Manifold System GIS provides more power and greater sophistication than ESRI ArcView, MapInfo or other legacy GIS products.

  • See the Thumbnail Summary for screen shots of key Manifold dialogs.  

  • Check out the Manifold Benefits page for a few screen shot comparisons with ESRI.

  • Visit the Windows Sanity page to see specific details of how legacy GIS products fail to support Windows standards, even when they say they do!

Compare Manifold 4.50 with MapInfo 5.0:

Manifold 4.50

MapInfo 5.0
Map Formats Import:
  • MDB
  • Coordinate-Coded Databases
  • ODBC database and spread sheet files.
  • AutoCAD® DXF
  • SDTS modules
  • DLG modules
  • Tiger/Line® 95 modules
  • Tiger/Line 97 modules
  • ESRI E00 file
  • ESRI® shapefile
  • VPF coverages
  • MapInfo® MIF/MID files
  • USGS DEM
  • Gtopo30 DEM
  • Numerous ASCII formats
  • TeleAtlas TAIF
  • NOAA GLOBE (SP2)
  • TIGER/Line 1998 (SP2)
  • NTAD 99 (Oct 99 upgrade)
  • UK Ordnance Survey BNF (Oct 99 upgrade)

 Export:

  • MDB
  • AutoCAD DXF File
  • ESRI® shapefile
  • MapInfo® MIF/MID files
  • ODBC database and spread sheet files.
  • Simple text format

 Create (Network) Maps from:

  • Web Files
  • Network or Local File System
  • SNMP
  • TCP/IP
  • DNS
 Import/Export:
  • Intergraph® DGN
  • AutoCad DXF/DWG
  • ESRI Shape
  • ESRI E00 formats
  • MapInfo® MIF/MID files

MapInfo cannot read SDTS, DLG, VPF, or TIGER … this denies MI users access to these immense, free government map data sets unless they acquire  optional converters.
Attribute Data Manifold provides numerous means for data import and export, including import and export of selections from within Table View, dialog-driven merges of objects and data from other maps or other databases, and flexible export from Results History. Cool!
  • ODBC import 
  • ODBC export
  • Merge Data one-to-many
  • Merge Data many-to-one
  • Results History Output

ODBC includes reading and writing, including of Microsoft ODBC drivers (if necessary)  for:

  • MDB
  • ASCII (.txt, .asc, .csv)
  • XLS
  • Lotus
  • dBase
  • FoxPro
  • Paradox
  • SQL Server
  • Oracle
  • (any other installed ODBC such as Sybase, Btrieve, etc)

Reads (database):

  • MDB
  • ASCII
  • XLS
  • Lotus 1-2-3
  • dBase DBF
  • Raster Files

 Writes:

  • MDB
  • ASCII
  • dBase DBF

ODBC links (read-only for Excel, Lotus and ASCII files).

No Table View ODBC import/export.
Input / Output Interfaces Manifold supports flexible input/output from many parts of the system, including:
  • Map View
  • Merge Data to combine maps/databases
  • Results History output
  • Table View ODBC input/output.
  • Save Selection as Map, save Layered Map, save abstract, etc, solvers.
 No ODBC output from Table View selections. (Hmm... no Table View selections either!), although some import/output data capabilities via other means.
Results History and Recyling Manifold makes it easy to re-use results, either in other solvers or for export, through Results History.

Results History captures the results of solver operations.  It includes configurable output options ranging from simple CSV-like output to verbose text with headings and subheadings.  Can contain clickable icons referencing objects produced by solvers.  Customizable styles for different types of text output (eg, errors in red, etc).

 Spartan text output of commands.  No output of command results and no customization.
Selection  Selection modes are very flexible and powerful:  
  • Replace
  • Add
  • Subtract
  • Invert
  • Intersect.

Select any combination of Areas, Points, Lines using a variety of interactive mouse methods:

  • Touch
  • Open/Closed Box
  • Open/Closed Circle
  • Open/Closed Polygonal Lasso

Different Types of selection methods:

  • Visual (mouse)
  • Query-based
  • Solver-based
  • Table View Selection using traditional Windows record highlighting methods.
  • Form View Selection
  • SQL Toolbar
  • Expert SQL
  • Selection in Results History by highlighting swaths of results.

