Precisely MapInfo TAB (MAPINFO/MITAB) Feature Representation

MapInfo features consist of geometry and attributes.

There is a value for each attribute in each FME MapInfo feature. In addition, each MapInfo FME feature contains several special attributes to hold the type of the geometric entity and its display parameters.

All MapInfo FME features contain the mapinfo_type attribute, which identifies the geometric type. All MapInfo features may contain either or both of the fme_color and fme_fill_color attributes, which store the color and fill color of the feature respectively.

In addition to the generic FME feature attributes that FME Workbench adds to all features (see About Feature Type Attributes), this format also adds format-specific attributes (Format Attributes).

Attribute Name

Contents

mapinfo_type

The MapInfo geometric type of this entity.

Range:

mapinfo_arc

mapinfo_collection

mapinfo_ellipse

mapinfo_none

mapinfo_point

mapinfo_polyline

mapinfo_rectangle

mapinfo_region

mapinfo_rounded_rectangle

mapinfo_text

Default: No default

mapinfo_metadata{}.name

mapinfo_metadata{}.value

These list attributes are used to write metadata to the .tab file.

On read, these attributes will be populated from the same metadata section.

On write, these name-value pairs will be written out as ‘“name” = “value”’ in the metadata section of the .tab file immediately following the table definition.

These attributes accept strings up to 255 characters long.

Note  
  • For metadata writing to function correctly, the number of name attributes should be the same as the number of value attributes.
  • These attributes will only appear when using the MITAB reader or writer.
  • Since metadata is a feature-type-level concept, the metadata written to the .tab file is determined entirely by the first feature to pass to the feature type. Metadata attributes on following features will be ignored by the writer.

fme_color

A normalized RGB triplet representing the color of the feature, with format r,g,b.

Range: 0,0,0 to 1,1,1

Default: No default

fme_fill_color

A normalized RGB triplet representing the fill color of the feature, with format r,g,b.

Range: 0,0,0 to 1,1,1

Default: No default

Arc

MapInfo arc features are linear features used to specify elliptical arcs. As such, the feature definition for mapinfo_arc is similar to the ellipse definition with two additional angles to control the portion of the ellipse boundary drawn. MapInfo arcs currently do not support rotation. For compatibility with other systems, the MapInfo reader always returns a rotation of 0. In addition, if a rotation is specified to the writer, the arc is turned into a polyline, vectorized, and rotated by the amount specified.

Tip  The ArcStroker transformer can be used to convert an arc to a linestring. This is useful for storing arcs in systems that do not support them directly.

In addition the attributes below, arcs also make use of the pen attributes as defined on mapinfo_polyline.

Attribute Name

Contents

mapinfo_primary_axis

The length of the semi-major axis in ground units.

Range: Any real number > 0

Default: No default

mapinfo_secondary_axis

The length of the semi-minor axis in ground units.

Range: Any real number > 0

Default: No default

mapinfo_start_angle

How FME calculates start_angle and sweep_angle

Range: 0.0..360.0

Default: 0

mapinfo_sweep_angle

How FME calculates start_angle and sweep_angle

Range: 0.0..360.0

Default: No default

mapinfo_rotation

The rotation of the major axis. The rotation is measured in degrees counter clockwise up from horizontal.

Range: -360.0..360.0

Default: 0

Collections

MapInfo collections are defined as a combination of the other MapInfo geometry types. This is represented as nonhomogeneous aggregates composed of the other geometry types.

To create MapInfo collections using FME, set the mapinfo_type attribute to mapinfo_collection on the feature destined for the MapInfo dataset. It is important that the feature to be saved as a collection is an aggregate feature.

The table below lists the special FME attribute names used to control the MapInfo collection settings:

Attribute Name

Contents

mapinfo_collection_
cmp{}

Deprecated

This is the list attribute prefix used to store the attributes for each collection part. The suffixes are the attribute names for the control settings of the other geometric types.

Range: none

Default: none

Custom Points

MapInfo custom points are very similar to MapInfo points, but allow a bitmap image to be specified as the symbol to be drawn. In addition to the image, color, size, and style may be specified.

The table below lists the special FME attribute names used to control the MapInfo custom point settings:

Attribute Name

Contents

mapinfo_symbol_color

The color of the symbol calculated according to the formula:

(red*65536) + (green*256) + blue

Whether or not the color is used, depends on the setting of the style attribute.

