MapBasic is the ideal programming language to create custom MapInfo applications, extend the functionality of MapInfo, automate repetitive operations or integrate MapInfo with other applications. MapBasic contains powerful statements that enable you to add maps and geographic functionality to your applications with only a few lines of code. MapBasic programs are easy to integrate with applications written with such other programming languages as Visual Basic, Delphi and C++. MapBasic is a proven language with many hundreds of third-party applications on the market and downloadable.
From version 9.0, MapInfo MapBasic is free to download from www.mapinfo.com,
please note that no earlier versions will be available in this way. So now it
is even more cost effective to customise and automate your MapInfo Professional,
thereby helping to maximise your investment in GIS.
MapBasic is a robust, structured BASIC-like language that enables both experienced and novice programmers to create powerful new desktop mapping applications.
Whether you are creating applications for resale or designing applications for use within your own organisation, MapBasic is an indispensable tool. MapBasic can tailor MapInfo for specific application needs, build powerful new utilities and create desktop mapping applications for even casual users.
Build Custom User Interfaces
As desktop mapping applications have become more widespread in organisations,
the need to build custom applications becomes greater. Custom programs deliver
powerful features in an easy-to-use package because the power of desktop mapping
can be focused on the particular task. MapBasic can customise menus, toolbars,
and dialogues to make turn-key solutions to solve specific business tasks.
Integrate MapInfo
Desktop mapping is most useful when it is integrated with other business tools.
MapBasic allows you to connect your applications with MapInfo.
You'll be able to use your data from client/server data-bases, communicate with
other applications and share data with other programs.
MapBasic supports OLE automation and DDE so you can easily communicate with
other applications. For example, add a button to your Visual Basic applica-tion
to display a map (and have MapInfo take care of the mapping functionality.)
MapBasic supports ODBC database connectivity stan-dard for connecting to data-bases.
Extend MapInfo Functionality
Unlike a scripting language, MapBasic is a multi-plat-form, procedural, event-driven,
compilable programming language built around MapInfo. This architecture allows
you to create additional features not in MapInfo off the shelf. For example,
you can add sophisti-cated models for planning cellular antenna locations.
MapBasic has powerful built-in geographic statements and func-tions. A subset
of the full ANSI structured query language (SQL) set is built-in so you can
use industry-standard commands to manipulate data.
Easy to Learn
Built on BASIC, MapBasic has the familiar functions and state-ments. MapInfo
has a special window which lets you see MapBasic commands being generated as
you use MapInfo's menus and you can try out your own commands.
This way you can learn MapBasic commands and even cut and paste them into your
application.
CDR Group also run full training courses in MapBasic and offer one to one help
on specific application building.
Development Environment
MapBasic is a compiled language. The compiled programs you create are run inside
MapInfo or special runtimes.
MapBasic has facilities to handle significant programming efforts. It supports
project files which allow you to compile and link separate modules.
Statements and Functions
MapBasic contains over 300 statements and functions including:
Flow control: looping, branching sub-procedures, user-defined functions,
calls to external DLLs, event handlers, error handling, OLE Automation, DDE
control.
User Interface: Create new menu bars, menus or menu items, remove items
from existing menus. Create or modify buttons on tool bars. Create custom dia-logue
boxes with text boxes, drop down lists, buttons, check-boxes, radio buttons,
style pickers, select boxes. Show or hide standard windows, control events on
selection, map window changes, window closure, win-dow focus change, button
push, or application termination.
Variables: local, global, numeric, string, logical, date, and object variable types, arrays, custom data structures.
Table and File Manipulation: Use Excel, Lotus 1-2-3, xBASE and ASCII
files directly. Built-in SQL commands to query, sort, aggre-gate, join, and
create derived data. (Supports select state-ments with FROM, WHERE, ORDER BY,
GROUP BY clauses with sub-selects). Supports equi-joins and geographic joins.
Commit changes, roll-back changes. Connect to data via ODBC. open, close, read,
write to ASCII and binary files.
Geographic object manipulation: create points, lines, polylines, text,
polygons, buffers, etc. Edit and manipulate objects including reshape, object
conversions, split, combine, erase. Calculate area, perimeter, length, centroid,
area overlap. Modify object styles. Display maps from multiple layers, control
display settings, create thematic maps. Find and geocode objects. Sup-ports
multiple coordinate systems.
MapBasic Applications
Thousands of MapBasic applica-tions have been created to solve business problems
in virtually every industry sector. Hundreds of applications are listed in MapInfo's
application catalogue available for resale.
Version Compatibility
Newer versions of MapInfo Professional can run applications created with older
versions of MapBasic, however, new features in MapInfo Professional can only
be accessed with a matching version of MapBasic.
MapBasic Requirements
Requires MapInfo Professional v 9.0. MapBasic is available for: Windows 2000
,Windows XP Home & Pro and Windows Vista.