Traverse selection and animate selection objects using Location Toolbar. Automatic traversal in Form View, instant Form view, etc.

Solvers can automatically combine output with the selection using solver selection modes: 

  • Replace
  • Add
  • Subtract
  • Invert
  • Intersect
  • Change a target field in all selected solver output objects to a given value.
  • Save solver selection to new layer.
  • Save solver selection to existing layer.
  • Save solver selection to active layer.
 Traditional Windows-Selection: Use SHIFT to select more objects or CTRL to select an object from a set of map layers.

No equivalents to Manifold selection modes.

No Table View selection modes.

No equivalents to solver/selection combination modes.

No Selection traversal.

No animation of selection.

No Selection from previously-reported results.
Drawing Numerous object graphics / shape creation modes. Rectangle, triangle, circle, ellipse, star, grid, spiral, unbound labels, True Type shape, Area/polygon, straight line, polyline, point, instant data. 

A Manifold Advantage: create shapes using any combination of areas, lines or points automatically.

 MapInfo has many standard graphic element types (Line, Polyline, Arc, Region, Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse, Point, Text).
Editing Basic editing operations:
  • move element
  • add/remove inflection point
  • change inflection point position

Provides direct access to coordinates of all nodes of all map objects, including all polylines, polygons and other objects. 

Automatic network edit dragging of incident links with nodes.

One-click alignment and centering

Instantly set a field value for a newly created object (Instant Data). Makes adding objects with a data field very fast and easy.

Snap to areas, lines, points or grid.

 Basic editing operations:
  • move element
  • add/remove inflection point
  • change inflection point position

Provides direct access to coordinates of  points and lines (not Polylines) and Rectangles (but not other Polygons).

 No alignment or centering.

 No instant data capability.  

(Data can be added later using an information window analogous to Manifold's  Form View, albeit without the Form View toolbars. This is much slower and more error-prone than Manifold's Instant Data.)

Polyline/polygon tracing.
Morph Spectacular Morph editing, similar to PhotoShop Transform and Free Transform Scale, Rotate, Skew, etc, commands, but with true transformation of map objects like polygons, coordinates, etc. Has no Morph editing at all. As one MI commentator put it, "MI will never be a PhotoShop."

Does have a "smooth" slightly similar to Manifold's morph "smooth".
Projections Unlimited number based on 12 projection styles, numerous pre-set ellipsoids, and settable projection parameters for all projections and ellipsoids. Results in an infinite combination of projections, parameters and ellipsoids. New ellipsoids may be defined. Has about 300 fixed "projections" (some being the same projection with different parameters representing about 20 main variations.)  Can expand selection of projections by editing .prj file.
OLE Can work with OLE objects but is not an OLE server. Can be an OLE server but cannot have OLE objects.
Queries Queries between different layers, analyzing multiple objects.

Easy automatic filtering by object type using mode buttons.

 Queries that compare objects in the same layer are difficult.

No simple filtering by object type.
Spatial Queries Manifold has many more spatial operators than MapInfo, with extensive Spatial SQL operators available in Functions, Formulas, and Expert SQL.  
  • Adjacent
  • Intersecting
  • Touching
  • Containing
  • Within
  • Left of
  • Right of
  • Above
  • Below
  • Length=, <, >, <>, >=, <=;
  • Area=, <, >, <>, >=, <=;
  • Width=, <, >, <>, >=, <=;
  • Height=, <, >, <>, >=, <=;

Manifold includes an SQL Toolbar with the above point-and-click spatial operators, as well as Expert SQL and functions versions. [Six operators each for the various Length, Area, Width, and Height operators].

All of the above operators are available in a simple, point-and-click toolbar that may be used to make spatial selections without any knowledge of SQL.

 MapInfo has 5 spatial operators:
  • Intersects
  • Contains
  • Contains Entire
  • Within
  • Entirely Within

 (MapInfo's Contains and Within are opposites and do not add spatial search capabilities).

