Hi Tony Sorry if I have the "wrong end of the stick" but I think MapInfo does do what you need now.
The knack is to separate the TAB away from the SHP. Say you want your SHP files to be accessed from drive f ( ie READONLY ). Then copy just the TAB files to say "c:\SHPFiles\" ( which would be witeable) Then edit the TAB file. Just before the Type SHAPEFILE .... add a line File "f:\some_table.dbf" This pointer to the shape files DBF tells MapInfo where to find the SHP as well. However it will wrote its DAT,ID to where the TAB is. Regards Bob Regards Bob www.MapsByDesign.co.uk In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Photogrammetry GIU <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes > > >>>> Photogrammetry GIU 2005-10-18 10:53:51 >>> >Thanks Bob > >I agree that I can open a .shp file and be prompted to locate the >folder to dump the MI components into. >However it loses all the symbology data and appears in black and >white. > >The TAB file that came with the data contains in the metadata all the >symbology and projection data needed. >Hence the need to open the data set using the tab file provided. > >When I put the files into a write-access folder, the tab file works a >treat and I get nice red dotted objects, together with a temporary set >of .map, .id and .dat components which are deleted when the table is >closed. During the open sequence assorted status statements come up >showing the conversion process. This is a feature of MI from I believe 7 >onwards, but it needs to modified for MI8.1 et seq so that remote site >or CD data can be opened this way, ie MI checks that the folder (device) >is not readonly, and if it is, asks where to put the MI components, even >if it does delete them afterwards. I can always use a save as command >somewhere in the session. > >Tony > > > >>>> bob young <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 2005-10-18 10:27:54 >>> >Hi Tony > >In MapInfo 8.0, if you open up a native SHP file, MapInfo prompts you >for a folder for the TAB, MAP and ID file. Therefore these can then be >in a seperate folder to the SHP file. They are built "on the fly" each >time you open the "TABBED" SHP. > >Your example of a TAB file seems to be missing a reference to the DBF >file which is how MapInfo knows the SHP file is in a different folder >to >the TAB, DAT and ID. This then should allow SHP in readonly (eg CD) >with >TAB etc in writable folder. > >I hope this helps. If not please let me know and I will do a bit more >investigation! > >Regards > > >Bob > > > >In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Photogrammetry GIU ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes >>Hi >> >>I recently had access to a "tabbed" shape file with the components >>listed below, which failed to open. A message of "Unknown error" >>appeared and then a browser came up. I tracked this down to the fact >>that the folder the table was in was readonly (it could have been on >a >>CD or URL). >> >>1. Is there a setting in MI8 that allows MI to use the >>designated temporary folder instead of trying (and failing) to create >>the .map, .id and .dat components in the readonly file? >>2. Is there a line that can be added to the metadata to tell >>MI to use the temporary folder? >> >>The obvious current workaround is to copy all the components to a >>folder where the readonly flag is not set. >> >>Tony >> >>File List: >> >>Some_Table.dbf >>Some_Table.prj >>Some_Table.sbn >>Some_Table.sbx >>Some_Table.shp >>Some_Table.shx >> >>Some_Table.TAB >> >>!table >>!version 700 >>!charset WindowsLatin1 >> >>Definition Table >> Type SHAPEFILE Charset "WindowsLatin1" >> Fields 7 >> Id_number Decimal (10, 0) ; >> Name Char (240) ; >> Registrati Date ; >> Current_ca Char (10) ; >> Easting Decimal (6, 0) ; >> Northing Decimal (6, 0) ; >> Area_ha Float ; >>begin_metadata >>"\IsReadOnly" = "FALSE" >>"\Shapefile" = "" >>"\Shapefile\PersistentCache" = "FALSE" >>"\Spatial Reference" = "" >>"\Spatial Reference\Geographic" = "" >>"\Spatial Reference\Geographic\Projection" = "" >>"\Spatial Reference\Geographic\Projection\Clause" = "CoordSys Earth >>Projection 8, 79, ""m"", -2, 49, 0.9996012717, 400000, -100000 Bounds >>(-7845061.1011, -15524202.1641) (8645061.1011, 4470074.53373)" >>"\DefaultStyles" = "" >>"\DefaultStyles\Pen" = "" >>"\DefaultStyles\Pen\LineWidth" = "1" >>"\DefaultStyles\Pen\LineStyle" = "0" >>"\DefaultStyles\Pen\Color" = "255" >>"\DefaultStyles\Pen\Pattern" = "2" >>"\DefaultStyles\Brush" = "" >>"\DefaultStyles\Brush\Pattern" = "52" >>"\DefaultStyles\Brush\Forecolor" = "65280" >>"\DefaultStyles\Brush\Backcolor" = "16777215" >>end_metadata >> >> >> >>The e-mail and any files sent with it are private and intended solely >for the >>use of the person or body to whom they are addressed. If you are not >the >>intended recipient, you have received this in error and use of this >information >>is prohibited. >> >>Nothing in the e-mail amounts to a legal commitment on our part unless >confirmed >>by a signed communication. >> >>English Nature will make every effort to keep its network free of >viruses. >>However, you will need to scan this message/files for viruses as we >can take no >>responsibility for any computer virus that might be transferred. >> >>--------------------------------------------------------------------- >>List hosting provided by Directions Magazine | www.directionsmag.com >| >>To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>For additional commands, e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>Message number: 18355 >> > -- bob young --------------------------------------------------------------------- List hosting provided by Directions Magazine | www.directionsmag.com | To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Message number: 18361
