Alpha Pre-Release Notes - Pitney...

MapInfo ProfessionalVersion 12.5

Alpha Pre-Release Notes

Thank you for participating in this pre-release program for MapInfo Professional 12.5 64-bit.This pre-release gives you an early preview of the new and enhanced User Interface (UI).MapInfo Professional's redesigned UI and expanded customization options give you easyaccess to the tools, commands, and other features you require.

What's new in this alpha pre-release

The intent of this alpha pre-release is to provide a hands on experience of MapInfoProfessional 12.5 64-bit version, get feedback on the new ribbon UI, docking, and otherfeatures, and to provide partners and developers a platform to create new customapplications. Using this pre-release version, you can also upgrade your existing applicationsto work in the ribbon interface and object model before the formal release of MapInfoProfessional 12.5 64-bit in the fall of 2014. Existing applications based on 32-bit versionsof MapInfo Professional and its menu and toolbar interface will need updating and rebuildingto be able to work properly in this new version.

MapInfo Professional 12.5 64-bit alpha pre-release version comes with an array of newfeatures and functionalities, along with an enhanced user interface, as mentioned above.Some of the highlights of this pre-release include:

• Window properties - Active windows can now be docked, tabbed, floating, can bemoved to a second monitor, hidden, renamed, and cloned.

• Mini toolbar - To easily access common map functions and edit maps.• Layout designer - You can edit and label directly on the layout. You no longer have toswitch back and forth from layout to map windows.

• Workspace explorer - Lists all active maps, workspace, tables, DMBS tables, and toolsthat are active in the current session.

• Performance improvements - Multi-core performance improvements for objectprocessing operations like erase, erase outside, buffer, and split.

• Extensibility and customization - You can customize the UI via .NET APIs. You canalso customize the UI through .NET object model.

• New Preferences - The Backstage feature in the UI gives you the following options:

1. You can remember the last tab for each window or all windows of the same type.2. You can configure the workspace explorer.3. You can remember the last docking position or have them always load in your favorite

location.

MapBasic Object Model Reference

An early set of documentation including an Object Model Reference (chm) and MapBasicdefines with .Net method declarations will be included in this alpha pre-release.

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© 2014 Pitney Bowes Software Inc.

Notes about this release

This release is only a preview of the 64-bit version of MapInfo Professional 12.5 that inlcudes a new UI, alreadymentioned above. Therefore, some features and functionalities will not work in this release. Some of theminclude:

• The STYLE and LABEL contextual tabs on the LAYER TOOLS tab will be inactive.• The Tool Manager window.• The Task Manager window.• The labeling rules functionality on the ribbon interface is not yet active. However you can modify the labelingrules by double clicking the layer and accessing the Layer Properties dialog box.

• There will not be any tools like Catalog Browser, FME, Graphing, Crystal Reports, etc.• The MapBasic statement Set Next Document is is being deprecated and will not work.• The MapBasic statements for Create and Alter Menu and Buttonpad will not function in this pre-release.• The positioning of the Mapbasic window only applies to floating state.• There is no progress window for long running operations.• There is no dialog box to customize the ribbon.

Contents:

• Installing a Pre-Release Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3• Installing MapInfo Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3• Product Activation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6• New User Interface Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7• Layout Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12• MapBasic Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13• Known Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15• Thank You for your Help! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

MapInfo Professional 12.52

Installing a Pre-Release VersionWe assume that you have already downloaded the pre-release version file from our web site.

We recommend you install this pre-release to a separate folder location, or to a separate computer, fromyour MapInfo Professional installation. After the pre-release period is done, uninstall this pre-release,so that there is no issue later installing the MapInfo Professional 12.5 64-bit shipping version.

System RequirementsThis product is tested on the following Microsoft Windows Desktop Operating Systems:

• Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1• Windows 2008 Server R2 64-bit SP1• Windows 2008 Server R2 64-bit SP1 with XenApp 6.0• Windows 8 64-bit• Windows 2012 Server 64-bit• Windows 2012 Server 64-bit with XenApp 6.5

Dependencies and PrerequisitesThe install wizard checks for the following and prompts you if not already on your system; you can chooseto have the install wizard install these requirements, or cancel the installation if you do not want toproceed.

