clauses. The first clause specifies that an object must be west of New
York to be selected. The second clause specifies that an object must be no more than twenty miles
from New York in order to be selected. Since the two clauses are connected by and both must be
true if an object is to be selected.

Format$
Syntax: Format$ ( value, pattern)
value is a numeric expression
pattern is a string that specifies how to format the results
Action: Produces a string representation of the numeric value num_expr.
Examples: The Format$( ) function produces a specially-formatted character string that
incorporates a numeric value (specified by the value parameter). The Format$( ) function can
embed a variety of formatting characters (e.g. currency symbols such as $, %, periods, and
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commas) to make the result string more readable or more aesthetically pleasing. Given a numeric
value such as 12345.67, your program can use the Format$( ) function to produce formatted
results, such as $12,345.67.
The Format$( ) functions value parameter represents the numeric value that you want to format.
The pattern parameter is a string of code characters, carefully chosen (by you) to produce a
particular type of formatted result. The pattern string should include one or more special format
characters, such as #, 0, %, the comma character, the period, or the semicolon character; these
characters control how the results looks. The pattern string can also include one or more cosmetic
characters, such as $, -, ( , or ), to make the results more attractive.
The next table summarizes the format characters.
Pattern
Control
Characters

Role in formatting results

The result includes one or more digits from the value. However, if the control string
contains one or more # characters to the left of the decimal place, and the value is
between zero and one, the formatted result string may not include a zero before the
decimal place.

A digit placeholder similar to the # character; however, if the control string contains one
or more 0 characters to the left of the decimal place, and the value is between zero and
one, the formatted result string includes a zero before the decimal place.

The period character is used in conjunction with the # character. When the pattern
string includes a period character, then the number of # characters to the right of the
period dictates the number of decimal places that the result string displays.

When you include a comma character before the first # character, the result string
includes a comma every three digits to the left of the decimal place. The number ten
million would appear as 10,000,000 rather than 10000000.

The result represents the value multiplied by one hundred; a value of 0.75 produces a
result string of 75%. When you wish to include a percent sign in your result, but you
do not want MapBasic to multiply the value by one hundred, place a \ (backslash)
character before the percent sign.

E+

The result is formatted according to scientific notation; for example, the value 1234
produce the result 1.234e+03. When the exponent is positive, a plus sign appears
after the e. When the exponent is negative (which is the case for fractional numbers),
a minus sign appears after the e.

E-

This string of control characters functions just as the E+ string, except that the result
never shows a plus sign following the e.

By including a semicolon in your pattern string, you can specify one format for positive
numbers and another format for negative numbers. The semicolon should appear after
the first set of format characters, and before the second set of format characters. The
second set of format characters applies to negative numbers. If the pattern string
includes a second semicolon, the third format string (following the second semicolon)
will be used to format the special-case value of 0 (zero).

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Pattern
Control
Characters

Role in formatting results

When your pattern string includes both positive and negative formats in this fashion, the
result does not automatically include a minus sign. When you wish to include a minus
sign in the results, you should include a - character in the second set of format
characters. See examples in next table.

When the backslash character appears in a pattern string, MapBasic does not perform
any special processing for the character that follows the backslash. This allows you to
include special characters (such as the percent sign) in the results, without causing the
special formatting actions described above.

In the next table, the left column shows sample strings that you could use as the Format$( )
functions pattern parameter. The middle column shows sample numbers, such as you might use
as the value parameter. The right column shows the results that Format$( ) would return, given the
parameters from the left columns.
Pattern

Value Parameter

Format$( ) Returns:

12345

12,345

-12345

-12,345

12345

$12345

-12345

-$12345

$,#

12345

$12,345

$,#

-12345

-$12,345

$,#.##

12345.678

$12,345.68

$,#.##

-12345.678

-$12,345.68

$,#.##;($,#.##)

12345.678

$12,345.68

$,#.##;($,#.##)

-12345.678

($12,345.68)

,#.###

12345.6789

12,345.679

,#.#

12345.6789

12,345.7

#.#

12345.6789

12345.7

#.###E+##

12345.6789

1.235e+04

#.###E+##

-12345.6789

-1.235e+04

#.###E+##

0.054321

5.432e-02

#.###E-##

12345.6789

1.235e04

#.###E-##

0.054321

5.432e-02

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Pattern

Value Parameter

Format$( ) Returns:

0.054321

#.##%

0.054321

5.43%

#.##\%

0.054321

.05%

0.##\%

0.054321

0.05%

InStr
Syntax: InStr(position, string, substring)
Action: InStr tests whether of not some string has a specific substring. MapInfo Professional
searches string starting at the character position specified by position. When position is one,
MapInfo Professional starts searching at the beginning of string. When it has the value 6, MapInfo
Professional starts searching at the sixth character in string.
When string contains substring, InStr returns the character position where substring starts.
Note:

When string does not contain substring, InStr returns zero.

Example: You are preparing to geocode a file and you want to identify all the entries with Post
Office boxes for addresses. That means you want all entries that have the string box in their
address column. They may also have P.O., but you cannot be sure of that. Nor can you be sure
of how box is capitalized in the entries. Here is your expression:
82. InStr(1,UCase$(ADDRESS),BOX)>0
This expression directs MapInfo Professional to search the Address column for the string BOX.
All entries containing this string are selected.
For example, if your data looks like this:
This is a test of the insert function.
You want to find the position of test. The INSTR function will look like this:
INSTR(1,This is a test of the insert function, test)
When this statement is executed, the value 11 will be returned.
Note:

If the string that you are searching for does not exist, the value 0 will be returned.

Int
Syntax: Int(num_expr)
Action: Returns the nearest integer that is less than or equal to the specified value (num_expr).
Examples: The following table shows how Int treats various values:
Number

Int(Number)

5.2

5.999

-7.8

-8
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Number

Int(Number)

-7.2

-8

When you apply Int to a Logical variable type, it will produce a 1 if the Logical value is TRUE, or 0
if the Logical value is FALSE.
It is also possible to evaluate logical expressions with Int. For example,
83. Int(STATE_NAME=Maine)
returns an integer value of 1 if the State_Name column or variable contains the string Maine, or
an integer value of 0 if State_Name contains any other string value.

LCase$
Syntax: LCase$(string)
Action: Returns the lower case of the string.
Examples: Consider the following expression:
84. LCase$(CITY)
The following table shows how LCase$ converts an input string (from a column in your table) into a
returned string:
Input String

Returned String

NEW YORK

new york

New yorK

new york

Left$
Syntax: Left$(string, number)
Action: Returns a string that consists of the leftmost number of characters in string.
Examples: Consider the following expression:
85. Left$(CITY,5)
The following table shows how that expression converts an input string into a returned string:
Input String

Returned String

New York City

New Y

Denver

Denve

Singapore

Singa

Now consider the following expression, where Phone is a column containing telephone numbers
prefixed by area codes:
86. Left$(PHONE,3)=404
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This expression selects all rows where the first three digits of the phone number are 404. Note
that the Phone column contains character data and therefore the comparison value, 404, has to be
in quotes so MapInfo Professional knows to treat it as a character string.
see also: Right$, Mid$

Len
Syntax: Len(string)
Action: Returns the number of characters in a string.

LTrim$
Syntax: LTrim$(string)
Action: LTrim$ removes any non-printing characters (e.g. spaces, TABs) from the beginning of
string.
see also: RTrim$

Maximum
Syntax: Maximum(num_expr, num_expr)
Action: Maximum returns the larger of two numbers.
Example: To find the highest address number for a street segment in a StreetPro file:
87. Maximum(TOLEFT,TORIGHT)
ToLeft is the highest address number on the left side of a segment and ToRight is the highest
address number of the right side of a segment.

Mid$
Syntax: Mid$(string, position, length)
string is a character expression
position is an integer indicating a starting position in string
length is an integer indicating the number of characters to extract
Action: Mid$ returns a string of a set length, starting at given position, in a specified string.
Examples: Consider the following expression:
88. Mid$(CITY,5,4)
The following table shows how that expression converts an input string into a returned string:
Input String

Note:

Returned String

New York City

York

Denver

Singapore

apor

The expression only returned two characters from Denver. That is because Denver is
too short to have a four-character string starting at its fifth character.

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Minimum
Syntax: Minimum(num_expr, num_expr)
Action: Minimum returns the smaller of two numbers.
Examples: To find the lowest address number for a street segment in a StreetPro file:
89. Minimum(FROMLEFT,FROMRIGHT)
FromLeft is the highest address number on the left side of a segment and FromRight is the highest
address number of the right side of a segment.

Month
Syntax: Month(datefield)
Action: Returns the month of the date as a number, 1 through 12.
Examples: To select all received in August:
90. Month(received)=8
To select all received before August:
91. Month(received)<8
To select all received in August 1990:
92. Month(received)=8 and Year(received)=1990
This expression has two clauses. The first specifies that the month must be August and the
second that the year must be 1990. The clauses are connected by the AND operator and so both
must be True for a row to be selected.
To select all received in August or September:
93. Month(received)=8 or Month(received)=9
This expression has two clauses. The first selects rows where the month is August and the second
selects rows where the month is September. Since the clauses are connected by or only one
must be True for a row to be selected.
To select all received in August or September:
94. Month(received)=any(8,9)
This expression achieves the same result as 92, but is formulated using the keyword any.
To select all received in August or September of 1990:
95. Month(received)=any(8,9) and Year(received)=1990
This expression has two clauses. The first selects rows where the month is August or September
and the second selects rows where the year is 1990. The clauses are connected by the AND
operator and so both must be True for a row to be selected.

ObjectLen
Syntax: ObjectLen(obj, unit)
Action: Returns the length of lines and polylines. Returns a value of 0 for other objects.

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When you choose ObjectLen from a menu place the obj keyword between the parentheses along
with the current unit in double-quotes. In most cases the current unit is miles. When you want
length to be in some other unit, type the unit using double quotes. The units available are:
Unit Name

Unit Represented

miles

kilometers

inches

feet

survey ft

survey feet

yards

millimeters

centimeters

links

rods

chains

meters

nmi

nautical miles
(1 nautical mile = 1852 meters)

Examples: To calculate the length of an object:

96. ObjectLen(obj, mi)
To have the length calculated in kilometers:
97. ObjectLen(obj, km)
To have the length calculated in nautical miles:
98. ObjectLen(obj, nmi)
When you wanted to convert from kilometers to miles you would use a conversion factor of .621.
To select all objects more than 10 miles long:
99. ObjectLen(obj, mi)>10

Perimeter
Syntax: Perimeter(obj, unit)
Action: Returns the perimeter of the object for regions, ellipses, rectangles, and rounded
rectangles. When you choose Perimeter from a menu the obj keyword is placed between the
parentheses along with the current unit in double-quotes. In most cases the current unit is miles.
When you want perimeter to be in some other unit, you should type the unit using double quotes.
See the table above for the available units.
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Examples: To calculate the perimeter of an object:

100.Perimeter(obj, mi)
To calculate the perimeter in kilometers:
101.Perimeter(obj, km)
To calculate the Perimeter in meters
102.Perimeter(obj, m)
To select all objects with a perimeter greater than 35 miles long:
103.Perimeter(obj, mi)>35

Proper$
Syntax: Proper$(string)
Action: Returns a string that has the first letter of each word capitalized and all other letters
lowercase.
Examples: Consider the following expression:
104.Proper$(CITY)
This table shows how the Proper$ function reformats a column in your table:
Original text

Reformatted text

NEW YORK

New York

New yorK

New York

new york

New York

Right$( )
Syntax: Right$ (string_expr, num_expr)
Action: Returns part or all of a string beginning at the right end of the string.
Example:
105.Right$(CITY, 4)
The following table shows how that expression converts an input string into a returned string:
Input String

Returned String

New York City

City

Denver

nver

Singapore

pore

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Round
Syntax: Round(number1, number2)
Action: Returns the rounded number1. number2 specifies how to round it.
Examples: Consider the following expression:
106.Round(number1,number2)
The next table gives examples. The first column contains the function arguments (number1,
number2) and the second column contains the rounded result.
Arguments

Rounded Number

14347,10000

10000

14347, 100

14300

14347, 10

14350

12.18353, .1

12.20000

12.18353, .001

12.18400

To select all rows where the median age is 42, you might use the following expression:
107.Round(MED_AGE, 1)=42
Depending on your data, this expression may give better results than one that compares median
age directly with a target value (MED_AGE=42). The median age column in MapInfo Professionals
STATES table has the median age calculated to one decimal place. When we compare those
values directly with 42 MapInfo Professional would not select records where the median age is, for
example, 41.7, 42.1, or 42.4. Yet we probably want those records. By rounding the median age
value to a whole number, we can get those values.

RTrim$
Syntax: RTrim$(string)
Action: RTrim$ removes any white-space characters (e.g. spaces, and TABs) from the end of
string.
see also: LTrim$

Sin
Syntax: Sin(num_expr)
Action: The Sin function returns the sine of the value of a numeric expression, where that
expression represents an angle expressed in radians.

Str$
Syntax: Str$(expr)

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Action: Str$ converts a numerical expression into a string that represents it. When the numerical
expression is negative the first character in the string with be a negative sign (-). The first character
returned for a positive value is the first number. If the expression is an object, Str$() returns a string
describing the type of object (e.g., region). If the expression is a Logical (true/false) value, Str$
returns T for true or F for false.
When applied to a Float variable type, Str$ will produce a text string representing the floating-point
number rounded to:

Six digits of precision (total of 6 non-zero digits, including any number of leading or trailing
zeroes depending on the location of the decimal point) if the number is less than 100,000.

The nearest .01 (hundredth) if the number is greater than 100,000.

To control the number of digits of accuracy displayed in a string, use the Format$() function.

UCase$
Syntax: UCase$(string)
Action: Returns the upper case of the string.
Examples: Consider the following expression:
108.UCase$(CITY)
This table shows how it converts an input string (from a column in your table) into a returned string:
Input String

Returned String

NEW YORK

New yorK

NEW YORK

new york

NEW YORK

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char_expr

Val(char_expr)

Eighteen

Box 239

Weekday
Syntax: Weekday(datefield)
Action: Returns the day of the week from the data. The day is given as a number between 1 and 7.
1 is Sunday and 7 is Saturday.
Examples: To select all rows where the weekday is Wednesday:
109.Weekday(date)=4
To select all rows where the weekday is Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday:
110.Weekday(date)=any(4,5,6)
The any keyword directs MapInfo Professional to select any row where the week day is one of
the specified days.
To select all rows where the day is Friday and the month is July:
111.Weekday(date)=6 and Month(date)=7
This expression has two clauses. The first clause uses the Weekday function to select records
where the day of the week is a Friday. The second clause uses the Month function to select
records where the month is July. Since the two clauses are connected by the AND operator, both
clauses must be True for a row to be selected.

Year
Syntax: Year(datefield)
Action: Returns the year of the date.
Examples: To find all orders received in 1990:
112.Year(date)=1990
To find all orders received in 1990 or 1991:
113.Year(date)=any(1990,1991)
To find all orders received between 1985 and 1990, including those orders received in 1985 and
1990:
114.Year(date)>=1985 and Year(date)<=1990
This expression has two clauses. The first selects all rows where the date is 1985 or greater. The
second clause selects all rows where the date is 1990 or less. Both clauses must be satisfied for a
row to be selected.

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Working with the MapBasic Window

This section allows advanced MapInfo Professional users to go behind the scenes and take
advantage of functions that enhance the use of MapInfo Professional through the MapBasic
window. MapBasic is MapInfo Professionals programming language that allows you to customize
and automate MapInfo Professional functionality. When MapBasic was created, the MapBasic
Window feature was added to MapInfo Professional as a means of testing and debugging code for
an application. It became apparent that the MapBasic window is also a useful tool to MapInfo
Professional users for doing certain tasks such as complex selections and queries based on object
information.
The MapBasic window is limited to selected commands from the MapBasic programming
language. The MapBasic window can take commands line by line. It does not include the
capability for looping, interapplication communication, and other more complex commands. If you
find yourself using the MapBasic window often, you may want to consider transferring your code to
a MapBasic application that will automate the process.
The MapBasic Reference is available as a PDF file on the MapInfo Professional CD. Refer to the
Reference for more complete information on the statements used in this chapter. You can also find
the listing of MapBasic defines (MAPBASIC.DEF) in the Appendix C of the MapBasic Reference
Guide. Owners of MapBasic have complete printed documentation for all statements and functions
included in the language.

Accessing the MapBasic Window

To access the MapBasic window, on the OPTIONS menu, click SHOW MAPBASIC WINDOW. The
MapBasic window displays on your screen. As with any other window, you may resize it or move it
to a new location. The window allows you to enter MapBasic code or to view MapBasic code as it
is generated by MapInfo Professional.
To see how MapInfo Professional carries out a select statement:
1. Open the MapBasic window and then open the WORLD table.
2. On the QUERY menu, click SELECT.
3. Type in the expression POP_1994 > 1000000.
Make sure that the Browse Results box is checked.
4. Click OK. The syntax for these commands appears in the MapBasic window as follows:
Open Table C:\MAPINFO\DATA\WORLD\WORLD.tab Interactive
Map From World
select * from World where Pop_1994 > 1000000 into Selection
browse * from Selection

The first line is a result of opening the WORLD table. The second line of code is written
automatically because the WORLD table displays in a Map window by default. The third line is the
syntax for the select statement. The fourth line is the result of checking the Browse results box.
You can also enter MapBasic commands into the MapBasic window. Position your cursor under
the browse from Selection line. Type the following:
Map from Selection
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Press ENTER after the line, and the command executes. You should see your selection displayed
in a Map window.
As stated before, the MapBasic window was primarily designed to assist MapBasic programmers.
You can statements and functions in the MapBasic window such as Buffer( ) function or Insert
statement.
Refer to the MapBasic Reference Guide in an easy to navigate PDF format on the MapInfo
Professional CD to find the appropriate usage and syntax for these statements and functions. It
provides a comprehensive guide to MapBasic programming statements and functions along with
examples. Choose the appropriate option from the CD Browser to access the Reference.

Examples of MapBasic Programs

This section shows examples of MapBasic programs you can use to enhance your maps.

Converting a Table of Coordinates to a Table of Lines

The following steps can be used to create lines for each record in a table. You must have a column
for each of the necessary coordinates. It is suggested that you make any changes on a copy of
your table. If there are already objects in a Map window for this table, they will be lost.
1. On the OPTIONS menu, click SHOW MAPBASIC WINDOW. The MapBasic window appears on
the screen.
2. Type the following command in the window:
update point_table set obj=createline(Start_X, Start_Y,End_X,End_Y)

Where point_table is the copy of your original table, Start_X is the column containing the
first X coordinate, Start_Y is the column containing the first Y coordinate, End_X is the
column containing the second X coordinate, and End_Y is the column containing the
second Y coordinate. These columns will be the names that you have already specified in
your table.
MapInfo Professional will go row by row through your table and create a line object based on the
information in that row. You will not see a change in the table until you redraw the window or open
a new Map window for it.
Troubleshooting (Converting a Table of Coordinates to a Table of Lines)
Before you proceed with the update make sure that the table in which the lines will be stored is
mappable. To make the table mappable, on the TABLE menu, point to MAINTENANCE and click
TABLE STRUCTURE and check the TABLE IS MAPPABLE box.
If your map is projected, the line objects may not be created properly. To work around this
situation, see the Set Coordsys statement in the MapBasic Reference to change the MapBasic
coordinate system.

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Creating Circles Around Points Using the MapBasic Window

The following createcircle command can be used to convert a table of points to a table of circular
regions. This command is similar to creating buffers on a point layer. It differs, however, from
buffering in that it actually converts the point objects into circles. It is suggested that you make any
changes on a copy of your table. If there are already objects in a Map window for this table, they
will be lost.
1. On the OPTIONS menu, click SHOW MAPBASIC WINDOW.
2. Type the following line in the window (all on one line):
update tablename set
obj=createcircle(centroidx(obj),centroidy(obj),radius)

Where tablename is the name of the copy of the table, and radius is the radius of the circle
in current system units.
The table will then be automatically updated.
Troubleshooting (Creating Circles Around Points Using the MapBasic Window)
This command modifies the object column of your table. The command replaces the point object
with circular objects. If you wish to undo this operation, make sure the Map window is active on the
EDIT menu, click UNDO or on the FILE menu, click REVERT TABLE and revert the table to the last
time it was saved.
The final parameter in the MapBasic command, 10 in this example, is the radius of the newly
created buffers, in miles. This figure is adjustable. If you perform the command and find that the
radius is too small or too large, perform the command again, with a different radius.
If your map is projected, the circular objects may not be created properly.
If you wish to convert a table of circular objects back to a table of points, run the MapBasic
command:
Update tablename set obj=Buffer(obj,smoothness,distance,units)

Using the ObjectInfo Function to Describe Graphical Object Types

The Objectinfo command is used to return the type of graphic object associated with each row.
Each object type is represented by a small integer. MapInfo Professional has 12 types of objects.
They are listed in the Objectinfo function section in the MapBasic Reference.
To determine the different types of objects in a single layer, do the following:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, click SHOW MAPBASIC WINDOW to display the MapBasic window.
2. Enter the following SQL Select command:
Select ObjectInfo (obj,1) from tablename

Where obj refers to the object associated with the row of the table, 1 is the code to return
the object type, and tablename is your table.
3. On the WINDOW menu, click NEW BROWSER WINDOW.
4. Choose to browse selection. A list of the number codes for each object type appear.

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Selecting All Records of a Specific Object Type

1. On the OPTIONS menu, click SHOW MAPBASIC WINDOW.
2. Type the following SQL Select statement:
Select * from tablename where str$(obj)=objecttype

Where tablename is your table and objecttype is the type of object you wish to select. To
determine the type of an object, double-click the object. A dialog box displays with the
region type listed.
3. Choose to browse or map the selection of these objects. You can also search for other
types of objects including regions, arcs, lines, ellipses, rectangles, points, and polylines.

Selecting Streets by Color Using SQL Select

To select all streets from a StreetPro file by the width, pattern, and color of the line segment, do the
following:
1. With your street file open, on the OPTIONS menu, click SHOW MAPBASIC WINDOW. The
MapBasic Window displays on the screen.
2. To select thin red lines, type the following:
Str$(ObjectInfo(obj,2))=Pen (2, 2, 16711680)

Finding the Angle from a Horizontal

The following procedure finds the angle (angle A in the next example) between a line that
connects two given points and a horizontal line. This is done by creating a right triangle where the
hypotenuse is the line between the two points and the adjacent is the line between the origin point
and a point on the horizontal directly below or above the destination point. After you find the
hypotenuse and adjacent distances, you can find the angle by taking the arc cosine of the adjacent
divided by the hypotenuse.
Note:

The angle will be calculated using a Cartesian coordinate system. For some projections, a
calculated 90 degree angle may be obviously different from a right angle on the
projected map.

The two points will be referred to as the origin and the destination. The origin is the point that is on
the horizontal line. The destination is the other point. In the next example, Hartford is the origin. It
lies on the imaginary horizontal line. Boston is the destination. The hypotenuse is the distance
from Hartford to Boston; the adjacent is the distance from Hartford to the point where the
horizontal intersects the vertical dotted line that passes through Boston.

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1. On the OPTIONS menu, click SHOW MAPBASIC WINDOW and open the MapBasic window.
2. Double-click the origin point (Hartford). MapInfo Professional opens a Point Object
window that shows the coordinate information. Write down the X and Y coordinates.
These coordinates will be referred to as OriginX and OriginY.
3. Double-click the destination point (Boston). MapInfo Professional opens a Point Object
window that shows the coordinate information. Write down the X and Y coordinates.
These coordinates will be referred to as DestX and DestY.
4. In the MapBasic Window, type and run the following command:
Print Distance(OriginX, OriginY, DestX, DestY, mi)

Substitute the values you find in step 2 and 3 for OriginX, OriginY, DestX, and DestY.
MapInfo Professional returns the distance between the origin and destination points in a
Message window. The value is the hypotenuse of the triangle.
5. In the MapBasic window, type and run the following command:
Print Distance(OriginX, OriginY, DestX, OriginY, mi)

Substitute the values you find in step 2 and 3 for OriginX, OriginY, DestX and DestY.
MapInfo Professional returns the distance between the origin and a point on the horizontal
directly below the destination point. MapInfo Professional will display the distance in a
Message window. The value is the adjacent of the triangle.
6. Finally, find the angle with the following MapBasic command:
Print(ACOS(Adjacent/Hypotenuse)*57.2958)

Substitute the values that you found in step 4 and 5 for adjacent and hypotenuse. MapInfo
Professional returns the angle in degrees. MapInfo Professional will print the angle in a
Message window.
If you would like to find the angle in radians, omit the multiplication at the end of the
statement, leaving:
Print(ACOS(Adjacent/Hypotenuse))

If, instead of two points, you have one line that has the destination and origin as
endpoints, do the following instead of steps 2 and 3:
Double-click the line object. MapInfo Professional opens a window that shows the
coordinate information. Write down the Start Point and End Point X and Y coordinates.
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Determine whether the Start Point or the End Point is higher, that is, which point has a
more northerly Y coordinate.
If the destination is above the origin (like the example above), then the destination will
have the coordinates of the most northerly point (determined in the previous step). The
origin would then take the coordinates of the other endpoint of the line.
If the origin is above the destination, then it takes the coordinates of the more northerly
point.
Continue with step 4.

