The Catalog Browser is a tool in MapInfo Pro that allows you to locate descriptive information about spatial and non-spatial datasets. This information is often referred to as metadata. Metadata describes information about the data, such as its title, creation/modified date, coordinate reference system and location.
Metadata is stored in a catalog as individual records for each dataset. Organizations, particularly those in the public sector, make their catalogs known to others to describe and advertise the availability of their spatial datasets. The Catalog Browser enables you to see what data is available and how to get it.
The Catalog Browser can search any available CSW-compliant catalog. Note that some catalog capabilities are limited by the organization who owns the catalog, such as the ability to edit metadata and access datasets for free. Information from the owner organization is provided in the metadata for each record.
You can search and view metadata records with the Catalog Browser. In the future, a CSW-compliant Catalog service and catalog from Precisely will be available as a separate purchase that support enhanced operations, such as records management and harvesting.
You can launch the Catalog Browser from the Open list, which is on the HOME tab in the File group, and on the TABLE and MAP tabs in the Content group.
If you do not see the Catalog Browser in the Open list, then you must add it to MapInfo Pro, as described under Working with MapInfo Pro Tools.
For how to work with the Catalog Browser, see the Catalog Browser Help System.