MapInfo has Area, CentroidX, CentroidY, Distance, ObjectLen, and Perimeter as functions that can be used in expert SQL statements; however it does not provide these as dialog-driven toolbar operators such as Manifold's Area>=. 

Not available in MapInfo: 

  • Adjacent
  • Touching
  • Left Of
  • Right Of
  • Above
  • Below

(MapInfo does not have these operators; however, an expert MapBasic hacker might be able to develop similar functions).
Development Environment Yes - Manifold includes Microsoft standard Active X scripting with a complete Visual Basic Scripting development environment, including editing dialog, menu builder and solver package builder.  Use Javascript too! No - MapBasic is a proprietary MapInfo language that must be purchased separately.
Publishing for MapPoint Yes - Automatically publish data sets via the Publish for MapPoint 2000 Wizard. No
MapView Navigation Contains all possible ways to navigate in Map View.

Cool things:

  • Spots
  • GoTo
  • Location Toolbar
  • Views Manager
  • Display Navigator
 No Location Toolbar or Views Manager functionality, although some third parties have created optional add-ins similar to some Manifold capabilities.
Labels Every object can have more than one independent label. Very easy labeling and label editing system.  Easy to change label format and propagate it throughout a layer, map, etc. Temporarily click labels on/off in Display Navigator.

 Automatically set numerous label characteristics by the value of a field. E.g., make fonts larger for larger population.

 Every object can have one and only one label from one field or an expression of some fields. Placing more than one label requires adding a second layer that is opened twice in Map View and separately labeled.  MapInfo has some label characteristics (rotation) that are better than Manifold.
Table View Table Views are dynamic: change or delete objects and all relevant Table Views will change.

Manifold Table Views have their own toolbar and are a genuine, alternative console. Includes Calculator (Wow!), access to coordinates, formulas, and selection. Don't lose Map View when adding or deleting a field, click on any column to resort up/down, add/delete fields on the fly, center a highlighted record in Map View, ...much more!

Calculator allows transformation of selected records using over 75 string, numeric, and boolean operators, including automatic type conversion when copying, etc, between different field types. 

Table View includes Manifold Spread Sheet: any cell can be a formula.

Enum types and automatic conversions on imports.

 Table View is static, with data changed by updating a column.

 No spread sheet, no formulas in cells, no selection modes from within Table View, no Table View calculator, no add/delete fields on-the-fly, no sort in same window, no separate, dynamically updated table view showing just selected objects, etc, etc,

No enum types.
Network analysis Yes - Extensive set of network analysis solver. Nothing comparable at any price.

Includes extensive array of Nework SQL extensions, over 40 functions.

 No - Limited network capability available from third vendors. 

No network SQL.
Operations with Polygons (Topology) Manifold has:
  • Union
  • Intersection
  • Non-Intersecting (XOR)
  • Subtraction
  • Clip Inside
  • Clip Outside
  • Split 
  • Dissolve

A variety of automatic tools to  accomplish routine topological work such as finding and attaching unattached points or lines, etc.

Topology Factory ($45) adds additional topological capabilities for experts.

 MapInfo has:
  • Combine
  • Split
  • Erase
  • Erase Outside

Nothing comparable to Manifold's Intersection, Non-intersecting, Subtraction, automated tools capabilities, 

No Topology Factory equivalents except ability to insert nodes at object intersection.

 
Geometry Analysis Extensive geometric measurement and creation capabilities. Create centroids by center of mass or center of inflection points, automatically inherit fields to centroids, etc. Nearest/farthest neighbors, convex hull, star polygonalization, numerous other geometric solvers.

Includes numerous Geometric SQL extensions.

 Similar measurement capabilities, but no centroids and no other geometric functions such as nearest neighbors or convex hull.

It is possible, but tedious, to create centroids using multiple step methods.

No geometric SQL extensions.
Spatial Analysis Manifold Spatial Analysis:
  • Buffer Zones
  • Multiple Buffer Zones
  • Spatial Correlations
  • Automatic Contouring
  • Reachable Zones
  • Voronoi Cells
  • Voronoi Tilings
 MapInfo Spatial Analysis:
  • Buffer Zones only.  