Finding Floating Windows

Floating windows are the special windows in MapInfo Professional that sit on top of the Map,
Browser, Graph, and Layout windows. These windows are the Info window, Statistics window,
button pads, ruler, and message window. You can move these windows around and place them off
to the side of the screen. Occasionally, one of these windows may be shifted out of view. Using the
MapBasic window, you can easily bring these windows back to the center of you screen. This
example uses the Info window. Other special windows are listed in the Set Window statement in
the MapBasic Reference.
1. On the OPTIONS menu, click SHOW MAPBASIC WINDOW. The MapBasic window displays.
2. Type the following code into the window:
Set Window Info Position (1.5,2.0) Units in

The Info dialog box displays in the center of your screen.

Setting the Default Zoom for a Map

When you open a map in MapInfo Professional, it displays in the default view every time, even
though you probably changed the zoom when you last opened the map. You can change the
default zoom for a map with the Set Map statement.
For example, if you open the standard world map that ships with MapInfo Professional, it displays
with the whole world in view, by default. You frequently use the world map to view just the
European countries and would like the map to display in that view every time you open it. To
change the maps default zoom, do the following:
1. On the OPTIONS menu, click SHOW MAPBASIC WINDOW. The MapBasic window displays.
2. Open the WORLD map.
3. Set the zoom level and position of your map to view Europe only.
4. In the MapBasic window, enter the following command:
Set Map Layer 1 Default Zoom

5. Close the WORLD table.

6. Re-open the WORLD table. It opens in the zoom level that you set.

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Street Characteristics of MapInfo Data

Description of Object

Graphic Object Details

Pen (width, pattern, color)

Primary highways

Thin red line

Pen (2,2,16711680)

All other roads

Thin black line

Pen (1,2,0)

Railroads

Thin Black railroad

Pen (1,26,0)

Pen Width will always be returned as a number from 17. One is the narrowest and 7 is the widest.
These numbers correspond to the lines you would see in the pull down menu on the OPTIONS
menu, point to LINE STYLE and click WIDTH.
The pattern will be returned as a number from 1 to 77. These numbers correspond to the patterns
you see in the pull down menu on the OPTIONS menu, point to LINE STYLE and click STYLE going
left to right.

Digitizing Maps with MapInfo Professional

Sometimes the only way to bring a map into MapInfo Professional is to trace the map by hand.
Using MapInfos digitizing feature, you can trace the details of a paper map with a puck and a
digitizing tablet and record the tracings as a vector image (object with geographic coordinates) that
can then be displayed in MapInfo as a map layer. Since they are vector images, digitized maps
allow you to use all of MapInfos powerful functionary with them.

Digitized Maps vs. Raster Images

While digitizing is a time-consuming process, it has some advantages over scanned raster
images, particularly if you want to use the map for geographic analysis.
Digitizing a map creates a vector image that is just like any other MapInfo map layer. Each feature
you digitize becomes a map object that you can edit, move, customize, or attach data to. You can
include as much detail as you want to trace from the paper map.
A raster map, on the other hand, is simply a graphic image that is used for display purposes only.
You cannot edit or attach data to it. It is used as a backdrop for other map layers. Its main
advantage over digitizing is input speed.
For more on raster images, see Chapter 19, Displaying Raster Images.

Digitizing Requirements
Digitizing in MapInfo requires special equipment and setup so that MapInfo can read the
information from the paper map.

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Digitizing Tablet and Puck

To digitize in MapInfo you will need a digitizing tablet and a puck. A digitizing tablet is the surface
that you attach the map to for tracing. The puck is the device with which you trace the map. It is a
lot like a mouse.
MapInfo supports the GRASS interface.

Digitizer Drivers
You will also need the appropriate device driver or interface that MapInfo recognizes. MapInfo
supports the following digitizer drivers:

VTI Tablet Interface (version 2.10 or later)

Wintab

VTI allows you to use a variety of commercial digitizers. It includes a control panel applet that
allows you to configure your digitizer and a template editor and loader that allows direct access to
MapInfos menu items from the digitizing tablet. Versions 2.10 or later also allow caching of
digitizer events. Users with version 1.0 will need to upgrade or switch to Wintab. If you have
installed an older version of VTI, MapInfo displays the following message on startup and continues
running, but with digitizing disabled: Virtual Tablet Interface must be version 2.10 or later for use
with MapInfo.
You will need to obtain the digitizer driver from a third party either Digitizer Technology (for VTI)
or the tablet manufacturer (for Wintab). In most cases, the tablet will come with a Wintab driver.
Digitizer Technology Company provides both sales and support for the Virtual Tablet Interface.
Their address is:
Digitizer Technology Company
16541 Redmond Way, Suite 195C
Redmond, WA 98052 USA
Tel: (425) 8683246
WWW: http://www.vtablet.com
The latest VTI and Wintab drivers support digitizing under Windows 2000, Windows NT, and
Windows 95/98.

Source Map
You can digitize any paper map, aerial photo, or drawing that you can affix to a digitizing tablet and
trace the map features by hand.

Setting Up the Digitizing Equipment

Connect your digitizing tablet and puck according to manufacturers instructions.
Connect your digitizing tablet and puck according to the manufacturers instructions and install the
appropriate device driver.

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Attach your paper map securely to the digitizing tablet. It is very important that the map not be
moved during the digitizing session, or it will invalidate any control points you have established for
the map.

Digitizer Setup
To communicate the tracings on the paper map to MapInfo properly, you must provide some
information about your map. In the Digitizer Setup dialog box, you specify control points for your
map, the map projection and appropriate map units, and configure the buttons on your digitizing
puck. Choose MAP > DIGITIZER SETUP to begin. The Digitizer Setup dialog box displays. Each part
of the dialog box is discussed below.
Map Projection
Maps are drawn using a particular projection, or distortion, of the earths surface to maintain the
relationship of the curved earths features on a flat piece of paper. When you digitize a map using
MapInfo, you must specify the projection so that MapInfo can take the maps distortion into
consideration and maintain the correct relationship among the map features.
You cannot change the projection after you have begun to digitize, so make sure you set it
correctly now. Click the Projection button in the Digitizer Setup dialog box to select a projection. In
general, the projection is specified in the map legend. MapInfo supports a wide variety of
projections. For aerial photographs, use Longitude/Latitude as the projection.
Map Units
In addition to knowing the projection, you must specify the map units used for the coordinate
system. For instance, a map in the Longitude/Latitude projection will show map coordinates in
degrees.
If you do not have coordinates for the map, you will need to digitize it as a non-earth map, which
means points on the image will only be relative to each other, not to points on the earth. Create a
non-earth map table first and display it in the active Map window.
Specify the map units from the Map Units drop-down list in the dialog box that matches the
coordinate units on the paper map. Degrees will always be available for earth maps. In addition,
other map units may be available if you have identified the map in a projection other than
Longitude/Latitude.

Entering Control Points

For MapInfo to make a digitized copy of your paper map, it must be able to correctly interpret the
location of the digitizing puck on the tablet as you trace the map. To do this, you must first set the
parameters by specifying locational coordinates for several control points on the map. To set a
control point, choose a point on the tablet and click a button on the puck. Type the coordinates that
correspond to that point in the Digitizer Setup dialog box.
To add, edit, remove, or clear all control points, choose the appropriate button in the Digitizer
Setup dialog box. A dialog box appears for each button to walk you through the steps.

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For instance, to add a control point, choose ADD. The Pick Tablet Point dialog box displays telling
you to choose a point on the tablet and click a digitizer button. Now the Add Control Point dialog
box displays prompting you for a label (optional) and the map coordinates for the point. When you
are through, click OK. Repeat this process for each control point you enter.
Keep in mind that you must enter the coordinates in the units you specified in the Digitizer Setup
dialog box. If your map unit is in degrees, be sure to type in the coordinates as decimal degrees.
For a discussion on converting degrees, minutes, and seconds to decimal degrees see
Converting Coordinates in Chapter 14 on page 442.

Editing Control Points

To edit a control point, choose the point from the list of control points in the Digitizer Setup dialog
box and press the EDIT button. The Edit Control Point dialog box displays. Make the appropriate
changes to the label or X and Y coordinates.

You can also change the tablet position of the point through this dialog box. For instance, if the
coordinates are correct, but you realized that you clicked on the wrong point on the tablet, you can
choose the TABLET X-Y button in the Edit Control Point dialog box. This is easier than adding a
new control point and removing the incorrect one.

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You can also remove a control point by highlighting the point in the Setup dialog box and choosing
the Remove button. To remove all points and reset the projection to that of the active Map window,
choose CLEAR ALL.

Saving Control Points

You can save your control points to a workspace. This is helpful if you must interrupt the session
before you have finished entering your control points. When you open the workspace later,
MapInfo automatically turns digitizer mode on. There are some cases where MapInfo will not be
able to turn on digitizer mode. They are the following:

If there are less than 3 control points entered in the workspace. You will need to enter at
least 1 or 2 more control points in Digitizer Setup.

If your control points run in a straight line. You must enter control points that are at different
angles from each other.

The digitizer size or resolution has changed since the workspace was saved. You will need
to enter new control points in Digitizer Setup.

These problems do not, however, prevent the workspace from opening.

Control Point Error

You should use at least four control points when digitizing a paper map. When digitizing an aerial
photograph or an image without a projection, you might want to use 30 or more control points.
MapInfo uses the control points to perform an affine transformation, whereby the digitized objects
are skewed, shifted and scaled to fit the control point locations.

MapInfo determines the relative positions of the control points based on the coordinates you
specify. It can then determine where those points should be on the tablet. MapInfo then calculates
an error estimate that is the difference between where the point should be on the tablet and where
you actually clicked.

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The error estimates give you an idea of how accurate the resulting computer map will be. Error
values should be quite small, on the same scale as the resolution of your digitizer. In most cases
errors should be in thousandths or hundredths of an inch. Those errors approaching a tenth of an
inch are probably too large.
To minimize the likelihood of a high error estimate, increase the number of control points and be as
precise as possible when specifying the coordinates for control points. Double-check that you
specified the correct projection in Digitizer Setup.

Configuring Digitizer Buttons

To configure the buttons on your digitizing puck, click BUTTONS in the Digitizer Setup dialog box.
The dialog box that displays will instruct you to click the digitizer button that you want to use as the
main button and then to click the digitizer button that you want to use as the double-click button.
If you only have one button on the puck, you will use it for both drawing and completing the
polyline/polygon. A single click enters a point when drawing an object; a double-click completes
the object.
Note:

If you use the same button for single-clicking and double-clicking, MapInfo may mistake
rapid single-clicks as a double-click.

Digitizer Mode
MapInfo automatically turns digitizer mode on after you have entered three or more control points.
Not only does it turn on automatically, but with the additional capabilities now available in digitizer
mode, there is little reason to turn it off. Digitizer mode no longer locks you in. You do not have to
exit from digitizer mode to do something else. You can now do anything in digitizer mode that you
can do in mouse mode: open tables and windows, use any of the tools, use the mouse, etc.
You can still, however, turn digitizer mode off and on with the D key. Again, similar to when you
have saved control points to a workspace, MapInfo will not turn digitizer mode on if you have only
entered one or two control points or if your control points run in a straight line.
The details of the new digitizer mode functionality is explained below.

Using Tools with the Digitizer

You can use any of the tools with the digitizer. You are no longer limited to just the drawing tools,
as you were in version 3.0. Now, for instance, you can zoom in on the area you are digitizing with
the Zoom in tool, use the Ruler tool to measure distances, or add nodes, etc. without ever having
to leave digitizer mode.

Mouse Cursor
You can now use the mouse and the digitizer at the same time. The mouse is always active, even
when digitizer mode is on. So you no longer need to exit from digitizer mode to use the mouse.
The mouse cursor is always visible, and can always be controlled with the mouse. Its appearance
depends on which tool is selected.

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You can also control the mouse with the digitizer using the mouse emulation capability of the
digitizer driver (this must be configured outside of MapInfo). If digitizer mode is off, or if digitizer
mode is on and a Map window is not active, the digitizer controls the mouse. If a Map window is
active and digitizer mode is on, the digitizer controls the digitizer cursor.

Digitizer Cursor
The digitizer cursor is now a large cross hair that covers the entire width and height of the Map
window. Its appearance does not change to indicate which tool is selected. It is always a large
cross hair, making it much easier to see.
The digitizer cursor is always visible as long as a Map window is active. For example, if you decide
to open a Browser window while you are in digitizer mode and work in the Browser, digitizer mode
will still be on, but because the Browser is now the active window, you wont see the digitizer
cursor.
The status bar only displays the digitizer cursor location if you choose to display it (MAP >
OPTIONS). This is different than MapInfo 3.0, where the cursor location always displayed in the
status bar while digitizer mode was on.

Digitizing Your Map

Once you have specified the control points, projection and map units of your map and have
determined that the error for control points is acceptable, you are ready to digitize your map.
To begin digitizing:
1. Make the Map window active and make a layer editable.
2. Choose any tool.
3. Choose MAP > CHANGE VIEW to set the zoom of the Map window to be larger than the area
of the map you are digitizing. This will keep the cursor in view during digitizing.
4. In the Change View dialog box, specify the X and Y coordinates of a point that generally
falls in the center of the map to be digitized.
5. Click OK. The Map window now shows roughly the same area as your paper map. If you
have entered at least three control points in the Digitizer Setup dialog box, digitizer mode
should be on, and the digitizer cursor should appear in the Map window.
6. Press the D key to turn on digitizing mode. The cross hair cursor now becomes a cross
hair.
7. Begin tracing the map.
Note:

MapInfo Professional does not support digitizing in stream mode.

Tracing Existing Objects

MapInfo makes it much easier to trace an existing polygon network, e.g., the United States. The
new autotrace feature allows you to easily trace the nodes of an object when using the Polyline or
Polygon tools. This makes it easier to digitize objects that share a border because you dont have
to re-digitize the shared portion of the border. You can autotrace it.

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Autotrace is available when Snap mode is turned on. Note that you can only use autotrace with
existing polylines and polygons. You cannot autotrace rectangles, ellipses, arcs, or other shapes
made with the drawing tools.
To autotrace a polyline/polygon while digitizing, do the following:
1. Activate Snap mode (press the S key), and click on a node of the polyline/polygon you
want to autotrace.
2. Move the puck to another node of the same object.
3. Do one of the following:

For polylines, hold down the SHIFT key and click.

For polygons, hold down either the SHIFT or CTRL key and click.

As soon as you press either the SHIFT or CTRL key, MapInfo highlights the path to be
autotraced. When you click, MapInfo automatically traces all the segments between the
two nodes and adds them to the polyline/polygon you are drawing.
Note:

The SHIFT key autotraces the shorter path between the two nodes (the path with the lessor
number of nodes), and the CTRL key autotraces the longer path (the path with the greater
number of nodes). Autotrace works the same way as when you are selecting multiple
nodes in Reshape mode.

You can only autotrace one object at a time. The second node you SHIFT/CTRL-click on must
belong to the same object as the first node. If it belongs to a different object, MapInfo will draw a
straight line between the two nodes. If you click on a node thats shared by two objects (e.g., a
shared border), you can begin autotracing from either polygon.

Digitizing Trouble Shooting Tips

Here are some tips that should help you resolve any issues you have when digitizing maps for use
with MapInfo Professional.

Digitizer Mode D Key

You must be in digitizer mode when you begin to trace your paper map. This is so MapInfo can
recognize the coordinates and place the map in the correct geographic context. If you trace the
map in mouse mode, you are only drawing objects that do not have any tie to your paper map.
You are in digitizer mode when you click the D key or when you have entered at least three control
points in the Digitizer Setup dialog box. You should see the digitizer cursor in the Map window. It is
a large cross hair that covers the entire width and height of the Map window. A Map window must
be active for the digitizer cursor to display. The StatusBar will also say DIG when you are digitizer
mode.

Digitized Map Does Not Display in Expected Location

If your map does not display in its proper geographic location, it is likely that you did not specify the
appropriate negative degree coordinates for your control points. If you zoom out to view the entire
world, you will see your points in a different area.

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At the Digitizer Setup dialog box, be sure to specify negative coordinates if your map includes west
longitude and/or south latitudes. For instance, for maps in the United States, you should specify a
negative X coordinate. For Africa, the Y coordinate is negative. For South America, both
coordinates are negative. (For Europe, both coordinates are positive).
If you still do not see your map in the expected location, it could be due to bad control points,
incorrect projection, or map units, etc.

High Error for Control Points

A high control point error means that MapInfo thinks there is a discrepancy between the point you
chose on the tablet and where the point should be, based on the coordinates you specified. This
can lead to inaccurate maps.
To reduce the error, edit the control point to be more precise with your click. Check to make sure
the coordinates you entered are correct. You can also increase the number of control points.

Distances Do Not Measure Properly

If you measured a segment on the tablet using the puck and Ruler tool, you will come up with
inaccurate results. The only way you can measure a segment is to first digitize it, then use the
Ruler tool to measure it on screen.
If you still have bad results, it could be due to a setup problem (check projection and map units),
control point problem (high error estimate, recheck coordinates), or inaccurate digitizing.

When Switching to Digitizer Mode, the Digitizer Cursor Does Not Appear
If you do not see the cursor when you switch into digitizer mode, check to make sure the
coordinates are correct. You may need to specify negative coordinates (see Digitized Map does
not Display in Expected Location, above).
Other things to do:
Set the center of the map to be one of your control points. In the Change View dialog box you can
specify the coordinates of a point that falls in the general center of your paper map.
Put the cursor exactly on one of the control points.

Digitizer Cursor Jumps Off Screen When Digitizing

This happens when your Map window is set at a much different zoom than the map you are
digitizing. Increase the active zoom to better reflect the area being digitized. For instance, if the
map you want to digitize is 300 miles across, set the Map window zoom to about 300 using MAP >
CHANGE VIEW.
You do not have to see the digitizer cross hair to digitize, but it is helpful. View Entire Layer may
also help, if working with a pre-existing map. It is also possible that the digitizing tablet is damaged
and has empty spots.

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Digitizer is Connected but Digitizer Setup is Unavailable

Check the following:

MapInfo supports the digitizing tablet you are using.

Make sure the tablet is turned on and is correctly connected to the computer.

The digitizer driver is properly installed.

The tablet is properly configured.

The right tablet/driver combination is being used.

There is no problem with the tablet, the connection, or the connecting cables.

If the tablet works with other applications or is being used as a mouse pointer in windows, and
everything listed above checks out fine, there may be a problem with our support of the tablet. If
possible, configure the tablet to emulate different tablets supported by MapInfo. Make sure the
system.ini file is updated to reflect the changes, and restart Windows each time a change is made
to the system.ini.
If the tablet works with other applications or is being used as a mouse pointer in windows, and
everything listed above checks out fine, there may be a problem with our support of the tablet. If
possible, configure the tablet to emulate different tablets supported by MapInfo.

Digitizing Two Maps

You must set control points for each map individually, even if the maps are adjacent.

Limitations of Digitizing
The Snap to nodes feature is available while digitizing. However, the snap tolerance is a pixel
value that is based on the current zoom level of the Map window. Press the S key to turn Snap
mode off.
Auto polygon closure does not work in digitizing. You must click on the button you set up to close a
polygon (or double-click on the button if you only have one digitizing button).
If you change the zoom level of your map, or scroll in the Map window after you have selected your
digitizer points and then switch into digitizer mode, your cursor may disappear from the screen,
because the location in the map corresponding to the puck is no longer visible in the Map window.
The active Map window view must correspond to the view represented on the paper map to see
the cursor when in digitizer mode. Zoom out to see the cursor again.

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Directory of MapInfo
Professional Shortcuts

This Appendix contains a comprehensive list of the shortcuts available in the MapInfo Professional
application. You can create custom shortcuts by editing the MAPINFOW.MNU file using a text editor.
CAUTION:

Making changes to the MAPINFOW.MNU file may cause the default shortcuts
you change to stop working. Make these changes carefully and record your
changes so you can change them back, if necessary.

In this Appendix:

Shortcuts for File Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522

Shortcuts for Edit Menu Items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522
Shortcut to Tools Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522
Shortcuts to Objects Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523
Shortcuts for Query Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523
Shortcuts for Options Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523
Shortcuts for Map Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524
Shortcut for Layout Menu Item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524
Shortcuts for Window Menu Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524
Shortcuts by Keystroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525

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Appendix A: Directory of MapInfo Professional Shortcuts

Shortcuts for File Menu Items

Menu Item

Keystrokes

File > New Table

CTRL+N

File > Open

CTRL+O

File > Save Table

CTRL+S

File > Save Workspace

CTRL+K

File > Print

CTRL+P

File > Exit

ALT+F4

Shortcuts for Edit Menu Items

Menu Item

Keystrokes

Edit > Undo

CTRL+Z

Edit > Cut

CTRL+X

Edit > Copy

CTRL+C

Edit > Paste

CTRL+V

Edit > Clear

DEL

Edit > Reshape

CTRL+R

Edit > New Row

CTRL+E

Edit > Get Info

Shortcut to Tools Menu Items

Menu Item

Keystrokes

Tools > Run MapBasic Prog

CTRL+U

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Shortcuts to Objects Menu Items

Menu Item

Keystrokes

Objects > Set Target

CTRL+T

Objects > Clear Target

CTRL+DELETE

Shortcuts for Query Menu Items

Menu Item

Keystrokes

Query > Unselect All

CTRL+W

Query > Find

CTRL+F

Query > Find Selection

CTRL+G

Shortcuts for Options Menu Items

Menu Item

Keystrokes

Options > Line Style

SHIFT+F8

Options > Region Style

CTRL+F8

Options > Symbol Style

ALT+F8

Options > Text Style

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Keystrokes

Window > New Browser

Window > New Mapper

Window > New Grapher

Window > New Layout

Window > Redraw Window

CTRL+D

Window > Tile Windows

SHIFT+F4

Window > Cascade Windows

SHIFT+F5

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Shortcuts by Keystroke

Menu Items

Keystrokes

Map > Previous View and

Layout > Previous View

ALT+LEFT ARROW

File > Copy

CTRL+C

Window > Redraw Window

CTRL+D

File > New Row

CTRL+E

Query > Find

CTRL+F

Query > Find Selection

CTRL+G

File > Save Workspace

CTRL+K

Map > Layer Control

CTRL+L

File > New Table

CTRL+N

File > Open

CTRL+O

File > Print

CTRL+P

File > Reshape

CTRL+R

File > Save Table

CTRL+S

Objects > Set Target

CTRL+T

Tools > Run MapBasic Program

CTRL+U

File > Paste

CTRL+V

Query > Unselect All

CTRL+W

File > Cut

CTRL+X

File > Undo

CTRL+Z

Objects > Clear Target

CTRL+DELETE

Window > New Browser

Window > New Mapper

Window > New Grapher

Window > New Layout

File > Get Info

Options > Text Style

Map > Create Thematic Map

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Menu Items

Keystrokes

Map > Create Prism Map

F10

Map > Create 3D Map

F11

File > Exit

ALT+F4

Options > Symbol Style

ALT+F8

Map > Modify Thematic Map

ALT+F9

Options > Region Style

CTRL+F8

Window > Tile Windows

SHIFT+F4

Window > Cascade Windows

SHIFT+F5

Options > Line Style

SHIFT+F8

Edit > Delete

DEL

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Elements of a Coordinate
System

In this Appendix:

Projections and Their Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529

Projection Datums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532
For More Information on Projections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542

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Appendix B: Elements of a Coordinate System

Projections and Their Parameters

Cassini-Soldner

X X

Cylindrical Equal Area

Double Stereographic

X X

Eckert IV

Eckert VI

Equidistant Conic

X X

Gall

Hotine Oblique Mercator

X X

Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area

Lambert Conformal Conic

X X

Longitude-Latitude

Mercator

Miller

Mollweide

New Zealand Map Grid

X X

Polyconic

X X

Regional Mercator

Robinson

Sinusoidal

Range

Azimuthal Equidistant

X X

False Northing

X X

Scale Factor

False Easting

Azimuth

Origin, Longitude

Standard Parallel 2

Units

Albers Equal-Area Conic

Origin, latitude

Datum

Standard Parallel 1

The following table indicates the parameters applicable to each projection. The parameters are
listed in the order they appear in the relevant coordinate system lines in the MAPINFOW.PRJ file.

