This topic provides links to examples in this documentation.
Example: Add Labels to a Map - How to manually add labels to a map.
Example: Spectacular Images and Data from Web Servers - A must see topic providing a gallery of views illustrating how Manifold can use web servers such as image servers and other free resources to provide a seemingly endless selection of spectacular background maps, satellite images and GIS data with nearly zero effort.
Example: An Imageserver Tutorial - An extensive tutorial showing step by step how to add new data sources that are image servers, how to show them as layers in a map, how to create a new drawing that matches the projection of the map and how to trace over what is seen in an image server layer to create an area object in the drawing.
Example: Change Point Style - Using new Style panel controls to change point style, either very rapidly one property at a time, or using the total Style button to compose a new style with changes to several properties at once.
Example: Bounded Areas - Given line objects, the Bounded Areas transform template creates areas in regions entirely enclosed by overlapping or otherwise touching lines. A quick look at how the Transform panel in the Contents pane helps create new drawings.
Example: Trace an Area in a Map over an Image Background - In a map with a drawing layer above an image layer (served dynamically by an image server), create an area object in the drawing by tracing over the outlines of something seen in the image layer below.
Example: Transfer DEM Terrain Heights to Areas in a Drawing - Given a map with an image layer that shows terrain heights taken from a DEM, and a drawing layer that contains areas, using a small SQL query we transfer the average terrain height within each area to that area as a Height attribute for the area. Easy!
Example: Create a Map Showing OSM Use by Country - A start-to-finish real life example of map creation that combines various Manifold capabilities. Copying a table of numbers from a web site, we create a map that is thematically colored to show usage of OpenStreetMap by country in proportion to the population of that country.
Example: Compare Sizes of Countries - An example that combines multiple facilities within Manifold to create a presentation that allows comparison of the relative sizes of different countries.
Example: Create a Table and Add a Record - Create a table with required fields and then add a record with value for those fields. Creates the OGR-required table to prepare a Manifold project for use by OGR as detailed in the Example: Connect to Radian from QGIS topic.
Example: Add a Spatial Index to a Table - A typical use of an index is to provide a spatial index on a geom field in a table, so the geom data can be visualized in a drawing. This example shows how to add a spatial index using a geom field in a table.
Example: Create a Geocoded Table from a Drawing - A partner example to Example: Create a Drawing from a Geocoded Table A geocoded table has records with a latitude and longitude for each record. This example starts with a table for a drawing of points where the geom field in the table contains geometry information for each point. We extract the Y and X locations for each point from the geom field to create latitude and longitude fields in the table for each record.
Example: Street Address Geocoding - Geocode a table of street addresses using the Google geocoder.
SQL Example: Using the mfd_id Field and mfd_id_x Index - A sequence of SQL examples of working with the mfd_id field and mfd_id_x index.
Example: Export the Results of a Query - How to export the results table of a query for use in other applications.
SQL Example: Miscellaneous SQL Functions - A variety of small examples using SQL functions.
SQL Example: GeomOverlayAdjacent Function - Using the GeomOverlayAdjacent function, an example that shows how this function and similar functions such as GeomOverlayContained, GeomOverlayContaining, GeomOverlayIntersecting and GeomOverlayTouching operate.
SQL Example: GeomOverlayTopologyUnion Function - A continuation of the SQL Example: GeomOverlayAdjacent Function example, using the GeomOverlayTopologyUnion function, an example that shows how this function and similar functions such as GeomOverlayTopologyIdentity, GeomOverlayTopologyIntersect and GeomOverlayTopologyUpdate operate.
Example: Create a New Data Source from a Manifold Image Server - Manifold image server modules are snippets of code which use the Manifold Image Server Interface (ISI) to automatically fetch image tiles from popular image servers like Virtual Earth, Wikimapia, Yahoo!, Google Maps, Yandex and many others. Image servers can provide street maps, overhead satellite imagery, combinations of streets and satellite imagery and other data as well. Using Manifold Image Servers is one of the most popular Manifold features.
Example: Create a New Data Source from a MAP File - Create a new data source from an existing Manifold .map project file. This is the classic way to nest projects, one calling another, to create libraries of data and projects. Access to nested projects has effectively zero performance loss and the links within projects take up effectively zero space so we can create huge constellations of data at our fingertips.
Example: Create a Data Source within an Existing Data Source - When a data source is writable, for example, if the data source is a Manifold .map file, we can work within that data source as if it were at the top level of our project. For example, we can create a new data source that is nested within the existing data source. This example shows how.