• Microsoft Office Access database engine 2010 (x64)• Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Redistributable Package (x64)• Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 Update 3 Redistributable Package (x64)• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 Full

Check the Microsoft website for the minimum requirements for these redistributables and updatesif installing to an unsupported operating system.

Note:

MapInfo Professional installs a file from the Microsoft Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) toolkit,WPFToolkit.dll file version 3.5, which is necessary for the MetaData Catalog Browser feature.

Installing MapInfo ProfessionalYou must have Administrator rights to run the Installer, and the Installer requires that your TEMP variablebe set to a valid directory.

We strongly recommend that you exit from all Windows programs before beginningthe installation process.

Caution:

To install your pre-release version of MapInfo Professional:1. Go to the directory into which you placed your pre-release version and right-click the setup.exe

file. Select Run as Administrator from the popup menu to install using elevated privileges.

You may see a prompt for permission to continue. Click Allow or Yes to proceed (if you do notrespond and the message times-out, the install is unsuccessful).

The wizard begins to lead you through the installation process.

2. If any of the prerequisites listed under Dependencies and Prerequisites are not already installedon your system, then a prompt displays to install them. Click Install.

3Alpha Pre-Release Notes

MapInfo Professional 12.5 64-bit Pre-Release Notes

Installing the prerequisites takes several minutes—the status of each prerequisite updates as itinstalls.

3. If you see a message that MapInfo Professional requires a reboot, click Yes. You must reboot tocontinue with the installation.

4. Click Next to continue the process.5. On the License Information screen, review the license. If accepting the terms, click Next to continue.6. On the Customer Information screen, type your name, organization name, serial number, and

access code in the corresponding fields.

Do not select the check box. Doing so installs an evaluation copy of MapInfo Professional. Instead,enter the pre-release serial number and access code:

Serial Number: MINPEU1250112211

Access Code: 334455

7. Click Next to continue.8. Select one of the following options and then click Next to continue:

• Typical – Choose this option if you will be using MapInfo Professional as a desktop applicationincluding remote database access and connectivity. Continue to Typical Workstation Installation.

• Custom – Choose this option to restrict the components that are installed by the installationprogram. For example, you can prevent the installer from adding the help system and tools. Continueto Custom Workstation Installation.

Typical Workstation InstallationMake sure you have completed the directions in Installing MapInfo Professional before beginningthese instructions.

Choose the Typical option to install all MapInfo Professional program files including the Online Help,Tools, and Universal Translator.

For this pre-release we recommend you use typical installation as the installer is not fully testedyet.

Note:

To continue installing MapInfo Professional:1. On the Setup Type screen, choose Typical Workstation Installation.2. On the Destination Folder screen, do one of the following:

• Click Next to accept the destination folder indicated.• Click Change to create a new path on the Change Current Destination Folder screen. Type thenew path in the Folder name field and click OK to continue. Choose to create a new directory


Installing MapInfo Professional

name when you have an earlier version of MapInfo Professional installed and you do not want tooverwrite that version.

3. Click Next to continue.4. On the Ready to Install the Program screen, review your selections to ensure that the path is correct

and then click Install. To make changes, click Back.A progress bar indicates the status of the process.

5. At the end of the installation, the prompt: “Would you like to check our web site for any current updatesto our product?” displays. If you have an Internet connection, click Yes to access the Pitney BowesSoftware Inc. web site containing information about product updates.

6. When the Complete screen displays, click Finish.

Custom Workstation InstallationMake sure you have completed the directions in Installing MapInfo Professional before beginningthese instructions.

Choose Custom to select components and drivers within the MapInfo Professional installation program.This is useful when you want to save disk space by not installing the Help System, the documentation,or the MapInfo Professional tools.

To continue installing MapInfo Professional:1. On the Setup Type screen, choose Custom Workstation Installation.2. On the Custom Setup screen, you can click on a component to display information about it and the

space it requires:

• MapInfo Program Files – you must install these files to run MapInfo Professional.• Documentation – installs user guide documents in PDF format.• Tools – installs MapInfo Utilities.

Select the components that you do not want to install (all are selected by default) by clicking theDown Arrow beside it. From the following menu of options, select This feature will not be available.

• This feature will be installed on local hard drive.• This feature, and all subfeatures, will be installed on local hard drive.• This feature will not be available.

