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  • 1.  MapInfo Monday: Finding features and functions

    Employee
    Posted 01-25-2021 07:16
    Edited by Peter Møller 01-03-2023 02:31
    Happy #MapInfoMonday!

    This article is for those of you coming to MapInfo Pro​ from an older 32-bit version.

    What I will show you today can however help anyone using MapInfo Pro to benefit more from using MapInfo Pro.

    With the first three 64-bit releases of MapInfo Pro - 12.5, 15.2, and 16.0 - we learned a lot from our users. We got feedback on what was working and what wasn't working for them. This feedback was used to improve the interface of MapInfo Pro v17 to better meet their needs and expectations. One of the comments we often saw came from existing users who were struggling to locate features they knew in the new interface: "Where can I find the Info tool?" or "Where have you hidden the Create Points feature?"

    To help these users, and basically any user, we added the Quick Search option to MapInfo Pro v17.

    What is Quick Search?

    Quick Search ...
    • is an add-in for MapInfo Pro that allows users to search for features and functions.
    • can execute the feature the user is looking for, and at the same time show the user where to locate the feature.
    • also searches loaded and registered tools for the keyword entered.
    • appears as a search field in the top right corner of MapInfo Pro as you can see here below.

    With the later versions of MapInfo Pro v2019, Quick Search also searches the Marketplace for tools using the keyword entered in the search field. This only works if you are connected to the internet.

    How is Quick Search used?

    When you are looking for a specific feature, click in the Quick Search search field and type in a word that describes what you are looking for. In the example below, I will type in "zoom".

    You can also place your cursor in the search field with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Q and then start typing the word you are looking for.

    As you can see in the image below, Quick Search will show a list of commands that use the keyword entered. The commands are organized by the ribbon tab they appear on. At the top, you can see some commands from the Map tab that can help me navigate the map window.

    If I scroll down in the list, you can see there are also some commands that allow me to zoom in a layout window.

    And Quick Search can also show me any options or preferences that relate to the entered keyword.

    If I want to use any of these built-in commands, I can click on any of them. This will execute the command, and at the same time also show you where the command can be found via a blinking rectangle. 

    Note that some of the commands are disabled. When you hold your mouse on these, you can see a tooltip describing why the command has been disabled.

    Below you can see the rectangle highlighting the Zoom In command that I clicked on in the Quick Search list of commands. Notice that the ribbon automatically switches to the ribbon where the command is located. In this case, the Map tab.

    Further down in the list, you might also find applications that currently are running or registered in the Tools window. If the application has added commands or controls, to the ribbon interface, these commands are listed side-by-side with the built-in commands.

    Notice that the applications are listed toned down when they aren't running. If you click on an application that isn't running, Quick Search will load the tool.

    When you click on an application that has been loaded, Quick Search will execute the default command of the application if it has one.

    At the end of the list, you can find tools and add-in for MapInfo Pro that can be found on the MapInfo Marketplace. Quick Search will search the Marketplace for names and descriptions and list those tools where the entered keyword matches.

    When you click on a tool from the MapInfo Marketplace, Quick Search will open the marketplace for you in MapInfo Pro, and show the details of the tool that you click on.

    From the MapInfo Marketplace, you can easily install and run the tool using the Install Product button. This will download the tool, unzip it to the Tools location, and load the tool into MapInfo Pro. All with a single click on the button.

    And as a final note, you can from the Quick Search dropdown access the MapInfo Pro Help System for the term you have searched using the Get help on "<your search term>".

    Do note that you need to create an account and sign in to the MapInfo Marketplace to be able to use it. This account is the same one you are using for the Precisely Locate APIs such as Drive Regions and Geocode Using Server.

    Have you already used Quick Search to locate features and functions in MapInfo Pro?

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    Peter Horsbøll Møller
    Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
    Precisely | Trust in Data
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  • 2.  RE: MapInfo Monday: Finding features and functions

    Posted 01-25-2021 09:35
    I didn't realise it also searched Settings/Preferences and the MarketPlace.
    Thanks Peter

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    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
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