Headlines 06 - Archived What's New?

This is archived news information.  Some items may be superceded by more recent news items.   

See the What's New page for the latest news and notes from Manifold.  Visit our Headlines  page to see a list of archived news items pages.    Check out the new Press Releases page for links to press releases issued by manifold.net and see the Customer Comments on Manifold Products page for sample comments from our customers about Manifold and its products. 

Service Pack 3 (SP3) is Available

Service Pack 3 (SP3) is available.   All Manifold System Release 5.00 licensees should download and install SP3.  You must have SP3 installed to receive Technical Support from manifold.net. 

SP3 highlights include:

• Export to SDTS - SDTS is the standard US Federal Government format.  Manifold can now write drawings or surfaces to SDTS.

• Improved SHP file import and export  - SHP routines now use Manifold-written .dbf drivers for much higher speed and greater flexibility.

• Resizable panes - Panes may be resized when docked or undocked.

• Print to scale - Greatly enhanced print routine accuracy and support for scaled views in print layouts.

• Syntax highlighting - Script windows now show Visual Basic or Javascript syntax in different colors.

• Improved Command Console - The command console dialog now uses an Enterprise style toolbar and commands.

• Ready for Debugger and Enterprise Editions - Installing SP3 installs a system that is ready to upgrade to the Debugger option or to Enterprise Edition.  The documentation includes chapters on Enterprise Edition and Debugger as well, for users who are curious about these advanced features.

• Numerous improvements and bug fixes -  See the SP3 Release Notes for a complete list of improvements, over 120 in all.   Note: Release notes are formatted for viewing in Notepad, without line breaks.  Download a copy by right-clicking on the link and choosing Save Target As... to save to your local disk as a text file.

SP3 also includes all updates that were provided in the previous Service Packs including:

• Compilation using Visual Studio .NET - Manifold is the first professional GIS to take advantage of Microsoft's new .NET generation Visual C++ compiler, for faster performance and dedicated optimization for advanced processors such as Intel's Pentium IV.

• Hotlinks - The ability to double-click on an object in a map and automatically launch an Internet Browser to view the associated web site, an image, documentation, etc.

• Improved Print Layouts - Print layouts now include snap to grid, multiline text layout alignment and other improvements that make it a lot easier to produce professional quality print output.

• Improved Legends, Scale Bars and North Arrows - Legends now provide greater flexibility than ever before, with the ability to create horizontal as well as vertical layouts.

• Alignment tools for objects in drawings - Use these to line up and otherwise align objects in drawings for a well-ordered look when using Manifold for CAD style editing.

• Automatic Legends for surfaces, images and labels - Create cool legends for thematically-colored surfaces and images.

• Layer transparency for Windows NT and 95 - Previously available only in Windows XP, 2000, Me and 98, SP1 adds this wonderful capability to NT and 95.

• New topics and examples in Help  - Manifold's documentation continues to expand with numerous detailed additions.

• Double-click for Info - Fast readout of data attributes for objects by simply double clicking an object or CTRL-double-clicking to raise the Fields display for that object.

• 150 listed improvements - See the SP1 section in the the SP3 Release Notes for a complete list of improvements, over 150 in all!  No wonder GIS users say that Manifold's service packs deliver more new improvements for free than the new product versions sold by other GIS vendors! 

If your Manifold System Release 5.00 license has already been permanently installed, you will not need to use a new Activation key to install SP2.

• Download SP3 (30 MB)

• Read the SP3 Release Notes

You must have a previous Manifold installation from the Manifold CD to use SP3.  If you are not a licensee, you will not be able to use SP3.  If you are a new customer and have not yet installed Manifold System, please install Manifold System from the Manifold CD first and then download and install SP3.

Knowledge Base Up and Running!

The manifold.net Knowledge Base server is now available.  The Knowledge Base provides a full text searchable database of information on Manifold System, including questions and answers, tech support questions and answer, tips and tricks, bugs and case studies.   It may be searched by article title, title or text, keywords or article ID using all/any of the search words entered, an exact phrase or even a Boolean search expression.  The Knowledge Base is loaded every day with additional articles, topics, tips, etc. 

New Case Study Published

Visit the Intersection Overlays Example page for a new case study, a Release 5.00 example that  that uses Transfer Rules, Split with, Clip with (Intersect) and Spatial Overlays commands to split intersecting areas along all boundaries, including internal boundaries of either layer, and transfers data fields to the resulting intersected areas.

This is a small, but sophisticated example suitable for intermediate users who are expanding their use of Spatial Overlays.

Manifold System Release 5.00 Professional Edition Phase 2 is Shipping! 