No other spatial capabilities, although some third parties sell enhancements with some of the capabilities of Manifold (eg, $995 for Vertical Mapper®).
Statistics Statistics:
  • Simple Statistics
  • One Way / Two Way Frequencies
  • Regressions
  • Variance 
  • Correlations
  • Covariance
  • Standard Deviation
  • Skewness
  • Excess
  • Spatial Auto / Cross Correlation
  • numerous others.
Simple Statistics equivalent only.

No other sophisticated statistics functions. No spatial statistics (spatial correlation) at all.
Utilities Create Boundaries from Nonintersecting Line, GPS Tools, Make Circle Stack, Make Area Boundaries, Set Closure, Selection Direction (for directed networks), Find Duplicates/Empties, Send Email, Make line from Point Set No comparable utility solvers for object creation, no comparable set or network or map manipulation solvers.

No send email capability at all.

Note: Manifold has far more analytic capabilities than MapInfo. See the list of Manifold Solvers for a comprehensive list.
True Windows User Interface Yes - True and complete Windows dialogs with full railbars, tool-tips, scrollbars, etc. Numerous in-context menus, right-click pop-ups.

Import and use icons from any Windows file (.exe, .dll, etc).  Use photographic area fill bitmaps (wood, stone textures, etc) in NT as well.

 No - numerous dialogs are not usual Windows dialogs (eg: color, font selection), outdated toolbar style, etc. 
ViewBots Yes - Automatic calculations by floating "readouts" with numerous statistics and math functions. No
Spatial Overlays Yes - Dialog-driven, pull down menu choices for Point-in-Polygon operations to aggregate point values into polygons that contain them, or vice versa. Requires expert SQL usage writing "freehand" SQL. 
Network console Yes - Network analytics in real-time on real computer networks.  Monitor networks and build maps of networks. No ability to map, display, monitor or analyze computer networks at all.
Manifold Spread Sheet and Formulas Yes - Write a Microsoft ActiveX / VBscript formula into any Table View Cell and see it automatically re-calculated.  Field cells thus created with formulas can then be used in any solver input, to automatically format, used as labels and more.  Use any of hundreds of Manifold built-in solver functions, too.

Yes - Instead of entering a field name into a solver input box, enter an Active X expression.  For example use [length] * 1.61 in a field instead of simply the length.

 No  [Trying to do this in MapInfo is like asking a cow to design a nuclear reactor....]  

As Arthur C. Clarke remarked, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."  Our use of formulas is typical Manifold magic unavailable in MapInfo.

No formulas in solver input boxes.
Quick Look Yes - Sophisticated visual browsing of maps before loading, may be used independently.  Fast database preview. No
GPS Console Yes - Integrated GPS console with moving map, automatic centering, time syncronization, waypoint download, route download, automatic tracking with location, field data, and point and line-building. Unknown GPS interface.  

No interactive console built in.
World View Yes - True 3D globe applet showing current maps in context. No
Optional "Fuzzy Logic" Queries Yes - Part of Business Tools Decision Support System ($75 extra cost option). No
Vendor-provided 3D Analysis Yes - Magnificent 3D Visualization and analysis, including visibility zones, multiple surface intersections, drainage paths and much, much more ($75 extra cost option). No - Some third party 3D products available, but they do not do as much 3D analysis as Manifold, and they cost a fortune (eg, $995 for Vertical Mapper®).
Attitude See our customer comments: we want to deliver ten times as much at one tenth the price. Fat and happy.
Price

$145

$1,295
Price configured with Basic scripting, spatial and networking capabilities. $145 (Add MapBasic, Vertical Mapper, and networking add-in)

over $3000

...and still not as capable as Manifold!

See Also: Manifold Benefits for a comparison with ESRI dialogs.

