Introduction to mapinfo

Telecom Tutorials
Monday, June 03, 2013www.tempustelcosys.com
Instruction to MAPINFO

This course is intended to give a brief
introduction to MAPINFO on the following
aspects:
•To get a knowledge of basic functions of MAPINFO and
be familiar with normal operations of MAPINFO
•To carry out network planning, optimization and map
maintenance with MAPINFO

Chapter 1 Introduction to Mapinfo
Chapter 2 Major Mapinfo Operations

Mapinfo functions
Mapinfo basic concepts
Mapinfo toolbars
Mapinfo table maintenance

Mapinfo is an electronic map processing software developed by
American Mapinfo. It provides MapBasic scripts for secondary
development.
Mapinfo provides such functions as measurement analysis, buffer
analysis, polygon analysis, table combination and so on.

Mapinfo table
Mapinfo workspace
Raster image
Map layer
Map objects

Mapinfo table
A table in Mapinfo is different from a common one. It is a logical table, but composes of multiple
physical files. A table in Mapinfo includes:
Data table: It includes graphical information or not. It composes of rows and columns, wherein,
rows are for different record and columns for the corresponding fields.
Raster table: It is different from data table and has no records, fields, index and so on. It is an
image that can only be displayed in the Mapinfo window.
Here, table in Mapinfo refers to pure data table or
table containing both data and graphical
information, but excluding raster table.Note:

› Mapinfo table consists of the five types of files listed
 xxx (file name).tab: used to describe data structure
 xxx (file name).map
can be either a pure data file or a data-graphical information joint file.
 xxx (file name).id
An index file created when using [Find] command.
 xxx (file name).ind
When a table contains graphical information, ID file acts as the index of the graphical files to
joint the data and the graphical information.
 xxx (file name).dat/xls/dbf
Database file as the data source of an Mapinfo table. Can be either EXCEL or FOXBASE files.

 Mapinfo workspace
Workspace is a set including multiple tables in a map window.
Here, a set is one that composes of multiple paths to open the
relative tables instead of that containing multiple of tables physically.
The user can save the current workspace after opening all
necessary tables, and then open the workspace directly if those
tables are required again next time.

 Raster
› Raster is a kind of bitmap since it is composed of numerous
picture points. Activate the raster first before creating a
vector map. Mapinfo raster supports the following types of
files: xx*.gif, xx*.jpg, xx *.tif, xx *.pxc, xx *.bmf (windows
bitmap), xx *.tda, xx *.bll (spot satellite map).
› Use of raster
 As background of Mpinfo map
 As an independent map
 As a reference for creating a vector map

 Map layer
› Generally, a map includes various kinds of information, but only one kind of
information is concerned during the analysis for a specific target. Therefore, it
is recommended to create different layers for information of different kinds to
make convenience for the specific analysis.
› Generally, a layer corresponds to one Mapinfo table, but it can also
corresponds to multiple tables by seamless map layers
› Layers can be classified into cosmetic layers, seamless map layers and
standard layers.
› Layer control includes the following options (in the form of checkboxes):
Editable, Auto Label, Selectable, Visible.

 Map layers
› Layer control
 Right click in the [Map] window to select [Layer Control], then make the
corresponding settings in it:

 Map layers
› Layer Control
 “Remove“
Remove one or more layers from the map. In fact, the act only removes the layer from the
current windows instead of the memory, and they can be restored by clicking <Add> in the
[Layer Control] dialog, unless they have been removed by clicking [File/Close Table].
 “Add”
Add one or more layers to the map window. Choose from the listbox of opened tables.
 “Label”
Available only when the selected layer is not a Thematic layer or Raster layer. Click to open
the Label Options dialog. Use this dialog to specify label attributes for map layers.

 Map layers
› Layer Control
 “Display”
Use this dialog box to specify display attributes for map layers.
 “Thematic”
Choose to display the [Modify Thematic Layer] dialog box. Use this dialog
to modify the attributes of a thematic map.
 “Reorder”
Use the “UP” and Down” buttons to modify the relative pisition of the
current layer

Objects in an map
Dot
Line
region

Toolbar is a group of commands possessing a certain features. It is a kind of short cut menu and can be
placed anywhere in the screen
Tool Manager
Tool Manager, as shown below, is used to manage toolbars.

