Glossary of Terms - MapInfo_Pro - 2023

A window that allows you to view your maps containing continuous grids from various viewpoints in 3D Format.

The search dictionary used for matching addresses during geocoding.

A map decoration, such as a title, scale bar, or company logo, that provides contextual information for the map view.

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.

A computer program used for a particular kind of work, such as word processing. Application is often interchangeable with the word program.

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.

Use to permanently assign all selected map objects to the target district.

Text added to a tile server table definition that automatically displays when a tile server layer is in a Map window. Some tile servers require attribution text, such as origin and copyrights information (the tile server author or distributor provides attribution text requirements).

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.

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.

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).

A screen image displayed as an array of dots or bits. Software usually generates either bit-mapped (raster) or object-oriented (vectored) files. MapInfo Pro can work with both.

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.

Use to search for and choose all the objects within a given region, such as a state or county boundary, a police patrol district, a sales territory, and so forth.

A window for viewing a table (or database, spreadsheet or text file) in tabular form.

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.

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.

A command button for closing a dialog box without making changes.

A coordinate system using an x,y scale not tied to any "real-world" system. Most CAD drawing uses this method of registering objects (for example, 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.

The conventional representation of geometric objects by x and y values on a plane.

A map scale that does not include distance units, such as 1:63,360 or 1:1,000,000.

The art and science of making maps. In GIS it is also the graphic presentation and visual interpretation of data.

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 Pro, 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.

This button allows you to change the zoom, map scale, and window centering aspects of the Map window that currently displays.

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.

To press and release a mouse button quickly.

A column in a Browser corresponds to a field in a table. A column contains a specific type of information about an object, such as Name, Abbreviation, Land area, Price, Population, and so forth. The information for each object is listed on a row in the Browser.

A word or phrase, usually found in a menu, that displays a dialog box and/or carries out an action.

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 Pro linked table. The conflict resolution process is invoked whenever an attempt to save the linked table detects a conflict in an update.

A menu activated through the Control Menu Box located in the upper left corner of all windows. The control menu is used to resize, move, maximize, minimize, or close the window.

The points on a raster image whose coordinates serve as a reference for associating earth coordinates with any location on the image. See registration.

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.

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, projection, and spherical coordinates.

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.

A process that occurs when combining separate map objects into a single object. MapInfo Pro calculates what the column values for the new object should be, based on sums or averages of the values of the original objects.

A process that occurs when splitting a map object(s) into smaller parts where MapInfo Pro splits the data associated with the map object(s) into smaller parts to match the new map objects.

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.

Any organized collection of data. The term is often used to refer to a single file or table of information in MapInfo Pro.

The decimal representation of fractions of degrees. Many paper maps express coordinates in degrees, minutes, seconds (for example, 40_30i10I), where minutes and seconds are fractions of degrees. 30 minutes equal half a degree, and 30 seconds equal half a minute. MapInfo Pro, however, expresses coordinates in decimal degrees (for example, 72.558 degrees), where fractions of degrees are expressed as decimals. Thus, the longitude: 40 degrees, 30 minutes, would be expressed in MapInfo Pro as 40.5 degrees.

The value or option used in the absence of explicit specification. Often the original setting or value for a variable.

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.

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 is not just a copy of the data in one of the tables being accessed by the SQL Select command.

The same as a derived column.

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 Clear command on the TABLE, MAP, or SPATIAL tabs.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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, +, -, >), 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.

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 object's values for each of the fields in the database.

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.

The design and color used to fill a closed object.

The Precisely database that maintains product entitlements and information about their activation.

A character set based on a particular style used for text characters.

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.

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.

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.

A PDF file that has geospatial information (bounds and coordinate systems) of Map or Layout window that it prints.

The Pan command allows you to access the Pan command. Use the Pan command to reposition a map within its window or the contents of a map frame in the Layout window.

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.

A grid of horizontal (latitude) and vertical (longitude) lines displayed on an earth map, spaced at a regular distance (for example, every five degrees, every fifteen degrees). Used to establish a frame of reference.

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.

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.

A bar located at the top of the Help Window that contains buttons you use to move to Help topics.