A note to MapInfo fans: If there is something in the above comparison that is wrong or unfair, please tell us. This page is based on a comparison created by an experienced MapInfo dealer who has begun using Manifold.  However, that MapInfo dealer may have missed something in MapInfo that you know about. To the best of our knowledge the comparison does a good job of comparing the two when the intention is to emphasize those capabilities Manifold has that MapInfo does not. We took this approach because it is more surprising to see that a $145 program does profoundly more than a $1295 program, while it is hardly surprising to learn that the more expensive program might have a few features that Manifold does not.   

Being Fair: If there is something MapInfo does that Manifold does not do, please tell us so we can publish it.  MapInfo is a cool program and acknowledging MI strong points makes Manifold's winning edge all that more credible.

A note to Manifold fans: OK, the above comparison misses many things that Manifold does better than MapInfo. It's just too much for one web page.  If we missed something you think is especially cool please let us know.

A note to ESRI fans: The Manifold vs. ArcView comparison is coming soon.  See our our customer comments  page in the meanwhile for how people like Manifold better than ArcView.

Manifold System was created by over 50 of some of the world's smartest mathematicians and programmers. Release 3.0 (first GIS release) came out in January of 1998, followed by Release 4.0 (first GIS release comparable to ArcView or MapInfo) in June of 1998.  Release 4.50 came out in May of 1999 and was the first Manifold release to generally exceed ArcView or MapInfo. 

September of 1998 saw the release of 3D View for Manifold, Business Tools for Manifold, 3D View for Access, Manifold Commander for Access, and GPS Tools for Access.  manifold.net won two ZD Net Five Star Editor's Pick awards and one ZD Net Four Star Editor's Pick award.

Topology Factory, Topology Plus, Send Email, 3D View Studio, Business Tools 2 with Decision Support, Manifold Database Commander and Manifold World were released in May, June, and July of 1999.  Send Email is the first system for sending geo-targeted email, 3D View Studio is the first 3D rendering system to show analytic data using true rendered environments from a GIS, and Decision Support is the first use of "Fuzzy Logic" to achieve flexible selections in GIS.

No other GIS company has ever maintained such a strong pace of advanced development.  If you are tired of new MapInfo releases that boil down to a few minor additions onto the same old-fashioned core, check out how each new Manifold product introduces numerous major systems with substantial new functionality.

4.50 is just the beginning!  Lots more is on the way...

world_elevations.png (36062 bytes)Release 5.00 is coming.  In Q4 2000, Manifold System R5 will provide the most sophisticated, most flexible raster/vector integration in GIS.  R5 will also include new database methods never before seen in GIS.  As is our tradition, all 4.50 customers will get an unbeatable deal to upgrade to R5.  Release 5.00 will be priced at $245, with upgrades for 4.50 customers only $50.See the News page for more screen shots and preliminary information on Release 5.00.  Thumbnail image (right): World terrain elevations as raster image, georeferenced into Robinson projection using Release 5.00 tools.

manifold.net will spare no effort to create the finest, most advanced and easiest-to-use GIS products on the planet.  If there is something you like in another system that you don't see in Manifold, please send a suggestion to sales@manifold.net so Manifold may be improved to fit your needs.  We want to be your dream GIS at a price anyone can afford and R5 is your opportunity to help make it happen.

Do you like this philosophy of first emphasis on customer needs, quality and performance at an unbeatable price?  Here's how you can help:

  • Be Demanding - On the job and in your personal life don't settle for a dumb tool just because it's been around for a while.  Life is too short to work with poor tools.
  • Be a Critic - Review this web site, cruise the online manual or better still, buy a copy of Manifold and start using it.  Then, tell us what you do and don't like.  Tools get better with sharp use and professional criticism.
  • Spread the Word - Tell your friends and colleagues about Manifold.  manifold.net does not advertise because we believe the money is better spent in creating a better product for you than it is hyping something done in the past.   The only way we can stay alive and grow is if our customers are happy.  This approach keeps us honest and working hard for you. 

Yo, Ho, Ho! Release 5.00 is  now here! Manifold is getting better and stronger every day.  

Rest in Peace, old-style GIS!

 Order any product online through the Manifold Online Store using secure forms.  The Store is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Many products may be downloaded immediately after purchase for instant gratification.

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