X X

X
X X
X
X X X

X X

X X X X
X

X
X X

X X

X X X

* MapInfo supports the Azimuthal Equidistant and Lambert Azimuth Equal-Area projections in the
polar aspect only. The Origin Latitude for these projections must be either 90 or -90.
Versions of MapInfo prior to 6.0 support the Azimuthal Equidistant and Lambert Azimuthal
Equal-Area projections in the polar aspect only. The Origin Latitude for these projections must be
either 90 or -90. An Oblique Azimuthal Equidistant projection was introduced in version 6.0 that
supports all Origin Latitudes, including the poles. For version 6.5 a new Lambert Azimuthal EqualArea projection has been added that also supports all Origin Latitudes, including the poles.

Projection
The projection is the equation or equations used by a coordinate system. The following list names
the projections MapInfo uses and gives the number used to identify the projection in the
MAPINFOW.PRJ file:
Number

Projection

Albers Equal-Area Conic

Azimuthal Equidistant (all origin latitudes)

Azimuthal Equidistant (polar aspect only)

Cassini-Soldner

Cylindrical Equal-Area

Double Stereographic

Eckert IV

Eckert VI

Equidistant Conic, also known as Simple Conic

Gall

Hotine Oblique Mercator

Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area (polar aspect only)

Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area

Lambert Conformal Conic

Lambert Conformal Conic (modified for Belgium 1972)

Longitude/Latitude

Mercator
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Number

Projection

Miller Cylindrical

Mollweide

New Zealand Map Grid

Polyconic

Regional Mercator

Robinson

Sinusoidal

Stereographic

Swiss Oblique Mercator

Transverse Mercator, (also known as Gauss-Kruger)

Transverse Mercator, (modified for Danish System 34 Jylland-Fyn)

Transverse Mercator, (modified for Danish System 34 Sjaelland)

Transverse Mercator, (modified for Danish System 34/45 Bornholm)

Transverse Mercator, (modified for Finnish KKJ)

Projection numbers in the MAPINFOW.PRJ may be modified by the addition of a constant value to
the base number listed in the Projection table, above. Valid values and their meanings are
tabulated below:
Constant

Meaning

Parameters

1000

System has affine transformations

Affine units specifier and coefficients

appear after the regular parameters
for the system.

2000

System has explicit bounds

Bounds appear after the regular

parameters for the system.

3000

System with both affine and bounds

Affine parameters follow systems

parameters; bounds follow affine
parameters.

Example:
Assume you want to work with a simple system based on the Transverse Mercator projection and
using the NAD 1983 datum. You might have a line such as the following in your MAPINFOW.PRJ
file:
"UTM Zone 1 (NAD 83)", 8, 74, 7, -177, 0, 0.9996, 500000, 0

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Now lets say that you want a system based on this, but with an affine transformation specified by
the following parameters: Units=meters; A=0.5; B=-0.866; C=0; D=0.866; E=0.5; and F=0. The
required line in the MAPINFOW.PRJ file is:
"UTM Zone 1 (NAD 83) - rotated 60 degrees", 1008, 74, 7, -177, 0, 0.9996, 500000, 0, 7, 0.5,
-0.866, 0, 0.866, 0.5, 0
Alternatively, if you want to bound the system to (x1, y1, x2, y2)=(-500000, 0, 500000, 1000000),
the required line is:
"UTM Zone 1 (NAD 83) - bounded", 2008, 74, 7, -177, 0, 0.9996, 500000, 0,
-500000, 0, 500000, 1000000
To customize the system using both of these modifications, the line is:
"UTM Zone 1 (NAD 83) - rotated and bounded", 3008, 74, 7, -177, 0, 0.9996, 500000, 0, 7,
0.5, -0.866, 0, 0.866, 0.5, 0, -500000, 0, 500000, 1000000

Projection Datums
The datum is established by tying a reference ellipsoid to a particular point on the earth. The
following table lists these details for each datum:

The number used to identify the datum in the MAPINFOW.PRJ file.

The datums name

The maps for which the datum is typically used

The datums reference ellipsoid

Number

Datum

Area Maps

Ellipsoid

Adindan

Ethiopia, Mali,
Senegal, Sudan

Clarke 1880

Afgooye

Somalia

Krassovsky

1007

AGD 66, 7 parameter

Australia, A.C.T.

Australian National

1008

AGD 66, 7 parameter

Australia, Tasmania

Australian National

1009

AGD 66, 7 parameter

Australia, Victoria/
NSW

Australian National

1006

AGD 84, 7 parameter

Australia

Australian National

Ain el Abd 1970

Bahrain Island

International

118

American Samoa

American Samoa
Islands

Clarke 1866

Anna 1 Astro 1965

Cocos Islands

Australian National

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Astro B4 Sorol Atoll

Tern Island

International

Astro Beacon E

Iwo Jima Island

International

Astro DOS 71/4

St. Helena Island

International

Astronomic Station 1952

Marcus Island

International

151

ATS77 (Average Terrestrial

System 1977)

Canada

ATS77

Australian Geodetic 1966

(AGD 66)

Australia and
Tasmania Island

Australian National

Australian Geodetic 1984

(AGD 84)

Australia and
Tasmania Island

Australian National

151

Average Terrestrial System

1977 (ATS77)

120

Ayabelle Lighthouse

Djibouti

Clarke 1880

110

Belgium

International

Bellevue (IGN)

Efate and Erromango

Islands

International

Bermuda 1957

Bermuda Islands

Clarke 1866

Bogota Observatory

Colombia

International

121

Bukit Rimpah

Bangka and Belitung

Islands (Indonesia)

Bessel 1841

Campo Inchauspe

Argentina

International

Canton Astro 1966

Phoenix Islands

International

Cape

South Africa

Clarke 1880

Cape Canaveral

Florida and Bahama

Islands

Clarke 1866

1005

Cape, 7 parameter

South Africa

WGS 84

Carthage

Tunisia

Clarke 1880

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Number

Appendix B: Elements of a Coordinate System

Datum

Area Maps

Ellipsoid

Chatham 1971

Chatham Island (New

Zealand)

International

Chua Astro

Paraguay

International

122

Co-Ordinate System 1937 of

Estonia

Bessel 1841

Corrego Alegre

Brazil

International

123

Dabola

Guinea

Clarke 1880

124

Deception Island

Deception Island,
Antarctica

Clarke 1880

1000

Deutsches Hauptdreicksnetz
(DHDN)

Germany

Bessel

Djakarta (Batavia)

Sumatra Island
(Indonesia)

Bessel 1841

DOS 1968

Gizo Island (New

Georgia Islands)

International

Easter Island 1967

Easter Island

International

115

EUREF 89

Europe

GRS 80

European 1950 (ED 50)

Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany,
Gibraltar, Greece, Italy,
Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland

International

European 1979 (ED 79)

Austria, Finland,
Netherlands, Norway,
Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland

International

108

European 1987 (ED 87)

Europe

International

125

Fort Thomas 1955

Nevis, St. Kitts,

Leeward Islands

Clarke 1880

Gandajika Base

Republic of Maldives

International

116

GDA 94

Australia

GRS 80

Geodetic Reference System 1967 (GRS 67)

Worldwide

GRS 67

Geodetic Reference System 1980 (GRS 80)

Worldwide

GRS 80

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Datum

Area Maps

Ellipsoid

126

Graciosa Base SW 1948

Faial, Graciosa, Pico,

Sao Jorge, and
Terceira Islands
(Azores)

International 1924

Guam 1963

Guam Island

Clarke 1866

GUX 1 Astro

Guadalcanal Island

International

150

Hartbeesthoek 94

South Africa

WGS 84

127

Herat North

Afghanistan

International 1924

128

Hermannskogel

Yugoslavia (Prior to
1990), Slovenia,
Croatia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Serbia

Bessel 1841

Hito XVIII 1963

South Chile (near

53S)

International

Hjorsey 1955

Iceland

International

Hong Kong 1963

Hong Kong

International

1004

Hungarian Datum (HD 72)

Hungary

GRS 67

Hu-Tzu-Shan

Taiwan

International

Indian

Thailand and Vietnam

Everest (India 1830)

Indian

Bangladesh, India,
Nepal

Everest (India 1830)

129

Indian

Pakistan

Everest (Pakistan)

130

Indian 1954

Thailand

Everest (India 1830)

131

Indian 1960

Vietnam

Everest (India 1830)

132

Indian 1975

Thailand

Everest (India 1830)

133

Indonesian 1974

Indonesia

Indonesian 1974

Ireland 1965

Ireland

Modified Airy

134

ISTS 061 Astro 1968

South Georgia Island

International 1924

ISTS 073 Astro 1969

Diego Garcia

International

152

Japanese Geodetic Datum

2000 (JGD2000)

Japan

GRS80

Johnston Island 1961

Johnston Island

International

Kandawala

Sri Lanka

Everest (India 1830)

Kerguelen Island

International

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Appendix B: Elements of a Coordinate System

Datum

Area Maps

Ellipsoid

Kertau 1948

West Malaysia and

Singapore

Everest (W. Malaysia

and Singapore 1948)

135

Kusaie Astro 1951

Caroline Islands,
Federated States of
Micronesia

International 1924

L.C. 5 Astro

Cayman Brac Island

Clarke 1866

136

Leigon

Ghana

Clarke 1880

Liberia 1964

Liberia

Clarke 1880

113

Lisboa (DLx)

Portugal

International

Luzon

Philippines (excluding
Mindanao Island)

Clarke 1866

Luzon

Mindanao Island

Clarke 1866

Mahe 1971

Mahe Island

Clarke 1880

Marco Astro

Salvage Islands

International

Massawa

Eritrea (Ethiopia)

Bessel 1841

114

Melrica 1973 (D73)

Portugal

International

Merchich

Morocco

Clarke 1880

Midway Astro 1961

Midway Island

International

Minna

Nigeria

Clarke 1880

137

Montserrat Island Astro

1958

Montserrat, Leeward
Islands

Clarke 1880

138

MPoraloko

Gabon

Clarke 1880

Nahrwan

Masirah Island (Oman)

Clarke 1880

Nahrwan

United Arab Emirates

Clarke 1880

Nahrwan

Saudi Arabia

Clarke 1880

Naparima, BWI

Trinidad and Tobago

International

109

Netherlands

Bessel

New Zealand Geodetic

Datum 1949 (NZGD 49)

New Zealand

International

North American 1927

(NAD 27)

Continental US

Clarke 1866

North American 1927

(NAD 27)

Alaska

Clarke 1866

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North American 1927

(NAD 27)

Caribbean (Turks and

Caicos Islands)

Clarke 1866

North American 1927

(NAD 27)

Central America
(Belize, Costa Rica,
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
Nicaragua)

Clarke 1866

North American 1927

(NAD 27)

Cuba

Clarke 1866

North American 1927

(NAD 27)

Greenland (Hayes
Peninsula)

Clarke 1866

North American 1927

(NAD 27)

Mexico

Clarke 1866

North American 1927

(NAD 27)

Michigan (used only

for State Plane
Coordinate System
1927)

Modified Clarke 1866

North American 1983

(NAD 83)

Alaska, Canada,
Central America,
Continental US,
Mexico

GRS 80

139

North Sahara 1959

Algeria

Clarke 1880

107

Nouvelle Triangulation
Francaise (NTF) Greenwich
Prime Meridian

France

Modified Clarke 1880

1002

Nouvelle Triangulation
Francaise (NTF) Paris Prime
Meridian

France

Modified Clarke 1880

111

NWGL 10

Worldwide

WGS 72

117

NZGD 2000

New Zealand

GRS 80

1010

NZGD 49, 7 parameter

New Zealand

International

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Appendix B: Elements of a Coordinate System

Datum

Area Maps

Ellipsoid

Observatorio 1966

Corvo and Flores

Islands (Azores)

International

140

Observatorio Meteorologico
1939

Corvo and Flores

Islands (Azores)

International 1924

Old Egyptian

Egypt

Helmert 1906

Old Hawaiian

Hawaii

Clarke 1866

Oman

Clarke 1880

Ordnance Survey of Great

Britain 1936

England, Isle of Man,

Scotland, Shetland
Islands, Wales

Airy

Pico de las Nieves

Canary Islands

International

Pitcairn Astro 1967

Pitcairn Island

International

141

Point 58

Burkina Faso and

Niger

Clarke 1880

142

Pointe Noire 1948

Congo

Clarke 1880

143

Porto Santo 1936

Porto Santo and

Madeiras Islands

International 1924

1000

Potsdam

Germany

Bessel

Provisional South American

1956

Bolivia, Chile,
Colombia, Ecuador,
Guyana, Peru,
Venezuela

International

Provisional South Chilean

1963

South Chile (near

53S)

International

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico and Virgin

Islands

Clarke 1866

1001

Pulkovo 1942

Germany

Krassovsky

1012

PZ90

Russia

PZ90

Qatar National

Qatar

International

Qornoq

South Greenland

International

1000

Rauenberg

Germany

Bessel

Reunion

Mascarene Island

International

112

Rikets Triangulering 1990

(RT 90)

Sweden

Bessel

1011

Rikets Triangulering 1990

(RT 90), 7 parameter

Sweden

Bessel

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Appendix B: Elements of a Coordinate System

Datum

Area Maps

Ellipsoid

Rome 1940

Sardinia Island

International

Santo (DOS)

Espirito Santo Island

International

So Braz

So Miguel, Santa
Maria Islands (Azores)

International

Sapper Hill 1943

East Falkland Island

International

Schwarzeck

Namibia

Modified Bessel 1841

144

Selvagem Grande 1938

Salvage Islands

International 1924

145

Sierra Leone 1960

Sierra Leone

Clarke 1880

146

S-JTSK

Czech Republic

Bessel 1841

1013

SK42

Russia

PZ90

1024

SK95

Russia

PZ90

South American 1969

Argentina, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile,
Colombia, Ecuador,
Guyana, Paraguay,
Peru, Venezuela,
Trinidad, and Tobago

South American 1969

South Asia

Singapore

Modified Fischer 1960

Southeast Base

Porto Santo and

Madeira Islands

International

Southwest Base

Faial, Graciosa, Pico,

Sao Jorge, Terceira
Islands (Azores)

International

1003

Switzerland (CH 1903)

Switzerland

Bessel

147

Tananarive Observatory
1925

Madagascar

International 1924

Timbalai 1948

Brunei and East

Malaysia (Sarawak
and Sabah)

Everest (India 1830)

Tokyo

Japan, Korea,
Okinawa

Bessel 1841

1015

Tokyo97

Japan

Bessel 1841

Tristan Astro 1968

Tristan da Cunha

International

Viti Levu 1916

Viti Levu Island (Fiji

Islands)

Clarke 1880

148

Voirol 1874

Tunisia/Algeria

Clarke 1880

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Appendix B: Elements of a Coordinate System

Datum

Area Maps

Ellipsoid

149

Voirol 1960

Algeria

Clarke 1880

100

Wake-Eniwetok 1960

Marshall Islands

Hough

101

World Geodetic System

1960 (WGS 60)

Worldwide

WGS 60

102

World Geodetic System

1966 (WGS 66)

Worldwide

WGS 66

103

World Geodetic System

1972 (WGS 72)

Worldwide

WGS 72

104

World Geodetic System

1984 (WGS 84)

Worldwide

WGS 84

105

Yacare

Uruguay

International

106

Zanderij

Surinam

International

Units
The following table lists the available coordinate units and the number used to identify the unit in
the MAPINFOW.PRJ file:
Number

Units

Centimeters

Chains

Feet (also called International Feet)*

Inches

Kilometers

Links

Meters

Miles

Millimeters

Nautical Miles**

Rods

US Survey Feet (used for 1927 State Plane)***

Yards

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*One International Foot equals exactly 30.48 cm.

**One Nautical Mile equals exactly 1852 meters.
***One US Survey Foot equals exactly 12/39.37 meters, or approximately 30.48006 cm.

Coordinate System Origin

The origin is the point specified in longitude and latitude from which all coordinates are referenced.
It is chosen to optimize the accuracy of a particular coordinate system. As we move north from the
origin, Y increases. X increases as we move east. These coordinate values are generally called
northings and eastings.
For the Transverse Mercator projection the origins longitude defines the central meridian. In
constructing the Transverse Mercator projection a cylinder is positioned tangent to the earth. The
central meridian is the line of tangency. The scale of the projected map is true along the central
meridian.
In creating a Hotine Oblique Mercator projection it is necessary to specify a great circle that is not
the equator nor a meridian. MapInfo does this by specifying one point on the ellipsoid and an
azimuth from that point. That point is the origin of the coordinate system.

Standard Parallels (Conic Projections)

In conic projections a cone is passed through the earth intersecting it along two parallels of
latitude. These are the standard parallels. One is to the north and one is to the south of the
projection zone. To use a single standard parallel specify that latitude twice. Both are expressed in
degrees of latitude.

Oblique Azimuth (Hotine Oblique Mercator)

When specifying a great circle (Hotine Oblique Mercator) using a point and an azimuth (arc), the
azimuth is called the Oblique Azimuth and is expressed in degrees.

Scale Factor (Transverse Mercator)

A scale factor is applied to cylindrical coordinates to average scale error over the central area of
the map while reducing the error along the east and west boundaries. The scale factor has the
effect of recessing the cylinder into the earth so that it has two lines of intersection. Scale is true
along these lines of intersection.
You may see the scale factor expressed as a ratio, such as 1:25000. In this case it is generally
called the scale reduction. The relationship between scale factor and scale reduction is:
scale factor = 1-scale reduction
In this case the scale factor would be 1-(1/25000) or 0.99996.

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Appendix B: Elements of a Coordinate System

False Northings and False Eastings

Calculating coordinates is easier if negative numbers arent involved. To eliminate this problem in
calculating State Plane and Universal Transverse Mercator coordinates, it is common to add
measurement offsets to the northings and eastings. These offsets are called False Northings and
False Eastings. They are expressed in coordinate units, not degrees. (The coordinate units are
specified by the Units parameter.)

Range (Azimuthal Projections)

The range specifies, in degrees, how much of the earth you are seeing. The range can be between
1 and 180. When you specify 90, you see a hemisphere. When you specify 180 you see the whole
earth, though much of it is very distorted.

Polyconic Projection
The following description is copied from Map Projections A Working Manual, USGS
Professional Paper 1395, by John P. Snyder.
The Polyconic projection, usually called the American Polyconic in Europe, achieved its name
because the curvature of the circular arc for each parallel on the map is the same as it would be
following the unrolling of a cone which had been wrapped around the globe tangent to the
particular parallel of latitude, with the parallel traced onto the cone. Thus, there are many (poly-)
cones involved, rather than the single cone of each regular conic projection.
The Polyconic projection is neither equal-area nor conformal. Along the central meridian, however,
it is both distortion free and true to scale. Each parallel is true to scale, but the meridians are
lengthened by various amounts to cross each parallel at the correct position along the parallel, so
that no parallel is standard in the sense of having conformality (or correct angles), except at the
central meridian. Near the central meridian, distortion is extremely small.
This projection is not intended for mapping large areas. The conversion algorithms used break
down when mapping wide longitude ranges. For example, WORLD.TAB, from the sample data
shipped with MapInfo Professional, may exhibit anomalies if reprojected using Polyconic.

For More Information on Projections

The first three publications listed are relatively short pamphlets. The last two are substantial books.
Weve also given addresses and phone numbers for the American Congress of Surveying and
Mapping (the pamphlets) and the U.S. Geological Survey (the books).
American Cartographic Association. Choosing a World MapAttributes, Distortions, Classes,
Aspects. Falls Church, VA: American Congress on Surveying and Mapping. Special Publication
No. 2. 1988.
American Cartographic Association. Matching the Map Projection the Need. Falls Church, VA:
American Congress on Surveying and Mapping. Special Publication No. 3. 1991.

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American Cartographic Association. Which Map is Best? Projections for World Maps. Falls
Church, VA: American Congress on Surveying and Mapping. Special Publication No. 1. 1986.
John P. Snyder. Map ProjectionsA Working Manual. Washington: U.S. Geological Survey
Professional Paper 1395. 1987
John P. Snyder and Philip M. Voxland. An Album of Map Projections. Washington: U.S. Geological
Survey Professional Paper 1453. 1989.

Contact Information
American Congress on Surveying and Mapping
5410 Grosvenor Lane, Suite 100
Bethesda, MD 20814 2212
(301) 493-0200
Earth Science Information Center
U.S. Geological Survey
507 National Center
Reston, VA 22092
(703) 860-6045 or (800) USA-MAPS
Peter H. Dana of the Department of Geography, University of Texas at Austin has also put up an
incredible website for explanations of Map projections, Geodetic Datums, and Coordinate
systems. It is a valuable as many of these explanations were also presented using MapInfo
Professional. The materials may be used for study, research, and education, but please credit the
author:
Peter H. Dana, The Geographers Craft Project, Department of Geography, The University of
Texas at Austin.
For Geodetic Datum information and explanations, go to:
http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/datum/datum.html
For Information on Coordinate systems and other principles, go to:
http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/coordsys/coordsys.html
For Information on Map Projections go to:
http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/mapproj/mapproj.html

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Registering SPOT
Images

In this Appendix:

Registering SPOT Image Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545

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Appendix C: Registering SPOT Images

Registering SPOT Image Files

SPOT images are satellite (raster) images of the earth. SPOT Image Corporation offers these
images under the name SPOTView. SPOT images work well with MapInfo Professional and
are particularly useful when scant vector data is available for a geographic region, or when you
want to super-impose vector data on top of a highly accurate raster backdrop. Additionally,
MapInfo works with the Geospot, format.
This appendix describes how to use information in SPOT and Geospot files to register the image
in MapInfo. The advantage of using this information in this way is the increased accuracy that can
be achieved over manually aligning the image with vector data.
This appendix assumes you have some familiarity with manually registering raster images. If the
subject is new to you, see Registering the Coordinates of a Raster Image on page 427 in this
user guide.
The process described here is not foolproof. Because of inaccuracies in the header file settings or
problems in companion vector data, you may occasionally need to manually readjust the control
points using the Register Raster Image dialog. Refer to Register Raster Image earlier.
Part of registering a SPOT image is assigning the proper coordinate system. The standard
coordinate systems for most US SPOT images are Universal Transverse Mercator and State
Plane. But in other cases a SPOT image may use a different coordinate system and may even
require that you add a new coordinate system to MapInfo. This appendix will help you identify what
settings to use for a SPOT image, as well as when to add a coordinate system to MapInfo, should
you need to.A SPOT image consists of several files, not all of which are required by MapInfo. Here
are the files that MapInfo uses:

.HDR file A header file in ASCII form that contains information about the images size,
coordinate system, (SPOTView only) and location on the earth.

.BIL file A binary file that contains the images raw raster data.

.CLR file A palette file that contains a list of suggested colors to be used with the image.
This file is only provided with color images, and MapInfo reads the contents of this file
when present.

A report (.REP) file in ASCII form also accompanies each Geospot product. Although MapInfo
does not read this file, you may find that it too contains useful information for registering the image,
particularly image rotation and coordinate system information.

Gathering Coordinate System and Control Point Information

Like other raster images, registering a SPOT image involves choosing a coordinate system and
assigning at least three control points in the Register Raster Image Dialog. Before doing so, you
must gather the appropriate information from settings in the images .HDR/.REP files.
If you open a SPOTView images .HDR file using an ASCII editor, youll see that it contains
settings like the following. The settings for your image will likely differ.

