MapInfo Pro

I have a concern about the Mapinfo files in folders.

• Historically, once we move them, we can't open them again. 
  
• We refer back to old Mapinfo files constantly, sometimes as far back as a few years that we then resave. 
• But, if they're moved, we can't even open them to resave (package) them.

Any solutions to this?

Hi David,

Are you referring to MapInfo tables or MapInfo workspaces? The issue is different depending on which one you move. 

Both actually.

As a rule, it's not good idea to move MI tables and workspaces from folder to folder in something like File Explorer. It's much better to open them in MI and then use either the "save copy as" function for tables or the "save workspace as" function for workspaces to create copies in a new location.

For tables, make sure you're moving all files associated with the table. Each MI table consists of 4 or 5 files, depending on if it is a mappable file. In addition to the .TAB file, you need to move the same-named .DAT, .ID, .IND and .MAP files. If one is missing, it won't open. If this is not the issue, the table may be corrupted, and you need to create a new version. These are the only two ways I've had issues opening an individual MI table.

Workspaces are trickier. In case you don't know, a workspace is basically a document telling MI what tables to open, where they are located on a network, and what windows to create and populate. 

If you move either a workspace or a table it needs, the network paths saved within the workspace are no longer accurate and MI can't find the referenced table. In that case, you need to hack the workspace. First, save a copy of the workspace just in case. Open the workspace in something like Notepad. At the beginning you'll see a list of network paths that begin "Open Table" followed by a network path. Find the table(s) that won't open and check if you need to update the path in Notepad. If you do, overwrite the old path and save it AS LONG as you didn't change the name of the table. Then open in MI and should work.

If you changed the name of the table but the path is correct, save a copy of the table as the old table name instead of changing the workspace. Then open the workspace in MI and it should work.

If you can't change the name of that table because it will break other workspaces, you need to update the path in the workspace with the new table name AND you need update the table name everywhere else in the workspace it occurs. Use "Find" or "Find Next" or "Replace" command in Notepad to find each instance of the old name and replace with the new instance. I prefer to use "Find" since then I can see each instance and make sure I'm not replacing something I shouldn't. Once you've done that (and it could take a while if the workspace is complex and has many map windows), save the workspace and open in MI. It should work.

MI will also ask you for the location of any tables it can't find for a workspace, and you can navigate through your network to the new location and point MI to the table.

The other time I've had issues opening a workspace is if the printer it is mapped to no longer exists, an issue I encountered a lot during COVID. A default printer is in the workspace, even if you never printed it in any way (including pdf). Use the "Find" command in Notepad and search for "printer". That should take you to the first (or only) instance of the printer in the workspace. One line below that should be the printer name. Either replace it with the new name or you'll need to "tab out" (') the three lines so MI ignores the printer section by inserting a ' at the beginning of each line. If you have multiple map and layout windows, the printer will appear multiple times and you'll need to replace or tab out all of them. Then save it and open in MI. It should work.

This is a lot, I know, but I hope it helps.