Pitney Bowes MapInfo Professional - Manual (Page 407)

The difference between these two images is that the derived image (B) is a reflection of the base image
(A) along the x-axis.
Using Earth and Non-Earth Maps
Earth maps and non-earth maps generally require different treatment. The following section on projections
apply only to earth maps. An earth map contains objects that have a particular location on the earth's
surface. All maps that MapInfo Professional sells are earth maps. Coordinates typically represent an
object's location in longitude and latitude, although other coordinate systems (using various projections)
may be used instead.
Sinusoidal (Equal-Area)
Use earth maps to:
• Overlay your map onto any maps that MapInfo Professional supplies.
• Use or change projections.
• Specify objects on the map in terms of longitude and latitude.
A non-earth map contains objects that have no specific location on the earth's surface. Floor plans are
typical examples of non-earth maps. A non-earth map has a coordinate system, but since its map points
are not referenced to locations on earth, the coordinate system does not contain a projection. Even
though the floor plan describes a building that may be located somewhere on the Earth, the coordinates
of objects in the floor plan are generally not referenced to positions on the Earth. Rather, the object's
coordinates are referenced to the floor plan itself, generally representing distance from the lower left
corner of the floor plan. The next figure depicts a floor plan and is an example of a non-earth map.
Specifying Coordinates for a Non-Earth Map
Saving a Map to a Non-Earth Coordinate System
To save a table into a Non-Earth Coordinate system:
1. Ensure that your non-earth map is open and that it is the active window.
407 MapInfo Professional User Guide
Chapter 15: Working with Coordinate Systems and Projections