Datamine Discover KB - Raster Images

How do I add more WMTS or XYZ Tileserver layers in MapInfo?

kbadmin — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:55:56 GMT

Occurrence

In QGIS or ArcGIS you can link XYZ Tile Server (also known as WMTS) web layer to add more Base Maps, such as OpenStreetMaps.org. It is also used by many webmap providers such as Google Maps and Mapbox.

MapInfo Pro has the same Base Maps layer such as Bing aerial and Precisely, but how can I add more?

Solution

You can create your own TAB and XML files based on the examples in C:\Program Files\MapInfo\Professional\TileServer. OSM_Roads is the OpenStreeMap XYZ Tileserver example (that is no longer published in the Mapinfo menu).

In Discover 2021 a new tool was added to help you create your own Tileserver tab files.

To do this go to Discover>Import>XYZ Base maps

The URLs can be found by searching the internet for "XYZ Tile servers" and you will find source such as this -

https://www.spatialbias.com/2018/02/qgis-3.0-xyz-tile-layers/

https://www.hatarilabs.com/ih-en/how-to-add-a-google-map-in-qgis-3-tutorial

Note While this is technically possible, you should make sure to check the terms and conditions for the website regarding using their map tiles i.e. : Occurrence

Vector objects such as Lines, Polylines or Polygons have been digitised into the incorrect projection. In this case, reprojection does not work, as the object coordinates will change (move). For
example the vector object may have been created in the incorrect UTM Zone, or the wrong projection was selected during import and registration of the file.

How can this be modified without recreating the objects/registration?

Solution

For vector data you can use this tool that you can install by going to Home>MapInfo Marketplace, and find CoordsysChanger and install it.

http://mapinfomarketplace.precisely.com/product/4d68d42c-7d5a-40c8-ab37-56c005176049

For rasters or surface grid images, simply use Table>Raster>Modify Image Registration, and select a new Projection, or edit control points. Note that editing control points may cause errors, which ought to be fixed through rectification.

For points, you can firstly save the coordinates using DISCOVER>Projections>Updates Coordinates. Then simply delete the map, using Table>Maintenance>Table Structure and un-ticking Table is Mappable, and then re-create the points.

My image appears blurred

kbadmin — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 05:25:41 GMT

Occurrence

When I open my grid or raster image and zoom in, the pixels appear blurred and smoothed

Solution

This is controlled by MAP>Map Options>Smooth Images.

Simply set this to None.

This will only change the current front map window, if you wish to change all new map window's default setting, navigate to Pro>Options>System>Styles.

Bing Aerial Base Maps no longer works in MapInfo Pro

Josh Knight — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 05:05:40 GMT

Occurrence

Occurs on a older version of MapInfo Pro.

Symptoms:

1/. Opening a workspace incorporating Bing content returns an error

2/. All HOME>Open>Base Maps (the Bing Aerial, Hybrid, Roads) are inactive / greyed out.

3/. All and File >Tile Server Maps options are greyed out

Solution

Install the latest Discover MapInfo bundle which is available from this KB -

https://discoverkb.dataminesoftware.com/questions.php?questionid=818

The MapInfo Premium component, which enables the Bing functionality, is a separate license from MapInfo Pro, and is only sold and provided on a annual subscription basis.
Maintained customers will need to apply a patch to re-enable it when it expires.

Bing Maps has a limited license period, which is specific to each version of MapInfo Pro. Bing Maps, Add Bing Roads to Map and the Move Map to features cease working after this date:

• MapInfo Pro 2023 on December 31st 2024

• MapInfo Pro 2021 on December 31st 2021

• MapInfo Pro 2019 on December 31st 2020

• MapInfo Pro 17.0 on December 31st 2019

• MapInfo Pro 16.0 on December 31st 2017

• MapInfo Pro 15.0 and 15.2 on December 31st 2016

To obtain a fix to use Bing beyond these dates contact support and provide your Discover license serial number at Occurrence

When I add a Bing image or other tile server layer to the map window, the projection is changed and I am unable to change the mapper's projection to the desired UTM or other projection.

Solution

Reprojection support for Bing and Base Map or Tile server layers was added in MapInfo Pro version 2021, which is in the Discover bundle version 2021 Update 1.

In previous versions:

MapInfo disables the support for reprojection on the fly of tile server image layers.
However as a workaround a static copy of the background imagery can be saved and then reprojected with Discover.

1. Open a map containing the Bing image and zoom to the area you wish to cover.

2. Select DISCOVER>Images>Map to Image. Save the window (Tip: you can set the Detail to 10x to improve resolution when zoomed in later).
Select Save as PNG format (recommended format).

3. Select DISCOVER>Images>Reproject Image. Select the map image that has just been created and reproject to the desired projection.

For a bit more information on the Bing Maps Tile SystemOccurrence

In Discover 2019, opening certain ECW files crashes MapInfo Discover. These opened previous versions.

Solution

This issue was resolved in the Discover 2019 Update.

What data formats and file types can I import?

kbadmin — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 02:34:54 GMT

Discover and MapInfo Professional can import an extensive range of industry standard and 3rd party data formats.

The attached PDF (bottom of the page) list all supported formats under the following categories, and for each format details the location of the required import tool.

