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====== Map Suite Data Format Guide ======


All editions of Map Suite come with support for the most popular GIS file formats baked right in; these are the **natively-supported formats**.  In general, a natively-supported format will enjoy better performance and API friendliness than those that are supposed through extensions.  

==== Vector Formats ====
Vector data allows you to style and display your data exactly how you want it.  If the data format you are looking for is not listed below you can easily [[Map Suite Integrating Custom Data Formats | integrate your own custom data]] format. 
^ Format ^  Support Type ^  Map Suite Version ^
| [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shapefile|ShapeFile]]((All versions of Map Suite support ShapeFile DBFs in the standard dBASE III format.  Additionally, since Map Suite 8.0, DBFs in Visual FoxPro format are also supported.))   | Read/write   | 1.0   |
| [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MapInfo_TAB_format|MapInfo TAB]]   | Read/write   | 5.0   |
| ThinkGeo [[http://thinkgeo.com/forums/MapSuite/tabid/143/aft/9903/Default.aspx|TinyGeo]]   | Read/write   | 6.0   |
| ESRI [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArcGIS#Geodatabase|File Geodatabase]]   | Read/write   | 7.0   |
| [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyhole_Markup_Language|KML]] (Keyhole Markup Language)   | Read/write   | 8.0   |
| Microsoft [[http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Geospatial_Data_in_SQL_Server|SQL Server Spatial]] 2008 and newer   | Read/write   | 3.0   |
| [[http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/options/spatialandgraph/overview/index.html|Oracle Spatial]]   | Read/write   | 3.0   |
| PostgreSQL [[http://postgis.net/|PostGIS]]((Requires that you reference the free [[Map Suite Extensions Guide#Postgre Extension|Postgre extension]] which is included with Map Suite.))   | Read/write   | 3.0   |
| CAD formats [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AutoCAD_DWG|.dwg]] and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AutoCAD_DXF|.dxf]]   | Read   | 8.0   |
| [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_navigational_chart|S-57]] Maritime Charts   | Read   | 8.0   |
| [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS_Exchange_Format|GPX]] (GPs eXchange format)   | Read   | 8.0   |
| Tobin [[http://www.p2energysolutions.com/tobin-map-data/data-format-and-specifications|TDRBM II]] (.bas)   | Read   | 8.0   |
| ESRI [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esri_grid|Grid]] (.grd)   | Read   | 5.0   |
| [[Map Suite SQLite | SQLite]]   | Read/write   | 8.0 (refresh)   |

==== Raster Formats ====
Raster data is typically aerial imagery, satellite imagery and topo maps.  However you can use almost any image as a raster layer and add it to the map.  For example you may have a jpeg that represents a floor plan of a building that you would like to display on a map.
^Format ^Support Type ^Map Suite Version ^
| Mr. Sid   | Read   | 3.0|
| ECW   | Read   | 3.0|
| JPEG2000   | Read   | 3.0|
| GeoTIFF   | Read   | 3.0|
| BMP   | Read/Write   | 3.0|
| PNG   | Read/Write   | 3.0|
| GIF   | Read/Write   | 3.0|
| JPG   | Read/Write   | 3.0|
| TIFF   | Read/Write   | 3.0|


==== Web Based Datasets====
Web based map data comes in a variety of forms.  Several of the providers below are tile based web services that allow you to easily integrate rich basemaps into your application.  Other technologies such as WMS and WFS provide a common way for web applications to consume maps and feature information over the web.  Finally the NOAA web data layers allow you to integrate near real time weather information into your application using Map Suite.
 
^ Format/Provider ^ Map Suite Version ^ Description ^
| [[http://thinkgeo.com/servers/world-map-kit-online/| World Map Kit Online]]   | 3.0 | ThinkGeo's basemap based on Open Street Map Data that is displayed in most of the sample applications.  You can check out what the maps look like at http://maps.thinkgeo.com   |
| [[http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/wms| WMS (Web Map Service)]]   | 6.0   | WMS is a open standard set by the OGC to consume maps over the web.   |
| [[http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/wfs| WFS (Web Feature Service)]]   | 6.0   | WFS is a open standard set by the OGC.   |
| Google Maps ((*Use of Google Maps within a Map Suite developer SDK requires a Google Maps API For Business license and is subject to Google's licensing terms. For more information, please visit: https://developers.google.com/maps/licensing))   | 3.0   | Google Maps   |
| Bing Maps ((*Use of Bing Maps within a Map Suite developer SDK requires a Bing Maps license and is subject to Microsoft's licensing terms. For more information, please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/maps/Licensing/licensing.aspx))   | 3.0   | Bing Maps   |
| NOAA Radar   | 8.0   | NEXRAD Radar updated every 15 minutes covering most of the United States.   |
| NOAA Weather Watches & Warnings   | 8.0   | Current weather watches and warnings covering the United States.   |
| NOAA Weather Stations   | 8.0   | Current temperatures and other weather information from NOAA weather stations around the United States.   |

===== Additional Formats using the FDO Extension =====
<div msgbox>**Important Note:** Because the FDO extension is based on a third-party open-source code library, you may experience unexpected issues     beyond ThinkGeo's control when using an FDO-supported data format.</div>

The Feature Data Objects (FDO) extension that's included with all Map Suite controls and components enables you to utilize a wide variety of vector and raster data formats in your GIS projects. With a running total of more than two dozen vector data formats and over 75 raster formats, chances are good that you'll be able to use Map Suite to work with the spatial data and imagery that you already have at your disposal.

