MapInfo vector format

MapInfo transfer file consists two different ASCII-files: geometry (.MIF) and attribute data (.MIF). All objects in geometry file have always same attributes in MID-file. By default, converter reads MID-file contents to point or line attributes and writes code fiels T1-T6 to MID-file. Control file can be used for more exact attribute and code field handling.

Used coordinate system can be written to the beginning of the MID-file by defining it in the project settings. Know systems are written with their own parameters. Unknown systems are written with the default header by using just system name. The whole header can be replaced by giving it as a seed file.

Attribute definitions

GIS-attribute type definitions needed for writing. If no definitions are given, code fields T1-T6 and point height (Z) will be written.

Mark areas

Marks closed breaklines as areas.

Calculate area point

Calculates area point for closed breaklines. The calculated point is always inside the area.

Control file

Control file for color, symbol and line type handling.

Defining colors, symbols and line types

Colors, symbols and line types can be defined either in code file or specific control file.

Symbology in MIF-file is defined in this order:

code file given in converter settings.
control file given in converter settings.
object drawing settings. Either draw data or attributes.

If you define the code file in format settings, it will be used to get symbol/type, color and size/widht for points, lines and texts.

In Special settings you can define another control file, to control the symbology. This file is a text file and it includes symbology for the points, lines and texts. In control file Mapinfo's own symbols and linetypes can be used.

Points:

code 0 symbol color size

code = feature code (T3-field) in 3D-Win
0 = single point
symbol = MapInfo symbol number (31-67)
color = RGB-color code (see below)
size = symbol size (1-48). If size is 1, it is invisible in MappInfo.

Lines:

code 1 type color width

code = feature code (T3-field) in 3D-Win
1 = breakline
type = MapInfo line type number (1-77)
color = RGB-color code (see below)
width = line width (1-7)

Areas:

code 1 type color width raster_type

code = feature code (T3-field) in 3D-Win
2 = closed area
type = MapInfo line type number (1-77)
color = RGB-color code (see below)
width = line width (1-7)
raster_type = area painting, MapInfo raster type number (1-71)

Texts:

code 3 style color typeface

code = feature code (T3-field) in 3D-Win
3 = text
style = MapInfo style (binary sum = sum of given values)

0 normal
1 bold
2 italic
4 underline

color = RGB-color code (see below)
typeface = character type

A RGB-color is given as a single value:

RGB = red*65536 + green*256 + blue

where the colors (red, green, blue) can be found in e.g. Windows color selection dialog (you can use 3D-Win color settings to reach this dialog).

Examples of RGB-colors:

black = 0
red = 16711680
green = 65280
blue 255
yellow = 16776960

If the control file does not have the codes/symbolics needed, they will be added automatically at the end of the conversion (see MissingCodes-Special setting). The Log file will have a line for this and you need to check the new codes/symbolics. The new lines will be separated with a comment line (// -----).

If you use control file, program tries to find a line with same type/style and color as object to read. If line is found, the feature code (first value) is copied to the object (T3-field). If line is not found, the symbology is copied to the object (color, line type, width, etc).

Example of a control file:

! MapInfo control file
  0 0  34       0 12
 90 0  58   65280 24
141 1  6      255  3  0
202 1  2 16711680 16  5
131 2 50      255  1  3
272 3  7 16711680 "Courier New"

Special settings

There are some special settings related to this converter.

LineZattr

Writing line height into MID-file.

You can write line heights into MID-file as attributes by using special setting LineZattr. The same definitions must be added into the GIS-attribute file. Define attributes separated by comma: attr1,attr2.

attr1 = attribute name to hold height of a line start point in 3D.
attr2 = attribute name to hold height of a line end point in 3D.

MissingCodes

If the control file does not have the codes/symbolics needed, they will be added automatically at the end of the conversion.

1 add the missing codes in control file.

Bounds

Bounds line minimum and maximum value handling in writing.

1 does not write Bounds line at all.