Mapinfo toolbars includes:
Main toolbar
Drawing toolbar
Standard toolbar
Tools toolba

 Mapinfo table maintenance
› Maintain table structure : [Table/Maintenance]
› Update data in a table : [Table/Update Column]
› Combination : [Table/Combine Objects using Column]
› Rename table : [Table/Maintenance/Rename Table]
› Table import/export : [Table/ Import/Export
Here, we only give an introduction
to “Update Column” and use it as
an example for other operation.

 Update data in a table using the [Table/Update Column] menu
Update Column allows you to change a column's value based on its
own data or data from another table automatically, it will alleviate
your work. This is done by using the special joint between two
tables, usual the cell name, to update the data in one table or import
the data from one table to another
› Operating steps:
 Create a table (usually using excel), and input the data to be added and the joint
data.
 Open the two tables in Mapinfo.

 Select [Table/Update Column] to pop up the [Update Column] dialog, as
shown below. Choose the table to be update, then choose the source table,
finally choose the column to be updated.

 Following the above, make the corresponding settings in the [Specify Join]
dialog box, as shown below.

 Update data in a table using the [Table/Update
Column] menu
 Following the above, then specifying the process for the return result and click
<OK> to update the table.
1. Calculate
Specifying the process for the return result:
A. Get the result directly;
B. Doing some special process for the return
result and then use it as final result
2. Of
Specify values stored in a single column or
a mathematical expression based on multiple columns.

 SQL Select and Find
 Labeling function
 Create Mapinfo Thematic Map
 Configure raster image and create vector
map
 Output the screen with layout window
 Perform drive test analysis using Mapinfo
 Labeling network indices geographically

 SQL Select
› Structure Query Language (SQL) provides a powerful query platform that
makes a feature of simple language and convenient operation. SQL platform
presents a graphical dialog to facilitate selecting data source and query
conditions, and generates SQL sentence before executing the SQL sentence.
Finally, it generates a temporary table to display the results, as shown below.
textbox

 Find
› This function help to find the desired information correctly and quickly, then
display the information in the map in a specified form.

Operating steps:
 Select [Query/Find] or press the key combination “Ctrl+F” directly. If this
command is used for the first time, the dialog box on the left pops up,
prompting to input the corresponding settings. If otherwise, that on the right
pops up.
Keep them as blank generally
Select the mode to
display the results

 Input the corresponding information in the blank text box and then click
<OK> to display the results. Select one from the results displayed and click
<OK> pop up an dialog as below.

In Mapinfo system, the user can specify the content, position and style of labels.
The user can either label the object with the content of a particular column in a
table or create an expression to set up and display custom labels.
By choosing label lines, the user can control whether a line or arrow connects
the object you want to label, or position the label to fall in a particular location
relative to the object.
The user can control the look of the label by choosing different fonts.
Operating steps:
Right click in the [Map] window to select [Layer Control], and then select the
layer to be labeled and click <Label>.

 [Label Options] dialog
Set the position of the label
Select the source of the
label

 Create thematic map
› Based on the data from the table, use different kind of color, character and
graphic to display the object. Thus the data can be geographically, directly and
visually display on the map window.

 Operating steps:
› In the menu bar, Click map,
choose “create thematic map” ,
use the right window to select
thematic map type (In the
following section, we use
“ranges thematic map” as an
example)
› In the right window, select data
source for the thematic map

› Customize the pattern of the thematic map. For thematic maps of different
types, different dialogs will pop up. Referring to the “receiving signal level
analysis” for more explanation.

 Register raster image
› Raster image is some kind of bitmap. Register raster image can make it
contain both longitude and latitude. It is recommended to choose at least three
special points, such as the road cross, school, hotel and so on, and then
measure both the longitude and the latitude with GPS for them. The points
can’t belong to the same straight line. For the points, the more the better.

› Find at least three points that must not in the same line .
› Measure both the longitude and the latitude with GPS
› In the Mapinfo, select [File/Open Table] to pop up the [Open Table] dialog.
Select [Raster Image] and then select a file, click <Open>. In the popped up
dialog, click <register> to pop up the [Image registration] dialog box. Click
<projection> to pop up the [choose projection] dialog box. Select
“Longitude/Latitude” in the [Category] pull-down list. For the [Category
members] pull-down list, it is set as per the projection mode selected (i.e.
Longitude/Latitude (WGS84). Finally, click <OK>.