Thumbnails below right:  Earth from space shown in Release 5.00. Click on the thumbnail for a larger image. These scenes were created by projecting an image (shown at left) into Orthographic projection and then layering it in a map with several layers using alpha masks, invisible pixels, layer transparency to create the "haze" effect at the edges of the globe. The initial images were created from GLOBE terrain elevation data and had been processed with a Relief algorithm and color changes in ocean areas. One of the images shows a polar aspect orthographic projection, correctly wrapping an ordinary, cylindrical lat/long image into a polar view.  Cool!  

The final release for Manifold System Release 5.00 Professional Edition has now been delivered to licensees.  Thanks to all 5.00 Licensees who participated in the Phase 1 to Phase 2 program.  Hundreds of user comments were incorporated to make Release 5.00 the highest quality, most reliable, utterly bulletproof Manifold release yet!   Visit the Manifold 5.00 Professional home page.

New Manifold IMS Sample Sites 

These sites show the Manifold Internet Map Server, which is included in Manifold System Release 5.00 Professional Edition.  Manifold IMS provides a high performance web mapping solution that's powerful enough for organizations yet affordable by individuals.  Manifold IMS works with standard web browsers and requires no plug ins or costly middleware!  Manifold IMS automatically creates web sites from Manifold projects using a variety of templates.  The example sites show the use of three different templates:

High compatibility template - This template creates a site that will work with older, "4.x" style browsers from Microsoft, Netscape, Mozilla and Opera.  The sites use more austere style with text link menus instead of command buttons.  Tables created by the Find tool and queries will pop open in a new browser window.  Pan by clicking near the edges of the map.  Two sites show the standard template.

Mexico - A map of Mexico with layers using zoom ranges to control which layers come on upon zoom in. Shows labels as a layer.  

Surface with Vector Layers (at right) - Montara Mountain SDTS DEM surface overlayed on a base map of the San Francisco Bay region, with roads and hydrography layers. Zoom in to see the surface. This generates detailed images (due to the surface... same as raster images) that do not compress well and so the image served to your browser may be over 150K in size. If you have a slow Internet link it could take a while for the image to be downloaded. Note how much faster the mexico example is ("sparse" images compress well and so are smaller) even though it too is a large image size.  

Standard template -  This template creates attractive sites designed for newer "5.x" browsers including Microsoft IE, Netscape, Mozilla and Opera.  It provides a point and click Info tool as well as a prettier, tool-based interface. Pan by selecting the Center tool and then clicking anywhere near the edge of the map.

Theater - Architectural plans for the TSB Theater in Plymouth, New Zealand taken from .dxf files. A smaller window, but showing how one can use Manifold IMS to publish CAD drawings. 

Standard template with frames - A very fast and convenient template for newer "5.x" browsers that reports the results of queries, Find and the Info button in tables that appear below the main map display.  With or without frames, the standard template is a good choice for high performance intranet use and internet web sites aimed at more sophisticated users who want greater interactivity with the data sets.

107th Congressional Districts (at right) - A practical application that shows Congressional districts in the United States for the 107th Congress with many IMS features such as a legend, a query and Info and Find tools.  Zoom in to see ever more detailed city names.  Click on the Info tool and then click on a district to see the name of the representative and their web site.  Try entering Barton in the Find box to see a bizarrely "Gerrymandered" district.   The Query pane is set up with a query that will list all representatives in a particular state.  Enter the state's two letter postal code and press Query to see the representatives, sorted by last name.

Advanced usage - The site at left provides an example of programmatic use of Manifold IMS to create web pages.  It was created without use of a template by scripting in Javascript in the .asp files used.   Two new toolbar buttons are added.  Click the Zoom to Cities button and then click near a city dot to get information (lat/lon location) on that city.  Click on the Zoom to Query button and click anywhere in the map to find all cities within the given distance of the clicked point.   A table with hyperlinks to the city appears for all cities within range.

Click here to visit the Manifold IMS home page and learn more about Manifold IMS requirements and capabilities. 

manifold.de Goes Online!

Visit manifold.de the German language portal for Manifold System operated by Manifold experts StrateGIS.  In operation since 1996, StrateGIS focuses on independent software consulting as well as business geographic solutions.  StrateGIS technical and business managers played a key role in the advisory group of Manifold users who advised manifold.net in the creation of Manifold System Release 5.00.   Visit the manifold.de site for cool screen shots and introductory notes in both German and English. 

