Department of Geography, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, UK web Methods.

Department of Geography, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, UKemail [email protected] web http://www.casa.ucl.ac.uk/

Methods in Human Geography: October 5th 2000Methods in Human Geography: October 5th 2000

The MapInfo Software:The MapInfo Software:GIS in general, desktop GIS in GIS in general, desktop GIS in particular, specifically the particular, specifically the MapInfoMapInfo software software

GIS in GeneralGIS in General

Geographic(al) Information Geographic(al) Information Systems deal with Systems deal with geometric geometric objectsobjects which have which have attributesattributes (characteristics) eg: different (characteristics) eg: different places with info about them like places with info about them like population population

The essence of a GIS involves The essence of a GIS involves processingprocessing in some way the in some way the information about the objects - information about the objects - if all you want to do is to draw a if all you want to do is to draw a map of the objects and colour it, map of the objects and colour it, then GIS is not for you - it’s too then GIS is not for you - it’s too longwinded and you are better longwinded and you are better off using a drawing package off using a drawing package

The The geometric objectsgeometric objects have data have data about their form which are about their form which are usually represented asusually represented as

points, lines, and/orpoints, lines, and/orpolygonspolygons

Attributes which are associated Attributes which are associated with these objects are usually with these objects are usually represented as text or numbersrepresented as text or numbers

An Example: Canada

Object is the province of OntarioNote how we can edit it in the GIS

Attributes are things like Population of Ontarioat 1990, 1994 etc

Now what can we do with a GIS?Now what can we do with a GIS?First let’s make a distinction First let’s make a distinction between workstation GIS and between workstation GIS and desktop GIS - we will use just desktop GIS - we will use just desktop GIS as workstation GIS desktop GIS as workstation GIS is basically a tool box, although is basically a tool box, although increasingly workstation GIS isincreasingly workstation GIS ismerging with desktop GISmerging with desktop GIS

There are two main desktop There are two main desktop GIS’s - ArcView which is baby GIS’s - ArcView which is baby ARC-INFO ( a popular ARC-INFO ( a popular workstation GIS) and MapInfo - workstation GIS) and MapInfo - we will use the latter - let me we will use the latter - let me fire the thing up to show you fire the thing up to show you what it looks likewhat it looks like

(fire up MapInfo………)(fire up MapInfo………)

GIS’s have Functions GIS’s have Functions (this is called ‘functionality’ and is generic to all software)(this is called ‘functionality’ and is generic to all software)

a. INPUT functions -a. INPUT functions -conversion of filesconversion of filesscanning functionsscanning functionsdigitising functionsdigitising functionsaddress matchingaddress matching

b. REPRESENTATION functions -b. REPRESENTATION functions -scaling/zooming and panningscaling/zooming and panninglevel of detaillevel of detail

c. MEASURING functions -c. MEASURING functions -lines, distanceslines, distancesareas, centroidsareas, centroidsbufferingbufferingtransformationstransformations

d. STATISTICAL functions -d. STATISTICAL functions -averages, sums, deviationsaverages, sums, deviations

e. RETRIEVAL functions -e. RETRIEVAL functions -queries, combining dataqueries, combining data

f. OVERLAYING functionsf. OVERLAYING functionsgenerating and transforming mapsgenerating and transforming maps

g. PRESENTATION functions -g. PRESENTATION functions -various types of map likevarious types of map likebar, pie and so onbar, pie and so onvarious drawing routinesvarious drawing routines

MORE COMPLEX FUNCTIONSMORE COMPLEX FUNCTIONSusually as add-ons or plugins - contouring usually as add-ons or plugins - contouring routines, 3D routines, models linked into the routines, 3D routines, models linked into the basic software and so onbasic software and so on

ALL THESE FUNCTIONS AND MORE EXIST ALL THESE FUNCTIONS AND MORE EXIST IN MapInfoIN MapInfo

Now we will deal with Now we will deal with MapInfoMapInfo1 Functionality1 Functionality2 Desktop Structure2 Desktop Structure3 Toolbars3 Toolbars4 Desktop Operations4 Desktop OperationsI am not going to tell you how to get the data into the package I am not going to tell you how to get the data into the package yet - we will deal with this later in a more leisurely fashionyet - we will deal with this later in a more leisurely fashion