Example: Create and Use New Data Source using an MDB Database - This example Illustrates the step-by-step creation of a new data source using an .mdb file database, followed by use of SQL. Although now deprecated in favor of the more current Access Database Engine formats, .mdb files are ubiquitous in the Microsoft world, one of the more popular file formats in which file databases are encountered.
Example: Modify GPKG Geometry with SQL then Add Drawing - This topic provides a "Hello, World" example that shows a simple, but typical, task involving spatial data. We will take a country-sized data set in GeoPackage (GPKG) format and change all areas in the data to the boundary lines for those areas and then save those boundary lines as a new table. We add a spatial index to the table and create a new drawing to visualize the new table.
Example: Select a Range of Records in a Table - We can select or deselect a range of records between any two records in a table window using fast and easy mouse commands.
Example: Combining Selections using the Select Panel - How to use selections to solve a one-off problem casually that would be more difficult to solve rigorously with SQL. The objective in the example's scenario is to visit a point of tourist interest while travelling. We will use the Transform panel as well as the Select panel.
Example: Using the Select Panel Saved Tab - How to save selections and then use them later.
Example: Repair a Wrong Edit using a Backup - How to quickly make a backup table and to then copy and paste geometry from that table to repair errors made when editing objects. This technique is a life-saver when edits go astray.
Example: Create a Drawing from a Geocoded Table - A partner example to Example: Create a Geocoded Table from a Drawing A geocoded table has records with a latitude and longitude for each record. This example starts with a table containing a list of cities with a latitude and longitude field for the location of each city. We create a geom from the latitude and longitude fields using a template in the Transform panel and then we create a drawing that shows the cities as points. This example shows all the infrastructure steps involved.
Example: Create a Drawing from Read-Only Geocoded CSV File - A detailed example using a mix of dialogs and SQL to create a drawing that shows data from an external, read-only geocoded CSV file that is linked into the project.
Example: Create a Drawing from a Query - Everybody knows we can create a drawing from a table, but we can also create a drawing from a query. When the query reports different results the drawing changes too. This example show step by step how to create a query and then how to create a drawing from that query. We show how to command Manifold to write a query for us that grabs a selection, and then how to create a drawing based on that new query. This example duplicates the Drawings from Queries video using the Mexico_queries.mxb sample project.
SQL Example: Kriging - We use SQL functions to create a raster terrain elevation image from vector contour lines in a drawing, using SQL functions for Kriging interpolation.
Example: Formatting Tricks - The visualization capabilities of Manifold using Style can be exploited to provide many visual effects. This topic provides some examples of how to use Style in unexpected ways to create a range of more elaborate effects.
Example: Add, Delete and Edit Thematic Formatting Intervals - This topic provides a step by step example of adding, deleting and editing intervals in the Style dialog that are used for thematic formatting.
Example: Style Overrides - Working with style overrides to individually style areas, to use or not use style overrides, to find all records using style overrides and to clear style overrides.
Example: Complex Point Style using a Circle Box - This example creates a complex point style, which uses a variety of different colors within the different effects tabs in the Point Style dialog.
Example: Point Style using Move and Rotate - The Move parameter for symbols allows us to move symbols in an angular direction even as we rotate them. This example shows how to create point symbols that are clock faces with hands, using Move and Rotate.
Example: Line Style with Multiple Effects - We can use effects from all of the Line Style dialog tabs to create a more complex line style. This example shows how to create a line style with an arrowhead symbol at the end of the line, a symbol at the beginning of the line and accessory lines in different colors to the left and right of the main line.
Example: Fill Areas with Bitmap Images - We can use bitmap images as "fill" symbology for areas, including for the fill of the area itself, or as fill for Inner or Outer effects. In this example we use Style Overrides to fill different areas in a map of provinces with a different bitmap image pattern.
Example: Use Repeating Images to Fill Areas - Areas are often filled with bitmap images that form a seamless pattern when tiled. If we like, we can use any bitmap image that can be used as a symbol, which will repeat within the area.
Example: Inner and Outer Effects using a Bitmap - The Inner and Outer effects with area styles can use bitmap images for fills. We first illustrate an Outer effect using a bitmap, and then add an Inner effect.
Example: Style Properties in the mfd_meta Table - Style properties for drawings such as colors for areas are stored in human readable JSON values as properties in the mfd_meta system table. This example shows how we can copy formatting from one drawing to another by simply copying values between records in the mfd_meta table.