Range: 0…2^24 - 1

Default: 0 (black)

mapinfo_symbol_file_name

The name of the bitmap file found in the MapInfo CustSymb folder.

Range: String

Default: No default

mapinfo_symbol_size

The point size of the symbol.

Range: Integer

Default: 12

mapinfo_symbol_style

The display style for the symbol.

Range:

  • 0 (White pixels in the image are transparent, allowing whatever is beneath to show through. Non-white pixels are drawn in the same color as they are in the bitmap.)
  • 1 (White pixels in the image are drawn as white. Non-white pixels are drawn in the same color as they are in the bitmap.)
  • 2 (White pixels in the image are transparent. Non-white pixels are drawn in the color specified by mapinfo_symbol_color.)
  • 3 (White pixels in the image are drawn in white. Non-white pixels are drawn in the color specified by mapinfo_symbol_color)

Default: 0

Ellipse

MapInfo ellipse features are point features, and only have a single coordinate. This point serves as the center of the ellipse. Additional attributes specify the primary axis and the secondary axis of the ellipse. MapInfo ellipses currently do not support rotation.

For compatibility with other systems, the MapInfo reader always returns a rotation of 0. If a rotation is specified to the writer, the ellipse is turned into a region, vectorized, and rotated by the amount specified.

Tip  The primary ellipse axis is not necessarily the longest axis, but rather the one on the x axis.

In addition to the attributes below, ellipses also make use of the brush and pen attributes as defined by mapinfo_region.

Attribute Name

Contents

mapinfo_primary_axis

The length of the semi-major axis in ground units.

Range: Any real number > 0

Default: No default

mapinfo_secondary_axis

The length of the semi-minor axis in ground units.

Range: Any real number > 0

Default: No default

mapinfo_rotation

The rotation of the major axis. The rotation is measured in degrees counterclockwise up from horizontal.

Range: -360.0..360.0

Default: 0

Font Points

MapInfo font points are very similar to MapInfo points, but allow a symbol based on a TrueType font to be specified. In addition to the font, a rotation, color, shape number, size, and style may be specified.

The table below lists the special FME attribute names used to control the MapInfo font point settings:

Attribute Name

Contents

mapinfo_symbol_color

The color of the symbol calculated according to the formula:
 (red*65536) + (green*256) + blue

Range: 0…2^24 - 1

Default: 0 (black)

mapinfo_symbol_shape

The number of the shape within the TrueType font to use as the symbol.

Range: Integer

Default: No default

mapinfo_symbol_size

The point size of the symbol.

Range: Integer

Default: 12

mapinfo_symbol_font

The name of the TrueType font to be used for the symbol.

Range: String

Default: No default

mapinfo_symbol_angle

The rotation angle for the symbol, measured in degrees counterclockwise from horizontal.

Range: -360.0..360.0

Default: 0

mapinfo_symbol_style

The display style for the symbol.

Range:

0 (Plain text)

1 (Bold text)

16 (Black border around symbol)

32 (Drop Shadow)

256 (White border around symbol)

Default: 0

Multipoints

MapInfo multipoint is supported as a homogeneous aggregate feature composed of points, font points or custom points.

The MapInfo multipoint uses the same attribute names control settings as the points, font points and custom point.

Points

MapInfo point features specify a single x and y coordinate in addition to any associated user-defined attributes. An aggregate of point features may also be read or written – this corresponds to the MapInfo MULTI_POINT primitive type.

A MapInfo point also specifies a symbol. The symbol is defined by a symbol number, a color, and a size.1 If no symbol is defined for a point entity, the previous symbol is used. The table below lists the special FME attribute names used to control the MapInfo symbol settings.

Attribute Name

Contents

mapinfo_symbol_color

The color of the symbol. MapInfo colors are defined in relative concentrations of red, green, and blue. Each color ranges from 0 to 255, and the color value is calculated according to the formula:
(red*65536) + (green*256) + blue

Range: 0…2^24 - 1

Default: 0 (black)

mapinfo_symbol_shape

The number of the symbol. See the MapInfo Reference Manual for a list of the available symbols.

Range: 31...67

Default: 35 (a star)

mapinfo_symbol_size

The point size of the symbol. Note that this size is not scaled depending on the zoom level.