The Horizontal scroll bar appears at the bottom of the MapInfo Pro window. Use the horizontal scroll bar to move left and right. The scroll box inside the scroll bar indicates your horizontal location. You can use the mouse to scroll to other parts of the window.

MapInfo Pro 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.

The process whereby a program loads a file that is the output of another program.

A type of thematic map that shades records according to individual values.

The process of deviating the color in ranged thematic maps to emphasize some numerical significance. In thematic mapping we insert a new color between the top and bottom color for second interpolation of data.

For example, suppose we were showing population growth with blue representing an increase in population growth and red representing a decrease in population growth.

We could have white as the inflection color for a range that has zero or almost zero population growth, so that lighter shades of blue would represent a smaller population growth and lighter shades of red would represent a smaller decline in population.

The Info button allows you to access the Info tool. Use the Info tool to select a location on your map, including multiple overlapping objects and display a list of all objects at that location. You can then choose an object from the list and view the tabular data for that object.

Small areas outside the main boundary that can be reached within the specified time or distance.

An IsoChrone is a polygon or set of points representing an area that can be traversed from a starting point in a given amount of time along a given road network.

An IsoDistance is a polygon or set of points representing an area that can be traversed from a starting point travelling a given distance along a given road network.

An Isogram is a map that displays a set of points that satisfy a distance or time condition. Isograms are either IsoChrones or IsoDistances.

The process of creating a relational link between two tables (databases).

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.

A layer is a basic building block of MapInfo Pro 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 (for example, 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 (for example, text objects). Cosmetic Layers contain map objects that represent temporary map annotations (for example, labels). See cosmetic layer and table.

The Layers command allows you to access the Layers window. This dialog box allows you to specify how the various tables in a Map window are layered and displayed. See Accessing Layer Control.

A window where you arrange and annotate the contents of one or several windows for printing.

The part of a map, which explains the meaning of different colors, shapes, or fill patterns used on the map. See also What is a Legend?.

Each Legend Designer window contains one or more legend frames each corresponding to a style or theme layer in the Map window.

A window containing legend frames. You can create more than one Legend Designer window for each map. The Legend Designer window can contain more than one frame. For example, you can have one Legend Designer window containing four legend frames, or you can have four Legend Designer windows, each containing one legend frame.

Use the Legend command to display the floating thematic legend window.

A map object defined by a set of sequential coordinates that may represent the generalized shape of a geographic feature (for example, street centerlines, railroads, cables). A Precisely street map is a collection of thousands of line objects.

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.

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.

The programming language used to customize and/or automate MapInfo Pro. 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.

The MapInfo map catalog stores information about the location of spatial columns on the DBMS. There must be one catalog per database. The MapInfo EasyLoader application can create this catalog for each database: Oracle, SQL Server, PostGIS, and Microsoft Access. This is a one-time only task per database and is required before any tables on that database can be mapped in MapInfo Pro.

you can create a map catalog manually, see Creating a Map Catalog Table Using MapInfo EasyLoader.

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 term scale must be used carefully. Technically, a map of a single city block is large-scale (for example, 1:12,000), while a map of an entire country is small-scale (for example, 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.

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.

A ratio or representative fraction (RF), expressed as 1 inch = 63,360 mile or 1:1,000,000 (1 cm to 10 km), that indicates the relationship between a distance on the map and the distance on the ground.

See also Cartographic Scale.

A window that allows you to view a table as a map.

A line or a portion of a line running from the North to the South pole. A longitudinal line.

The U.S. Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) is a grid reference system that MapInfo Pro supports when displaying maps in a Map window. It is the military version of the civilian-use Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) grid system. Military grid references are very similar to the mathematical Cartesian x,y system in which coordinates are giving in terms of x (easting) and y (northing).

In this system, the world is generally divided into 6° by 8° geographic areas, each of which is given a unique identification, called the Grid Zone Designation. These areas are covered by a pattern of 100,000-meter squares. Each square is identified by two letters called the 100,000-meter square identifications. A reference keyed to a gridded map of any scale is made by giving the 100,000- meter square identification together with the numerical location. Numerical references within the 100,000-meter square are given to the desired accuracy in terms of the easting (E) and northing (N) grid coordinates for the point. The Grid Zone Designation usually is prefixed to the identification when references are made in more than one grid zone designation area.

