Manifold System 4.5 Review
by Adena Schutzberg


Let's face it, Manifold System is NOT an expensive GIS. At a list price of $145, you might think you are getting a limited version, or a lightweight mapping package such as Microsoft's MapPoint. Don't be fooled; this is a professional GIS. And, the task of evaluating it is exactly parallel to evaluating one of its more expensive peers: ArcView, GeoMedia--even ArcInfo. The bottom line for any GIS software is: can it do what you need done? The answer to that question for Manifold is likely to be "yes." Manifold can do quite a lot, but that power does come with a price.

Installation

The software is delivered in a fairly large fancy box, though it contains just one CD and some paperwork. There is no hard copy manual.

The install was painless on a Toshiba 8100 with 256Mb of RAM, although the CD did not autoplay. And, instead of "next" I had to press "Yes" to move through the wizard, which is not exactly Microsoft standard. I point this out since Manifold prides itself in its Windows support. Be warned that Manifold requires that MS Explorer 4 or higher be installed.

Creating Your Own Data



Manifold works hard to get the new user to read the online manual - it's about 900 pages! The manual is provided in Word for easy printing, a thoughtful gesture. I chose instead to read the "quick start" and see what I could do. After turning on the toolbars -for viewing, formatting, editing, analysis - I opened a workspace (.wms - think "project") and created a new map (think "view").

I quickly found tools to create geometry - points, line, areas. Manifold, does not, alas, have an "undo" function, so one must be diligent in keeping backup copies of data. Further, once the data is created, editing is not as slick as one might hope. Moving an object is straightforward but to move a vertex, they call this "moving an inflection point," you must hold down the ALT key and drag the vertex. This is too much work!

Manifold has its own internal format (think "shape files") with two partnered files: .mfd (geometry) and .mdb (tabular data, in MS Access format). I was able to do a "spatial query" using a simple SQL like tool built into the interface. The results could be put on the active layer, a different layer or a new layer. I was pleased with the "Instant Data" setting: once a new feature is drawn you are immediately asked for a database value to go with it.

Working with Existing Data

Manifold supports most of the popular data formats including E00, MapInfo, DXF, DLG, SDTS, TIGER, shape files and others. There is a Map Preview tool - that supports Manifold's data format - to explore maps before adding them. However, for other format data you cannot just "look" at the data, you have to import it, basically writing a local copy in Manifold's format. This is handled by a wizard, which works well once you understand that you will be writing new files to disk. Data is organized by layers. Instead of an ArcView style "Table of Contents" or MapInfo's pop-up dialog for layers, Manifold uses a tab metaphor. Each layer has a tab running along the bottom edge of the map. From these tab the layers can be reordered, turned on/off etc. This saves quite a lot of real estate onscreen.

After I managed so well in importing my data (shape files) and developing a thematic map, I set out to find a command I use all the time: "identify," also known as "information." I searched high and low for an "i" icon, and finally found that in Manifold that button is called Instant Form View. It does begin with an "i"!



Every GIS does basic "querying" a bit differently. Manifold puts its SQL dialog neatly along the bottom edge of the window. Like the layer information, it is ready when you need it, but out of the way. Spatial and database queries are run from the SAME dialog. In addition to boolean operators, intersect, touch, within and other spatial operators are available. Manifold suggests doing several simple queries to reach the ultimate goal - much like the old "aselect, deselect, reselect" from ESRI. Here however, which mode (add to the set, subtract, invert) is used is controlled by a series of settings buttons.

Manifold uses the idea of settings throughout - one determines whether results go to a new layer, another determines whether points, lines or polygons are to be formatted. It takes a bit of energy to find and use the settings toggles, but I am confident with practice, and some thought about workflow, this is a very efficient method. The detailed options panels in Manifold remind me of MicroStation which also has many settings to toggle on and off.

Analysis



The analysis tools, "solvers" in Manifold, are quite extensive - from simple buffers, to Voronoi polygons, to statistics. The dialogs are well laid out. The only thing that may slow one down is the terminology. It is clear from Manifold's marketing material that they want little to do with "old school" GIS, so many of the traditional terms have been renamed. Moreover, this package holds hints that the creators are mathematicians: do you know any other GIS package that includes Leonhard Euler in the online help?