Some components have additional options to the use them from the network.Note:

3. To specify a non-default location for the installation, click Change.In the Change Current Destination Folder screen, type the new path in the Folder name field andclick OK to continue.

4. To see if you have enough space on your hard drive or other mapped resources, click the Spacebutton.The Disk Space Requirement screen displays the disk size, the amount of available space, andthe amount of space the selected install would take.

5. After making your custom selections on the Custom Setup screen, click Next.6. On the Language Settings screen, select an English preference and then click Next.7. On the Ready to Install the Program screen, click the Install button to begin the installation of

MapInfo Professional with the features you selected.The Installing MapInfo Professional screen displays with a progress bar indicating the status.

8. At the end of the installation, the prompt: “Would you like to check our web site for any current updatesto our product?” displays. If you have an Internet connection, click Yes to access the Pitney BowesSoftware Inc. web site containing information about product updates.

9. On the Complete screen, click Finish.



Product ActivationWhen you start MapInfo Professional for the first time after installation, the Activation Wizard launches.

Do the following in the Activation Wizard:1. Select Activate Now to start activation and try the pre release.2. Click Next. The Select Activation Method dialog box opens.

3. Select Automatic Activation.4. Click Next. The ActivationWizard takes a fewmoments to transfer the activation credentials to Pitney

Bowes Software and perform the activation. An activation message displays stating that the activationwas successful.

5. Click OK. The Activation Wizard closes.

You are finished, and MapInfo Professional is ready to use.


Product Activation

MapInfo Professional uses the serial number and access code you supplied during the installation toactivate the product. The following serial number and access code for this pre-release is a durationlicense that expires on June 27, 2014:

Serial Number: MINPEU1250112211Access Code: 334455

New User Interface Features

The New Ribbon InterfaceMapInfo Professional's new ribbon integrates most commands and features in a single ribbon controlso you can quickly locate the command or feature you need. The ribbon replaces the old menus andtoolbars. Each tab on the ribbon has different buttons and commands that are organized into ribbongroups.

When you will open MapInfo Professional 12.5, the ribbon's HOME tab is displayed. This tab containsmany of the most commonly used commands in MapInfo Professional. For example, the first item youwill see on the left side of the tab is the File group. This group contains the commands to:

• Open workspaces and tables, including DBMS tables• Add Bing (TM) layers to a map• Open WMS and WFS tables• Open the most recent files• Close tables/all tables, DBMS tables• Save a workspace

The ribbon adjusts its appearance to fit your computer's screen size and resolution. On smaller screens,some ribbon groups may display only their group name, not their commands. In that case, simply clickthe small arrow on the group button to reveal the commands.

Quick Access ToolbarThe Quick Access Toolbar in the upper-left corner of the program window provides you shortcuts tocommands you will use more frequently.

By adding buttons to this toolbar, you can keep all of your favorite commands visible and available at alltimes, even when you switch ribbon tabs.

Click the drop-down arrow on the left of the toolbar to display or hide any of the commands listed on theshortcut menu.



Click More Commands to add commands to the toolbar list. You can also add tab items to the list.

Backstage ViewClick MAPINFO to enter the backstage view of MapInfo Professional 12.5 where you can see yourlicensing information, product information and documentation, online videos, and tech support information.

Click Options to specify what group of settings, or preferences, you want to view or change. MapInfoProfessional's preferences consist of System, MapWindow, Startup, Address Matching, and Directories.MapInfo Professional retains these preferences from session to session.

Click the back button to return to MapInfo Professional 12.5.

Click Exit to quit MapInfo Professional 12.5.

KeyTipsMapInfo Professional 12.5 provides shortcuts for the ribbon, called KeyTips, so you can quickly performtasks without using your mouse.



To make the KeyTips appear on the ribbon, press the Alt key.

To switch to a tab on the ribbon using your keyboard, press the key of the letter displayed under thattab. For example, if you want to open the Table tab, press T. In the Table tab, all available KeyTipsappear on the screen.

Window ManagementAll windows now support docking, floating and tabbed modes. Floating windows can be moved ontosecondary monitors as part of dual monitor support provided by the application. You can close thewindows to reduce screen clutter and reopen them afterwards.

On the HOME tab, click Windows in the Window to display a list of all open windows, and turn on oroff Statistics, Explorer, Info windows, etc.