Tabular and Vector data (including databases, contour files, text files, GIS formats such as Shape and geopackage etc)
Raster Imagery (such as aerial photography, SPOT imagery, company logos, etc)
Gridded Surfaces (such as digital elevation models & geophysical grids, multibanded remote sensing data such as LANDSAT) - requires a 3D license for 3D visualization and processing
Drillhole & Trench data (such as collars points and downhole survey, downhole assays and wireline LAS logs) - requires a 3D license for 3D visualization and processing
GPS Data (such as GPX)
3D Vector Data (such as DXF of mine plans and drives, ore grade shells) - requires a 3D license for 3D visualization and processing
3D Resources Models (such as 3D vectors or block/voxel models, geophysical inversion models such as Magnetic or EM targets) - requires a 3D license

A range of additional formats can be imported using MapInfo's TABLE>Universal Translator (which is based on Safe Software's Feature Manipulation Engine (FME)).

How do I open a ECW or JP2 file?

kbadmin — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 02:10:52 GMT

Occurrence

I have tried opening a ECW or JPEG2000 (JP2) file via File>Open>Raster Image, but the image is not registered correctly.

Solution

Use Discover>Import>ECW/JP2 Import. This will correctly read the projection and register it in MapInfo.

My raster or surface grid image is shifting when I zoom in or out

kbadmin — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 03:33:23 GMT

Occurrence

When I zoom in on a Map Window, a raster or surface grid image shifts and 'jumps around'.

Solution

This is usually due to image being in a different projection type, than the current mapper window.

There are 2 ways to workaround this -

1) Reproject a new copy of the image into the Map's projection, using IMAGES>Reproject Image or SURFACES>Grid Utilities>Reproject. remove the original raster layer and use this new projected file instead.

2) Disable MapInfo's on the fly reprojection support.

Navigate to Map>Options>Image Processing and set this to Never.

Note that the map option will be saved in workspaces, and needs to be changed in all existing windows.
You should also adjust the default settings under Options>Preferences>Image Processing, to Never.

Unable to select a transparent color for a TIF image

kbadmin — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 04:48:46 GMT

Occurrence

I Mapinfo 15.2 or 16.0 64-bit, you have opened a TIF file via File>Open>Raster Image.

When you go to the layer properties to apply a transparency, the Select Color button is disabled.

Solution

This bug in MapInfo Raster hijacking the previous handling of Image files in Mapinfo. This is resolved in Mapinfo 17.0 or later, but requires re-creation of the TAB file.

To manual fix the issue -

1. Close the file in MapInfo. Open the TAB file for the TIF image in notepad

2. Delete the 3 lines -

RasterStyle 4 1

RasterStyle 7 0

RasterStyle 9 1

3. Save and re-open it. You will now be able to apply a transparency.

What is the difference between registering a raster image via MapInfo Pro versus MapInfo Discover?

Josh Knight — Fri, 15 Apr 2016 01:41:10 GMT

Two methods are available within the MapInfo Pro and MapInfo Discover product suite to register raster images in real-world coordinates.

The process of registering an image involves associating map coordinates, usually X and Y, with corresponding pixels on an unregistered image.

MapInfo Pro Image Registration

Table>Raster>Modify Image Registration…

The MapInfo Pro registration process will register points on an image with the assigned X and Y values, and locate as defined by the specified projection. This process is satisfactory if no distortions or rotations exist in the unregistered image file.

However, if you are using an image which is skewed, stretched or distorted e.g. from scanning, the image registration process within MapInfo Pro will not adjust the image to accommodate localised distortions.

For example, if there is significant error (pixels) in the registration points, this indicates the image does not match and requires warping to correctly match the desired map registration points.

What difference does this make and what are the consequences of a distorted image to
my map?

The difference this makes to a mapper window can be dramatic, depending on the amount of distortion or rotation, following the registration of a distorted image. You may observe considerable distortions in vector layers located in the mapper window. This is due to the mapper window manipulating the coordinate system grid around the distorted registered image. As a consequence the vector layers will be located in the correct coordinate space, but will appear either distorted or incorrectly orientated, and the raster image may also shift as you zoom/pan.

An example of MapInfo Pro registration can be observed in Images 1 & 2: Image 1 is an unregistered image with a rotation; Image 2 displays a M ...

How do I open an ECW/JPEG2000 in the correct projection?

kbadmin — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:37:54 GMT

Occurrence

If I simply use File>Open Raster Image�to open my JP2, J2K�or ECW image, it does not open in the correct location or projection.

How do I open it with the correct registration and projection?

Solution

To open ECW or JP2/J2K images you can use Discover>Import or Export>ECW/JPEG2000 Import.

This tool will correctly register the image, if this information is available.

It also supports opening ECWP images hosted on a ERDAS Image Web Server.

Note this does�NOT require MapImagery to be installed.

I've added a raster or grid image to my map window, but it does not appear.

Josh Knight — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:26:58 GMT

Try the following:

1/. Ensure that the map window view encompasses the raster image. Right-click in the map window, select the View Entire Layer menu option, and choose either the 'All Layers' or image name from the pull
down list. Press OK.

2/. In MapInfo's Layer Control dialog, is the image ticked as visible? Does the image layer's tick have a *?
If so, Zoom Layering has been enabled for this image, and the map window view scale is outside the preset zoom range for this image.
To disable Zoom Layering, double-left click on the image in the Layer Control and deselect the 'Display within Zoom Range' option. Press OK to return to the map window. the Image should now be displayed.

Note: Zoom Layering can be permanently disabled for all raster images by selecting the MapInfo PRO>Options>Map Window option, and deselect the Automatic Raster Zoom Layering tick box and Automatic Grid Zoom Layering (pictured below).

Can I open Satellite Imagery in MapInfo Professional?

kbadmin — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:24:23 GMT

Yes. MapInfo Professional includes disk-based file handlers for ECW, MrSID, BIL, GeoTIFF, and ArcBinary raster images.

These enable large satellite images (e.g. multi-gigabyte) to be opened and viewed in MapInfo Professional.