› In the map, click the points measured before one by one to pop up the [add
control point] dialog box. Input the longitude and latitude for [Map X] and [Map
Y] respectively. Finally, click <OK> to finishing configuring the raster image, as
shown below.

 Create vector map
› Create a vector map using the registered raster image as the reference. The
vector map is a standard digital map file that can be opened by many software
applications.
 Operating steps
› Open the raster image file configured
› Select [File/New Table], and then make sure to check [Add to Current Mapper]
in the popped up dialog. Click <Create> to pop up the [New Table Structure]
dialog box. Following the above, click <Add Field] and then input the field
information including “Name”, “Type” and “Width”. Add more fields in this way.
Then click <Projection> to select “Longitude/Latitude” (the same projection
category with that of the raster image file).
Finally, click <Create>.

› In the [Create New Table] dialog box, input the file name before click <Save>.
Then, two tables can be viewed in the title bar of the [Map] window. One
represents the vector map, and the other represents bitmap. Right click in the
[Map] window to select [Layer Control] to make sure that vector map is
editable
› Drawing the vector map as per the raster image with the Drawing Toolbar.
Select the polyline and right click to select [Object /Smoth].
› Save the vector map in the following four files: XXX.dat, XXX.tab, XXX.id and
XXX.map. Then it is available either in the Mapinfo or others.

Select [New Layout Window] to pop up the dialog as below then configure the layout
window.

Mapinfo can help to perform drive test analysis by displaying drive test results in
various graphics modes and processing measurement data. The major methods
include creating thematic map, labeling and statistics. The most used analysis
includes:
 Receiving level analysis
 Receiving quality analysis
 Cell coverage analysis
 Results output

 Receiving level analysis
› Create a thematic map by taking the receiving levels gotten from the drive test
as the data source of the thematic map, to display the receiving levels in the
Mapinfo window as per the actual test path, as shown below.

 Steps:
› Convert the file obtained through the drive test into the TAB file that can be
identified by the Mapinfo. Open the drive test file, and meanwhile the map file.
› Click [Map/Create Thematic Map] to pop up the [Create Thematic Map] dialog.
Click <Ranges> in the dialog.

 Steps:
› Select the data sources of the
thematic map. Here the data
sources are the drive test table
and the receiving level in it, as
shown in the upper right figure.
› Click <Next> to pop the dialog
shown in the lower right figure,
and then make the corresponding
settings

 Steps:
› Following the above, select “Customize” to divide the receiving level into
segments, and then set the number of ranges before clicking <Recalc>, then
input both the Max. and the Min. values and then click < Recalc>. Mapinfo will
calculate both the number and the percentage of the measurement results in
each range. Finally, click <OK>.
Select
custom
Set Max.
and Min
value
Set number
of ranges

 Steps:
› Following the above, make the corresponding settings as
below.

 Steps:
› Following the above, customize the legend as below.
Save the settings as a
template

 Steps:
› Thus finish the receiving level analysis, as shown below.

 Cell coverage analysis
› Mapinfo can help to perform cell coverage analysis with its labeling function. It
labels the data (such as LAC+CI) that can identify an exclusive cell on the
drive test path so that the user can know which cell is the current service cell
and then optimize the network coverage, as shown below.

 Output analysis results
› There are three methods to output the measurement results after drive test
analysis.
 Copy the screen and then do some specific process
 Use [File/Save Window As]
 Use [Window/New Layout Window]
Layout window is preferred to output the analysis result. It uses WYSIWYG (What you
see is what you get) manner. This makes it more effective and accurate comparing
to other two.
Select [File/Save Window] of the layout window to output the measurement results, as
shown below.

 Output analysis results

 Geographically Labeling network indices
› Create a thematic map for network indices. The specific operating steps are
given below.
1. Add a column in the BTS topological table to lay the network indices
2. Open the EXCEL file including the network indices in Mapinfo, and the
corresponding TAB file will be generated automatically.
3. Import the network indices into BTS topological table according to the
previously mentioned operation: Update column. (page
4. Create a thematic map for the network indices according to the previously
mentioned operation: Create thematic map. (page

Introduction to mapinfo

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