If you want to make the Explorer window dockable, right click the window tab and select Dockable fromthe context menu. Use the guide diamond to drag a tool window to another location to help you to easilyre-dock the window.

Updated Layer Control WindowThe new interface has an updated layer control window. You can view the layer control from the Explorerwindow by clicking the Maps arrow. All layers get displayed and you can add, delete, or move a layerup and down.

Mini Toolbar on a MapCommon map functions are readily available on a new floating toolbar in the map. This makes movingaround the map or labeling much less tedious. When you will right click on a map, a mini toolbar willappear on top of the context menu.



The toolbar contains the following buttons:

1. Select - To select one or more map objects or records from a table. When you will click on the arrowbeside the button, other button options will appear shown below:

2. Clear Selection - To unselect map objects.3. Zoom In/Zoom Out - To zoom in/out a map at cursor location.4. Zoom In/Zoom Out - To zoom in/out a map at cursor location.5. Text formatting buttons - Enabled when there is a label or a text object on the map.6. Add Node - To add a node to a region, polyline, or line.7. Reshape - To edit regions, lines, or polylines by moving, adding, and deleting nodes that define the

segment.



Performance ImprovementsObject processing commands now use multi-threading and makes use of all available processors in yoursystem. The following operations use multi-threading:

• Split• Erase• Erase Outside• Buffer• Combine

Layout WindowThe LAYOUT tab will give you more control and flexibility when preparing your maps for print anddistribution.

You no longer need to toggle between a Layout window and a Map window for editing labels. The newLayout window contains a live map that you can edit. You can edit and label directly on the layout. Nomore switching back and forth from layout to map windows. The Layout window shows the map usingthe printer resolution.

In the new Layout window, you can align bars and snap-to-grid, and auto wrap text.

Notes about Layout for this pre-releaseIn this 64-bit pre-relase, some features of Layout are not enabled. These include:

• The commands under the LAYOUT tab.• The layer tools contextual tabs.

You can also turn on the layer control toolbar in this pre-release. This toolbar will not exist in the productionrelease.

These features along with Labeling will be included in the next complete release of MapInfo Professional12.5 64-bit.

Opening a LayoutTo open a new layout window, select New Layout from the Page group in the LAYOUT tab.

Insert the opened map in the layout by clicking the map button.


Layout Window

Inserting Shapes, MapOn the layout window, you can perform the following tasks:

• Insert an image by clicking• Insert shapes, for example, line, ellipse, rectangle, and rounded rectangle.• Change the size of the frame. Right click on the layout window and click the Frame Properties menuitem to display the Frame Properties dialog box.

MapBasic SupportYou can useMapInfo Professional in two ways. The first way is to modify the user interface via a MapBasictool or application. The second way is to utilize functionality from MapInfo Professional like a Map orBrowser window in a custom application. This is called an Integrated Mapping Application.

MapBasic 12.5 is included in this alpha pre-release.

MapBasic Changes and Additions

The following is a list of all MapBasic updates included in this alpha pre-release:

• Support for .NET Instance object and Interface Properties and Methods• New variable types have been introduced - This, RefPtr, IntPtr, LargeInt, etc.• There is a new definition file IMapInfoProfessional.def for method declarations• The Set window [windowid] show | hide statement works on all windows• You can close tool windows using MapBasic commands. For example, the statement Close windowlayercontrol will close the window.

In addition, two new systeminfo options and some other defines have been added in mapbasic.h andIMapInfoProfessional.def

#define SYS_INFO_IMAPINFOAPPLICATION 20#define SYS_INFO_MAPINFO_INTERFACE 21

/****************************************************************************/

/* Codes returned by the SystemInfo function to describe the interfacetype *//* that the application is running on for SYS_INFO_MAPINFO_INTERFACE



*/

/****************************************************************************/

#define MIINTERFACE_CLASSICMENU 0#define MIINTERFACE_RIBBON 1

//----------------------------------------------------------------------------

// Assiging nullptr to c# ref type will destory them and allow GC tocollect

//----------------------------------------------------------------------------

#define NULL_PTR -1

//----------------------------------------------------------------------------

// Version, returned by SystemInfo() for SYS_INFO_MIPLATFORM

//----------------------------------------------------------------------------

#define MIPLATFORM_WIN64 7

Customizing MapBasic ApplicationsIn previous versions of MapInfo Processional, you could add MapBasic functionalities into the MapInfoProcessional interface using MapBasic statements. In addition, when you invoked toolbars or menus,the MapBasic application could create a dialog using MapBasic or call a dialog in a dll via a .NET staticmethod or COM handler. A tool could also register a windows HWND with the MapInfo Processionaldocking system with limited customizability.

