MapInfo Pro includes support for the direct opening of georeferenced raster images. Georegistration information consists of three or more control points and a projection. Any raster image that contains complete georegistration information can be opened directly in MapInfo Pro using the Open command.
If the raster handler for the image can return all the georegistration information, a .TAB file can automatically be created. For example, MapInfo Pro's tiff.rhl raster handler can return georegistration information for GeoTIFF files.
To open a georeferenced image:
- On the HOME tab, in the File group, on the Open list, click Table to open the Open dialog box.
- In the List Files of Type drop-down list, choose Raster Image.
- Select the file you want to open, and choose Open. Your image displays in a Map window.
Additional support has also been included for World files (*.TFW). World files contain control point information, but no projection. When you open a raster image that does not contain registration information, the raster engine will search for a World file associated with it to obtain control points for the image. MapInfo Pro will then display the Choose Projection dialog box, where you can specify a projection and open the image.
If there is no registration information and no World file associated with the image, the Display/Register dialog box displays. You can either display the unregistered image, or register it. As explained above, when opening unregistered images, the Display option creates a .TAB file for the image using a non-earth projection and dummy control points. The Register option displays the Image Registration dialog box, where you register the image.
Raster File Search When Opening Tables
When you open a MapInfo Pro table that contains a raster or grid file, MapInfo Pro searches for the file if it cannot find it immediately. For example, the search capability can simplify opening tables if your .TAB file refers to an image that resides on a DVD drive, and different letters are used to designate the DVD drive on different systems.
MapInfo Pro uses the following search order:
- Search for the file where specified by the FILE tag in the .TAB file.
- Search for the file in the same directory as the .TAB file.
- Search for the file in the Table Search path specified on the PRO tab, by clicking Options, and Directories.
MapInfo Pro either opens the table as though it found the file in the specified location, or it will report an error because the file could not be found in any location.