MapInfo Professional v12.

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Better, Faster, Stronger
July 2014

MapInfo Professional v12.5 schedule

Available!

October 2014

MapInfo Professional v12.5 Themes

Cartographic output

Ability to work directly with a map in a

layout. An all new Layout Designer to make
creating layouts easier.

Performance
improvements

Use of multiple cores for object processing

improvements

OS - 64 bit

Full 64-bit application

User experience
upgrades

Redesigned user interface with ribbons

(64 bit)

New Grid Engine

New format and high performing grid

engine. (64-bit). Targeted for Q1 2015

Click for 30 day Free Trial

Demonstration

New Layout Designer

Prepare maps for printing quicker and easier
than ever before
Grids and
Guidelines
Auto-wrapping text
boxes
32 bit easy
access toolbar
(as shown)
64 bit dedicated
ribbon
Add logos and
graphics with new
image support
Click for 30 day Free Trial

Layout Designer Active Maps

Work directly with your
map windows without
leaving the Layout
page!
Pan and Zoom
Adjust layers
Modify labels
Set the scale
Prepare maps for printing more quickly
and easily than ever before.

Click for 30 day Free Trial

Performance
Multi-threading of selected object processing capabilities to use more or all of
the available processors
Split
Erase
Erase Outside
Buffer

64 bit version: Other operations (although not made to be multi-threaded)

offer incremental improvements in the time to complete.
Mostly due to ability to use more memory.

New raster grid format (.MRR) has substantially improved rendering times
Click for 30 day Free Trial

Performance comparisons
Dell Latitude D630, 2
CPU-2Ghz, 4 GB RAM
Windows XP (32 bit)
Version 12.0.3

Dell Latitude E6420, 8 CPU-2.2Ghz, 8 GB RAM

Windows 7 (64 bit)
Version 12.5 alpha build
Version 12.0.3
6404

Buffer 1,735,272 points. 1

mile radius. 100
smoothness. One buffer of
all objects. Cosmetic layer.

1091 seconds

844 seconds

760 seconds

Buffer US Highways. 20 km
radius. 500 smoothness.
One buffer for each object.
Cosmetic layer.

130 seconds

113 seconds

57 seconds

Split 58 boundaries with a

table of 3221 boundaries

254 seconds

207 seconds

82 seconds

Split 58 boundaries with

30,458 boundaries

705 seconds

557 seconds

220 seconds

Up to 2 GB RAM
used / single CPU

Up to 4 GB RAM
used / single CPU

Multiple CPU's
(multi-threaded!)

Click for 30 day Free Trial

Demonstration
64 bit prototype

64 Bit version New User Interface

New User Interface
Brand New
Ribbon UI
Window Management:
Tabbed, Docking,
Floating
Multi-Monitor Support
Mini-Toolbars
Workspace Explorer
Labeling Styles &
Label Preview
Click for 30 day Free Trial

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And More!
Added data file support!
ESRI GeoDatabase (import/export)

Geography Markup Language (GML)

Read Support
GML v2.1.2

Write Support

GML v3.1.1

GML SF-0 (Simple Features Level SF-0 Profile)

GML v3.2.1

Improvements to Distributed Licensing

New Projections and Coordinate systems
Click for 30 day Free Trial

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MapBasic Enhancements
Note that work on the 64 bit version of MapInfo Professional impacts
the MapBasic language. Support for new capabilities in the 32 bit
version may appear later this year in a patch release.
New MapBasic syntax for Layout Designer and other new
capabilities.
MapBasic .NET support enhanced
Construct objects
Call Instance and Interface Methods and Properties
New variable types: This, RefPtr, IntPtr and LargeInt,
The new user interface is encompassed in a Microsoft .NET
object model.
Support for .NET Instance object and Interface Properties
and Methods
NET object model can be used from compiled MapBasic
New definition file, IMapInfoProfessional.def for method declarations
Click for 30 day Free Trial

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Tips and Tricks

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Translucent images in the Layout

Designer
Layout Designer supports images with translucency.
Translucency needs to be set outside of MapInfo
Professional.
In MS Office applications a
transparent background is set
in the Color gallery (Format tab).

Version 12.5 tip!!!

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Making an image translucent

Insert source image
Get the size
Start with an image in
your application.
Recolor the image
Set Image Transparency
Remove the border
Save as Picture
Bring into MapInfo
Professional

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Controlling the display order of map

objects
A MapInfo table does not provide control over the display
order of map objects.
A query made from a MapInfo table is drawn in the order
that the data appears in the query.