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SPOTView Settings
! GIS FORMAT HEADER FILE
! IDENTIFICATION BLOCK
PRODUCT_NAME
SPOTView Custom Frame Special Change Detection
FORMAT_VERSION
1.5
MAP_FRAME
22 X 30
SCENE_ID
2_595272_910701_165923_2X
!
2_595272_930410_171958_2P
!
2_595272_930729_170345_2X
IMAGE_DATE
01 JUL 91
!
10 APR 93
!
29 JUL 93
CORRECTION_LEVEL
TER
! IMAGE INFORMATION BLOCK
NCOLS
4276
NROWS
4251
ULXMAP
522147
ULYMAP
4086917
MAPUNITS
Meters
XDIM
10.00
YDIM
10.00
NBANDS
3
NBITS
8
LAYOUT
BIL
BYTEORDER
I
SKIPBYTES
0
BANDROWBYTES
4276
TOTALROWBYTES
12828
BAND_RGB
321
! MAP INFORMATION BLOCK
MAP_NAME
St Louis, MO Change Detection
UL_LON/LAT
LR_LON/LAT
PROJECTION
Albers Equal Area
ORIGIN_LON
W 96,30,00
ORIGIN_LAT
N 00,00,00
STD_PARALLEL_1
N 36,36,00
STD_PARALLEL_2
N 43,00,00
DATUM
NAD27

Geospot Settings
The .HDR and .REP files will contain settings similar to these.
(.HDR file contains the following)
! GIS FORMAT HEADER
! COORDINATE BLOCK
PRODUCT_NAME
FORMAT_VERSION
MAP_FRAME
SCENE_ID
!
!
IMAGE_DATE
!
!
CORRECTION_LEVEL

FILE
SPOTView Custom Frame Special Change Detection
1.5
22 X 30
2_595272_910701_165923_2X
2_595272_930410_171958_2P
2_595272_930729_170345_2X
01 JUL 91
10 APR 93
29 JUL 93
TER
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! IMAGE INFORMATION BLOCK

NCOLS
4276
NROWS
4251
ULXMAP
522147
ULYMAP
4086917
MAPUNITS
Meters
XDIM
10.00
YDIM
10.00
NBANDS
3
NBITS
8
LAYOUT
BIL
BYTEORDER
I
SKIPBYTES
0
BANDROWBYTES
4276
TOTALROWBYTES
12828
BAND_RGB
321
! CARTOGRAPHIC PARAMETER BLOCK (REP file)

(not in .REP file)

MAP_NAME
St Louis, MO Change Detection
UL_LON/LAT
LR_LON/LAT
PROJ_ID
Albers Equal Area
PROJ_MERIDIAN
W 96,30,00
PROJ_PARALLEL
N 00,00,00
STD_PROJ_PARALLEL_1
N 36,36,00
STD_PROJ_PARALLEL_2
N 43,00,00
DATUM
NAD27

Coordinate System Information (SPOTView Only)

The first step in registering a SPOT image is assigning the appropriate coordinate system. The
images .HDR file should contain all the information you need to determine the proper coordinate
system.
Occasionally youll want to open a SPOT image that uses a coordinate system not currently
supported in MapInfo. When this is the case, youll need to modify MapInfos list of supported
coordinate systems by adding a new line to the MAPINFOW.PRJ file; this is an ASCII file that can
be easily modified with a text editor. Appendix F: Creating Your Own Coordinate System gives a
complete description of how to edit this file and what elements to use within a line for a given
coordinate system.
For example, in the sample .HDR files settings above, the PROJECTION and DATUM settings
might lead you to believe that one of MapInfos standard Albers Equal-Area Conic coordinate
systems would be appropriate for the sample SPOT image. But if you examine the
MAPINFOW.PRJ file, youll see that the Albers Equal-Area Conic coordinate system lines look like
this.
--- North American Coordinate Systems ---
Albers Equal-Area Conic (North America), 9, 62, 7, -96, 23, 20, 60, 0, 0
Albers Equal-Area Conic (Continental US), 9, 62, 7, -96, 23, 29.5, 45.5, 0,
0
Albers Equal-Area Conic (Alaska), 9, 63, 7, -154, 50, 55, 65, 0, 0
Albers Equal-Area Conic (Hawaii), 9, 62, 7, -157, 3, 8, 18, 0, 0

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Comparing the origin and standard parallel settings (arguments 4 through 7) to the ORIGIN_LON,
ORIGIN_LAT, STD_PARALLEL_1, and STD_PARALLEL_2 settings in the .HDR file shown above,
youll see that they do not match up. In this case, you would need to add a line like this to the
MAPINFOW.PRJ file:
Albers Equal-Area Conic (St. Louis), 9, 62, 7, -96.5, 0, 36.6, 43, 0, 0

Note that when adding a new coordinate system for an image, if a required setting is missing from
the .HDR file, enter zero in its place. In the sample line above, for example, zero was used for the
False Easting and False Northing settingsthe final two arguments on the line.

Control Point Information

ULXMAP, ULYMAP, XDIM, and YDIM are the settings within the .HDR file that are used for
determining a SPOT images three control points. PIXEL_ROTATION_SIN and
PIXEL_ROTATION_COS are optional rotation settings within the images .REP file; this file is only
present with Geospot products. If a .REP file is not present or the .REP file does not contain any
PIXEL_ROTATION_SIN and PIXEL_ROTATION_COS settings, here are the values to use for
these settings when calculating control points:
PIXEL_ROTATION_SIN = 0
PIXEL_ROTATION_COS = 1

The following table shows the pixel coordinates and corresponding equations for determining the
three control points. The column on the right of the table shows the results of calculating the
control points using the sample data from above. In this case, the image has no .REP file.
Image X,Y

Equation

Example

0,0

ULXMAP,ULYMAP

522147,4086917

1,0

ULXMAP + PIXEL_ROTATION_COS * XDIM, ULYMAP + PIXEL_ROTATION_SIN * XDIM

522157,4086917

0,1

ULXMAP + PIXEL_ROTATION_SIN * YDIM, ULYMAP - PIXEL_ROTATION_COS * YDIM

522147,4086907

Notice that the control points are at the top left corner of the image (0,0), one pixel to the left
(1,0), and one pixel below (0,1); no additional accuracy is gained by choosing control points
that are any further apart. Here are the settings you would enter in the Register Raster Image
dialog when registering the sample SPOT image:
Label

Map X

Map Y

Image X

Image Y

Pt 1

522147 m

4086917 m

Pt 2

522157 m

4086917 m

Pt 3

522147 m

4086907 m

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You can contact SPOT Image Corporation directly for more information on SPOT images and the
SPOTView product line.
SPOT Image Corporation
1897 Preston White Drive
Reston, VA 22091-4368
Phone (703)620-2200 Fax (703)648-1813

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MapInfo Map Interchange

Format

This appendix describes the data interchange format for MapInfo Professional. In this appendix, you will
find information on:
MIF File Header
MIF Data Section
Pen, Brush, Symbol, and Font Codes in MIF
MID File
This versatile format allows generic data to be attached to a variety of graphical items. Since it is ASCII, it
is editable, relatively easy to generate, and works on all platforms supported by MapInfo. Perhaps the best
way to understand the MapInfo Interchange Format (MIF) is to study the sample file at the end of this
appendix in conjunction with the explanation of the file format. You can also create samples of your own by
exporting files to MIF and then examining those files in a text editor.
MapInfo data is in two files the graphics reside in a .MIF file and textual data is contained in a .MID file.
The textual data is delimited data, with one row per record and either Carriage Return, Carriage Return
plus Line Feed, or Line Feed between lines. The MIF file has two areas the file header area and the
data section. Information on how to create MapInfo tables is in the header; the graphical object definitions
are in the data section.

In this Appendix:

MIF File Header . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551

MIF Data Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
Pen Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 561
Brush Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562
Symbol Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563
Font Styles for Symbols. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565
Colors for Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565

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Appendix D: MapInfo Map Interchange Format

MIF File Header

This is a description of MIF file header with optional information in square brackets.
VERSION n
NAME
[ no spaces allowed in the column name ]
Charset characterSetName
[ DELIMITER <c> ]
[ UNIQUE n,n.. ]
[ INDEX n,n.. ]
[ COORDSYS...]
[ TRANSFORM...]
COLUMNS n
<name> <type>
<name> <type>
.
.
DATA

MIF File Header Version

TAB files are always saved as 300 unless noted.

WOR files are always saved as 400 unless noted.

Once a table is 'upgraded' to a later version, MapInfo Professional does not 'downgrade' it
to an earlier version if the feature which forced the 'upgrade' is removed.

Workspaces are written fresh each time, and so can be 'downgraded' if there are no
features that require the 'upgrade'.

MIF/MID files created by exporting TAB files from MapInfo Professional match the version
of the TAB file.

Pen(0,0,0) and Brush(0,0,0) which were valid in 4.1 are not valid in 4.5 and later.

Line widths in points are encoded in the Pen clause by multiplying the line width value by
10 and adding 10 do the result (.2 -> 12, 1.0 -> 20, etc.). This forces a 450 in the MIF file
header.

Interleaved line styles are encoded in the Pen clause by increasing the line style value by
128. This does not force a 450 workspace, appears to be 4.x compatible, and gets a 400.

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File versions and TAB, MIF/MID, and WOR Support

Version
Number
400

TAB

MIF MID

WOR

Action
Table is a linked ODBC table

Table uses interleaved line styles or objects in the cosmetic

layer containing interleaved line styles

Saved queries (controlled by 'Save Queries in Workspaces'

check box in the Startup Preferences dialog box) are
implemented as straight Select statements

410

Table uses MS Access databases

450

Region and polyline objects, that have more than 32K nodes
!edit_version 450 and !version 300

Table uses point sized line widths

Table is a query table

Workspaces that specify dot density color (shade ... density...

color)

Workspaces that specify Line width in points (Pen (12,x,x))

Table uses a Datum or ellipsoid released in a specific

version. *See release notes for new datums and new
ellipsoids

452

Regional Mercator projection - (#26)

500

Table specifies a 'grid' file (*.MIG, raster style = 6 1)

550

Workspaces that contain surface thematic layers (inflect)

Workspaces that contain cartographic legends (Create

Cartographic Legend)

Polyconic projection - (#27)

Irish (WOFO) ellipsoid - (#49)

Table is a linked\live Oracle 8i table

600

Workspaces with Oracle 8i connection information

Workspaces that include surface thematics with Hillshading

Table uses a Datum or ellipsoid released in a specific
version. * See release notes for new datums and new
ellipsoids

Azimuthal Equidistant projection, Oblique aspect - #(28)

Everest (Pakistan) ellipsoid - #(50)

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Version
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TAB
X

MIF MID

Appendix D: MapInfo Map Interchange Format

WOR

Action
ATS 77 ellipsoid - #(51)
New Datums introduced in Version 6.0. Their numbers are in
a range 115-150 (115 and 150 included) and 1004-1011
(1004 and 1011 included) 600, since MapInfo Professional
writes Datum number if all the parameters match to the
parameters of our internal Datum table. Also note, that we
write the FIRST datum number with these parameters, that
we find in our internal table. That means that if for example
table was
created using Datums EUREF89 (115), GDA94 (116) or
NZGD2000 (117), the MIF file will have Datum GRS 80 (33)
written into it and MIF file version would not be
incremented. Since MapInfo Professional does not write
datum number into TAB file, version will be incremented only
if ellipsoid is new.

650

700

Workspace includes Advanced Printer settings

Workspace includes a Hotlink

Workspace includes a 3D Mapper window

Workspaces that include new clip region settings

Table uses a Datum or ellipsoid released in a specific

version. *See release notes for new datums and new
ellipsoids

New object types: Multipoint and Collection (actually

!edit_version 650 and !version 300)

Cassini-Soldner projection (number 30)

Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection - Oblique

aspect(number 29)

Cassini-Soldner projection for the map window

Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection (Oblique aspect) for

the map window

New object types (Multipoint and Collection) created in a cosmetic layer or in a layout

Save a workspace with a Prism Map

TAB file linked to a ShapeFile

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Version
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X

MIF MID
X

Appendix D: MapInfo Map Interchange Format

WOR
X

Action
#152 - JGD2000 datum used in Japan.
#1012 - PZ90 datum based on PZ90 ellipsoid. This datum is
used in Russia.
#1013 - SK42 datum based on PZ90 ellipsoid. This datum is
used in Russia.
#1014 - SK95 datum based on PZ90 ellipsoid. This datum is
used in Russia.
"Longitude / Latitude (Russia PZ90)", 1, 1012
Longitude / Latitude (Russia SK42)", 1, 1013
Longitude / Latitude (Russia SK95)", 1, 1014
Double Stereographic projection.
New datum - ATS77 (which uses ATS77 ellipsoid).
Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick Projection

ROP Method selected for advanced options for Save

Window As or Printing

Charset
The Charset clause specifies which character set was used to create text in the table. For
example: Specify WindowsLatin1 to indicate that the file was created using the Windows US &
Western Europe character set; specify MacRoman to specify the Macintosh US & Western
Europe character set; or specify Neutral to avoid converting the text into another character set. If
you are not using one of these character sets, you can determine the correct syntax for your
character set by exporting a table and examining the .MIF file in a text editor.

Delimiter
Specify the delimiting character in quotation marks, for example:
DELIMITER ;

The default delimiter is Tab; if you are using the default, you do not need the DELIMITER line.

Unique
Specify a number. This number refers to a database column; 3 is the third column, 7 is the seventh
column, and so forth. What happens to columns in the UNIQUE list is subtle. For example,
imagine that you have a database with highways in it. Each highway has only one name, but it
might be represented by several segments. You would put the NAME column in the UNIQUE list,
while the column containing data for the individual segments would not be in that list. This has the
effect of creating two related tables; one with names, and one with the other attributes of the
objects. This is how MapInfos various street maps (StreetPro) are prepared.

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Index
To indicate that columns in the table are indexed, include a number (or a comma-separated list of
numbers) in the Index clause. Each number refers to a database column; 3 is the third column, 7 is
the seventh column, and so forth. Columns in the INDEX list will have indexes prepared for them.

CoordSys Clause
Specify the COORDSYS clause to note that the data is not stored in longitude/latitude form. When
no COORDSYS clause is specified, data is assumed to be stored in longitude/latitude form.
All coordinates are stored with respect to the northeast quadrant. The coordinates for points in the
United States have a negative X while coordinates for points in Europe (east of Greenwich) have a
positive X. Coordinates for points in the Northern hemisphere have a positive Y while coordinates
for points in the Southern hemisphere have a negative Y.
Syntax1
CoordSys Earth
[ Projection type,
datum,
unitname
[ , origin_longitude]
[ , origin_latitude ]
[ , standard_parallel_1 [ , standard_parallel_2 ] ]
[ , azimuth ]
[ , scale_factor ]
[ , false_easting ]
[ , false_northing]
[ , range
] ]
[ Affine Units unitname, A, B C, D, E, F ]
[ Bounds ( minx, miny) ( maxx, maxy) ]

Syntax2
CoordSys Nonearth
[ Affine Units unitname, A, B C, D, E, F ]
Units unitname
Bounds ( minx, miny) ( maxx, maxy)

Syntax3
CoordSys

Layout

Units

paperunitname

Syntax4
CoordSys

Table

tablename

Syntax5
CoordSys

Window

window_id

type is a positive integer value representing which coordinate system to use

datum is a positive integer value identifying which datum to reference
unitname is a string representing a distance unit of measure (e.g. -m" for meters); for a list
of unit names, see Set Distance Units
origin_longitude is a float longitude value, in degrees
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origin_latitude is a float latitude value, in degrees

standard_parallel_1 and standard_parallel_2 are float latitude values, in degrees
azimuth is a float angle measurement, in degrees
scale_factor is a float scale factor
range is a float value from 1 to 180, dictating how much of the Earth will be seen
minx is a float specifying the minimum x value
miny is a float specifying the minimum y value
maxx is a float specifying the maximum x value
maxy is a float specifying the maximum y value
paperunitname is a string representing a paper unit of measure (e.g. -in" for inches); for a
list of unit names, see Set Paper Units
tablename is the name of an open table
window_id is an Integer window identifier corresponding to a Map or Layout window
A performs scaling or stretching along the X axis.
B performs rotation or skewing along the X axis.
C performs shifting along the X axis.
D performs scaling or stretching along the Y axis.
E performs rotation or skewing along the Y axis.
F performs shifting along the Y axis.

Transform Clause
When you have MIF files with coordinates stored with respect to the northwest quadrant (quadrant
2), you can transform them to the northeast quadrant (quadrant 1) with a transform clause.
Quadrant 2: Northwest Quadrant

Quadrant 1: Northeast Quadrant

Quadrant 3: Southwest Quadrant

Quadrant 4: Southeast Quadrant

The transform clause has the following syntax:

TRANSFORM Xmultiplier, Ymultiplier, Xdisplacement, Ydisplacement

To transform quadrant 2 data into quadrant 1 data, use the following transform clause:
TRANSFORM -1,0,0,0

The zeroes instruct MapInfo to ignore that parameter.

When you have an application which creates MIF files in quadrant 2, you can:

Add the TRANSFORM clause to the MIF files

Change the application so that it creates coordinates in quadrant 1

Change the application so that it adds a TRANSFORM clause to the MIF files

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Columns
Specify the number of columns. Then, for each column, create a row containing the column name,
the column type, and, for character and decimal columns, a number to indicate the width of the
field.
Note:

Field names cannot have spaces.

Valid column types are:

char (width)

integer (which is 4 bytes)

smallint (which is 2 bytes, so it can only store numbers between -32767 and +32767)

decimal (width,decimals)

float

date

logical

This is an example of the columns section of the header:

COLUMNS 3
STATE char (15)
POPULATION integer
AREA decimal (8,4)

For the database specified in this header, the MID file has three columns:

a 15 character field that represents the STATE column,

an integer field that represents the POPULATION column,

an AREA column that consists of a decimal field with up to 8 total characters (digits,
decimals points, and optional sign) and 4 digits after the decimal.

MIF Data Section

The data section of the MIF file follows the header and must be introduced with DATA on a single
line:
DATA

The data section of the MIF file can have any number of graphical primitives, one for each graphic
object. MapInfo matches up entries in the MIF and MID files, associating the first object in the MIF
file with the first row in the MID file, the second object in the MIF file with the second row in the MID
file, and so on.
When there is no graphic object corresponding to a particular row in the MID file, a blank object
(NONE) must be written as a place holder in the corresponding place in the MIF file.
NONE

The graphical objects that can be specified are:

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polyline
region
arc
text
rectangle
rounded rectangle
ellipse
multipoint
collection
A point object takes two parameters; an X coordinate and a Y coordinate. As an option, specify the
symbol that represents the point. Symbols are designated by numbers. If you omit the SYMBOL
clause, the current symbol is used.
POINT
x y
[ SYMBOL (shape, color, size)]

Each MapInfo version supports variations on the SYMBOL clause; see Symbol Styles on
page 563 in this appendix.
A line objects requires four parameters; an X and a Y coordinate for each end point. As an option,
specify a pen type. When no pen type is specified, the current pen type is used.
LINE
x1 y1 x2 y2
[ PEN (width, pattern, color)]

A polyline object consists of one or more sections. If the polyline has more than one section,
include the MULTIPLE keyword, followed by the number of sections. For each section, specify a
numpts argument (which indicates the number of nodes in that section), followed by an x/y
coordinate pair for each node. Use the optional PEN clause (described later in this appendix) to
specify the line style. If you include the optional SMOOTH keyword, the polyline is smoothed.
PLINE [ MULTIPLE numsections ]
numpts1
x1 y1
x2 y2
:
[ numpts2
x1 y1
x2 y2
]
:
[ PEN (width, pattern, color)]
[ SMOOTH ]

A region object consists of one or more polygons. Specify the number of polygons through the
numpolygons argument (immediately after the REGION keyword). For each polygon, specify a
numpts argument (which indicates the number of nodes in that polygon), followed by an x/y
coordinate pair for each node. Use the optional PEN and BRUSH clauses (described later in this
appendix) to specify the objects style. Use the optional CENTER clause to define the objects
centroid explicitly. The centroid must be within the object.
REGION numpolygons
numpts1
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x1 y1
x2 y2
:
[ numpts2
x1 y1
x2 y2 ]
:
[ PEN (width, pattern, color)]
[ BRUSH (pattern, forecolor, backcolor)]
[ CENTER x y ]

An arc requires the diagonally opposite corners of its bounding rectangle and the beginning (a)
and ending (b) angles of the arc in degrees, moving counter-clockwise with zero at three oclock.
As an option, specify the pen type. (An arc specifies a section of an ellipse, the corners of which
are determined by the bounding rectangle.)
ARC x1 y1 x2 y2
a b
[ PEN (width, pattern, color)]

A text object consists of a text string, up to 255 characters long. To make the text string wrap onto
multiple lines, insert the characters \n within the textstring argument (e.g. First line \nSecond line
\nThird line). The x1, y1, x2, and y2 arguments specify the location of the text on the map.
Spacing can be 1.0 (single spacing), 1.5, or 2.0 (double spacing). Use the Font clause (described
later in this appendix) to control the typeface, etc.
TEXT textstring
x1 y1 x2 y2
[ FONT...]
[ Spacing {1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0}]
[ Justify {Left | Center | Right}]
[ Angle text_angle]
[ Label Line {simple | arrow} x y ]

A rectangle requires the coordinates of the diagonally opposite corners. As an option, specify pen
and brush types.
RECT x1 y1 x2 y2
[ PEN (width, pattern, color)]
[ BRUSH (pattern, forecolor, backcolor)]

A rounded rectangle requires the coordinates of the diagonally opposite corners and the degree of
rounding (a). As an option, specify pen and brush types. Degree of rounding is expressed in
coordinate units.
ROUNDRECT x1 y1 x2 y2
a
[ PEN (width, pattern, color)]
[ BRUSH (pattern, forecolor, backcolor)]

An ellipse object requires the coordinates of the diagonally opposite corners of its bounding
rectangle. As an option, specify pen and brush types.
ELLIPSE x1 y1 x2 y2
[ PEN (width, pattern, color)]
[ BRUSH (pattern, forecolor, backcolor)]

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A multipoint object takes multiple parametrics, consisting of xy coordinate pairs. The number of
points is indicated by the num_points parameter as an option, specify the symbol that represents
the multipoint. Symbols are designed by numbers. If you omit the SYMBOL claus4e, the current
symbol is used.
MULTIPOINT num_points
x1 y1 x2 y2 x3 y3 ...

EXAMPLE:
Multipoint 7
-3.113504 10.532464
-2.113504 11.532464
-1.113504 12.532464
-0.113504 14.532464
-4.113504 11.532464
-0.113504 8.532464
0.886496 13.532464
Symbol (35,0,12)
Collection format
Collection num_parts
Region
.......
Pline
......
Multipoint
..........

A collection object takes multiple parameters, consisting of the parameters of the object types
included in the collection. Individual formats for the Region, Pline, and Multipoint parts of the
collection are the same as those for the corresponding object type. The num_parts parameter is
required if the number of parts in the collection is less than three. If this number is omitted, it is
assumed that the collection contains all three parts. In exports, MapInfo always writes this number
into the MIF file.
COLLECTION num_parts
Region
Pline
Multipoint
EXAMPLE:
Collection 3
Region 3
5
4.850832 10.077456
5.850832 11.077456
6.850832 13.077456
12.850832 19.077456
4.850832 10.077456
4
-5.149168 0.077456
-4.149168 1.077456
-3.149168 3.077456
-5.149168 0.077456
4
14.850832 20.077456
15.850832 21.077456
16.850832 23.077456
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14.850832 20.077456
Pen (1,2,0)
Brush (2,16777215,16777215)
Center 8.850832 14.577456
Pline 3
-7.149168 0.077456
-3.149168 -2.922544
-2.149168 2.077456
Pen (1,2,0)
Multipoint 2
-6.149168 -0.922544
-5.149168 0.077456
Symbol (35,0,12)

Pen Styles
The Pen clause specifies the width, pattern, and color of a linear object, such as a line, polyline
arc, or the border of a region. The Pen clause has the following syntax:
PEN (width, pattern, color)

Width is a number from 1 to 7. 17 is the width in screen pixels. 112047 are values that will be
converted to points:
penwidth = (number of points * 10) + 10
0 is only valid when the pen pattern is 1 for invisible lines.
Color is an integer, representing a 24-bit RGB color value.
Pattern is an integer from 1 to 118; pattern number 1 is invisible. The pattern number corresponds
to a pen number in the pen file. The pen file can be modified using a pen editor.
Valid pen numbers are from 1 to maximum number of pens in the pen file, which should not
exceed 127. If a pen style is interleaved, 128 will be added to the pen number. Interleaved styles
are in the range 129255. Because the pen file can be modified, and interleaved can be specified,
the pen pattern can be a number between 1255.

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The following table lists the available line styles by default:

Brush Styles
Brush specifies the pattern, foreground color, and background color of a filled object, such as a
circle or region. The Brush clause has the following syntax:
Brush (pattern, forecolor

[, backcolor ])

The forecolor and backcolor arguments are both integers, representing 24-bit RGB color values.
Pattern is a number from 1 to 71. Note: Pattern number 1 is no fill, and pattern number 2 is a
solid fill. Pattern numbers 911 are reserved.
Note:

To specify a transparent fill style, use pattern number three or larger, and omit the
backcolor argument. For example: Brush( 5, 255)

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Symbol Styles
The Symbol clause specifies the appearance of a Point object. There are three different forms of
the Symbol clause:

MapInfo 3.0 Syntax

TrueType Font Syntax

Custom Bitmap File Syntax

Symbol Clause-MapInfo 3.0 Syntax

The Symbol clause specifies the appearance of a Point object. There are three different forms of
the Symbol clause. To specify a symbol style using Old MapInfo Symbols (the symbols that were
used in earlier versions of MapInfo), use the following syntax:
SYMBOL (shape, color, size)

The shape argument is an integer value, 31 or larger; 31 represents a blank symbol (i.e. the object
will not be visible). The standard set of symbols includes symbols 32 through 67, inclusive, but the
user can customize the symbol set by using the Symbol application.
The color argument is an integer representing a 24-bit RGB color value.
The size argument is an integer from 1 to 48, representing a point size.
The following table lists the default symbols provided with MapInfo:

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Symbol Clause TrueType Font Syntax

To specify a symbol style based on a character from a TrueType font, use the following syntax:
SYMBOL (shape, color, size, fontname, fontstyle, rotation)

The fontname argument is a text string that identifies the name of a font (e.g. Wingdings).
The fontstyle argument is an integer that controls settings such as Bold. The following table lists
the values you can use as fontstyle.
fontstyle value

Effect on Symbol style

Plain text

Bold text

Black border around symbol

Drop shadow

256

White border around symbol

To specify two or more style attributes, add the values from the left column. For example, to
specify Bold and Drop Shadow, use 33.
The rotation argument is a floating-point number, representing a rotation angle, in degrees.

