Product: MapInfo Professional
Version: 8.5
Platform: Citrix; Windows 2003 Server Enterprise; Windows XP Home; Windows XP Home SP1A; Windows XP Home SP2; Windows XP Professional; Windows XP Professional 64 - 32 Bit Mode; Windows XP Professional SP 1A; Windows XP Professional SP 2; Windows 2000 Professional SP4
Category: Map Window
Summary:
Merging one map into another (MapInfo Professional v8.5).
Question:
Merging one map into another (MapInfo Professional v8.5).
Answer:
MapInfo has added two ways to merge layers from one Map window to another:
1. Use the Drag Map Window functionality to drag the layers of an existing Map window onto the another Map window. To see this method, see Merging Maps using the Drag Map Window Tool.
2. Copy the map layers you want from one map to the other in the Layer Control dialog box. To see this method, see Merging Maps from Layer Control.
When you merge the layers from the source map are merged on top of the destination map the destination map settings take precedence. This means that the clip regions and coordinate systems, for example, are based on the settings in the destination map. If the destination map does not allow raster reprojection and the source map has a raster layer, the coordinate system of destination map could change.
Consider this example of a vector map and a raster map. Many times you want to add detail to a map by merging it with another open map. You can think of the map you are dragging or copying layers from as the source map.
Figure: USA Vector Map (Source Map)
You can think of the map that you are dragging or copying the layers to as the destination map.
Figure: North_America Raster Map (Destination Map)
Note: MapInfo Professional does not copy the Cosmetic layer objects or thematic layers from a source map to the new window, so any symbols or features you have created there do not merge.
Merging Maps using the Drag Map Window Tool
If you drag a raster layer from one map to another, MapInfo Professional uses the projection rules you establish in the Setting the Image Processing Preferences--> to determine the projection.
To merge the layers from one Map window to another:
1. Open two maps.
2. Click  and select the map you want to drag the layers from.
3. Drag the layers to the new Map window and release the mouse button. The new map displays both the old layers and the new.
Note: You cannot drag the Cosmetic layer to the new map.
The results are the same for this method as they are using the Layer Control dialog box, however in Layer Control you can choose among the layers in a map.
Merging Maps from Layer Control
To merge layers from one map to another:
1. Open two maps and select the destination Map window.
2. Click  to display the Layer Control dialog box.
Note: This dialog box has been lengthened so you can see more of the open layers at once.
3. Click Add Layer to display the Add Layer dialog box.
Note: When you copy layers using the Layer Control dialog box, you cannot copy the Cosmetic layer or thematic layers to the new map.
4. Select the Copy Layer Settings from Map check box and select the source Map window from the drop-down list. Then highlight the layer(s) you want to add from the list that displays. Click Add. The new map displays.
Figure: Final North_America Raster Map
Last Modified:
|