Example: Change the Contrast of an Image - In this example we use the Edit - Style dialog to change the contrast of an image.
Example: Set Image Transparency using Alpha - The A row in the Style dialog allows us to specify what transparency we want to apply to the image, either by applying the same value for A for all pixels or by using one of the other channels to also control the A value.
Example: Autocontrast and Hill Shading Images using Style - This example shows how the Edit - Style dialog can hill shade an image using the values of pixels as heights and generating shadows as if the Sun were located at the specified azimuth and altitude. This capability is used most frequently with raster images to give an impression of three dimensionality in cases where the values of pixels represent terrain elevations.
Example: Style Applied to an Image Server Image - Because the Edit - Style dialog simply changes the way an image is displayed and not the data, it can operate on read-only data served by various web servers such as WMS REST servers. In this example we look at every detail of creating a data source using a WMS REST server and then manipulating the appearance of the display with Style. We will connect to a WMS server that provides LiDAR data in various forms, including as terrain elevation.
SQL Example: Process Images with 3x3 Filters - Shows a step-by-step example of developing an SQL query that takes a query written by the Edit Query button and then modifies that query into a general purpose query that can apply any 3x3 filter. This makes it easy to use matrix filters we find on the web for custom image processing. We extend the query by using parameters and adding a function, and then show how it can be adapted to use a 5x5 filter.
SQL Example: Process Images using Dual 3x3 Filters - A continuation of the above topic, extending the example query to utilize two filters for processing, as commonly done with Sobel and Prewitt two filter processing.
SQL Example: Process RGB Images using Matrix Filters - A continuation of the above two topics, extending the example query to process three channel, RGB images.
SQL Example: Create NDVI Displays - How to create a query that creates an NDVI display from a four-band NAIP image, with tips and tricks on how to copy and paste existing information to get the result we want.
Example: Enhance Terrain with Curvatures - We enhance a terrain showing Crater Lake, Oregon, by using mean curvature calculation to bring out details. The example uses a 4 GB project containing a large terrain elevation surface. Using a point-and-click dialog with no SQL, we apply automatic CPU parallelism and GPU parallelism to absolutely crush a task in two and a half minutes that would take non-parallel software days.
Example: Layout Properties - Editing properties which appear in the mfd_meta table for a layout changes the content of that layout. We can exploit that effect to create standardized layouts which are then re-cycled for different content.
Example: Import an ESRI ADF File and Apply Style and Hillshading - In this example we import an ESRI ADF format file that provides a raster terrain elevation data set for the region near Yosemite National Park in the United States. The data set imports as an image. We then use Style to style the image and to provide hillshading.
Example: Import BIL and Combine 3 Bands - A very technical example in which we import a BIL file that produces three images, each using one band from the BIL. We then create an image that uses the three bands for R, G and B.
Example: Import CSV and Create a Drawing - Import a CSV file by creating a New Data Source, copying and pasting the table conveyed by the CSV, prepping the table for use as a geocoded table and then creating a drawing.
Example: Import DDF SDTS DEM Raster File - We import a raster data terrain elevation surface from USGS SDTS format using DDF files.
Example: Import DDF SDTS DLG Vector File - We import a vector data roads drawing from USGS SDTS format using DDF files. We use the Select panel to quickly reduce the data to line objects only, excluding points and area objects.
Example: Import E00 and Rearrange - An intricate example showing how to use Manifold tools to adapt legacy data imported from E00 format into useful, modern form.
Example: Import or Link ECW - Step by step examples showing how to link an image from an ECW file into a project and also how to import an image from an ECW file into a project.
Example: Import GeoJSON / JSON File - Import vector footprints for all buildings in the District of Columbia, using a GeoJSON file published as open data by Microsoft.
Example: Import GIRAS vector LULC File and Style - A companion topic to the Example: Import CTG Grid Cell File and Style topic. We import a USGS land use file in GIRAS vector format and then we use Style to provide a more understandable display.
Example: Import GML / OS Open Map Local - Import an Ordnance Survey, UK, vector map in GML format from the OS Open Map - Local series.
Example: Link GPKG and Save Style - A companion topic to the GPKG topic. How to link a GPKG, open a drawing, Style it and then save so the styling is retained within the GPKG file.
Example: Import KML with GroundOverlay Image - KML files can contain GroundOverlay references to images that are stored in other files and which are intended to be used as part of the KML. Manifold will automatically import GroundOverlay images that are stored on the local machine or which are accessible through local network references as part of the KML import.