Symbol Clause Custom Bitmap File Syntax

To specify a symbol style based on a character from a TrueType font, use the following syntax:
SYMBOL (filename, color, size, customstyle)

The filename argument is a text string that identifies a bitmap file (e.g. ARROW.BMP) in the
CustSymb directory.
The customstyle argument is an integer that controls whether color and background attributes are
used. The following table lists the values you can use as customstyle:
customstyle value

Effect on Symbol style

Both the Show Background setting and the Apply Color setting are
off; symbol appears in default state. White pixels in the bitmap
appear transparent, allowing whatever is behind the symbol to
show through.

The Show Background settings is on; white pixels in the image are
opaque.

The Apply Color setting is on; non-white colors in the image are
replaced with the Symbols color value.

Both Show Background and Apply Color settings are on.

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Font Styles for Symbols

The Font clause specifies the appearance (typeface, color, etc.) of text objects. The Font clause
has the following syntax:
FONT (fontname, style, size, forecolor [, backcolor] )

Fontname in double quotation marks is the typeface to be displayed. Style is the text attribute of
the typeface as shown in the following table. Size must be 0 in a MIF file, because each text object
on a Map is attached to the map itself (thus the text size changes as you zoom in or out). Forecolor
is an integer representing a 24-bit RGB color. The background color is optional; if you include it,
MapInfo fills the area behind the text with the color you specify.
style value

Effect on Font Appearance

Plain

Bold

Italic

Underline

Outline (only supported on the Macintosh)

Shadow

256

Halo

512

All Caps

1024

Expanded

To specify two or more style attributes, add the values from the left column. For example, to
specify Bold and All Caps, use 513.

Colors for Symbols

Colors are often defined in relative concentrations of red, green, and blue. Each color is a number
from 0 to 255, inclusive; the RGB value of a color is calculated by the following formula:
(red * 65536) + (green * 256) + blue
These are some often used colors and their values:
Red: 16711680
Green: 65280
Blue: 255
Cyan: 65535
Magenta: 16711935
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Yellow: 16776960
Black: 0

MID File
The MID file contains data, one record of data per row, delimited by the character specified in the
delimiter statement. The default delimiter is Tab. Each row in the MID file is associated with a
corresponding object in the MIF file; first row with first object, second row with second object.
If delimiter character is included as part of the data in a field, enclose the field in quotation marks.
The MID file is an optional file. When there is no MID file, all fields are blank.

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Fill Patterns Used in

MapInfo Professional

In the Region Style dialog box, you have the option of selecting fill patterns for regions. This appendix
shows the fill patterns and their ID numbers.

Sections in this Appendix:

Fill Pattern Table (Before MapInfo Professional 7.5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569

New Fill Patterns (Added in MapInfo Professional 7.5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570

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Appendix E: Fill Patterns Used in MapInfo Professional

Fill Pattern Table (Before MapInfo Professional 7.5)

MB ID
1

Image
None

MB ID

Image

MB ID

Image

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MB ID

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MB ID

Image

MB ID

Image

New Fill Patterns (Added in MapInfo Professional 7.5)

Here is a list of the new fill patterns we supply with MapInfo Professional:
MB ID

Image

MB ID

Image

MB ID

107

142

108

143

109

144

Image

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MB ID

Image

MB ID

110

145

111

146

112

147

113

148

114

149

115

150

116

151

117

152

118

153

119

154

120

155

121

156

122

157

123

158

124

159

Image

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MB ID

Image

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MB ID

Image

MB ID

125

160

126

161

127

162

128

163

129

164

130

165

131

166

132

167

133

168

134

169

100

135

170

101

136

171

102

137

172

103

138

173

104

139

174

Image

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MB ID

Image

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MB ID

105

140

106

141

Image

MB ID

Image

175

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Custom Datums

A datum is a mathematical description of the earths shape and orientation. Because the earths shape is
not uniform, there are many different local datums used in different parts of the world. These local datums
provide a close approximation to the earths surface in a particular area.
Each Earth coordinate system uses a specific datum to approximate the earths surface. If two coordinate
systems use different datums, then MapInfo Professional must perform a datum transformation when it
converts coordinates from one coordinate system to the other. MapInfo uses the Bursa-Wolfe datum
transformation method, which is generally accurate to within 10 meters. (When MapInfo converts between
two coordinate systems that use the same datum, no datum transformation is performed, and the results
are generally accurate to within 0.1 meter.)

In this Appendix:

Defining Custom Datums. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575

Datum Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 580

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Appendix F: Custom Datums

Defining Custom Datums

Most coordinate systems use one of MapInfos predefined datums, listed in this appendix. If you
need to use a datum that isnt in the list, and you know what the datums mathematical parameters
are, then you can define the coordinate system using a custom datum. MapInfo uses the following
information to define a datum:

An ellipsoid, also called a spheroid. This is an ellipse rotated around its minor axis to form
a three-dimensional surface. The ellipsoid is described by two mathematical parameters:
the length, in meters, of its semi-major axis (denoted by the letter a) and its degree of
flattening (denoted by the letter f). MapInfo supports over 40 predefined ellipsoids, which
are listed in the next table.

Three shift parameters specifying the distance, in meters, to shift the ellipsoid along each
of its axes. These parameters are usually denoted by dX, dY, and dZ. You may also see
them denoted by DX, DY, and DZ, or by u, v, and w.

Three rotation parameters specifying the angle, in arc-seconds, to rotate the ellipsoid
around each of its axes. These parameters are usually denoted by EX, EY, and EZ. You
may also see them denoted by eX, eY, and eZ, or by e, y, and w.

A scale correction factor specifying the amount, in parts per million, to adjust the size of
the ellipsoid. This parameter is denoted by the letter m, or sometimes k.

The longitude of the prime meridian, in degrees east of Greenwich. The prime meridian
specifies which location on earth is assigned longitude 0. Most datums use Greenwich as
the prime meridian, so this parameter is usually zero. However, some datums use a
different location as the prime meridian. For example, the NTF datum uses Paris as its
prime meridian, which is 2.33722917 degrees east of Greenwich. If you use the NTF
datum in a coordinate system, all longitudes in that coordinate system are relative to Paris
instead of Greenwich.

You can define a custom datum in any coordinate system definition. Appendix F describes how to
define a coordinate system. To define a custom datum in a coordinate system, you use datum
number 9999 followed by the datum parameters, in this order:
9999, EllipsoidNumber, dX, dY, dZ, EX, EY, EZ, m, PrimeMeridian
Some datums specify only an ellipsoid and shift parameters (dX, dY, dZ), with no rotation
parameters, scale correction, or prime meridian. In those cases, you can use datum number 999
instead of 9999, to simplify the definition:
999, EllipsoidNumber, dX, dY, dZ
The ellipsoid number must be chosen from the following list. Currently, there is no way to define a
custom ellipsoid. If you need to use an ellipsoid that does not appear on this list, please notify
MapInfo Technical Support so that we can add your ellipsoid to a future MapInfo release.
Two ellipsoids have been added. These are: Everest Pakistan #50, and ATS 77 (Average
Terrestrial System) #51.
The ellipsoid names for Everest ellipsoids have been standardized according to NIMA specs to
conform to the most current standards used in the GIS and mapping communities.

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The name changes are summarized in this table:

Ellipsoid #

Old Name

New Name/NIMA Designation

Everest (1830)

Everest (India 1830)

Everest (Kertau)

Everest (W. Malaysia and Singapore 1948)

Everest (Timbalai)

Everest (Brunei and East Malaysia (Sabah

and Sarawak))

Everest (West Malaysia)

Everest (West Malaysia 1969)

Everest (Kalianpur)

Everest (India 1956)

The additions and the new names are reflected in this table.
Number

Ellipsoid

1/f

Airy 1930

6377563.396

299.3249646

Airy 1930 (modified for Ireland 1965)

6377340.189

299.3249646

ATS7 77

6378135.0

298.257

Australian

6378160.0

298.25

Bessel 1841

6377397.155

299.1528128

Bessel 1841 (modified for NGO

1948)

6377492.0176

299.15281

Bessel 1841 (modified for

Schwarzeck)

6377483.865

299.1528128

Clarke 1858

6378293.639

294.26068

Clarke 1866

6378206.4

294.9786982

Clarke 1866 (modified for Michigan)

6378450.0474844
81

294.9786982

Clarke 1880

6378249.145

293.465

Clarke 1880 (modified for Arc 1950)

6378249.145326

293.4663076

Clarke 1880 (modified for IGN)

6378249.2

293.4660213

Clarke 1880 (modified for Jamaica)

6378249.136

293.46631

Clarke 1880 (modified for Merchich)

6378249.2

293.46598

Clarke 1880 (modified for Palestine)

6378300.79

293.46623

Everest (Brunei and East Malaysia

(Sabah and Sarawak))

6377298.556

300.8017

Everest (India 1830)

6377276.345

300.8017

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Number

Appendix F: Custom Datums

Ellipsoid

1/f

Everest (India 1956)

6377301.243

300.80174

Everest (Pakistan)

6377309.613

300.8017

Everest (W. Malaysia and Singapore

1948)

6377304.063

300.8017

Everest (West Malaysia 1969)

6377295.664

300.8017

Fischer 1960

6378166.0

298.3

Fischer 1960 (modified for South

Asia)

6378155.0

298.3

Fischer 1968

6378150.0

298.3

GRS 67

6378160.0

298.247167427

GRS 80

6378137.0

298.257222101

Hayford

6378388.0

297.0

Helmert 1906

6378200.0

298.3

Hough

6378270.0

297.0

IAG 75

6378140.0

298.257222

Indonesian

6378160.0

298.247

International 1924

6378388.0

297.0

Irish (WOFO)

6377542.178

299.325

Krassovsky

6378245.0

298.3

MERIT 83

6378137.0

298.257

New International 1967

6378157.5

298.25

NWL 10D

6378135.0

298.26

NWL 9D

6378145.0

298.25

OSU86F

6378136.2

298.25722

OSU91A

6378136.3

298.25722

Plessis 1817

6376523.0

308.64

PZ90

6378136.0

298.257839303

South American

6378160.0

298.25

Sphere

6370997.0

0.0

Struve 1860

6378297.0

294.73

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Number

Appendix F: Custom Datums

Ellipsoid

1/f

Walbeck

6376896.0

302.78

War Office

6378300.583

296.0

WGS 60

6378165.0

298.3

WGS 66

6378145.0

298.25

WGS 72

6378135.0

298.26

WGS 84

6378137.0

298.257223563

The shift and rotation parameters describe the ellipsoids orientation in space, as compared to the
WGS 84 datum. Its important to make sure that these parameters have the correct signs (positive
or negative). Usually, a document describing a local datum will list the parameters required to
convert coordinates from the local datum to WGS 84. (This is the same as saying that the
parameters were derived by subtracting the local datum from WGS 84.) In that case, you can use
the parameters exactly as they appear in the document. However, if you have a document that lists
parameters for converting coordinates in the opposite direction from WGS 84 to the local datum
then you must reverse the signs of the shift, rotation, and scale correction parameters.
Its also very important to list the parameters in the correct order. Some documents list the rotation
parameters with EZ first, like this: EZ, EY, EX. In those cases, you must reverse the order of the
rotation parameters when defining the custom datum. This is especially easy to overlook when
your document uses Greek letters to denote the parameters. If the document lists the parameters
in order as w, y, e, then you must reverse their order in the custom datum definition.
Heres an example of a local datum description (well call it LD-1) as it might appear in a technical
article:
LD-1 ellipsoid: International
a

6378388.0 m

1 / 297.0

Converting from WGS 84 to LD-1

93.5 m

103.5 m

123.3 m

-0.25??

0.11??

0.07??

-2.1 ppm

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Appendix F: Custom Datums

This datum uses the International ellipsoid, which is number 4 in the ellipsoid table above. The
other parameters describe a conversion from WGS 84 to the local datum, so we must reverse their
signs. No prime meridian is listed, so we can assume that Greenwich is used. The custom datum
definition in MapInfo would look like this:
9999, 4, -93.5, -103.5, -123.3, 0.25, -0.11, -0.07, 2.1, 0
You can insert this string of numbers in place of the datum number in any line in the
MAPINFOW.PRJ file. For example, you could define the following coordinate systems using this
custom datum:
Note:

Strings must be entered on a single line.

Longitude / Latitude (LD-1), 1, 9999, 4, -93.5, -103.5, -123.3, 0.25, 0.11, -0.07, 2.1, 0
UTM Zone 30 (LD-1), 8, 9999, 4, -93.5, -103.5, -123.3, 0.25, -0.11, -0.07,
2.1, 0, 7, -3, 0, 0.9996, 500000, 0

Heres another sample local datum description, called LD-2 this time:
LD-2 ellipsoid: Krassovsky
a

6378245.0 m

1 / 298.3

Converting from LD-2 to WGS 84

+24 m

123 m

94 m

+0.13??

+0.25??

-0.02??

+1.1 10-6

This datum uses the Krassovsky ellipsoid, which is number 3 in the ellipsoid table above. We do
not need to reverse the signs of the parameters, since they describe a conversion from the local
datum to WGS 84. However, the rotation parameters are listed with w first, so we must reverse
their order in the custom datum definition:
9999, 3, 24, -123, -94, -0.02, 0.25, 0.13, 1.1, 0

Heres a final example, LD-3, that provides only the ellipsoid and shift parameters:
LD-3 ellipsoid: Clarke 1880
a

6378249.145 m

1 / 293.465

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WGS 84 minus local datum LD-3

-7 m

36 m

225 m

This datum uses the Clarke 1880 ellipsoid, which is number 6 in the ellipsoid table above. We do
not need to reverse the signs of the parameters or worry about the order of the rotation parameters
(since they arent present). In this case, you can use datum number 999 instead of 9999 in the
custom datum definition. These two definitions are equivalent, and you can use either one:
999, 6, -7, 36, 225
9999, 6, -7, 36, 225, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

As with the other custom datum definitions, you would insert one of these definitions in place of the
datum number in a MAPINFOW.PRJ line, as follows:
Longitude / Latitude (LD-3), 1, 999, 6, -7, 36, 225
UTM Zone 30 (LD-3), 8, 999, 6, -7, 36, 225, 7, -3, 0, 0.9996, 500000, 0

Datum Conversion
When converting coordinates from one datum to another, MapInfo has used the Molodensky (3parameter) and Bursa-Wolf (7-parameter) methods. These are general-purpose methods that can
convert coordinates from any datum to any other datum.
After the NAD 83 datum was introduced, NOAA developed a program called NADCON, which
stands for North American Datum CONversion. This is a very specialized program that converts
coordinates only from NAD 27 to NAD 83 and vice versa. For this specialized task, its much more
accurate than the Molodensky general-purpose method; NADCON is accurate to about 0.1 meter,
and Molodensky is accurate to only 1030 meters. Most U.S. government agencies, including the
Census Bureau, have standardized on NADCON for converting between NAD 27 and NAD 83.
Beginning with MapInfo 4.1.2, the NADCON algorithm is used to convert coordinates between
NAD 27 and NAD 83 if those coordinates lie within the areas covered by NADCON (United States,
Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands). If the coordinates lie outside those areas, or if they use
datums other than NAD 27 or NAD 83, MapInfo uses the Molodensky or Bursa-Wolfe conversion
methods.
Due to the file access required, the NADCON conversion method can be slightly slower than the
Molodensky method. If you want to turn off the NADCON conversion, add a NADCON entry to
the registry. The registry entry should have this path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\MapInfo\MapInfo\Common\NADCON

If this entry is set to zero, then the Molodensky conversion method will be used instead of
NADCON.

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If using the 16-bit version of MapInfo, add this line to the [MAPINFO COMMON] section in
MAPINFO.INI to turn off the NADCON conversion:
NADCON=0

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Sample Data Copyrights

In this Appendix:

Asia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 583
Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 584
North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 584
World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587

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Appendix G: Sample Data Copyrights

Asia
Australia
Source: Copyright and Intellectual Property in the attached data sets rests with one of the
following: The Australian Government represented by the Australian Bureau of Statistics; The
Government of New South Wales represented by The Land Information Centre. MapInfo Australia
Pty Ltd and PSMA Australia Ltd.
Data: Locations of the state boundaries and capitals and over 4000 major and minor cities. Map of
major rivers and major roads.
Local government area boundary for Manly.
Tasmania area boundaries, feature points and water boundaries.
Map of New South Wales.
Sydney feature points, rivers, suburbs, towns, census collection district and postcode boundaries,
and customer database.
Component street table and grid surrounding for Sydney. Streetworks samples
Source: MapInfo from Digital Chart of the World
Data: Generalized map of major highways
Source: SPOT Image Corporation CNES 1995
Data: Raster map of Sydney
Source: MapInfo Corporation from National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA)
Data: Country boundary
Source: Hervey Bay City Council, 2000
Data: Point Vernon and Hervey Bay, Australia

China
Source: MapInfo from Digital Chart of the World
Data: Over 5,000 major and minor cities and major highways.
Source: MapInfo Corporation from National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA)
Data: Country and surrounding country boundaries.

Japan
Source: GisNET data licensed to MapInfo by GISdata Limited. GDC Ltd 1993
Data: Water, highway, rivers, lakes and major railroads.
Source: MapInfo from Digital Chart of the World.
Data: 142 major and minor cities including all prefecture capitals.
Source: MapInfo Corporation from National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA)
Data: Country boundary.
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India
Source: Risk Management Solutions, Inc.
Data: State, country and district boundaries.
Source: MapInfo from Digital Chart of the World
Data: Major and minor cities and state capitals.

Europe
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Deutschland, Espana, France, Italy,
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Source: 2001 Tele Atlas B.V. 's-Hertogenbosch. All Rights Reserved.
Data: StreetPro Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Deutschland, Espana, France, Italy, Netherlands,
Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Source: GisNET data licensed to MapInfo by GISdata Limited. GDC Ltd 1993
Data: Water and highway/roadway maps.
Source: MapInfo Corporation from National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA)
Data: Country Boundaries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Deutschland, Espana, France, Italy,
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Europe and United Kingdom.)

Great Britain
Source: 2001 Tele Atlas B.V. 's-Hertogenbosch. All Rights Reserved. This product includes
mapping data licensed from Ordnance Survey (R). (c) Crown 2001. License number 100020348
Data: StreetPro Great Britain

North America
Canada
Source: Geographic Data Technology Canada
Data: (Prince Edward Island) Airports, Census subdivisions, Major Primary and Secondary
Highways, Institutions, Large Areas land use, Parks, Road Buffers, Streets, Transportation points,
Urban Agglomeration, Province, Railways, Utility lines and Water areas.
Source: MapInfo from Digital Chart of the World
Data: Over 3000 major and minor cities and generalized map of major highways.
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Source: MapInfo Corporation

Data: Country and Province boundaries and surrounding water.

MapBasic Statements
and Functions

These are the new statements and functions available for the MapInfo Professional 7.5 product.

Sections in this Appendix:

New statements and functions

Objects Move Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589

Objects Offset Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
Offset() Function. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591
SphericalOffset() Function. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 592
CartesianOffset() Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593
OffsetXY() Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 594
SphericalOffsetXY() Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595
CartesianOffsetXY() Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 596

Enhanced statements

LayerInfo( ) function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597

Register Table Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 598
Server Create Map Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602
TableInfo( ) function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 604

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Appendix H: New and Enhanced MapBasic Statements and Functions

Objects Move Statement

Purpose
Objects Move moves the objects obtained from the current selection within the input table.

Syntax
Objects Move
Angle angle
Distance distance
[Units unit]
[Type {Spherical | Cartesian}]

Description
Objects Move moves the objects within the input table. The source objects are obtained from the
current selection. The resulting objects replace the input objects. No data aggregation is
performed or necessary, since the data associated with the original source objects is unchanged.
The object is moved in the direction represented by angle, measured from the positive X-axis
(east) with positive angles being counterclockwise, and offset at a distance given by the distance
parameter. The distance is in the units specified by unit parameter, if present. If the Units clause is
not present, then the current distance unit is the default. By default, MapBasic uses miles as the
distance unit; to change this unit, see the Set Distance Units statement.
The optional Type sub-clause lets you specify the type of distance calculation used to create the
offset. If the Spherical type is used, then the calculation is done by mapping the data into a
Latitude/Longitude On Earth projection and using distance measured using Spherical distance
calculations. If the Cartesian type is used, then the calculation is done by considering the data to
be projected to a flat surface and distances are measured using cartesian distance calculations. If
the Type sub-clause is not present, then the Spherical distance calculation type is used. If the
data is in a Latitude/Longitude Projection, then Spherical calculations are used regardless of the
Type setting. If the data is in a NonEarth Projection, the Cartesian calculations are used
regardless of the Type setting.
There are some considerations for Spherical measurements that do not hold for Cartesian
measurements. If you move an object that is in Lat/Long, the shape of the object remains the
same, but the area of the object will change. This is because you are picking one offset delta in
degrees, and the actual measured distance for a degree is different at different locations.
For the Offset functions, the actual offset delta is calculated at some fixed point on the object (e.g.,
the center of the bounding box), and then that value is converted from the input units into the
Coordinate System's units. If the coordinate system is Lat/Long, the conversion to degrees uses
the fixed point. The actual converted distance measurement could vary at different locations on the
object. The distance from the input object and the new offset object is only guaranteed to be exact
at the single fixed point used.

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Example
Objects Move Angle 45 Distance 100 Units mi Type Spherical

Objects Offset Statement

Purpose
Objects Offset copies objects, obtained from the current selection, offset from the original objects.

Syntax
Objects Offset
[Into Table intotable]
Angle angle
Distance distance
[Units unit]
[Type {Spherical | Cartesian}]
[Data column = expression [, column = expression ...]]

Description
Objects Offset makes a new copy of objects offset from the original source objects. The source
objects are obtained from the current selection. The resulting objects are placed in the Into Table,
if the Into clause is present. Otherwise, the objects are placed into the same table as the input
objects are obtained from (i.e., the base table of the selection).
The object is moved in the direction represented by angle, measured from the positive X-axis
(east) with positive angles being counterclockwise, and offset at a distance given by the distance
parameter. The distance is in the units specified by unit parameter, if present. If the Units clause is
not present, then the current distance unit is the default. By default, MapBasic uses miles as the
distance unit; to change this unit, see the Set Distance Units statement.
The optional Type sub-clause lets you specify the type of distance calculation used to create the
offset. If the Spherical type is used, then the calculation is done by mapping the data into a
Latitude/Longitude On Earth projection and using distance measured using Spherical distance
calculations. If the Cartesian type is used, then the calculation is done by considering the data to
be projected to a flat surface and distances are measured using cartesian distance calculations. If
the Type sub-clause is not present, then the Spherical distance calculation type is used. If the
data is in a Latitude/Longitude Projection, then Spherical calculations are used regardless of the
Type setting. If the data is in a NonEarth Projection, the Cartesian calculations are used
regardless of the Type setting.
If you specify a Data clause, the application performs data aggregation.
There are some considerations for Spherical measurements that do not hold for Cartesian
measurements. If you move an object that is in Lat/Long, the shape of the object remains the
same, but the area of the object will change. This is because you are picking one offset delta in
degrees, and the actual measured distance for a degree is different at different locations.
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For the Offset functions, the actual offset delta is calculated at some fixed point on the object (e.g.,
the center of the bounding box), and then that value is converted from the input units into the
Coordinate System's units. If the coordinate system is Lat/Long, the conversion to degrees uses
the fixed point. The actual converted distance measurement could vary at different locations on the
object. The distance from the input object and the new offset object is only guaranteed to be exact
at the single fixed point used.

Example
Objects Offset Into Table c:\temp\table1.tbl Angle 45 Distance 100 Units mi
Type Spherical

Offset() Function
Purpose
Returns a copy of the input object offset by the specified distance and angle.

Syntax
Offset(object, angle, distance, units)

where:
object is the object being offset,
angle is the angle to offset the object,
distance is the distance to offset the object, and
units is a string representing the unit in which to measure distance.

Return Value
Object

Description
This function produces a new object that is a copy of the input object offset by distance along
angle (in degrees with horizontal in the positive X-axis being 0 and positive being
counterclockwise). The unit string, similar to that used for ObjectLen or Perimeter, is the unit for
the distance value. The DistanceType used is Spherical unless the Coordinate System is
NonEarth. For NonEarth, Cartesian DistanceType is automatically used. The coordinate system
used is the coordinate system of the input object.
There are some considerations for Spherical measurements that do not hold for Cartesian
measurements. If you move an object that is in Lat/Long, the shape of the object remains the
same, but the area of the object will change. This is because you are picking one offset delta in
degrees, and the actual measured distance for a degree is different at different locations.

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the fixed point. The actual converted distance measurement could vary at different locations on the
object. The distance from the input object and the new offset object is only guaranteed to be exact
at the single fixed point used.