For any given map object, the smallest rectangle that completely encompasses the object.

The projection in which a map's coordinate points are stored. MapInfo Pro allows you to display maps in other projections, but not as fast as displaying maps in their native projection.

An end-point of a line object, or an end-point of a line segment which is part of a polyline or region object.

A map in which objects are not explicitly referenced to locations on the earth's surface. Floor plans are typical examples.

An ODBC driver is a dynamic-link library (.DLL) file that MapInfo Pro uses to connect to an SQL database. Each type of SQL database requires a different ODBC driver.

An ODBC table is a table residing in a remote SQL database.

Many of our international customers want to display MasterMap GML files developed by the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain (OSGB). We provide support for some of the Topography features (OSGB version 2.0), Topographic Area, Lines and Points, Cartographic Symbols and Boundary Lines.

We maintain support for these features and add support for Cartographic Text and Departed Features. MapInfo Pro will continue to support GML files as the OSGB updates the schema that underlies the GML technology.

As the GML format gets more sophisticated in its support of additional layers, feature types, and attributes, we will continue to provide full support for those changes. Currently, we support the OSGB recommended styles by mapping the style definitions to existing MapInfo Pro styles. Where it is not possible to render complicated fill patterns, we use the simple dot screen that the OSGB recommended to us. The OSGB style mapping to MapInfo styles is hard coded so it cannot be changed.

For more information about OS MasterMap, see https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/business-and-government/products/mastermap-products.html.

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 Pro does not perform outer joins.

The process of compressing MapInfo tables so that they use less disk space.

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.

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.

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 map object defined by a single X,Y coordinate pair. Each point object is represented by a symbol style (for example, circle, square, triangle, etc.).

A unit of measurement equal to 1/72 of an inch. Used to measure character size.

An arrow-shaped cursor on the screen that can be manipulated by a mouse.

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.

A spatial operation that merges overlapping polygons from two layers to analyze those intersected areas or to create a third layer of new polygons.

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).

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 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 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 and base table.

Use this command to select all of the objects within a certain radius. See Using Radius Selection.

A type of thematic map that displays data according to ranges set by the user. The ranges are shaded using colors or patterns.

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 and vector image.

All the information about one object in a database or table. A record in a table corresponds to a row in a Browser.

The process of assigning map objects to groups. As you assign map objects, MapInfo Pro automatically calculates totals for each group and displays the totals in a special Districts Browser. This process is sometimes known as load-balancing.

A matrix of letters and numbers that assist users in some style dialog boxes that identify specific line styles, colors, and patterns.

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.

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.

Result codes indicate whether a geocode match was made and the type of match it was, and conveys information about the quality of the match. The result code is an alphanumeric code of 1-10 characters.

The Ruler command determines the distance between two points and the length of some path. See Measuring the Distance between Two Points.

The Run Program command accesses the Run MapBasic Program dialog box where you specify the MapBasic utility that you want to run. See Running a MapBasic Program and Running a MapBasic Program Using a Startup Workspace.

An adornment on the map that shows the scale of map representation relative to the portion of the Earth's surface.

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 seamless layer treats a group of base tables as if they are one. It allows you to change display attributes, apply or change labeling or use the Layers window for an entire group of tables at once. A base table can be any regular MapInfo Pro table. Grid layers cannot be made seamless.

The Select button allows you to access the Select tool. Use the Select tool to select one or more objects or records for analysis. You can also use the Select tool to edit a map or browser. See Selecting a Single Object from a Map or Layout.

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 MapInfo Pro's Query menu. In Browser 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.

Use this command to make the selected object's district the new target district. See redistricting.

The MapBasic window button allows you to display or hide the MapBasic window. You can perform many different tasks by typing commands into the MapBasic window. Choosing items from MapInfo Pro's menus could instead perform those same tasks. There are times, however, when it is easier to type commands into the command window. See Displaying or Hiding the MapBasic Window.

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.

A permanent table, as opposed to a query table, which is temporary. You can edit the contents of source tables and you can change their structure (by editing, deleting, reordering columns and adding or deleting graphic objects). 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.

