Glossary of Terms - MapInfo_Pro_Advanced - 2023

One or more layers of data stored within a field. For example, a color image has three bands (red, green, and blue) while a digital elevation model (DEM) has one band (holding elevation values), and a multi-spectral image may have many bands.

Usually the dominant or underlying layer in a given map. These are typically the data layers that Precisely 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.

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.

The process of undoing a selection in the check-box or radio-button. The option that you clear will not be included in the operation. When you click on a radio-button, it becomes checked, and all other radio-buttons get unchecked.

A method for distributing color values over a raster to enhance its appearance.

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.

Degrees (longitude and latitude) are coordinates used to represent locations on the surface of the earth. Longitude, or X-coordinate, represents a location's east-west position, where any location west of the prime meridian has a negative X value. Latitude, or Y-coordinate, represents a location's north-south position, where any location south of the equator has a negative Y value.

Process of creating a raster from irregular point locations using an algorithm to interpolate or estimate new values between the input points into a regular continuous surface.

The process whereby a program saves information in a file to be used by another program.

A statement containing two parts: 1) column names and constants (for example, specific data values), and 2) functions (for example, area) and operators (for example, +, -, >), used in the calculator tool.

The design and color used to fill a closed object.

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.

The process of creating raster data via ASCII files like text, csv etc.

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.

The part of a map, which explains the meaning of different colors, shapes, or fill patterns used on the map.

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.

MapInfo Pro's default coordinate system for representing geographic objects in a map.

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 (for example, one inch) represents 10,000 of the same units of distance on the earth.

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.

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.

Predictive encoding is used in conjunction with a lossless compression codec to improve compression ratios for integer data. It is a pre-processing technique applied to the raster band data prior to being compressed to improve the data compression. Predictive encoding is supported by the MRR driver. It can be applied to bands of a continuous field.

A mathematical model that transforms the locations of features on the earth's 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 (for example, Mercator) produce maps well suited for navigation. Other projections (for example, equal-area projections, such as Lambert) produce maps well suited for visual analysis.

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 vector image.

Usually the first stage of the digitizing process or when opening a raster image for the first time in MapInfo Pro. 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 (for example, longitude, latitude). After you have registered the map, MapInfo Pro can associate a longitude, latitude position with any point on the map surface; this allows MapInfo Pro 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.

The process of inputting data into a raster format using an optical device called a scanner.

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.

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

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.

The selection of information from a database according to the textual attributes and object relationships of the items. In MapInfo Pro, queries are created with the SQL Select and Select commands or with MapBasic commands in the MapBasic 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.

A bar at the bottom of the screen that displays messages that help in using MapInfo Pro. 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.

A small, relatively simple shape (for example, square, circle, star, push-pin) used to graphically represent a point object (for example, a customer location).

In a table, a row contains all the information for a single item. It corresponds to a record in a table.

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.

A type of map that uses a variety of graphic styles (for example, colors or fill patterns) to graphically display information about the map's 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).

A tile server is an online server that contains a collection of raster tile images that cover a place on the earth. Tiles are organized in a row and /or column grid fashion. There are multiple levels of tiles, each level representing a different resolution of data covering the same place on the earth. The level determines the number of tiles (number of rows and columns). Zooming in or out may change the level of data. Panning may change the number of tiles that are needed on the map.

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.

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 1's (or other non-zero values) this reduces to a simple average.