Example
OffsetXY(Rect, 92, -22, mi)

SphericalOffsetXY() Function
Purpose
Returns a copy of the input object offset by the specified X and Y offset values using a spherical
DistanceType.

Syntax
SphericalOffsetXY(object, xoffset, yoffset, units)

where:
object is the object being offset,
xoffset and yoffset are the distance along the x and y axes to offset the object, and
units is a string representing the unit in which to measure distance.

Return Value
Object

Description
This function produces a new object that is a copy of the input object offset by xoffset along the Xaxis and yoffset along the Y-axis. The unit string, similar to that used for ObjectLen or Perimeter, is
the unit for the distance values. The DistanceType used is Spherical. If the Coordinate System of
the input object is NonEarth, an error will occur, since Spherical DistanceTypes are not valid for
NonEarth. This is signified by returning a NULL object. The coordinate system used is the
coordinate system of the input object.
There are some considerations for Spherical measurements that do not hold for Cartesian
measurements. If you move an object that is in Lat/Long, the shape of the object remains the
same, but the area of the object will change. This is because you are picking one offset delta in
degrees, and the actual measured distance for a degree is different at different locations.
For the Offset functions, the actual offset delta is calculated at some fixed point on the object (e.g.,
the center of the bounding box), and then that value is converted from the input units into the
Coordinate System's units. If the coordinate system is Lat/Long, the conversion to degrees uses

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Example
SphericalOffsetXY(Rect, 92, -22, mi)

CartesianOffsetXY() Function
Purpose
Returns a copy of the input object offset by the specified X and Y offset values using a cartesian
DistanceType.

Syntax
CartesianOffsetXY(object, xoffset, yoffset, units)

where:
object is the object being offset,
xoffset and yoffset are the distance along the x and y axes to offset the object, and
units is a string representing the unit in which to measure distance.

Return Value
Object

Description
This function produces a new object that is a copy of the input object offset by xoffset along the Xaxis and yoffset along the Y-axis. The unit string, similar to that used for ObjectLen or Perimeter, is
the unit for the distance values. The DistanceType used is Cartesian. If the Coordinate System of
the input object is Lat/Long, an error will occur, since Cartesian DistanceTypes are not valid for
Lat/Long. This is signified by returning a NULL object. The coordinate system used is the
coordinate system of the input object.
There are some considerations for Spherical measurements that do not hold for Cartesian
measurements. If you move an object that is in Lat/Long, the shape of the object remains the
same, but the area of the object will change. This is because you are picking one offset delta in
degrees, and the actual measured distance for a degree is different at different locations.
For the Offset functions, the actual offset delta is calculated at some fixed point on the object (e.g.,
the center of the bounding box), and then that value is converted from the input units into the
Coordinate System's units. If the coordinate system is Lat/Long, the conversion to degrees uses

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Example
CartesianOffsetXY(Rect, 92, -22, mi)

LayerInfo( ) function
We have added a new Layer_Info_Type to accommodate the new WMS functionality.

Purpose
Returns information about a layer in a Map window.

Syntax
LayerInfo( map_window_id , layer_number , attribute )
map_window_id is a Map window identifier
layer_number is the number of a layer in the current Map window (e.g., 1 for the top layer); to
determine the number of layers in a Map window, call MapperInfo( )
attribute is a code indicating the type of information to return; see table in the MapBasic 7.0
documentation
Note:

For information on the Return Value, the Restrictions, Attribute Codes, Description and the
Example, see the MapBasic 7.0 documentation.
attribute code

LayerInfo( ) Return Value

LAYER_INFO_TYPE

SmallInt value, indicating this layers file type:

LAYER_INFO_TYPE_NORMAL for a normal layer;
LAYER_INFO_TYPE_COSMETIC for the Cosmetic
layer;
LAYER_INFO_TYPE_IMAGE for a raster image layer;
LAYER_INFO_TYPE_THEMATIC for a thematic
layer.
LAYER_INFO_TYPE_GRID for a grid image layer.
LAYER_INFO_TYPE_WMS for a layer from a Web
Map Service

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Register Table Statement

Note:

Items bolded in the syntax section of this part represent the enhanced part of the
statement

Purpose
Builds a MapInfo Professional table from a spreadsheet, database, text file, raster, or grid image.

Syntax
Register Table source_file
{Type NATIVE |
Type DBF [Charset char_set] |
Type ASCII [Delimiter delim_char] [Titles] [CharSet char_set] |
Type WKS [Titles] [Range range_name] |
Type WMS [Coordsys coordsys_string [CharSet char_set]
[Into destination_file]
Type XLS [Titles] [Range range_name] |
Type Access Table table_name [Password pwd] [CharSet char_set]
Type ODBC Connection {Handle ConnectionNumber | ConnectionString}
Toolkit toolkitname Cache {On | OFF}
Type "GRID" |
Type "RASTER" [ControlPoints (MapX1, MapY1) (RasterX1, RasterY1),
(MapX2, MapY2) (RasterX2, RasterY2),
(MapX3, MapY3) (RasterX3, RasterY3) [, ...]] [CoordSys ... ]
Type "SHAPEFILE" [Charset char_set] CoordSys...
[PersistentCache {On | Off}]
[Symbol...] [Linestyle Pen(...)] [Regionstyle Pen(...)
Brush(...)] [Interactive] [Into destination_file]

source_file is a string that specifies the name of an existing database, spreadsheet, text file, raster,
or grid image. If you are registering an Access table, this argument must identify a valid Access
database.
char_set is the name of a character set; see the separate CharSet discussion.
delim_char specifies the character used as a column delimiter. If the file uses Tab as the delimiter,
specify 9. If the file uses commas, specify 44.
range_name is a string indicating a named range (e.g., MyTable) or a cell range (e.g., an Excel
range can be specified as Sheet1!R1C1:R9C6 or as Sheet1!A1:F9).
table_name is a string that identifies an Access table.
pwd is the database-level password for the database, to be specified when database security is
turned on.
ConnectionNumber is an integer value that identifies an existing connection to an ODBC
database.
ConnectionString is a string used to connect to a database server. See the Server Connect
function.
toolkitname is ODBC or ORAINET.

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SQLQuery is the SQL query used to define the MapInfo table.

ControlPoints are optional, but can be specified if the type is Grid or Raster. If the ControlPoints
token is specified, it must be followed by at least 3 pairs of Map and Raster coordinates which are
used to georegister an image. If the ControlPoints are specified, they will override and replace any
control points associated with the image or an associated World file.
The CoordSys clause is optional, but can be specified if the type is Grid or Raster. If a CoordSys
is specified, it will override and replace any coordsys associated with the image. This is useful
when registering a raster image that has an associated World file.
In the case of Shapefiles, the CoordSys clause is mandatory. The compiler will indicate an error if
it is missing.
PersistentCache On specifies if .MAP and .ID files generated during the opening of Shapefiles
are saved on hard disk after closing a table. If PersistentCache is set to Off, then these .MAP and
.ID files will be deleted after closing a table and will be generated each time the table is opened.
Symbol (...) clause specifies the symbol style to be used for a point object type created from a
shapefile
Linestyle Pen (...) clause specifies the line style to be used for a line object type created from a
shapefile
Regionstyle Pen (...) Brush(...) clause specifies the line style and fill style to be used for a region
object type created from a shapefile
The Interactive keyword is optional, but can be specified if the type is Grid or Raster. If the
Interactive keyword is specified, the user will be prompted for any missing control point or
projection information. If the Interactive keyword is not specified, a .TAB file will be generated
without user input and will be created as though the user had selected Display when opening a
raster image from the Open dialog box.
destination_file specifies the name to give to the MapInfo table (.TAB file). This string may include
a path; if it does not include a path, the file is built in the same directory as the source file.

Description
Before you can use a non-native file (e.g., a dBASE file) in MapInfo, you must register the file. The
Register Table statement tells MI Pro to examine a non-native file (e.g., filename.DBF) and build a
corresponding table file (filename.TAB). Once the Register Table operation has built a table file,
you can access the file as an MapInfo table.
The Register Table statement does not copy or alter the original data file. Instead, it scans the
data, determines the datatypes of the columns, and creates a separate table file. The table is not
opened automatically. To open the table, use an Open Table statement.
Note:

Each data file need only be registered once. Once the Register Table operation has built
the appropriate table file, subsequent MI Pro sessions simply Open the table, rather than
repeat the Register Table operation.

The Type clause specifies where the file came from originally. This consists of the keyword Type,
followed by one of the following character constants: NATIVE, DBF, ASCII, WKS, XLS, Raster,
Access, or Grid. The other information is necessary for preparing certain types of tables. If the type
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of file being registered is a grid, the coordsys string will be read from the grid file and a MapInfo
.TAB file will be created. If a raster file is being registered, the .TAB file that is generated will be the
same as if the user selected Display when opening a raster image from the Open dialog box.
If the type of file being registered is a grid, the coordsys string will be read from the grid file and a
MapInfo .TAB file will be created. If a raster file is being registered, the .TAB file that is generated
depends upon if georegistration information can be found in the image file or associated World file.
The CharSet clause specifies a character set. The char_set parameter should be a string such as
MacRoman or WindowsLatin1. If you omit the CharSet clause, MI Pro uses the default
character set for the hardware platform that is in use at run-time. See the CharSet clause
discussion for more information.
The Delimiter clause is followed by a string containing the delimiter character. The default
delimiter is a TAB. The Titles clause indicates that the row before the range of data in the
worksheet should be used as column titles. The Range clause allows the specification of a named
range to use. The Into clause is used to override the table name or location of the .TAB file. By
default, it will be named the same as the data file, and stored in the same directory. However,
when reading a read-only device such as a CD-ROM, you need to store the .TAB file on a volume
that is not read-only.

Registering Access Tables

When you register an Access table, MI Pro checks for a counter column with a unique index. If
there is already a counter column, MI Pro registers that column in the .TAB file. The column is
read-only.
If the Access table does not have a counter column, MI Pro modifies the Access table by adding a
column called MAPINFO_ID with the counter datatype. In this case, the counter column does not
display in MapInfo.
Note:

Do not alter the counter column in any way. It must be exclusively maintained
automatically by MapInfo.

Access datatypes are translated into the closest MapInfo datatypes. Special Access datatypes,
such as OLE objects and binary fields, are not editable in MapInfo Professional.

Registering ODBC Tables

Before accessing a table live from a remote database, it is highly recommended that you first open
a map table (e.g., canada.tab) for the database table. If you don't open a map table, the entire
database table will be downloaded all at once, which could take a long time.
Open a map table and zoom in to an area that corresponds to a subset of rows you wish to see
from the database table. For example, if you want to download rows pertaining to Ontario, zoom in
to Ontario on the map. As a result, when you open the database table, only rows within the map
window's MBR (minimum bounding rectangle), in this case Ontario, will be downloaded.
This is a list of known problems/issues with live access:

Every table must have a single unique key column.

FastEdit is not supported.

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With MS ACCESS if the key is character, it will not display rows where the key value is
less than the full column width e.g., if the key is char(5) the value 'aaaa' will look like a
deleted row.

For Live Access, the ReadOnly checkbox on the save table dialogue will be grayed out.

Changes made by another user are not visible until a browser is scrolled or somehow
refreshed. Inserts by another user are not seen until either: 1). An MBR search returns the
row or 2). PACK command is issued In addition if cache is on another users updates may
not appear until the cache is invalidated by a pan or zooming out.

There will be a problem if a client side join (through SQL Select menu item or MapBasic) is
done against 2 or more SPATIALWARE tables that are stored in different coordinate
systems. This is not an efficient thing to do (it is better to do the join in the SQL statement
that defines the table) but it is a problem in the current build.

Oracle 7 tables that are indexed on a decimal field larger than 8 bytes will cause MI Pro to
crash when editing.

If the Cache OFF statement is before the connection string an error will be generated at
compile time.

Registering Shapefiles
When you register shapefiles, they can be opened in MapInfo Professional with read-only access.
Since a shapefile itself does not contain projection information, you must specify a CoordSys
clause. It is also possible to set styles that will be used when shapefile objects are displayed in
MapInfo Professional. Projection and style information is stored as metadata in the TAB file.

Examples
Example 1
Register Table c:\mapinfo\data\rpt23.dbf
Type DBF
Into Report23
Open Table c:\mapinfo\data\Report23

Example 2
Open Table C:\Data\CANADA\Canada.tab Interactive
Map From Canada
set map redraw off
Set Map Zoom 1000 Units mi
set map redraw on
Register Table odbc_cancaps
TYPE ODBC
TABLE Select * From informix.can_caps
CONNECTION
DSN=ius_adak;UID=informix;PWD=informix;DATABASE=sw;HOST=adak;
SERVER=adak_tli;SERVICE=sqlexec;PROTOCOL=onsoctcp;
Into
D:\MI\odbc_cancaps.TAB
Open Table D:\MI\odbc_cancaps.TAB Interactive
Map From odbc_cancaps

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Example 3
Registering a completely georeferenced raster image (the raster handler can return at least 3
control points and a projection)
Register Table "GeoRef.tif" type "raster" into "GeoRef.TAB"

Example 4
Registering a raster image that has an associated World file containing control point information,
but no projection.
Register Table "RasterWithWorld.tif" type "raster" coordsys earth projection
9, 62, "m", -96, 23, 29.5, 45.5, 0, 0 into "RasterWithWorld.TAB"

Example 5
Registering a raster image that has no control point or projection information.
Register Table "NoRegistration.BMP" type "raster" controlpoints (1000,2000)
(1,2), (2000,3000) (2, 3), (5000,6000) (5,6) coordsys earth projection 9, 62,
"m", -96, 23, 29.5, 45.5, 0, 0 into "NoRegistration.tab"

Example 6
The following example registers a shapefile.
Register Table "C:\Shapefiles\CNTYLN.SHP" TYPE SHAPEFILE Charset
"WindowsLatin1" CoordSys Earth Projection 1, 33 PersistentCache Off linestyle
Pen (2,26,16711935) Into "C:\Temp\CNTYLN.TAB"
Open Table "C:\Temp\CNTYLN.TAB" Interactive
Map From CNTYLN

Server Create Map Statement

Note:

Items bolded in the syntax section of this part represent the enhanced part of the
statement.

Purpose
This function identifies the spatial information for a server table. It does not alter the table to add
the spatial columns.
A new object type clause in the Server Create Map statement allows you to specify objects as
regions, lines, or all objects. If no object type clause is specified, the default is points.

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Syntax
Server ConnectionNumber Create Map
For DBMSTableName
Type { see Maptypes below }
CoordSys ...
[MapBounds {Data|Coordsys|Values (x1, y1) (x2, y2)} ]
[ObjectType { Point | Line | Region | ALL } ]
[Symbol (...) ]
[Linestyle Pen(...) ]
[Regionstyle Pen(...) Brush(...) ]
[StyleType style_number (0 or 1) [ Column column_name ]

ConnectionNumber An integer value that identifies the specific connection.

DBMSTableName The table identifier for the DBMS table. This is case sensitive and should
contain the schema/owner.
MapTypes One of the mappable DBMS datatype options listed here:

MICODE MICODEColName (XCoordColName, YCoordColName) MICODE spatial

index key column and numeric X and Y coordinate columns. Column names are case
sensitive.

XYINDEX (XCoordColName, YCoordColName) Numeric X and Y coordinate columns.

ORA_SP SDO_Spatial_Column_Name Oracle Spatial

IUS_SW ST_Spatial_Column_Name SpatialWare IUS Blade

IUS_MM_SW columnname MapInfo MapMarker Geocoding DataBlade for SpatialWare

IUS_MM_XY columnname MapInfo MapMarker Geocoding DataBlade for XY

SPATIALWARE SpatialWare for SQL Server

CoordSys ... This clause specifies the coordinate system and projection to be used. For Oracle
Spatial, this is not required because it is determined from the Oracle Server metadata.
ObjectType clause This clause specifies the type of object in the table, defaults to points.
Symbol (...) clause This clause specifies the symbol style to be used for a point object type
Linestyle Pen (...) clause This clause specifies the line style to be used for a line object type
Regionstyle Pen (...) Brush(...) clause This clause specifies the line style and fill style to be used
for a region object type
StyleType sets per row symbology. The Column token and argument need to be present when
StyleType is set to 1 (one). When style_number is set to zero, the Column token is ignored and the
rendition columns in the MAPCATALOG are cleared.

Description
The Server Create Map statement makes a table linked to a remote database mappable. For a
SpatialWare or Oracle Spatial table, you can make the table mappable for points, lines, or regions.
For all other tables, you can make a table mappable for points only. Any MapInfo table may be
displayed in a Browser, but only a mappable table may have graphical objects attached. Only
mappable tables can display in Map windows.

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If Oracle9i is the server and the coordinate system is specified Lat/Long without specifying
the datum, the default datum World Geodetic System 1984(WGS 84) is assigned as the
coordinate system. This behavior is consistent with the Server Create Table statement and
EasyLoader.

The MapBounds option allows you to specify what to store for the entire/default table view bounds
in the MapCatalog. The default is Data which calculates the bounds of all the data in the layer. (For
programs compiled before 7.5, the default will be CoordSys.)
The Coordsys MapBounds option stores the coordinate system bounds. This is not recommended
as it may cause the entire layer.default view to appear empty if the coordsys bounds are
significantly greater than the bounds of the actual data. Most users are zoomed out too far to see
their data using this option.
The Values option lets you specify your own bounds values for the MapCatalog.

TableInfo( ) function
Purpose
Returns information about an open table.

Syntax
TableInfo( table_id , attribute )
table_id is a String representing a table name, a positive Integer table number, or 0 (zero)
attribute is an Integer code indicating which aspect of the table to return
Note:

For information on the Return Values, the Restrictions, Attribute Codes, Descriptions and
the Examples, see the MapBasic 7.0 documentation.
attribute code

TableInfo( ) returns

TAB_INFO_TYPE

SmallInt result, indicating the type of table. The returned

value will match one of these values:
TAB_TYPE_BASE (if a normal or seamless table)
TAB_TYPE_RESULT (if results of a query)
TAB_TYPE_IMAGE (if table is a raster image)
TAB_TYPE_VIEW (if table is actually a view; for example, StreetInfo tables are actually views)
TAB_TYPE_LINKED (if this table is linked).
TAB_TYPE_WMS (if table is from a Web Map Service)

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Glossary of Terms

Alias
The name assigned to an expression or a column when you are working in the Select Columns
field in the SQL Select dialog box. This name appears as the column title for that expression or
column in a Browser.

Application
A computer program used for a particular kind of work, such as word processing. Application is
often interchangeable with the word program.

ASCII
The acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. ASCII is a standard code
used in most microcomputers, computer terminals, and printers for representing characters as
numbers. It not only includes printable characters, but also control codes to indicate carriage
return, backspace, and so forth.

Axis
Used in a graph, these are graduated lines bordering the plot area of a graph. Location
coordinates are measured relative to the axes. By convention the X-axis is horizontal, the Y-axis is
vertical.

Bar Chart Map

A type of thematic map that displays a bar chart of thematic variables for each record in a table
from which the map is based.

Base Map
Usually the dominant or underlying layer in a given map. (These are typically the data layers that
MapInfo offers as ready products.) Users usually layer their own data on top of these base maps
or use these base maps to geocode or to make new layers. Examples are joining industry data to
postal code boundaries for analysis and then combining arrangements of the postal codes into
new territory layers.

Base Table
A permanent table, which is part of a map, as opposed to a query table, which is temporary. You
can edit the contents of base tables, and you can change their structure (by editing, deleting,
reordering columns and adding or deleting graphic objects). See Query Table on page 616.

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Bitmap
A screen image displayed as an array of dots or bits. Software usually generates either bit-mapped
(raster) or object-oriented (vectored) files. MapInfo can work with both.

Boundary Region
In GIS a boundary is a region on a map enclosed by a border. Cambria County, Manitoba, and
Argentina would all be represented as boundaries on a map. Note that a single boundary could
encompass several polygons. Thus, Indonesia is a single boundary but consists of many
polygons.

Browser
A window for viewing a table (or database, spreadsheet or text file) in tabular form.

Buffer
A type of proximity analysis where areas or zones of a given distance are generated around
selected map objects. Buffers are user-defined or can be generated for a set of objects based on
those objects attribute values. The resulting buffer zones form region objects representing the
area that is within the specified buffer distance from the object.

Cadastral
A map set used to graphically define the cadastre or land ownership in a given area. A tax map is
an example of a cadastral map. The land registration, assessment roles, and tax maps comprise
the cadastre.

Cartesian
A coordinate system using an x,y scale not tied to any real-world system. Most CAD drawing
uses this method of registering objects (e.g., a drawing of a ball-bearing assembly, floor plans). If a
drawing uses Cartesian coordinates, one corner of the drawing probably has coordinates 0, 0.

Cartesian Coordinates
The conventional representation of geometric objects by x and y values on a plane.

Cartographic Legend
A MapInfo legend window that enables you to display cartographic information for any map layer in
the Map window.

Cartography
The art and science of making maps. In GIS it is also the graphic presentation and visual
interpretation of data.

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Centroid
Usually the center of a map object. For most map objects, the centroid is located at the middle of
the object (the location halfway between the northern and southern extents and halfway between
the eastern and western extents of the object). In some cases, the centroid is not at the middle
point because there is a restriction that the centroid must be located on the object itself. Thus, in
the case of a crescent-shaped region object, the middle point of the object may actually lie outside
the limits of the region; however, the centroid is always within the limits of the region.
In MapInfo, the centroid represents the location used for automatic labeling, geocoding, and
placement of thematic pie and bar charts. If you edit a map in Reshape mode, you can reposition
region centroids by dragging them.

Check Box
A small square box that appears in a dialog box. You can click in the check box or on the text in
order to select the option. Check boxes are generally present when multiple options can be
selected at one time.

Command
A word or phrase, usually found in a menu, that displays a dialog box and/or carries out an action.

Conflict Resolution
When conflicts exist between the data residing on a remote database and new data that you want
to upload to the remote database via a MapInfo linked table. The conflict resolution process is
invoked whenever an attempt to save the linked table detects a conflict in an update.

Control Points
The points on a raster image whose coordinates serve as a reference for associating earth
coordinates with any location on the image. See Registration on page 616.

Coordinate
An x,y location in a Cartesian coordinate system, or a Latitude, Longitude location in an earth
coordinate system. Coordinates represent locations on a map relative to other locations. Earth
coordinate systems may use the equator and the Greenwich prime meridian as fixed reference
points. Plane coordinate systems describe a two-dimensional x,y location in terms of distance from
a fixed reference and are usually in the first quadrant so that all coordinates are positive numbers.

Coordinate System
A coordinate system is used to create a numerical representation of geometric objects. Each point
in a geometric object is represented by a pair of numbers. Those numbers are the coordinates for
that point. In cartography, coordinate systems are closely related to projections. You create a
coordinate system by supplying specific values for the parameters of a projection. See Cartesian
Coordinates on page 607, Projection on page 615, and Spherical Coordinates on page 617.

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Cosmetic Layer
The topmost layer of a Map window. Objects may be placed in this layer such as map titles and
graphic objects. It is always displayed, and all objects placed in the Cosmetic Layer must be saved
to a new or existing layer.

Data Aggregation
A process that occurs when combining separate map objects into a single object. MapInfo
calculates what the column values for the new object should be, based on sums or averages of the
values of the original objects.

Data Disaggregation
A process that occurs when splitting a map object(s) into smaller parts where MapInfo splits the
data associated with the map object(s) into smaller parts to match the new map objects.

Data Sources
An ODBC data source is an SQL database and the information you need to access that database.
For example, an SQL Server data source is the SQL Server database, the server on which it
resides, and the network used to access that server.

Database
Any organized collection of data. The term is often used to refer to a single file or table of
information in MapInfo.

Decimal Degree
The decimal representation of fractions of degrees. Many paper maps express coordinates in
degrees, minutes, seconds (e.g., 40_30i10I), where minutes and seconds are fractions of
degrees. 30 minutes equal half a degree, and 30 seconds equal half a minute. MapInfo, however,
expresses coordinates in decimal degrees (e.g., 72.558 degrees), where fractions of degrees are
expressed as decimals. Thus, the longitude: 40 degrees, 30 minutes, would be expressed in
MapInfo as 40.5 degrees.

Default
The value or option used in the absence of explicit specification. Often the original setting or value
for a variable.

Degrees Longitude, Degrees Latitude, Decimal Degrees

Degrees (longitude and latitude) are coordinates used to represent locations on the surface of the
earth. Longitude, or X-coordinate, represents a locations east-west position, where any location
west of the prime meridian has a negative X value. Latitude, or Y-coordinate, represents a
locations north-south position, where any location south of the equator has a negative Y value.

Derived Column
In a table created through the SQL Select, a derived column is one created by using an
expression. The column is derived in the sense that it isnt just a copy of the data in one of the
tables being accessed by the SQL Select command.
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Derived Field
The same as a derived column.

Deselect
The process of undoing a selection. The object or area you deselect will not be affected by
subsequent commands. Performed by selecting another area, by clicking in a blank area, or by
executing the Unselect All command.