We have made a [[http://download.thinkgeo.com/Webinars/ExtendingMapSuite_FDO_OGR_GDAL.wmv|video presentation]] available that explores how you can utilize the FDO extension in your Map Suite projects.  For more details, including a Quick Start Guide that will show you how to use the FDO extension, take a look at [[http://gis.thinkgeo.com/tabid/143/afv/topic/aff/16/aft/6030/Default.aspx|this post in our Developer Blog]].

By using the FDO extension included with Map Suite the following formats are also available to you:

==== Vector Formats ==== 
[[http://www.gdal.org/ogr/ogr_formats.html|OGR]]
  * ESRI Personal Geodatabase (.mdb)
  * Spatial Data File (.sdf)
  * Arc/Info Binary Coverage
  * Arc/Info .E00 (ASCII) Coverage
  * Atlas BNA
  * Comma Separated Value (.csv)
  * GeoJSON
  * Géoconcept Export
  * GMT
  * Mapinfo File
  * Microstation DGN
  * Memory
  * EPIInfo .REC
  * S-57 (ENC)
  * SDTS
  * UK .NTF
  * U.S. Census TIGER/Line
  * VRT – Virtual Datasource
  * X-Plane/Flightgear aeronautical data

==== Raster Formats ====
[[http://www.gdal.org/formats_list.html|GDAL]]
  * Arc/Info ASCII Grid
  * ADRG/ARC Digitilized Raster Graphics (.gen/.thf)
  * Arc/Info Binary Grid (.adf)
  * AIRSAR Polarimetric
  * Magellan BLX Topo (.blx, .xlb)
  * Microsoft Windows Device Independent Bitmap (.bmp)
  * BSB Nautical Chart Format (.kap)
  * VTP Binary Terrain Format (.bt)
  * CEOS (Spot for instance)
  * DRDC COASP SAR Processor Raster
  * TerraSAR-X Complex SAR Data Product
  * Convair PolGASP data
  * Spot DIMAP (metadata.dim)
  * ELAS DIPEx
  * First Generation USGS DOQ (.doq)
  * New Labelled USGS DOQ (.doq)
  * Military Elevation Data (.dt0, .dt1, .dt2)
  * ESRI .hdr Labelled
  * Erdas Imagine Raw
  * NASA ELAS
  * ENVI .hdr Labelled Raster
  * ERMapper (.ers)
  * Envisat Image Product (.n1)
  * EOSAT FAST Format
  * FIT
  * Fuji BAS Scanner Image
  * Generic Binary (.hdr Labelled)
  * GSat File Format
  * Graphics Interchange Format (.gif)
  * WMO GRIB1/GRIB2 (.grb)
  * Golden Software ASCII Grid
  * Golden Software Binary Grid
  * Golden Software Surfer 7 Binary Grid
  * GSC Geogrid
  * TIFF / BigTIFF / GeoTIFF (.tif)
  * GXF - Grid eXchange File
  * Erdas Imagine (.img)
  * Image Display and Analysis (WinDisp)
  * ILWIS Raster Map (.mpr,.mpl)
  * Intergraph Raster
  * USGS Astrogeology ISIS cube (Version 2)
  * USGS Astrogeology ISIS cube (Version 3)
  * JAXA PALSAR Product Reader (Level 1.1/1.5)
  * Japanese DEM (.mem)
  * JPEG JFIF (.jpg)
  * NOAA Polar Orbiter Level 1b Data Set (AVHRR)
  * Erdas 7.x .LAN and .GIS
  * FARSITE v.4 LCP Format
  * Daylon Leveller Heightfield
  * In Memory Raster
  * Vexcel MFF
  * Vexcel MFF2
  * EUMETSAT Archive native (.nat)
  * NLAPS Data Format
  * NITF
  * PCI .aux Labelled
  * PCI Geomatics Database File
  * PCRaster
  * NASA Planetary Data System
  * Portable Network Graphics(.png)
  * Netpbm (.ppm,.pgm)
  * Swedish Grid RIK (.rik)
  * Raster Matrix Format (*.rsw, .mtw)
  * Raster Product Format/RPF (a.toc)
  * RadarSat2 XML (product.xml)
  * Idrisi Raster
  * SAR CEOS
  * USGS SDTS DEM (*CATD.DDF)
  * SGI Image Format
  * Standard Raster Product (ASRP/USRP)
  * SRTM HGT Format
  * Terragen Heightfield (.ter)
  * TerraSAR-X Product
  * USGS ASCII DEM (.dem)
  * GDAL Virtual (.vrt)
  * X11 Pixmap (.xpm)

==== How To Use FDO-Supported Formats in Map Suite ====
We've just posted a handy FDO Extension QuickStart Guide that will show you how to work with the above listed data formats in your Map Suite project, so you can easily get started right away.
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