Range: Any integer number > 0

Default: 10

Polylines

MapInfo polyline features specify linear features defined by a sequence of x and y coordinates. Each polyline has a pen style associated with it that specifies the color, width, and pen pattern of the line. A polyline may also specify that it is a smoothed line2, in which case MapInfo uses a curve fitting algorithm when rendering the line. If no pen style is defined, the previous style is used.

Tip  MapInfo supports a special type for two point lines. FME transparently converts such lines into polylines, both as it reads and as it writes them.

The table below lists the special FME attribute names used to control the MapInfo polyline settings.

Attribute Name

Contents

mapinfo_pen_color

The color of the polyline. MapInfo colors are defined in relative concentrations of red, green, and blue. Each color ranges from 0 to 255, and the color value is calculated according to the formula:
(red*65536) + (green*256) + blue

Range: 0…2^24 - 1

Default: 0 (black)

mapinfo_pen_pattern

The pattern used to draw the line. See the MapInfo Reference Manual for a list of the available patterns.

Range: 1…77

Default: 2

mapinfo_pen_width

The width of the line rendered for the polyline feature. This is measured as a thickness in pixels. A width of 1 is always drawn as a hairline. A width of 0 should be considered to be a line with no width, or a line with no style, or invisible, and should not normally be used. If an invisible line is necessary, it should be created by setting the pattern to 1 (None). If a hairline is desired, the pen should be created by setting the width to 1.

The width can be specified as a point width, in which case this formula is used: penwidth = (point width * 10) + 10

Range:

0...7 (pixel width)

11...2047 (point width)

Default: 1

mapinfo_smooth

Controls whether or not the polyline will be smoothed when rendered.

Range: true|false

Default: false

Rectangle

MapInfo rectangle objects are represented in FME as closed polygons.

When a MapInfo rectangle is read, it is turned into a closed polygon feature. When a MapInfo rectangle is written, the geometry is checked to see if it is a valid rectangle. If it is not, it is written out as a MapInfo region; otherwise, it is written as a MapInfo rectangle.

MapInfo rectangles take the same additional attributes as MapInfo regions to specify their brush and pen.

Regions

MapInfo region features specify area (polygonal) features. The areas that make up a single feature may or may not be disjoint, and may contain polygons which have holes. Each region has a pen style associated with it to control the color, width, and pen pattern used when its boundary is drawn. In addition, a region may set its brush pattern, foreground, and background color to control how the area it encloses will be filled.

The following table lists the special FME attribute names used to control the MapInfo region settings.

Attribute Name

Contents

mapinfo_brush_pattern

The pattern used to fill the area the region contains. See the MapInfo Reference Manual for a list of the available brush patterns.

Range: 1…71

Default: 2 (solid)

mapinfo_brush_foreground

The foreground color used when the region is filled. MapInfo colors are defined in relative concentrations of red, green, and blue. Each color ranges from 0 to 255, and the color value is calculated according to the formula:

(red*65536) + (green*256) + blue

Range: 0…2^24 - 1

Default: 0 (black)

mapinfo_brush_background

The background color used when the region is filled. (-1 specifies transparent color)

Range: -1…2^24 - 1

Default: 16777215 (white)

mapinfo_brush_transparent

Controls whether or not the brush’s background is transparent.

Range:true|false

Default:true if no brush background was specified or if set to -1; false otherwise

mapinfo_pen_color

The color of the boundary of the region.

Range: 0…2^24 - 1

Default: 0 (black)

mapinfo_pen_pattern

The pattern used to draw the region’s boundary. See the MapInfo Reference Manual for a list of the available patterns.

Range: 1…77

Default: 2

mapinfo_pen_width

The width of the line rendered for the region’s boundary. This is measured as a thickness in pixels. A width of 1 is always drawn as a hairline. A width of 0 should be considered to be a line with no width, or a line with no style, or invisible, and should not normally be used. If an invisible line is necessary, it should be created by setting the pattern to 1 (None). If a hairline is desired, the pen should be created by setting the width to 1.

Range: 0...35

Default: 1

mapinfo_centroid_x

The centroid x coordinate.

Range: Any real number

Default: 0

mapinfo_centroid_y

The centroid y coordinate.