Digitizer, Digitizing Tablet

An electronic device that lets you trace a paper map into a GIS or CAD package. The digitizer
consists of a table (or tablet) onto which you attach a paper map. You then can trace the map by
moving a hand-held, mouse-like device known as a cursor, or puck, across the surface. Digitizing
a map produces vector data as the end result.

Districts Browser
A special browser that displays when redistricting. It differs from other Browser windows in the
following respects: one row can only be selected at one time, one row is always selected, and the
selected row becomes the target district into which you can add other objects.

Dot Density Map

A type of thematic map that carries information by showing a large number of tiny dots, wherein
each dot represents some specific unit quantity. For example, for a population dot density map
each dot might represent 10,000 people.

Drawing Toolbar
A MapInfo window containing twelve buttons that access tools for drawing and modifying objects
on your map or layout.

Edit Handle
The small boxes that appear at the four corners of the minimum bounding rectangle of an object in
an editable layer of a Map window or in a Layout window.

Export
The process whereby a program saves information in a file to be used by another program.

Expression
A statement containing two parts: 1) column names and constants (i.e., specific data values), and
2) functions (e.g., area) and operators (e.g., +, -, >), in order to extract or derive information from a
database. Expressions are used in Select, SQL Select, Update Column, Create Thematic Map,
and Label with Column.

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Field
A field in a table corresponds to a column in a Browser. A field contains a specific type of
information about an object, such as, name, abbreviation, land area, price, population, and so
forth. The record for each object consists of that objects values for each of the fields in the
database.

File
A collection of information that has been given a name and is stored on some electronic medium
such as a tape or disk. A file can be a document or an application.

Fill Pattern
The design and color used to fill a closed object.

Font
A character set based on a particular style used for text characters.

Generalization
The process of simplifying a data set to a size that can be easily manipulated and represented. For
example, a river may have many twists and turns; however, if a map covers a very large area, the
river may be represented as a straight line. Similarly, in a map of a very large area, a city might be
represented as a point marker.

Geocode
The process of assigning X and Y coordinates to records in a table or database so that the records
can be displayed as objects on a map.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

An organized collection of computer hardware and software designed to efficiently create,
manipulate, analyze, and display all types of geographically or spatially referenced data. A GIS
allows complex spatial operations that are very difficult to do otherwise.

Graduated Symbols Map

A type of thematic map that shows symbols (point objects) in a variety of sizes to indicate which
objects have higher or lower numerical values.

Graph window
A window that displays numerical data in the form of a graph.

Graticule
A grid of horizontal (latitude) and vertical (longitude) lines displayed on an earth map, spaced at a
regular distance (e.g., every five degrees, every fifteen degrees). Used to establish a frame of
reference.

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Grid Surface Map

A type of thematic map that displays data as continuous color gradations across the map. This
type of thematic map is produced by an interpolation of point data from the source table. A grid file
from the data interpolation is generated and is displays as a raster image in a Map window.

Heads-Up Digitizing
A method of digitizing where the user creates vector objects by tracing over a raster image
displayed on the screen. Thus, heads-up digitizing does not require a digitizing tablet.

Help Button Bar

A bar located at the top of the Help Window that contains buttons you use to move to Help topics.

Hot Views
MapInfo technology that automatically updates all the windows you have open for a particular table
when you make a change in any one of the windows. For example, if an item is selected in a Map
window, it will be selected in all other Map windows and Browsers you have open for that table.

Import
The process whereby a program loads a file that is the output of another program.

Individual Values Map

A type of thematic map that shades records according to individual values.

Join
The process of creating a relational link between two tables (databases).

Jump
Text graphics or parts of graphics that provide links to other Help topics or more information on the
current Help topic.

Latitude
The horizontal lines on a map that increase from 0 degrees at the Equator to 90 degrees at both
the North (+90.0 degrees) and South (-90.0 degrees) poles. Used to describe the North-South
position of a point as measured usually in degrees or decimal degrees above or below the equator.

Layer
A layer is a basic building block of MapInfo maps and consists of a table with graphic and text
settings like style override, labeling, and zoom layering. Maps are made of one or more
superimposed layers (e.g., a layer of street data superimposed over a layer of county or postal
code boundaries) which you can design to convey geographical or statistical information. Typically,
each map layer corresponds to one open table. Cosmetic Layers contain map objects that
represent temporary map annotations (e.g., text objects). Cosmetic Layers contain map objects
that represent temporary map annotations (e.g., labels). See Cosmetic Layer on page 609 and
Table on page 618.

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Layout Window
A window where you arrange and annotate the contents of one or several windows for printing.

Legend Window
A window that displays the key to the different colors, shapes, or fill patterns used on the map. A
legend can also include a scale. See Cartographic Legend on page 607 and Theme Legend on
page 619.

Line, Line Object

A map object defined by a set of sequential coordinates that may represent the generalized shape
of a geographic feature (e.g., street centerlines, railroads, cables). A MapInfo street map is a
collection of thousands of line objects.

Linked Table
A linked table is a special kind of MapInfo table that is downloaded from a remote database and
retains connections to its remote database table. You can perform most operations on a linked
table that you do for a regular MapInfo table.

Longitude
The vertical lines on a map, running from the North to South poles, used to describe the east-west
position of a point. The position is reported as the number of degrees east (to -180.0 degrees) or
west (to +180.0 degrees) of the prime meridian (0 degrees). Lines of longitude are farthest apart at
the Equator and intersect at both poles, and therefore, are not parallel.

Longitude/Latitude
MapInfos default coordinate system for representing geographic objects in a map.

Main Toolbar
A window containing buttons for choosing tools, accessing dialog boxes, and showing or hiding
windows.

Map Scale
A statement of a measure of the map and the equivalent measure on the earth. Often expressed
as a representative ratio of distance, such as 1:10,000. This means that one unit of distance on the
map (e.g., one inch) represents 10,000 of the same units of distance on the earth.
The term scale must be used carefully. Technically, a map of a single city block is largescale (e.g.,
1:12,000), while a map of an entire country is smallscale (e.g., 1:1,000,000). A 1:1,000,000 map
is considered small-scale because of the small numeric value obtained when you divide 1 by
1,000,000.

Map Segment
In a street map, a segment is a single section of the street. In urban maps, segments are generally
one block long. Address ranges are stored at the segment level.

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MapBasic
The programming language used to customize and/or automate MapInfo. To create MapBasic
applications, you need the MapBasic compiler, which is a separate product. However, you do not
need the MapBasic compiler to run a compiled MapBasic application.

Map window
A window that allows you to view a table as a map.

Meridian
A line or a portion of a line running from the North to the South pole. A longitudinal line.

Minimum Bounding Rectangle (MBR)

For any given map object, the smallest rectangle that completely encompasses the object.

Native Projection
The projection in which a maps coordinate points are stored. MapInfo allows you to display maps
in other projections, but not as fast as displaying maps in their native projection.

Node
An end-point of a line object, or an end-point of a line segment which is part of a polyline or region
object.

Non-Earth Map
A map in which objects are not explicitly referenced to locations on the earths surface. Floor plans
are typical examples.

ODBC Drivers
An ODBC driver is a dynamic-link library (.DLL) file that MapInfo uses to connect to an SQL
database. Each type of SQL database requires a different ODBC driver.

ODBC Table
An ODBC table is a table residing in a remote SQL database.

Outer Join
A type of multi-table join where all the records in the specified tables are included in the result
table, even records that do not match the join criteria. MapInfo does not perform outer joins.

Pack
The process of compressing MapInfo tables so that they use less disk space.

Pie Chart Map

A type of thematic map that displays a pie chart of thematic variables for each record in the table
from which the map is based.

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Pin Map, Push-Pin Map

A type of map named after the practice of inserting push-pins into a wall map. A pin map features
point objects. Geocoding a database is one way of creating a pin map.

Pixel
The acronym for picture element. The smallest dot that can be displayed on a computer screen. If
a screen is described as having a resolution of 1,024 x 768, the screen shows 1,024 pixels from
right to left, and 768 pixels from top to bottom. Each character, object, or line on the screen is
composed of numerous pixels.

Point, Point Object

A map object defined by a single X,Y coordinate pair. Each point object is represented by a symbol
style (e.g., circle, square, triangle, etc.).

Point Size
A unit of measurement equal to 1/72 of an inch. Used to measure character size.

Pointer
An arrow-shaped cursor on the screen that can be manipulated by a mouse.

Polygon, Polygon Object

A simple bounded region, simple in the sense that it does not consist of more than one polygon
(where a boundary can consist of more than one polygon). The Polygon tool creates a single
polygon.

Polygon Overlay
A spatial operation that merges overlapping polygons from two layers to analyze those intersected
areas or to create a third layer of new polygons.

Polyline, Polyline Object

A linetype object made up of many line segments. It contains more than two nodes, that is, more
than its end points. The Polyline tool creates a single polyline. In contrast, the Line tool only draws
a single straight line (that is, a line defined by two nodes).

Projection
A mathematical model that transforms the locations of features on the earths surface to locations
on a two-dimensional surface, such as a paper map. Since a map is an attempt to represent a
spherical object (the earth) on a flat surface, all projections have some degree of distortion. A map
projection can preserve area, distance, shape or direction but only a globe can preserve all of
these attributes. Some projections (e.g., Mercator) produce maps well suited for navigation. Other
projections (e.g., equal-area projections, such as Lambert) produce maps well suited for visual
analysis.

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Query Table
A temporary table produced as the result of a Select, SQL Query, or by choosing objects in a Map
window or records in a Browser and mapping, graphing, or browsing that selection. You cannot
make edits and structural changes on query tables, but you can edit a selected set of rows in your
source table through a query table. See Selection on page 617 and Base Table on page 606.

Ranged Map
A type of thematic map that displays data according to ranges set by the user. The ranges are
shaded using colors or patterns.

Raster Image
A type of computerized picture consisting of row after row of tiny dots (pixels). Raster images are
sometimes known as bitmaps. Aerial photographs and satellite imagery are common types of
raster data found in GIS. A computer image can be represented in raster format or in vector
format. See Scanning on page 616 and Vector Image on page 619.

Record
All the information about one object in a database or table. A record in a table corresponds to a
row in a Browser.

Redistricting
The process of assigning map objects to groups. As you assign map objects, MapInfo
automatically calculates totals for each group and displays the totals in a special Districts Browser.
This process is sometimes known as load-balancing.

Region, Region Object

An enclosed area defined by one or more polygons. If a region contains one or more lakes or
islands, each lake or island is a separate polygon. A region is an object created with the Polygon
tool.

Registration
Usually the first stage of the digitizing process or when opening a raster image for the first time in
MapInfo. Before you can digitize a paper map or work with a raster image, you must point to
several control points across the map, and enter their coordinates (e.g., longitude, latitude). After
you have registered the map, MapInfo can associate a longitude, latitude position with any point
on the map surface; this allows MapInfo to perform area and distance calculations, and overlay
multiple map layers in a single map. CAD systems as well as GIS systems utilize this process. See
Control Points on page 608.

Scale Bar
A map element that graphically depicts the map scale (e.g., 0 5 10 km).

Scanning
The process of inputting data into a raster format using an optical device called a scanner.

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Scroll Bar
Bars along the right and bottom sides of each window that allow you to scroll the window view.
Clicking on the shaded area moves one window screen at a time.

Selection
A data item or set of data items chosen for inspection and/or analysis. Regardless of the kinds of
windows on the screen, selections can be made using the Select and SQL Select Query
commands in MapInfos Query menu. In Browsers and Map windows, items can be placed in the
selection set by clicking on them individually. Map windows also have special tools for selecting
multiple items on a spatial basis.

Snap To Nodes
A feature that helps in drawing, moving and positioning map objects. In Snap mode (S key) the
cursor snaps to a node of a map object when it comes within a certain distance.

Spatial Analysis
An operation that examines data with the intent to extract or create new data that fulfills some
required condition or conditions. It includes such GIS functions as polygon overlay or buffer
generation and the concepts of contains, intersects, within or adjacent.

Spherical Coordinates
Latitude and longitude values that represent objects on the surface of the globe.

SQL Query
The selection of information from a database according to the textual attributes and object
relationships of the items. In MapInfo, queries are created with the SQL Select and Select
commands or with MapBasic commands in the MapBasic window.

Standard Deviation
A measurement of the variation of a set of data values around the mean.

Standard Toolbar
A window containing buttons for quick access to the most commonly used menu commands such
as Cut, Copy, and Paste.

Statistics Window
A window containing the sum and average of all numeric fields for the currently selected objects/
records. The number of records selected is also displayed. As the selection changes, the data is
re-tallied, and the statistics window updates automatically.

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StatusBar
A bar at the bottom of the screen that displays messages that help in using MapInfo. The
StatusBar also displays messages that pertain to the active window. In a Map window, the
StatusBar indicates what layer is editable, the zoom display of the map, and the status of Snap
and Digitizing modes. In a Browser window, the StatusBar indicates the number of records
currently displaying and the total number of records. In a Layout window, the StatusBar indicates
the zoom display as a percentage of the actual size of the map.

Structured Query Language (SQL)

A standard language used for analyzing information stored in relational databases. MapInfos
database engine is based on the SQL standard.

Subselect
A select statement that is placed inside the Where Condition field of the SQL Select dialog box.
MapInfo first evaluates the subselect and then uses the results of the subselect to evaluate the
main SQL Select statement.

Symbol, Symbol Object

A small, relatively simple shape (e.g., square, circle, star, push-pin) used to graphically represent a
point object (e.g., a customer location).

Table
A table is made up of data in rows and columns. Each row contains information about a particular
geographic feature, event, etc. Each column contains a particular kind of information about the
items in the table. You can display tables with graphic information stored in them as maps. See
Base Table on page 606 and Query Table on page 616. See also Layer on page 612.

Table Row
In a table, a row contains all the information for a single item. It corresponds to a record in a table.

Target District
The district that is selected in a Districts Browser to be affected by subsequent redistricting
operations.

Text Cursor
A blinking vertical bar that shows the position where text can be edited, inserted, or deleted.

Thematic Layer
A layer containing the thematic settings for a map layer. Thematic layers are drawn directly over
the map layer on which the thematic settings are based. They are also drawn in a particular order,
depending on the number of thematic layers you have and the type of thematic map objects you
are creating.

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Thematic Map
A type of map that uses a variety of graphic styles (e.g., colors or fill patterns) to graphically display
information about the maps underlying data. Thus, a thematic map of sales territories might show
one region in deep red (to indicate the region has a large number of customers), while showing
another region in very pale red (to indicate the region has relatively few customers).

Thematic Shading
Map objects points, lines, regions that have been shaded, using a pattern and/or color,
according to some point of information about the object, or theme (population, size, annual rainfall,
date, and so forth).

Thematic Variable
The data values displayed on a thematic map. A thematic variable can be a field or expression.

Theme Legend
MapInfos original style legend that allows you to display legends for thematic maps and graphs.
MapInfo automatically creates a theme legend window for a thematic map. Customize its display
through the Modify Thematic Map dialog box. See Cartographic Legend on page 607.

Toolbars
MapInfo windows that contain a variety of buttons used to access tools and commands for
mapping and drawing. There are four Toolbars: the Standard Toolbar provides tools for commonly
performed tasks, the Main Toolbar provides primary tools (e.g., Zoom-in, Select, Info, etc.) and the
Drawing Toolbar contains all drawing tools. The Tools Toolbar contains the Run MapBasic
Program and the Show/Hide MapBasic Window buttons. All four Toolbars may be reshaped and
hidden.

Transformation
The process of converting coverage coordinates from one coordinate system to another through
programmatic translation. The transformation of CAD generated Cartesian coordinates into earth
coordinates is an example.

Ungeocode
The process of removing X and Y coordinates from records in a table or database. Can also
describe a table that has not been geocoded, e.g., an ungeocoded table.

Vector Image
A coordinate-based data structure commonly used to represent map features. Each object is
represented as a list of sequential x,y coordinates. Attributes may be associated with the objects.
A computer image can be represented in vector format or in raster format. See Raster Image on
page 616.

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Weighted Average
An average that gives more weight to one value over another when averaging. A method of
averaging that uses a separate column of information to define the relative importance of each
data value. The formula for a weighted average is:
SUM(DATA*WEIGHT)/SUM(WEIGHT)

where DATA is the column of data values and WEIGHT is the column of weights. If WEIGHT
contains all 1s (or other non-zero values) this reduces to a simple average.

Window
In MapInfo, Map windows, Browser windows, Graph windows and Layout windows are the major
types of windows. They display the data stored in tables. The Toolbars, map legends, and the Info
tool window are other types of windows.

Workspace
A saved configuration of open MapInfo tables and windows.

Zoom Layering
A setting that determines the range (e.g., 03 miles, 25 miles, etc.) at which a layer is visible in a
Map window.

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Index
Numerics
3DMaps
hardware accelleration 36
print options 150

A
Abs function 420421
Access tables
creating .TAB files from 105
creating in MapInfo Professional 106109
limitations with MapInfo Professional 112
opening 67
saving as another Access table 112
saving MapInfo tables as 109112
accessing remote databases
supported databases 20
Add Nodes tool button 211
adding
layers to Map windows 78
nodes 211
ODBC drivers 25
open windows to layouts 347348
records in Browser windows 174
rows to tables 166
temporary columns to tables 158
Address Matching preferences 30, 40
address ranges
matching to street number 131
addresses
geocoding precision 126
ADRG format (*.GEN) files
raster format 369
advanced options and settings
exporting files 100101
printing 151152
aggregate functions
with Update Column command 170173
aggregating data
computing total population and area by continent 262
264
SQL Select command 259260
with set target model 312313
aliases
defined 481
for columns 255256
aligning objects in a Layout window 350, 352

American Congress on Surveying and Mapping

contact information 465
application data files
per-user install 22
arc objects
drawing tool button 210
moving endpoints of 227
area
Area function 421422
calculation type default setting 36
computing with SQL Select 262264
arrow keys
positioning selected objects 221
ASCII
defined 481
ASCII tables
opening 67
registering 113
ASRP format (*.GEN) files
raster format 369
attributes
cartographic legends 360361
graduated symbols 284285
map object 226
AutoLabeler tool
creating labels as text objects 330
in Layout windows 346
automatic geocoding 124
automatic labeling 332333, 335336
autotrace
tracing existing objects 230
axis
defined 481
Azimuthal projections
range 463

B
bar chart maps 287, 481
base maps
defined 481
base tables
defined 482
BIL files
raster format 369
bitmaps, defined 482
BMP files
export format 99
raster format 369

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borders
exported files 101
legend frames 360
printed files 151
bound objects
spatial queries 191
boundaries
boundary region definition 482
geocoding 127, 132
Boundary Select tool button 241
Bring to Front command 344
Browser windows
adding records in 174
defined 482
displaying tables in 173174
opening tables in 72
print options 150
seamless tables 93
viewing graphic information 164166
buffer regions
concentric ring 308309
convex hull 310
creating 300303
defined 482
methods in creating 308
radius 307
saving as new layer 303304
saving as new table 304306
segments per circle 307
width distance 307

C
cadastral
defined 482
CADRG format files
raster format 369
callout lines 335
cancelling selections 242
Cartesian calculations
as default setting 36
buffer regions 307
projections 388
Cartesian coordinates, defined 482
cartographic legends
attributes and metadata 360361
borders 360
choosing layers 358
creating 295
definition 294295, 357, 483
frame borders 360
frame defaults 359
frame titles 359
frames 360
in layouts 350
joined tables 363
styles 361362
symbol text 360
window properties 359

Index Index: Index

cartography
defined 483
centroids
defined 483
displaying 82
selecting using Snap mode 229
CentroidX function 422
CentroidY function 422
character strings 408
Chr$ function 423
CIB format files
raster format 369
Clear Cosmetic Layer command 84
clipping a map
methods 35
cloning a map view 357
closing tables 97
collection objects
legend styles 361
color
custom symbols 219
raster image options 369370, 377379
column aliases
creating 255256
columns
adding temporary columns 158
combining objects with 319
creating expressions 245
deriving 255
finding duplicate values in 270271
grouping by with SQL Select 261
labeling with 331
placing graphic information in 164166
spatial index 182
combining objects
creating territories 318321
in districts 404
Set Target 313
comparison operators 410412
concentric ring buffers 308309
conflict resolution 203, 205206, 483
Conic projections 462
contrast and brightness 378
control points
defined 483
raster image registration 373375
convex hull buffers 310
Coordinate systems
origin point 462
projections ??451
coordinate systems
creating points 388
defined 385, 484
definition 386
coordinates
converting 390
defined 484
Degree Converter tool 141142
displaying 37
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coordinates (continued)
geocoding 121
raster image control points 373375
copying objects to clipboard 32
Cos function 423
Cosmetic layer 8385, 484
cosmetic objects 84
creating .TAB files from other data 104109, 113115
creating a MapInfo_MapCatalog 182, 184185
creating a table
procedure 167168
using subset of a file 248
creating expressions 245
constructing 407
entering values 408
functions 420437
numeric clauses 416
numerical comparison 410
operator precedence 419420
operators 408416
using Expression dialog 244, 246
creating layouts 347349
creating points
displaying points a map 146
displaying points on a map 145
for intersections 144145
from Excel or Lotus tables 138139
in projections 140
longitude/latitude 139140
placing longitude/latitude coordinates on a map 136137
specifying a coordinate system 388
vs. geocoding 104
creating reports 175
creating seamless map layers 93
creating territories
combining objects 318, 320321
See also redistricting
Crystal Reports
creating reports 175
default open and save directories 42
CurDate function 423
in expressions 424
cursor location 6
custom
ranged map type 283
custom symbols 216220
custom workstation installation 23

D
data aggregation
computing total population and area by continent 262
264
defined 484
SQL Select command 259260
data disaggregation 484
data products
obtaining information 28

data sources
creating 192
defined 484
databases
defined 61, 484
date clauses 417
date comparison 411
dates in expressions 408
datums
list of 452461
Day function 424
dBase files
creating .TAB files from 113
opening 67
DBMS Catalog tool 183
DBMS connections
specifying default 40
DBMS SQL queries
default open and save directories 42
default search paths 51
DBMS tables
conflict resolution 203, 205206
data sources 192
disconnecting from database 207
downloading data to linked table 200
linked tables 193
live remote access 201202
making mappable 185188
MapInfo_MapCatalog 182, 184185
opening 64, 194196, 198200
per-row styles 189190
querying 273274
requirements 178
saving 203, 205206
spatial index columns 182
SQL queries 201
storing and retrieving spatial objects 178
storing coordinate values 179181
symbol styles in mappable tables 190
DBMS toolbar 58
decimal degrees
converting to degrees/minutes/seconds 390
defined 485
displaying coordinates in 37
default
defined 485
Degree Converter tool
converting coordinates 141142
degrees latitude 485
degrees longitude 485
degrees/minutes/seconds
converting to decimal degrees 390
displaying coordinates in 37
deleting
nodes 212
tables 170
derived columns
defined 251, 485
using 255

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digitizer setup
projections 387
digitizing
digitizer definition 485
raster images 377
tablet 485
Directory preferences
seamless layers 95
specifying 30, 4142
disaggregating data
data disaggregation definition 484
with set target model 312313
Disperse Points tool 142143
dispersion to the right method
dispersing points 143
displaying a map
using different projection 388389
with different projection 391
See also Layer Control command
distance calculations
buffer regions 307
default settings 36
projections 388
Distance function
in expressions 424425
distance units
default settings 36
districts
creating new 400
grouping map objects into 397
reassigning existing 402403
saving new 405
Districts browser
using 399
districts browser
defined 486
documentation
accessing from CD 5
dot density maps
defined 285286, 486
drawing objects on a map
commands 211
custom symbols 216220
styles 212213
symbols 214216
tool buttons 210211
types of shapes 212214
using Ruler window 212
Drawing toolbar 5657, 210211, 486
DXF files
importing 387

E
earth maps
using 393
Earth Science Information Center
contact information 465

Index Index: Index

EasyLoader
supported DBMS connections 179
ECW 2.0 format handler (*.ECW)
raster format 369
edit handles
defined 486
editable layers
making a layer editable 8586
editing
labels 337
read-only tables 86
table structure 169
editing objects
attributes 226
autotracing 230
commands 211
creating territories by combining 318321
deleting 221
object conversion 231
object offset 222224
positioning and sizing 221222
procedure 221
reshaping 227228
rotating 224225
set target model 311315
smoothing/unsmoothing polylines 230
Snap mode 229
splitting 315317
Ellipse tool button 210
EMF files
export format 99
generating for printing 151
raster format 369
Encapsulated Postscript (EPS) files
with layouts 366
Enhanced Metafile Format (*.EMF) files
raster format 369
Enhanced Metafiles (*.EMF)
export format 99
generating for printing 151
equal count
ranged map type 282
equal dispersion method
dispersing points 143
equal ranges
ranged map type 282
ESRI shapefiles
default open and save directories 42
opening 68
Excel files
creating points from 138
creating TAB files from 105
opening 67
Excel tables
creating points from 139
exiting MapInfo Professional 51
exporting files
advanced options 100101
export definition 486
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exporting files (continued)

layouts 365366
output preferences 45
procedure 99100
raster image resolution 100
supported formats 99
translucent images 380
expressions
creating 244246, 407
defined 486
entering values 408
functions 420437
labeling with 331
operator precedence 419420
operators 408416

