MapInfo Pro

I am an old ArcGIS guy working in a MapInfo Pro only business. All the GIS resources here in Boise, ID are ArcGIS. I am looking for other users in this area so we can support each other and perhaps increase the user base. I work at DigLine Inc which is the 811 Call Before You Dig service for the lower 39 Counties in Idaho. Our primary vendor TelDig is a MapInfo only application.

If you are out there and want to work on a users/support group please contact me.

Craig Campbell - ccampbell@digline.com - 208 287 0062

Hey Craig, Thanks for the post! We'll definitely connect you with some local users but know the online community can also help with any specific needs you have. Stay tuned!

Thanks Dave... I really like the MI environment and especially MapBasic for automation and QC tools. It would be nice to develop local resources and even for the future for this company. I will be retiring in 4-5 years (Lord willing) and this business will pick up another GIS position probably next year.

Hello Craig,

Thanks for these comments. Can you tell me what version of MapInfo Pro you are using? If you have Help menu then take a look in the About command. If you have PRO tab then you can find it on the About page.

Currently using 12.5 (build 32) because I really don't like the context menu system and the ribbon UI. While I do development work in MapBasic and MS Access, my primary job is production GIS updates to Street, Parcel and some Addressing features. Having the floating tool bars with all tools available and in the same place all the time make me much more productive than remember which tool is where and when... Also our current vendor has not upgraded the QC tools that we use to the 64-bit version - TelDig in Quebec.

Thanks Craig! Some more questions, if you don't mind. In this context does QC mean "Quality Control"?

And are you using a lot of of the drawing and editing capabilities? Is this drawing of the phone cables to be used in the "Call before you dig" app?

We are continuing to work on the new interface to make it better. One thing the new ribbon UI has is a Mini-toolbar that appears with the right-click menu. Currently (meaning v16.0) you are unable to customize this (without programming). Our next release will add the ability for you to add what tools you would like to this Mini-toolbar. This might have some good implications for your workflow. We will have a beta release for this soon so if you want, you can take a look. Even if we don't get all the way there for you, we'd like to know if this is on the right track.

Tom, Yes Quality Control to make sure that attributes for the street, parcel and utility data are consistent. I have created a number of programs for that as well as several Excel MapBasic code generators to copy and paste into the MapBasic window and run. There are probably 12-15 tools I use all the time from the MAIN, OBJECT and MAPCAD floating tool bars and one custom tool, Info-Select, that I would be in a world of hurt without. A number of SQL Select query templates and I need to create an Add-Node tool that leaves it Selected so that I can Split line segments. You’d be surprised at what thousands of new home and the associate roads do to chopping up the road infrastructure. That’s most of the nuts and bolts here… Thanks Craig

Interesting Craig, so you have your code in Excel instead of having build custom MapBasic applications?

The ribbon interface allows you to create your own ribbon tab and organise the typically used tools on this. That makes it easier to access the tools that you might be using on a daily basis. We have been looking into adding tools from custom MapBasic applications as well. I'm not sure how far we are with that.

Info-Select, sounds a bit like a tool similar to InfoSelHandler tool that will show attributes of a selected feature in the Info window.

For the Add Node and Split, I would recommend using a tool that basically splits a polyline where you click

I do both Peter… I have regular data in bound that has to be loaded and update or processes that have to be run on all street data and those are in programs. I know python but I love working in MB. The Excel stuff is data that is highly variable in its quality and it may require a few adjustments to many and its easier in those cases just to paste in the prepared code that is updated with a few variables and run it… I created most of the programs when I realized I was spending too much time doing the cut a paste work. Is there a name for the tool you mentioned on the Polyline Click split? Thank you – BTW have used a lot of your ideas in the last 3 years! Craig

Good question, Craig... I found this tool: http://mapinfotools.com/index.php?option=com_sobi2&sobi2Task=sobi2Details&sobi2Id=428&Itemid=72

Maybe it was tools that I had built into specific custom applications I had on my mind. Maybe this was worth an article.

That is a sweet tool on par with InfoSelect Thank you Peter

Perhaps we should promote this to a new thread for other users? We've strayed pretty far from Boise at this point! FYI Craig I am messaging our clients in Idaho and making them aware of your post. Let's see if they bite. Regards, Dave

Dave – Thank you for the information. That is all I can really ask is to let others know if they want to work together. While MapInfo is a very solid product, the recruiting of new people is tough.. Does PB offer educational discounts? The advent of Charter Schools might be a great place to push this technology into the High School level. The college scene would be tougher due to ESRI but I’d even be willing to teach an evening class at Boise State! Just food for thought… and thank you for your reply. Craig

Craig, I'm in the PNW but not very close to you. Roseburg,Oregon.. I'm basically a self taught MapInfo user so not very sophisticated. I've been using and writing my own (very simple) Map Basic tools for several years (I think I started with MapInfo around 2000 and Map Basic programming in 2007). There are also very few MapInfo users in my area. I do have a MapInfo Partner in Eugene who is extremely helpful. We used to have a small group of MapInfo users in the area but they've all been bought up by bigger corporations using ESRI products. I hope you find someone close by to network with.

Mark

Hi Craig, fellow Boisean also on 12.5 32. There aren't many of us around here, but we do exist. Been using MI for nearly 20 years and I've automated many of my company's processes with MB. I use MI much less than I used to since my business started marketing its own niche GIS product, but I'm always happy to talk shop with other users. Cheers!

Tom

Mark and Tom,

Thanks for the reply... Would you shoot me an email to ccampbell@digline.com so I have a way to check in with you? You both have been at this much longer than I have at least on the MI side of things..

Best regards,

Craig