Range: Any real number

Default: 0

Rounded Rectangle

MapInfo rounded rectangle objects are represented in FME as closed polygons.

When a MapInfo rounded rectangle is read, it is turned into a closed polygon feature with arc corners. When a MapInfo rounded rectangle is written, the geometry is checked to see if it is a valid rounded rectangle. If it is not, it is written out as a MapInfo region; otherwise, it is written as a MapInfo rounded rectangle.

MapInfo rounded rectangles take the same additional attributes as MapInfo regions to specify their brush and pen.

Text

MapInfo text features are used to specify annotation information. Each text feature can have its font, color, spacing, justification, and rotation angle set independently. The following table lists the special FME attribute names used to control the MapInfo text settings.

Attribute Name

Contents

mapinfo_rotation

The rotation of the text, as measured in degrees counterclockwise from horizontal.

Range: -360.0..360.0

Default: 0

mapinfo_text_fontbgcolor

The background color used when the text is drawn.

Range: 0…2^24 - 1

Default: 16777215 (white)

mapinfo_text_fontfgcolor

The foreground color used when the text is drawn. MapInfo colors are defined in relative concentrations of red, green, and blue. Each color ranges from 0 to 255, and the color value is calculated according to the formula:
(red*65536) + (green*256) + blue

Range: 0…2^24 - 1

Default: 0 (black)

mapinfo_text_fontname

The name of the font used to draw the text. The font named must be available on the destination computer system.

Range: Any valid system font

Default: Helve

mapinfo_text_height

The height of the text in ground units.

Range: Any real number >= 0

Default: 10

mapinfo_text_justification

The justification of the text.

Range: left | center | right

Default: left

mapinfo_text_spacing

The spacing between lines of multiline text. The measure is expressed as a multiple of the text height.

Range: 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0

Default: 1.0

mapinfo_text_linetype

The type of line attaching the text to the anchor point.

Range:

  • 0 (None: do not display a line with the label.)
  • 1 (Simple: create a callout by using a simple line that connects the label to the anchor point.)
  • 2 (Arrow: create a callout by using an arrow and line that connects the label to anchor point.)

Default: 0 (None)

mapinfo_text_line_end_x

The x position of the label line end point. The linetype needs to be 1 or 2 for the label line to be visible.

Range: Any real number

Default: No default

mapinfo_text_line_end_y

The y position of the label line end point. The linetype needs to be 1 or 2 for the label line to be visible.

Range: Any real number

Default: No default

mapinfo_text_line_pen_color

Stores pen color for text label

Range: 0…2^24 - 1

Default: 0 (black)

mapinfo_text_line_pen_width

Stores pen width for text label

Range:

0...7 (pixel width)

11...2047 (point width)

Default: 1

mapinfo_text_line_pen_pattern

Stores pen pattern for text label

Range: 1…77

Default: 2

mapinfo_text_fontstyle_bold

Indicates if the text is bold or not.

Range: true | false

Default: false

mapinfo_text_fontstyle_italic

Indicates if the text is in Italics

Range: true | false

Default: false

mapinfo_text_fontstyle_underline

Indicates if the text is underlined.

Range: true | false

Default: false

mapinfo_text_fontstyle_strikeout

Indicates if the text has a line through the middle of it.

Range: true | false

Default: false

mapinfo_text_fontstyle_outline

Indicates if the text is outlined

Range: true | false

Default: false

mapinfo_text_fontstyle_shadow

Indicates if the text has a shadow.

Range: true | false

Default: false

mapinfo_text_fontstyle_inverse

Indicates if the text is shown in inverse.

Range: true | false

Default: false

mapinfo_text_fontstyle_blink

Indicates if the text is blinking.

Range: true | false

Default: false

mapinfo_text_fontstyle_opaque

Indicates if the text is opaque.

Range: true | false

Default: false

mapinfo_text_fontstyle_halo

Indicates if the text has a halo.

Range: true | false

Default: false

mapinfo_text_fontstyle_allcaps

Indicates if the text is uppercase.

Range: true | false

Default: false

mapinfo_text_fontstyle_expanded

Indicates if the text is expanded.

Range: true | false

Default: false

mapinfo_text_string

The text to be displayed.

Range: Any character string

Default: No default

mapinfo_text_width

The width of the entire text string, in ground units.

Range: Any real number >= 0

Default: 10