F
False Eastings
defined 463
False Northings
defined 463
fields
defined 486
file formats
export 99
MapInfo Professional supported 6465, 104105
files
defined 486
exporting 99100
in MapInfo tables 66
opening 67
fill patterns
defined 487
printing 213
region styles dialog 324
scaling for printing 152
transparent 101
fonts
defined 487
Format$ function
in expressions 425428
Frame tool button 348
frame tool button 349
frames
cartographic legend 359360
drawing in layouts 349
in layout windows 348
Layout window 343, 347348, 350
functions
in expressions 420437

G
GEN files
raster format 369
generalization
defined 487

Index Index: Index

geocoded points
displaying on a map 134, 145146
street inset and offset 130
geocoding
appropriate map detail 122
assigning coordinates to records 121
automatically 124
defined 487
finding exact street matches 127
geographic accuracy 122
interactively 125
making a DBMS table mappable for 188
manually 125
matching address numbers 131
matching street names 131
matching to regions 132
process overview 123
selecting ungeocoded records 134
ungeocoding 135136
vs. creating points 104
geocoding precision 126127
Geographic Information System (GIS)
defined 487
geographic operators 412414
georeferenced raster images 371
Get Info command 226
GIF files
raster format 369
GML files
importing 114115
graduated symbol maps
customizing 284285
defined 284, 487
graph support files
default open and save directories 42
Graph windows
defined 487
opening a table in 73
Graphics Interchange Format (*.GIF) files
raster format 369
graphs
print options 149
printing options 149
graticule
defined 487
grid image files
default open and save directories 42
display settings 43
using 296297
grid layers
Layer Control 90
opening 68
zoom layering 36
grid surface maps
defined 487
handlers 37
uses 295
Vertical Mapper grid handler 298
GRS 80 datum 393

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H
heads-up digitizing 488
Help button bar 488
help system
using 7
hot views
defined 488
Hotine Oblique Mercator projection
oblique azimuth 463

I
importing files
default open and save directories 42
import definition 488
Web Map Service (WMS) data 116117, 119120
indices, searching for map objects 66
individual values maps
defined 279280, 488
saving categories in templates 290
inflection
ranged thematic maps 283, 294
Info tool
seamless layers 93
using 8788
installation
application data files 21
CD browser 21
custom 23
custom workstation 23
data 27
modifying MAPINFOW.PRF for 7.0 directories 21
network 25
per-user installs 22
preparatory tasks 21
procedure 21
running from drive 28
setting the temp variable 28
setting up clients 26
typical workstation 23
InStr function
finding data substrings 266
in expressions 428429
Int function 429
interactive geocoding 125
interactive labelling 337
interleaved line styles 213, 326
inverting selections 241

J
joining tables
in cartographic legends 363
join definition 488
order of clauses 264
outer joins 265267
through thematic mapping 278
using SQL Select 261262
where condition 264265

Index Index: Index

JP2 files
export format 99
raster format 369
JPEG 2000 format (*.JP2) files
export format 99
raster format 369
JPEG File Interchange Format (*.JPG) files
export format 99
raster format 369
JPG files
export format 99
raster format 369
jumps
defined 488

L
Labeler tool
labels as text objects 338339
using with Layout windows 346
labeler tool
labels as text objects 340
labels
automatic 332333, 335336
callout lines 335
content 330
controlling display 332333, 335
customized 331
design 329330
editing 337
interactive 337
label tool button 338
layer control options 8283
legend styles 362
map 329
removing 340
rotating in layout window 346
saving 341
styles 336
using column information 331
using text objects 338340
with expressions 331
zoom layering 333
latitude
defined 488
Layer Control command
display options 7980
editable layers 8586
label options 8283
raster and grid layers 90
seamless layers 93
selectable layers 8687
thematic layers 8889
zoom layering 8081
layers
adding to a map 78
Clear Cosmetic Layer command 84
creating buffer 303304
defined 489

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layers (continued)
definition 75
display options 7980
displaying object attributes 82
Info tool 8788
objects 75
opening grid 68
removing from a map 78
reordering 77
saving thematic map 289290
seamless 9296
selecting for cartographic legends 358
layout windows
adding a logo to 369
adding open windows to 347348
aligning objects in 350353
AutoLabeler tool 346
creating 347349
creating multiple map views 344345
defined 489
exporting 365366
frames 347350
Labeler tool 346
map scale 354355
opening maps in 73
ordering overlapping objects 344
page layout 342343
printing 363364
rotating labels in 346
using legends 350
with labels 346
zoom level 343
LCase$ function 429430
Left$ function
in expressions 430
legend frames
borders 360
default settings 359
symbol text 360
titles 359360
Legend Window preferences 29, 37, 39
legend windows
borders 360
defined 489
specifying properties 359
using in layouts 350
legends
cartographic 294295
theme 295
Len function
in expressions 430
LIKE operator
wildcard characters 200, 245
line direction, displaying 82
line objects 489
line styles 326
change styles tool button 211
editing 325
interleaved 213

Index Index: Index

Line tool button 210

linked tables
conflict resolution 203
defined 489
downloading data to 200
using 193
live access tables 201202
logical operators 245, 414419
logos
adding to a layout 369
longitude
defined 489
longitude/latitude coordinates
creating points 139140
creating points on a map 136137
longitude/latitude definition 489
Lotus 1-2-3 tables
creating .TAB files from 113
creating points from 138139
LTrim$ function 430431

M
Main toolbar 55
defined 490
manual geocoding 125
map layers
adding 78
displaying object attributes 82
Info tool 8788
Layer Control command 7681, 83
objects 75
removing 78
map scale
defined 490
displaying in status bar 6
in layout windows 354
map segment 490
Map windows
defined 490
navigating in 71
opening tables in 71
preferences 29, 3436
printing 147
projections 389
MapBasic language
defined 490
MapBasic programs
default open and save directories 42
default search paths 42, 51
MapBasic tools
AutoLabeler 330, 346
DBMS Catalog 183
Labeler 338339, 346
RotateLabel 346
ScaleBar 355
scalebar 356
Set Minimum Bounding Rectangle 185
MapBasic window, turning seamless layers on/off 95
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MapInfo Interchange Format (*.MIF) files

importing 387
MapInfo Professional
CD browser 21
documentation set 5
exiting 51
features 4
installation procedure 21
new features and enhancements 810, 1216
program maintenance 26
purchasing data 28
purpose 2
removing from your system 26
sample data 67, 473478
starting 49
window types 70
MapInfo tables
associated files 66
creating 167168
editing structure 169
MapInfo_MapCatalog
creating 182, 184185
spatial index types 184
updating data bounds 185
MAPINFOW.PRJ file
converting projection units 392
projection ID numbers 449451
unit ID numbers 461
MAPINFOW.WOR
saving upon exit 51
maps
earth and non-earth 393
opening a seamless layer 92
opening in Layout windows 73
printing 147
thematic types 278279
Marquee Select tool button 240
MasterMap GML files
importing 114115
MasterMap topography layer 116
mathematical operators 408409
Maximum function 431
menu shortcuts 440441, 443445
meridian
defined 490
metadata
cartographic legends 360361
linked tables 193
Microsoft Access tables
creating in MapInfo Professional 106109
limitations with MapInfo Professional 112
opening 67
saving 109
saving as another Access table 112
saving MapInfo tables as 109112
Microsoft Excel files
creating points from 138
creating TAB files from 105
opening 67

Index Index: Index

Microsoft Windows
MapInfo Professional compatibility 3
Mid$ function 431
Military Grid Reference System
displaying coordinates in 37
minimum bounding rectangle (MBR) 490
Minimum function 431
modifying
raster image control points 377
thematic maps 289
Month function 432
moving
selected objects 238
MrSID format (*.SID) files
raster format 369
multipoint objects
legend styles 361

N
native projections
defined 490
natural break
ranged map type 283
network installation 25
NITF format (*.NTF) files
raster format 369
nodes
Add Node tool button 211
defined 491
deleting 212
displaying 82
duplicate 35, 229
maximum number of 227
moving duplicate 229
Reshape mode 227
selecting multiple 228
selecting using Snap mode 229
non-earth maps
defined 491
using 393
NTF files
raster format 369
numeric values
in expressions 408

O
ObjectLen function 432434
objects
default style settings 48
highlighting 48
removing cosmetic 84
rotating selected 238
saving cosmetic 84
objects, drawing 212214
objects, editing
attributes 226
autotracing 230
combining with set target 313
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Index Index: Index

objects, editing (continued)

creating territories by combining 318321
deleting 221
object conversion 231
object offset 222224
positioning and sizing 221222
procedure 221
reshaping 227228
rotating 222, 224225
set target model 311315
smoothing/unsmoothing polylines 230
Snap mode 229
splitting 315317
styles 212213
objects, selecting
tool buttons 236239, 241
using selectable layers 8687
Oblique azimuth 463
ODBC Administrator
creating data sources 192
ODBC drivers, adding 25
ODBC tables
defined 491
ODBC drivers 491
offsetting map objects 222224
ojbects, selecting
tool buttons 240
opening
data files in MapInfo Professional 67
ESRI shapefiles 68
grid layers 68
maps in Layout windows 73
raster images 370, 372373
remote tables 64
sample data 67
seamless map layers 92
tables 50, 62
tables in Browser windows 72
tables in Graph windows 73
tables in Map windows 71
Web Mapping Service (WMS) layers 116117, 119120
operators
comparison 410412
expressions 245
geographic 412414
geographic operators 412
logical 414419
mathematical 408409
operator precedence 419420
string 409
string comparison 411
Oracle Spatial 190191
outer joins
defined 491
queries 265267
Output Settings preferences
specifying 30, 4345

P
packing a table 170, 331, 491
page layout
layout windows 342343
page setup
layout windows 363
preparing to print 147
Parameters
projections 464
parsing data
across multiple columns 162164
pattern scaling
printing fill patterns 45, 152
PCX files
raster format 369
Perimeter function 434
per-user installs 22
Photoshop 3.0 (*.PSD) files
export format 99
raster format 369
pie chart maps 288, 491
pin maps 491
pixels 491
Places Bar
accessing folders 51
PNG files
export format 99
raster format 369
point objects
defined 492
point size
defined 492
pointer
defined 492
points
creating 388
creating for intersections 144145
creating from coordinates 136137
creating from Excel/Lotus tables 138139
creating in a projection 140
dispersing 142143
displaying geocoded 134
Polyconic projection 463464
polygon objects
creating a voronoi 321322
defined 492
drawing 213214
polygon overlay, defined 492
Polygon Select tool button 240241
Polygon tool button 210
polyline objects
converting regions to 231
converting to regions 214
defined 492
drawing 213214
node limits 227
smoothing and unsmoothing 230
splitting map objects using 317

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Polyline tool button 210

population
computing with SQL Select 262264
population density
computing with SQL Select 250253, 256258
Portable Network Graphics Format (*.PNG) files
export format 99
raster format 369
Preferences
Directory instructions 41
Directory search for tables, workspaces 42
Output settings instructions 43
preferences
Address Matching 30, 40
Directories 254
Directory 30, 4142, 95
Legend Window 29, 37, 39
Map Window 29, 3436
Output Settings 30, 4345
Printer 30, 4647
Startup 30, 3940
Style 30, 48
System Settings 29, 3133
preferred view options 64
print options
3DMap 150
Browser windows 150
graph 149
printer
overriding the default 153
storing information in workspaces 40, 59
Printer preferences
specifying 30, 4647
printing
advanced options 151
display and color options 152
fill patterns 213
layout windows 363364
Map windows 147
output methods 151152
page setup 147
setting defaults 44
translucent images 380
troubleshooting 154
Projections
MAPINFOW.PRJ ID numbers 449451
origin point 462
units 461
projections
additional resources 464465
choosing 386388
converting units 392
creating for new tables 388
creating points in 140
datums 452461
defined 492
definition 384
digitized maps 387
displaying maps in different projections 388389, 391

Index Index: Index

projections (continued)
distance calculations 388
GRS 80 datum 393
imported files 387
Map window 389
parameters 448449
raster images 380
saving maps in different projections 388389, 392
specifying for raster images 388
with ocean and grid tables 394
with Web Mapping Service (WMS) 121
Proper$ function 434
proportion average function
Update Column command 171
proportion sum function
Update Column command 171
proportion weighted average function 172
Update Column command 172173
PSD files
export format 99
raster format 369
push-pin maps
defined 491

Q
quantile
ranged map type 283
queries
bound objects in spatial 191
collecting and deriving data 242
in DBMS tables 273274
saving as query tables 253254
saving in workspaces 40, 254
Select command 243, 246247
using templates 254
See also SQL Select command
query tables
default open and save directories 42
defined 493
saving 253254
query templates 254
Quick Start dialog
display preference 40

R
radius
calculating buffer 307
Radius Select tool button 239240
Range
projections 463
ranged maps
defined 281, 493
styles 283
types 281282
raster images
color options 369370, 377379
defined 493
display settings 43

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raster images (continued)

displaying multiple images 377
Layer Control display options 9091
modifying control points 377
opening 370, 372373
opening registered 372
placing a logo on a page layout 369
projection limitations 380
registering 373376
ROP display method 45, 152
search order when opening 372373
specifying a projection 388
style override 379
supported file formats
file formats, raster images 369
transferring vector coordinates to 375
translucent images 380
using 65
World file (*.TFW) support 372
zoom layering 36, 380
Raster Overlay by Pixel (ROP) display method
exported files 101
printing raster images 152
raster tables
data limitations in 380
storing raster images 381
read-only tables, making editable 86
records, defined 493
Rectangle tool button 211
redistricting
assign selected object button 402
closing a redistricting session 405
combining objects in a district 404
creating districts 400
defined 493
definition and purpose 397
district styles 404405
grouping map objects into districts 397
reassigning existing districts 402403
records with no graphic objects 405
saving new districts 405
target district 399
region objects
converting polylines to 214
converting to polylines 231
defined 493
node limits 227
region styles 324325
change styles tool button 211
regions
geocoding matches 132
registering
ASCII data 113
registering a raster image
control point coordinates 373375
error values 376
modifying control points 377
opening registered images 372
registration definition 494

Index Index: Index

remote database tables

conflict resolution 203, 205206
data sources 192
disconnecting from database 207
downloading data to linked table 200
linked tables 193
live access 201202
making mappable 185188
MapInfo_MapCatalog 182, 184185
opening 64, 194196, 198200
per-row styles 189190
requirements 178
saving 203, 205206
spatial index columns 182
SQL queries 201
storing and retrieving spatial objects 178
storing coordinate values 179181
symbol styles in mappable tables 190
remote databases
disconnecting from 207
supported databases 20
remote tables
default open and save directories 42
removing
cosmetic objects 84
labels 340
layers from a map 78
MapInfo Professional 26, 29
renaming
tables 169
tables in workspaces 59
reordering layers 77
reports
creating 175
Reshape mode 228
moving arc endpoints 227
moving duplicate nodes 35
Reshape tool button 211
reshaping map objects 227228
resolution
specifying in exported files 100
result codes 135
Right$ function 435
ROP display method
printing/exporting transparent images 381
RotateLabel tool 346
rotating
map objects 224225
objects 222
selected objects 238
Round function 435436
Rounded rectangle tool button 211
rows
adding to tables 166
appending to a table 161
RTrim$ function 436
Ruler window
with drawing tools 212
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S
S key
Snap mode 229
sample data
copyright information 473478
installing 27
using 67
Save Cosmetic Objects command 84
saving
Access and MapInfo tables 109
Access table as another Access table 112
buffer regions to tables 304306
copies of tables 98
cosmetic objects 84
DBMS tables 203, 205206
labels 341
labels as text objects 338339
MapInfo tables as Access tables 109112
maps in different projections 388389, 392
new districts 405
printer information to a workspace 59
queries 253254
queries in workspaces 40
query templates 254
tables 98
thematic map layers 289290
thematic templates 290
workspaces 9697
scale
displaying in status bar 6
layout windows 354355
scale bar
defined 494
Scale factor
Transverse Mercator projection 463
ScaleBar tool
creating scalebars 355356
scaling fill patterns 45, 152
scanning
defined 494
scroll bars
defined 494
displaying 36
seamless map layers
available features 93
creating 93
opening 92
search paths of component tables 95
turning on and off 9596
using 9395
search paths
component tables of seamless layers 95
Select tool button 237238
selectable layers
displaying layer of current selection 6
selecting objects 8687, 236237

Index Index: Index

selecting by querying
aggregating data 259260
calculating distance to a fixed point 271272
DBMS tables 273274
expressions 244246
finding duplicate values in a column 270271
grouping by column 261
InStr function 266
joining tables 261262, 264267
query templates 254
saving queries 253254
Select command 236, 243, 246247
specific table records 267, 269
SQL Select command 236, 249250
SQL Select examples 250253, 256258, 262264
StreetPro tables 272273
ungeocoded records 134
where condition 265
selecting from the screen
in Browser windows 174
multiple nodes 228
selectable layers 236237
tool buttons 236241
tool buttonsl 241
selection tools
seamless layers 93
selections
cancelling 242
defined 234235, 494
inverting 241
labeling the current 339
moving and rotating objects 238
specifying map highlighting 48
symbol hot spot 238
Send to Back command 344
shapefiles
default open and save directories 42
opening 68
shortcuts 440441, 443445
SID files
raster format 369
Sin function 436
smoothing polylines 230
Snap mode
selecting nodes and centroids 229
snap to nodes
defined 494
snap tolerance
map window preference 37
spatial analysis, defined 494
spatial index columns 182
spatial index types 184
spatial objects
storing and retrieving requirements 178
spatial queries
bound objects 191
SpatialWare
bound objects in spatial queries 191
live access limitations in v. 4.6 202
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spherical calculations
as default setting 36
buffer regions 307
projections 388
spherical coordinates, defined 494
splitting objects 315317
SPOT image files
raster format 369
SQL Select command
calculating distance to a fixed point 271272
computing population density 251
finding duplicate values in a column 270271
grouping by column 261
InStr function 266
joining tables 261262, 264267
population density 250, 252253, 256258
querying DBMS tables 273274
selecting by querying 249250
SQL Query defined 495
StreetPro tables 272273
total population and area 262264
where condition 265
standard deviation
defined 495
ranged thematic maps 283
Standard parallels
conic projections 462
Standard toolbar 54
starting MapInfo Professional 49
Startup preferences
specifying 30, 3940
startup workspace 50
Statistics window
defined 495
status bar
defined 495
using 6
Str$ function 436
street inset
placing geocoded points 130
street names
geocoding matches 131
street numbers
matching to address range 131
street offset
placing geocoded points 129
StreetPro tables
with SQL Select 272273
streets
finding exact matches 127
geocoding precision 126
string clauses 416
string comparison 411
operators 411
string operators 409
Structured Query Language (SQL)
defined 495
Style preferences
specifying 30, 48

Index Index: Index

styles
cartographic legends 361362
changing symbol 215
custom symbols 217
districts 404405
drawn objects 212213
interleaved line 213
labels 336
line 325326
override option for raster and grid images 379
ranged thematic maps 283
region 324325
symbol 326327
text 220221, 328329
using per row 189
subselect,
defined 495
supported file formats
export 99
opening files in MapInfo Professional 6465, 104105
raster images 369
symbol styles 327
changing 215, 326
mappable DBMS tables 190
style change tool button 211
symbols
custom 216220
defined 495
drawing 214216
pre-version 4.0 33
selection hot spot 238
supported fonts 215
Symbol tool button 211
transparent 101
system requirements
MapInfo Professional 20
Oracle Spatial 190
system settings
preferences 29, 3133

T
table rows
defined 496
tables
creating points from Excel/Lotus 138139
defined 496
ungeocoding 135
update column 159
tables, closing 97
tables, creating
choosing a projection 388
procedure 167168
using subset of a file 248
tables, displaying
New Browser Window command 173174
tables, managing
browsing 173174
deleting 170
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tables, managing (continued)

exporting 486
importing 387, 488
indices 66
packing 170, 331
read-only tables 86
renaming 59, 169
selecting records 267, 269
setting preferred view 64
updating 160
tables, modifying
adding rows 166
adding temporary columns 158
appending rows to 161
collecting data using Update Column 170173
editing structure 169
joining 261262, 278
parsing data to multiple columns 162164
tables, opening
default directories 42
in Browser windows 72
in Graph windows 73
in workspaces 42
procedure 50, 62
tables, remote database
conflict resolution 203, 205206
data sources 192
disconnecting from database 207
downloading data to linked table 200
linked tables 193
live access 201202
making mappable 185188
MapInfo_MapCatalog 182, 184185
opening 64, 194196, 198200
per-row styles 189190
requirements 178
saving 203, 205206
spatial index columns 182
SQL queries 201
storing and retrieving spatial objects 178
storing coordinate values 179181
symbol styles in mappable tables 190
tables, saving
Access and MapInfo 109
Access table as another Access table 112
buffer regions as tables 304306
copy of a table 98
default directories 42
MapInfo tables as Access 109
Tagged Image File Format (*.TIF) files
export format 99
raster format 369
Targa (*.TGA) files
raster format 369
target district
defined 496
setting 399
target objects
specifying highlighting 48

Index Index: Index

templates
saving thematic 290
temporary tables
selections 235
territories
creating by combining objects 318321
text objects
text cursor 496
using text in maps 220
with labels 338340, 346
text styles 211, 328329
Text tool button 211
TFW files
supported raster format 372
TGA files
raster format 369
thematic layers
using with Layer Control 8889
thematic maps
defined 496
expressions with 277
grid surface 295298
inflection points 294
joining tables in 278
layers 496
modifying 289
obtaining data 277
saving 289
shading 496
thematic mapping definition 275
types of 278279
using Update Column command 290294
variables 277, 496
theme legends
defined 295, 497
in layouts 350
theme templates
default open and save directories 42
saving 290
TIF files
export format 99
raster format 369
TIFF CMYK (*.tif) files
export format 99
Tool Manager
listing of tools 102
toolbars 5456, 58, 497
topography layer 116
transformation
defined 497
translucent images
printing and exporting 380
raster 379
transparent fill patterns
exported files 101
printing 152
transparent images
raster 379
ROP display method 381

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transparent symbols
exported files 101
printing 152
Transverse Mercator projection
scale factor 463
true color
exported files 101
printing raster and grid images 152
two-digit years 33

U
UCase$ function 436
Undo command 33
ungeocode, defined 497
ungeocoding tables 135
uninstalling
MapInfo Professional 26
using the CD browser 29
Units
MAPINFOW.PRJ ID numbers 461
unregistered raster images
opening 371
unsmoothing polylines 230
Update Column command
adding temporary columns 158
parsing data to multiple columns 162163
placing graphic information in columns 164166
updating tables 160
using aggregate functions 170173
using proportion sum and proportion average 171
using proportion weighted average 172173
with thematic mapping 278, 290294
update column command
parsing data to multiple columns 164
US_ZIPS.TAB
geocoding to postal code centroids 127

V
Val function 437
vector images, defined 497
vector maps
transferring coordinates to raster image 375
Vertical Mapper grid handler 297298
voronoi polygons 321

Index Index: Index

Windows 2000
accessing MapInfo Professional-specific folders 51
system requirements 20
Windows 95/98
system requirements 20
Windows Bitmap (*.BMP) files
raster format 369
Windows Bitmap (*.bmp) files
export format 99
Windows compatibility 3
Windows Enhanced Metafiles (*.EMF)
export format 99
generating for printing 151
Windows Metafile Format (*.WMF) files
raster format 369
Windows Metafiles (*.wmf)
export format 99
Windows NT 4.0, system requirements 20
Windows XP, system requirements 20
WMF files
export format 99
raster format 369
WMS. See Web Map Service (WMS)
workspaces
cosmetic objects 84
default open and save directories 42
default search paths 51
defined 498
MAPINFOW.WOR 51
renaming tables 59
saving 9697
saving printer information 59
saving queries 40
saving queries to 254
storing printer information 40
table search paths 42
thematic maps 289290
using 58, 60
using the startup 50
workstations, custom installation 23
World files (.*TFW) 372

Y
Year function 438

warning messages, controlling display 35

Web Map Service (WMS)
importing files 116117, 119120
projection issues 121
Weekday function 437
weighted averages, defined 497
where condition 264265
wildcard characters
with LIKE operator 245
windows
adding to a layout 347
defined 498

zoom layering, defined 498

labeling 333
raster and grid layers 36
raster layers 380
specifying 8081
zoom level
displaying in status bar 6
layout windows 343
ZSoft Paintbrush (*.PCX ) files
raster format 369

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