What's New with MapInfo
By Angela Whitener
The new release of MapInfo Professional 6.5 is expected in late May. With this release, MapInfo continues its commitment to deliver the leading desktop GIS implementation. Version 6.5 of MapInfo Professional offers several improvements to existing functions as well as a couple of new items. Here's a quick rundown on a few of the new features you can find in MapInfo 6.5. Enjoy!
- Prism Maps - All new thematic map display type
- Raster Translucency - Control the percentage that layers show through raster images
- New Grid Format Direct support - DTED and GTOPO30 now supported (terrain data)
- New Grid Interpolation Method - Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) based interpolation
- Enhanced Object Processing - Clean, snap, thin, and disaggregate objects
- New Object Types - multi-point and collection
- New Invert Selection - Select all items in a table that are not currently selected
- New and Enhanced Tools - Web enhancements and layout window scale bars
- New coordinate Extractor and Grid Info Tool
- Enhanced Windows 2000 Support - user-modifiable data such as preferences
Prism Maps
In the last several releases of MapInfo, we have seen a variety of improvements to the thematic map displays. First a wizard approach to building the thematic maps. Next, grid type thematic maps were added allowing us to do some contour type maps. The last release added 3D mapping that allowed us to "drape" a map over a 3D grid. Now this version adds prism maps.
Prism maps are three-dimensional maps. Each region is colored and "raised" above "sea level" to a height representing the range in which the value of the analysis column for that region falls.
The sample map at the right shows one of MapInfo's new prism maps. This particular map shows the states colored with a thematic representing the household income range for each state. The prism map represents the population total for each state. The greater the population, the more the state will be elevated in the 3D representation.
Prism maps offer a dramatic new visual effect. In addition, this offers a new way to show more than one thematic variable on your map at one time.
Along with Prism maps, MapInfo Professional 6.5 has a new ViewPoint Control dialog allowing the user control of the display of the prism map. Use this 3D Control toolbox to interactively adjust the viewing angle, vertical angle, and height of prism maps.
So far, Prism maps look like a fun new display mechanism. There is currently no legend identification for prism maps, but could be added in the final version.
Creating these maps requires patience and a power machine. It appears the more complex your map, the longer it will take to generate the prism map. Every alteration or redraw of the prism map also takes some time. The more virtual memory you have, the better.
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