Understanding the Anti-Aliasing Export Preferences - MapInfo_Pro - 2023

To apply anti-aliasing to your maps, we suggest that you use the enhanced rendering settings that are described under Enabling Enhanced Rendering and Anti-Aliasing, because they superseded the settings described in this section. For backwards compatibility, we continue to support previous anti-alias settings described here.

To apply anti-aliasing to your maps, we suggest that you use the enhanced rendering settings that are described under Enabling Enhanced Rendering, because they superseded the settings described in this section. For backwards compatibility, we continue to support previous anti-alias settings described here.

To give you more control over map images when exporting MapInfo Pro maps, you can use anti-aliasing methods. This is particularly important when you are saving maps created in MapInfo Pro for use in other Windows-based applications, in particular in slide presentations or for web pages.

The benefits of anti-aliasing can include:

• Make your fonts look smoother
• Make jagged edges in maps look rounder
• Can make text can be easier to read (for some) because it looks more like printed type
• Make maps look more visually attractive

Anti-aliasing allows you to smooth images in all types of windows, such as Map windows, layouts, and legends. However, you cannot anti-alias images you are saving to .EMF or .WMF format, because these are not true raster formats.

There are three smoothing options you can use to customize your raster image:

1. Smooth using a Filter value. You can set a flag that selects one of six filters that allow you to choose the direction the filter is applied to the image from.
   • Vertically and Horizontally (Smooths the image vertically and horizontally)
   • All Directions (1) (Smooths the image in all directions)
   • All Directions (2) (Smooths the image in all directions using a different algorithm)
   • Diagonally (Smooths the image diagonally)
   • Horizontally (Smooths the image horizontally)
   • Vertically (Smooths the image vertically)
2. Smooth using a Mask value. You can select a value that indicates the size of the area you want to smooth. For example, to create a 3x3 pixel mask value, you would enter a three (3) in this field. This would limit the amount of change in the color of the pixels. Typically mask sizes would be 2-3 pixels when exporting at screen resolution. If you are exporting at a higher resolution, a larger mask might be appropriate.
3. Smooth using a Threshold value. You can select a threshold value to indicate which pixels to smooth. Each pixel in an image has a value based on its color. The smaller the pixel value, the darker the color. Select this option to smooth all of the pixels above the threshold you enter in this field. When you set this value to zero (0), MapInfo Pro will smooth all of the pixels.

You must either set a global preference for these anti-aliasing options or set them during the export process (using the Advanced button).

Setting Anti-Aliasing When Exporting a Map or Layout

By default, MapInfo Pro uses the anti-alias settings made as a preference when you save a Map or Layout window as an image. You can override these preferences when you save an image by selecting the Use Anti-aliasing check box in the Save Window As dialog box.

You cannot use anti-aliasing when saving an EMF or WMF image.

To override the anti-aliasing options when saving a map as an image (exporting):

1. After completing your work in a window, click Save Image, which is located in the Output group, on the HOME tab.
2. In the Save Window to File dialog box, select the folder location to save the file to and then type a file name into the File name field.
3. Click Save to continue.
4. In the Save Window As dialog box, select the Use Anti-aliasing check box and then click Advanced.

   If you are exporting an EMF or WMF image, the Use Anti-Aliasing check box is disabled.

5. In the Advanced Exporting Options dialog box, change the settings in the Anti-aliasing Options panel: this includes Filter, Mask Size, and Threshold.
   Note: You must select the Use Anti-aliasing check box on the Save Window As dialog box to enable the anti-aliasing options in the Advanced Exporting Options dialog box.
6. Click OK to close the dialog box.
7. Click Save to close the Save Window As dialog box and generate the image.

The next two figures show the results of setting an anti-alias mask. For both images, the Filter is set to Vertical and Horizontal and the Threshold is set to 100.

Anti-Aliasing with Mask set to 2

Anti-Aliasing with Mask set to 5