1 Functionality1 Functionality The KEY idea in MapInfo is that all data The KEY idea in MapInfo is that all data of whatever kind - geometric (sometimes of whatever kind - geometric (sometimes called ‘digital’) and attribute - is called a called ‘digital’) and attribute - is called a TABLETABLE - Tables can be viewed in 3 ways - Tables can be viewed in 3 ways

as as MapsMapsas as BrowsersBrowsers (which are tables of (which are tables of data)data)as as GraphsGraphs

and there is a fourth way as a and there is a fourth way as a LayoutLayout

Let’s now look at MapInfo and we will Let’s now look at MapInfo and we will switch between PowerPoint and MapInfo switch between PowerPoint and MapInfo to illustrate how MapInfo worksto illustrate how MapInfo works

First we can see the desktop with the table First we can see the desktop with the table for Canada displayed as a Map and as a for Canada displayed as a Map and as a Browser Browser (load Canada)(load Canada)

(This is a bit counter intuitive as a (This is a bit counter intuitive as a browser is better called a Table - but we browser is better called a Table - but we will live with it)will live with it)

2 Desktop Structure2 Desktop Structurea Filea Fileb Editb Edit

c Objectsc Objectsd Queryd Querye Tablee Table

f Optionsf Optionsg Windowsg Windows

h Helph Help

3 Toolbars3 ToolbarsMain - zoom, pan, information, Main - zoom, pan, information, measuring, statisticsmeasuring, statistics

Drawing - different types of geometric Drawing - different types of geometric objects and textobjects and text

4 Desktop Operations4 Desktop Operationsmapping analysismapping analysisqueryingqueryingpresentation mappingpresentation mappingtransforming datatransforming datacalculating new datacalculating new data

all these can be applied to both attribute all these can be applied to both attribute and digital data singly or togetherand digital data singly or together

Let’s look at four things in Let’s look at four things in MapInfoMapInfo

• zooming and panningzooming and panning• changing the projectionchanging the projection• adding new data layersadding new data layers• querying the mapquerying the map

Reading on MapInfoReading on MapInfoThe MapInfo Professional “Your Turn”The MapInfo Professional “Your Turn”Manual is available in the library Manual is available in the library downstairs for referencedownstairs for reference

Reading on General GISReading on General GISIan Heywood, Sarah Cornelius, and Steve CarverIan Heywood, Sarah Cornelius, and Steve Carver(1998) (1998) An Introduction to Geographical Inform-An Introduction to Geographical Inform-ation Systemsation Systems, Prentice Hall, Harlow, UK, Prentice Hall, Harlow, UK

look at http://www.mapinfo.com for an example oflook at http://www.mapinfo.com for an example ofwhat these GIS vendors are on aboutwhat these GIS vendors are on about

Getting Access to MapInfoGetting Access to MapInfologin usernamelogin usernamepassword: ?password: ?C:ucftjmb>attach q: ucfadtaC:ucftjmb>attach q: ucfadtaC:ucftjmb>winC:ucftjmb>win

OR if already in windows, find the MS-DOSOR if already in windows, find the MS-DOSutility, fire it up -ie double click on it, thenutility, fire it up -ie double click on it, thenyou will see the DOS prompt appear asyou will see the DOS prompt appear asC:ucftjmb>C:ucftjmb>C:ucftjmb>attach q: ucfadtaC:ucftjmb>attach q: ucfadtaC:ucftjmb>exit …… takes you back to WINC:ucftjmb>exit …… takes you back to WIN

Now go to the Main folder and find your Now go to the Main folder and find your FileManager, click on this and you will open FileManager, click on this and you will open areas of your storage space. Find the q: driveareas of your storage space. Find the q: drive- the little icon like a hard disc with q: on it,- the little icon like a hard disc with q: on it,double click on thisdouble click on thisgo to Applications in the left hand windowgo to Applications in the left hand windowand click on this and then you will see anotherand click on this and then you will see anotherfolder called MapInfofolder called MapInfo

click on this and on the right frame you will seeclick on this and on the right frame you will seea bunch of files about mapinfo. Find the filea bunch of files about mapinfo. Find the filemapinfow.exe, double click on this and this fires mapinfow.exe, double click on this and this fires up the software - off you go: TRY this today orup the software - off you go: TRY this today ortomorrowtomorrow