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.

Latitude and longitude values that represent objects on the surface of the globe.

A standard language used for analyzing information stored in relational databases. MapInfo Pro's database engine is based on the SQL standard.

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 list of styles drawn on top of each other to create a more complex or interesting map feature. Stacked styles apply to points, polylines, and polygon features.

A measurement of the variation of a set of data values around the mean.

Use the Statistics command to display the Statistics window. The Statistics window tallies the sum and average of all numeric fields for the currently chosen objects/records. The number of records chosen is also displayed. As the selection changes, the data is re-tallied, and the Statistics window is updated automatically. See redistricting

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 standard language used for analyzing information stored in relational databases. MapInfo Pro's database engine is based on the SQL standard.

A select statement that is placed inside the Where Condition field of the SQL Select dialog box. MapInfo Pro first evaluates the subselect and then uses the results of the subselect to evaluate the main SQL Select statement.

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

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 and query table. See also layer.

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

The district that is selected in a Districts Browser to be affected by subsequent redistricting operations.

A blinking vertical bar that shows the position where text can be edited, inserted, or deleted.

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).

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).

The data values displayed on a thematic map. A thematic variable can be a field or expression.

MapInfo Pro's original style legend that allows you to display legends for thematic maps. MapInfo Pro automatically creates a theme Legend Designer window for a thematic map. Customize its display through the Modify Thematic Map dialog box. See What is a Legend?.

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.

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.

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, such as an ungeocoded table.

The United States National Grid for Spatial Addressing (USNG) is a grid reference system that defines how to present Universal Transverse Mercator(UTM) coordinates at various levels of precision by specifying the use of those coordinates within the grid system defined by the Military Grid Reference System (MGRS). Additionally, it addresses specific presentation issues such as grid spacing. The UTM coordinate representation, the MGRS grid, and the specific grid presentation requirements together define the USNG.

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.

The Vertical scroll bar appears at the right of the most windows. Use the vertical scroll bar to move up and down. The scroll box inside the scroll bar indicates your vertical location. You can use the mouse to scroll to other parts of the window.

A Web Feature Service (WFS) client retrieves geospatial GML (Geography Markup Language) 2 data using HTTP GET and HTTP POST requests over the Internet or through a private intranet. The WFS client was developed in accordance with the 1.0.0, 1.1.0 and 2.0 OpenGIS Web Feature Service Implementation Specifications, which are available online at:http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/wfs.

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. An important element of this is that the WMS images are registered using the data's coordinate system so the WMS layer can be used with vector and other registered raster images.

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 WMS Server determines the data that is provided. See Retrieving Map Data from Web Map Services in the Help System.

MapInfo Pro provides a Web Map Tile Service (WMTS) client that allows you to retrieve tiled mapping data through your local intranet or the Internet. MapInfo Pro provides a standardized manner for handling server specific details such as available number of zoom levels, image formats, tile sizes, etc. This innovation is based on standard specifications from the Open GIS Consortium (OGC).

For more information about OpenGIS WMTS implementation standard, refer to: http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/wmts.

A web service is a software system that is accessible using an intranet or Internet connection. Web services allow you to retrieve data that others are sharing internally or world-wide. The power of web services is that you can use them to create more powerful maps or in the case of geocoding or drive region services get more accurate and precise results using the same data.

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.

In MapInfo Pro, Map windows, Browser windows, Graph windows and Layout windows are the major types of windows. They display the data stored in tables. The map legends, and the Info window are other types of windows.

A saved configuration of open MapInfo tables and windows.

The Zoom In button allows you to access the Zoom In tool. Use the Zoom In Tool to get a closer area view of a map. See zoom layering.

The Zoom In button allows you to access the Zoom In tool. Use the Zoom In Tool to get a closer area view of a map. See Zooming In on a Map and zoom layering.

The Zoom Out button allows you to access the Zoom Out tool. Use the Zoom Out tool to get a wider area view of a map. See zoom layering.

The Zoom Out button allows you to access the Zoom Out tool. Use the Zoom Out tool to get a wider area view of a map. See Zooming Out on a Map and zoom layering.