Example: Import Multiple MapInfo TAB Images - MapInfo TAB format can store images as well as vector drawings. This example shows how multiple images at the same time can be imported from TAB format.
Example: Link NLCD using Scan Raw Binary File - Use the Scan Raw Binary File tool to scan and to prepare a configuration file, which we use to link an NLCD raw binary file providing land cover data for Delaware as a raster image. We use a standard palette to color the land cover data and then we assign a projection to the newly imported image so it can be used as a correctly georegistered layer in maps.
Example: Import ERDAS GIS with GDAL and Assign Coordinate System - A multistep example that covers import of an unwieldy format using GDAL, followed by use of Assign Initial Coordinate System and Repair Initial Coordinate System to deal quickly with real-life complications.
Example: Transform Elevation Image to Flatten Bathymetry to Zero - Using the Transform panel with an image, which contains a single data channel for terrain elevation data for land together bathymetry data for oceans, we use the Expression tab of the Transform panel to reset all pixel values less than zero to zero. This takes all below-zero elevations and sets them to zero, in effect removing bathymetry effects so that ocean areas are represented with zero elevation.
Example: Zoom In to See Transform Previews for Big Images - A short example showing how previews for the Transform panel will appear in large images only when zoomed in far enough so computation of the preview does not cause objectionable delays.
Example: Parallel Speed Increase in an Image Transform - A short example illustrating how checking the Allow parallel execution option (on by default) increases speed by a factor of four in a simple use of the Transform panel to modify an image.
Example: Transform Template Units - Templates in the Transform panel often include parameter boxes using units of measure. This example uses the Buffer drawing template to show how to change units of measure quickly to whatever units are desired.
Example: Transform Field Values using an Expression in the Transform Panel - How the Expressions tab of the Transform panel may be used to change the values of fields.
Example: Overlay Contained - A frequent use of overlays is to sum the values of many points that fall within an area and to transfer that sum to a new field for an area. In this example we take a drawing that has cities in the US with a population value for each city. We use Overlay Contained to sum the population of each city within a state and to transfer that sum to a total population for the state.
Example: Overlay Containing - One of the most common uses of overlays is to transfer fields from areas to points that are contained in those areas. Tasks such as transferring a census block group number or zip code number from a drawing of areas to points that fall within each area are extremely common. In this example we transfer the name of a French region to the points that represent cities which fall within each region.
Example: Overlay Topology Intersect - In this example we use the Overlay Topology, Intersect template in the Transform panel to trim a drawing of points so that all points which do not fall within areas in a second drawing are deleted. The drawing of points we trim will become the US cities drawing that is used in the Example: Overlay Contained topic.
Example: Easy Guide to Diversity and Other Transfer Rules - Illustrated examples using Overlay Touching with easily-understood visual diagrams to show the results produced by Average, Diversity, Diversity Index, Major, Maximum, Median, Minimum, and Sum transfer rules. No more troubles understanding Diversity!
Example: Union Areas - Combine multiple area objects into a single area. A drawing of French regions shows some regions as more than one area. We would like each region to be one area so the table of regions has one record per region.
Example: Construct JSON String using Select and Transform - Use the Select panel and Transform panel to manually construct a JSON string using values from other fields in a table. Shows how we can manipulate text to build desired contents in a field.
Example: Edit a Drawing with Transform Templates - In this example we open a drawing and edit objects in the drawing using Transform panel templates. Includes examples of using the Add Component button and also the Edit Query button.
SQL Example: Custom Contour Intervals - This example builds on the Example: Contour Areas and Contour Lines topic, using the Edit Query button in the Transform panel for images to learn how to slightly alter the generated SQL to create contour areas or lines on whatever intervals we like, and not just evenly spaced intervals like the default transform creates. It's incredibly easy.
Example: Trace Vector Areas from Raster Pixels - This example follows the Trace Vector Areas from Raster Pixels video on the Gallery page. We use the Trace Areas template in the Transform panel for images to create a drawing with vector areas covering regions of similarly-colored pixels. Next, we use a simple query to add classification codes from a USGS table of classes to the resulting drawing, using a simple INNER JOIN SQL statement.
Example: Connect to a Shapefile usng GDAL/OGR - Instead of using Manifold's native ability to connect to shapefiles, use the Manifold GDAL dataport to connect to a shapefile.