In MapInfo Processional 12.5 64-bit, you can customize MapBasic extensively through .NET APIs.

Customizing the User Interface

Using the .NET APIs, you can create a new tabbed interface and add UI controls like buttons, drop-downlists, galleries, etc. You can customize the UI using the .NET object model. You can also customize theexisting tabs to hide ribbon controls. An event model informs an application when important actionshappen in the UI. You can attach custom commands to the ribbon controls to execute custom code ineither MapBasic or .NET assemblies. You can also add .NET user controls to the MapInfo Professionaldocking manager with full customization of docking properties such as floating, tabbed, auto-hide, etc.

Using .NET

You can use the .NET APIs to customize the UI only. If you want to create and modify maps, layouts,and browsers, you will have to execute the compiled MapBasic statements.

Using MapBasic

There is improved .NET support in MapBasic so you can call object constructors, instances, and interfacemethods and properties, etc. As with MapBasic, you can use .NET to use the same UI customizationobject model. A .def file will be provided with the delcarations.

For backward compatibility, some functionalities in MapBasic have been modified to suit the new UI.

Integrated Mapping ApplicationsIf you have previously used Integrated Mapping via COM to provide MapInfo Professional's functionalityas part of your own application, you can now perform something similar. Using .NET to add references


MapBasic Support

to some MapInfo Professional assemblies will allow the functionality to run in-process in your ownapplication. You can create .NET user controls and use them in your application's UI.

Some of the features of integrated mapping include:

• You can use .NET to add references to MapInfo Professional assemblies and allow its functionalitiesto run in-process in your own application.

• You can create MapInfo Professional windows as .NET user controls and use them in your application'sUI.

• You can run MapBasic in your application's UI.

COM will no longer be supported to re-parent out of process windows.Note:

Location of SamplesThe following is a list of the sample codes for UI customization and integrated mapping:

• SAMPLES\DOTNET\MbxAddIn• SAMPLES\DOTNET\Ribbon• SAMPLES\DOTNET\IntegratedMappingWinForms• SAMPLES\DOTNET\IntegratedMappingWpf

Known IssuesNot all software features are completed for this preview release. We are aware of various minor bugsand glitches. We felt that in the interest of time, we would release this preview now, instead of waitinguntil all the bugs are fixed, so that we can gather feedback sooner rather than later.

This alpha pre-release version currently has the following known issues:

• Help and documentation may not be available for all help buttons. Some of the commands may alsohave help that have not been updated yet.

• COM API does not work in this pre-release.• Some style dialogs may show drop-down lists in the incorrect place or may not show at all.• There may be an error when pasting a map selection in Windows 8.• Setting FastEdit On does not allow closing the table.• In the MapBasic IDE, Ctrl+U to run the current mbx will only work if MapInfoProfessional.exeis running. If not, it will try to launch Mapinfow.exe.

• Integrated Mapping sample applications must be run from the same folder as MapInfoProfessional.exeC:\Program Files\MapInfo\Professional

• For the MbxAddin sample, load the mapbasic_stub.MBX from bin\debug or bin\release folder.• There is no Quick Start dialog box when you will start the alpha pre-release version.

Thank You for your Help!Our goal in everything we put into MapInfo Professional is to help you get your location informationprocessing work done as quickly, accurately and efficiently as possible. This pre-release version of theproduct is an important step for us along the path to that goal.

Your willingness to test this pre-release makes a big difference in our ability to serve your needs better.We really appreciate the time and attention it takes to perform this type of testing and look forward tohearing your results. Thank you for your commitment to MapInfo Professional.

Important



This software is provided to you on a confidential basis. We are still working on these features and arenot yet ready to release it to the larger public. Please respect the confidential nature of this testing anddo not share this software with anyone without the specific authorization of the Pitney Bowes SoftwareProduct Manager or Engineering staff.


Thank You for your Help!

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