Manifold 5.00 fulfills all Microsoft "Designed for Windows XP" Criteria

When installed in Windows XP, Manifold System Release 5.00 automatically configures the "look and feel" of the product to match Windows XP.  5.00 qualifies 100% for Microsoft's Designed for Windows XP software qualification program!  Applications meeting the Designed for Windows XP criteria must meet key requirements that assure the software will run correctly on Windows XP.  Requirements include: Support for fast user switching between users; Support for new visual styles; Performance of primary functionality and maintain stability; All kernel-mode drivers that the application installs must pass verification on Windows XP; Applications perform Windows version checking properly; Applications do not attempt to replace files that are protected by Windows File Protection; Applications do not require a reboot unnecessarily.

Image at right: A column formatting dialog for table windows in Manifold seen in XP automatically uses the modern XP look for controls.

Manifold-L List now Up

www.DirectionsMag.com , the premier GIS "ezine" has graciously agreed to host the Manifold-L list. Please visit http://lists.directionsmag.com/discussion/list_info.php?f=29 for instructions on joining the list. We encourage all Manifold users to participate in this list. 

Manifold-L is an unmoderated list that is sponsored by DirectionsMag.com. DirectionsMag.com sponsors the highly-regarded lists for MapInfo and ESRI products. The staff at DirectionsMag.com are well known for their technical expertise and journalistic balance. We are very flattered and proud to have the Manifold-L list hosted by DirectionsMag.com.

Manifold System Release 5.00 Professional Edition Now Shipping!

07 May 2001 - Release 5.00 Phase 1 download shipments have begun to new customers and upgrade orders. Release 4.50 licensees have already received notification for upgrades.  

How good is 5.00?  Early comments from 5.00 users (see the complete quotes in testimonials):

"Your product has no equal!  Congratulations!! I'm incredibly impressed with the quality, stability and value."

"It has by far more analytical capability than ArcInfo 8.  Just playing with it is a joy."

"- It is much faster, more intuitive and fun to use than the previous version  4.50"

"I am a multimedia developer and spend most of my time working with superbly designed graphics tools [Flash, Fireworks, ]. I have thus come to expect sophisticated fast features which are well-organized, and allow me to experiment directly with visual balance and data manipulation. R5 is the first time I have felt this in a GIS thanks to the approach taken and the Raster processing. This tool makes sense."

"Georegistration and raster handling is the best I have ever seen in a GIS - and I have seen a few! Same with the help file." 

For new purchases, please read the preliminary product pages at:

•  Summary  A detailed introduction to 5.00.
•  Information - General information on 5.00 product configurations and pricing.   
•  Requirements - Hardware and software requirements to run 5.00.
•  5.00 User Manual - HTML version of the 5.00 User Manual.
•  What's New - A lengthy list of changes from 4.50 written mainly for 4.50 users upgrading to 5.00.   
•  Currently supported formats - A list of formats 5.00 can import. 

Release 5.00 has been offered for purchase in a special upgrade offer to all Release 4.50 licensees with a valid contact email on file at manifold.net.  Please send a note to sales@manifold.net with your corrected email address if it has changed since you have purchased Manifold System Release 4.50. 

Thumbnails at upper left and right: Military VMAP2 (restricted distribution / classified) high resolution data sets overlaid upon a military DTED Level 2 terrain elevation data set imaged as a grayscale image in 2D.  The thumbnail at right shows hydrography features.  The thumbnail at lower right (590KB) shows a zoomed in view of the entire Manifold console showing transportation layers, plus lakes.  Area shown is near Belton Reservoir, Texas, USA.  The thumbnail at lower right shows a DTED Level 2  surface shaded to provide relief and used with both roads and hydrography layers.

Numerous New Formats added to Release 5.00

5.00 now imports over 60 different raster, vector and terrain elevation formats.   The results when used in combination are spectacular!  Please continue to send suggestions to sales@manifold.net for any additional formats. desired.  Release 5.00 Professional Edition reads numerous formats and writes to the most frequently used GIS interchange formats.   Release 5.00 Enterprise Edition will add additional formats. 

Thumbnail at left: June, 1992 composite scan of US from Pathfinder mission Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensor.  Bands 1,2,3 and 4 used to compose a false color RGB image.  Vector outlines of selected Western states overlaid.    Image shown in Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area projection centered on Latitude 45 N, Longitude 100 W.  5.00 can read AVHRR images directly right off the EROS Data Center CDs and manipulate the 5 band AVHRR data as desired to form images.  The image linked to the thumbnail has been greatly reduced to save on web traffic. The original image in R5 is over 4500 x 2800 with each pixel being 1 km wide.

Wow! That's only the news for the last few months.  Check out the Headlines page to see a summary of news items for previous months, with fast links to previous What's New? pages.  You'll be astonished at the range, power and productivity that a relationship with manifold.net provides.