Displaying your ESRI Shapefile Data - MapInfo_Pro - 2023

To open a shapefile in MapInfo Pro:

1. On the HOME tab, in the click File group, on the Open list, click Table to open the Open dialog box.
2. Select ESRI shapefile in the Files of type drop-down list.
3. Navigate to the file's directory and click it to open it.
4. Click Open to display the Please specify a TAB filename dialog box, which saves the shapefile into a format that MapInfo Pro can read. The file has the same name as the file you selected but has a .TAB extension.
5. Click Save to open the Shapefile Information dialog box.
6. Select the character set appropriate for this file from the File Character Set drop-down list. The default option is Windows U.S. & Western Europe (ANSI), but make your selection based on your local settings.
7. Select the appropriate projection for this file. The Projection field shows the following:
   • If the Shapefile's native projection is found and it matches an entry in the MAPINFOW.PRJ file, the projection's name displays in the Projection field.
   • If a native projection is found but it is not in the MAPINFOW.PRJ file, a message displays in this field: Not found in projection file and the name of the native projection displays.
   • If a native projection is not found, the name of the currently selected table projection preference displays in this field.

     Continue with one of the following actions.

   • If the application does not detect the Shapefile's native projection, or there is no matching supported projection in the MAPINFOW.PRJ file, click Projection to select one and click OK.
   • If the application detects a supported projection, MapInfo Pro selects the Use Projection in Source File radio button and the Projection button is disabled. Do one of the following:

     - To use the detected projection, leave Use Projection in Source file selected and continue to the next step.

     - To choose a new projection, click Choose Projection and click the Projection button to select a supported projection. In the Choose Projection dialog box, the source projection is highlighted. Select the projection you want and click OK.

     Note: If you substitute the Shapefile's native projection with a new one, the application does not reproject the Shapefile's objects and data using the new projection. Substituting the Shapefile's projection in this way may produce unexpected results.
8. Select the style and cache options for this file.
   • 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.
   • 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.
9. Click OK to create the .TAB file and display the Shapefile.