Choosing the Right MapInfo Format

Introduction

MapInfo is a family of formats created and read by MapInfo Pro from Pitney Bowes. MapInfo Pro is a geographic information system software that is used for mapping and analysis.

FME is able to read and write to several of the proprietary formats created by MapInfo Pro. Depending on the version of FME you have installed and your operating system, you will have access to a variety of these formats. This article will help you determine which of the formats is right for your workflow based on your needs.

Formats

• MapInfo TAB (MAPINFO_EFAL)

  • Older version of MapInfo TAB (MAPINFO), renamed to MAPINFO_EFAL in 2019.1

• MapInfo TAB (EFAL)

  • New for 2019.0+, this newer format supports tables over 2GB in size as well as Unicode.

  • It can be substituted for the older MITAB reader for an increase in performance.

  • Only available on Windows.

• MapInfo Extended TAB

  • Same functionality as MITAB.

  • Can support tables over 2GB in size as well as Unicode.

  • Only available on Windows.

• MapInfo TAB (MITAB)

  • Available on all platforms.

• MapInfo MIF/MID

  • A published ASCII format that is only used by third party applications that can read it.

Format Differences

Additional Resources

• How to Convert MapInfo TAB to Esri Shapefile

• How to convert MapInfo to Shapefile (MIF/MID to SHP)

• Attribute Processing Example Workspace (CSV to MapInfo)