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Improve performance of Update Column

Two tips for improving performance when updating a
column in a table:
1. Remove the index on the column
If the column you are updating is indexed, the
index will get updated for each record being updated.
This can be slow for large datasets

2. Set the table in FastEdit mode

FastEdit mode increases editing speed
because transaction files are not created.
This means changes cannot be undone

This can
be done
through
the UI

Requires
using the
MapBasic
window

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Improve performance of Update Column

Syntax: Example one. Drop the index.
nTime = Timer()
Drop Index your table (YOUR COLUMN)
Update Addresses Set YOUR COLUMN = YOUR COLUMN EXPRESSION
Commit Table your table Interactive
Create Index On your table(YOUR COLUMN)
This can
Print "Done after " + (Timer() - nTime) + " secs"
be done through
the user interface

The above can be done through the user interface.

Use the Table > Maintenance > Table Structure command to get rid of and
restore the index.

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Improve performance of Update Column

Syntax: Example 2 Drop the index and use the FastEdit
option.
nTime = Timer()
Drop Index your table (YOUR COLUMN)
Set Table Addresses FastEdit On Undo Off
Update Addresses Set YOUR COLUMN = YOUR COLUMN EXPRESSION
Commit Table your table Interactive
Set Table Addresses FastEdit Off Undo On
The FastEdit setting
Create Index On your table(YOUR COLUMN)
can only be turned on
Commit Table your table Interactive
through MapBasic.
Print "Done after " + (Timer() - nTime) + " secs"

If the FastEdit option is turned on there is no ability to revert the changes to the table.

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Displaying multiple points on the same

location
Use the "MapInfo Dispersed Groups" font.
Thematic maps or queries
Each color block
represents a group of
symbols that do not
overlap when on the
same coordinates

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Dispersed Groups example

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Bonus Tips

Oldies but goodies!

More than we have time for!

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Tip: Recover lost windows

If you have ever had the Info tool window or the Statistics
window go missing, it is possibly because they have been
opened up off of your screen. This could happen due to the
window position being set in a workspace.
To recover your windows use this menu command.
Window > Recover Off Screen Windows
The above applies to MapInfo Professional v11.5 or later. If
you have an earlier version, this article from the MI Pro
Journal explains an alternative method. Click here
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Tip: Improve your map appearance with

Stacked Styles
This option is found in the Layer Properties >Layer Display
tab.

A full article is here

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Tip: Suspend map redraws to work

faster!
In Layer Control, you can suspend map redraws and make
multiple changes at once.

An additional related tip is in this article

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Tip: Setting a default Find

symbol
If you don't like the default symbol
used by the Query > Find command
you can change it.
Options > Preferences > Styles

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Tip: Set a default column display for

a Table
In the Pick Fields dialog box
If you do not need to see all of your
columns, use the Save As Default
Browser View option.

Not a permanent change to your table.

Columns are hidden, not removed.

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Resources
Resources for the
MapInfo Professional
User!

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Free Trial Download

The 32 bit release of MapInfo Professional v12.5 is
available for download!

http://web.pb.com/miprov125

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www.mapinfo.com/resources

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"The MapInfo Professional"

Tips, tricks, techniques and advice for MapInfo
Professional Users
E-mail journal produced monthly
~3500 subscribers worldwide

An archive of all of the previous issues is available!!

Click here
Check out an issue and if you like it, you can
subscribe through the link in the top right corner.
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Ideas Portal
Make suggestions! Vote! Discuss!

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MapInfo YouTube Channel

http://www.youtube.com/mapinfo

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Keep in touch! Learn more!

Follow us on Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/mapinfo

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Community site for tools and utilities

http://communitydownloads.pbinsight.com
Download MapBasic
and other tools and
utilities.
Direct link from MapInfo
Professional!

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Five super useful utilities

1) MapInfo2Excel export from MI Pro to Excel.
Click here
2) Turbocharged MapBasic Development: MapBasic IDE.
Click here
3) WindowHelper improved window management.
Click here
4) Data Driven Pages batch print/export of maps.
Click here
5) Shortcut keys Useful keyboard shortcuts. Click here
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Five useful white papers

Focusing in on Spatial Precision: Click here.
Options and implications for improving the precision of your data.

A Golden Opportunity: Truly Integrated 3D GIS: Click here.

Illustrating the efficiencies in integrating data, GIS and GIM.

Hot Spot Mapping: Click here.

Using Location Intelligence to reduce crime.

The ROI of Data Quality: Click here.

A fresh look at the value and necessity of improved data quality.

Business Strength Geocoding: Click here.

Ten requirements for more cost-efficient and effective business decisions.
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Thank you!

Tom Probert
MapInfo Professional Global
Product Manager
tom.probert@pb.com

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