Select Index

Getting Started

    What is the Mapping Toolbox?
    Dedication and Acknowledgment
    Your First Maps
        See the World
        Explore Built-in Atlas Data
        Tour Boston with the Map Viewer

    Documentation Summary
    Getting More Help
    Mapping Toolbox Demos

Examples

Understanding Geospatial Geometry

    Spheres, Spheroids, and Geoids
        Geoid and Ellipsoid

    Latitude and Longitude
    Datums
    Map Projections
        Forward and Inverse Projection
        Projection Distortions

    Great Circles, Rhumb Lines, and Small Circles
        Great Circles
        Rhumb Lines
        Small Circles

    Angles and Directions on the Sphere and Spheroid
        Reckoning -- the Forward Problem
        Distance, Azimuth, and Back-azimuth (the Inverse Problem)

    Planetary Almanac Data
    Measuring Area of Spherical Quadrangles

Understanding Map Data

    Maps and Map Data
        What Is a Map?
        What Is Geospatial Data?

    Types of Map Data Handled by the Mapping Toolbox
        Vector Geodata
        Raster Geodata
        Combining Vector and Raster Geodata

    Understanding Vector Data
        Points, Lines, Polygons
        Segments Versus Polygons
        Mapping Toolbox Geographic Data Structures

    Understanding Raster Data
        Georeferencing Raster Data
        Regular Data Grids
        Geolocated Data Grids

    Reading and Writing Geospatial Data

Creating and Viewing Maps

    Introduction to Mapping Graphics
    Simple Map Displays Using worldmap and usamap
    Axes for Drawing Maps
        Using axesm
        Accessing and Manipulating Map Axes Properties
        Switching Between Projections
        Projected and Unprojected Graphic Objects

    The Map Frame
        Map and Frame Limits

    The Map Grid
    Displaying Vector Data with Mapping Toolbox Functions
        Displaying Vector Maps as Lines
        Displaying Vector Maps as Patches

    Displaying Data Grids
        Fitting Gridded Data to the Graticule
        Using Raster Data to Create 3-D Displays

    Interacting with Displayed Maps
        Defining Small Circles and Tracks Interactively
        Working with Objects by Name

Making Three-Dimensional Maps

    Sources of Terrain Data
        Digital Terrain Elevation Data from NIMA
        Digital Elevation Model Files from USGS
        Determining What Elevation Data Exists for a Region

    Reading Elevation Data Interactively
    Determining and Visualizing Visibility Across Terrain
    Shading and Lighting Terrain Maps
        Surface Relief Shading
        Colored Surface Shaded Relief
        Relief Mapping with Light Objects

    Draping Data on Elevation Maps
        Draping Data over Terrain with Different Gridding

    Working with the Globe Display

Customizing and Printing Maps

    Inset Maps
    Graphic Scales
    North Arrows
    Thematic Maps
        Choropleth Maps
        Special Thematic Mapping Functions

    Using Cartesian MATLAB Display Functions
    Using Colormaps and Colorbars
    Printing Maps to Scale

Manipulating Geospatial Data

    Units and Notation
        Converting Latitude and Longitude Notations
        Converting Distance Units
        Converting Time Notations

    Manipulating Vector Data
        Repackaging Vector Objects
        Matching Line Segments
        Geographic Interpolation
        Vector Intersections
        Polygon Area
        Overlaying Polygons with Boolean Logic
        Cutting Polygons at the Date Line
        Building Buffer Zones
        Trimming Vector Data to a Rectangular Region
        Trimming Vector Data to an Arbitrary Region
        Simplifying Vector Coordinate Data

    Manipulating Raster Data
        Vector-to-Raster Data Conversion
        Data Grids as Logical Variables
        Data Grid Values Along a Path
        Data Grid Gradient, Slope, and Aspect

Using Map Projections and Coordinate Systems

    What Is a Map Projection?
    Quantitative Properties of Map Projections
    The Three Main Families of Map Projections
        Cylindrical Projections
        Conic Projections
        Azimuthal Projections

    Projection Aspect
        The Orientation Vector

    Projection Parameters
        Projection Characteristics Maps Can Have

    Visualizing and Quantifying Projection Distortions
        Displays of Spatial Error in Maps
        Quantifying Map Distortions at Point Locations

    Accessing, Computing, and Inverting Map Projection Data
        Accessing Projected Coordinate Data
        Projecting Coordinates Without a Map Axes
        Inverse Map Projection
        Coordinate Transformations

    Working with the UTM System
    Summary and Guide to Projections

Mapping Applications

    Geographic Statistics
        Geographic Means
        Geographic Standard Deviation
        Equal-Areas in Geographic Statistics
        Geographically Filtering Datasets

    Navigation
        Conventions for Navigational Functions
        Fixing Position
        Planning
        Track Laydown - Displaying Navigational Tracks
        Dead Reckoning
        Drift Correction
        Time Notation
        Time Zones

Reference

    Guide to Reference Pages
    Functions -- Categorical List
        Geospatial Data Import and Access
        Vector Map Data and Geographic Data Structures
        Georeferenced Images and Data Grids
        Map Projections and Coordinates
        Map Display and Interaction
        Geographic Calculations
        Utilities

    Functions -- Alphabetical List

Projections Reference

    Map Projections -- Alphabetical List

GUI Reference

    Graphical User Interface Functions -- Categorical List
        Map Definition Tools
        Mapping Tools
        Object Projection Tools
        Display Manipulation Tools
        Thematic Map Tools
        Object Property Tools
        Track Tools
        Map Data Construction Tools

    Graphical User Interface Functions -- Alphabetical List

Atlas Data

    Types of Data
    World Vector Data
        Coastlines
        Low-Resolution World Atlas Data
        High-Resolution World Atlas Data

    World Matrix Data
        Political
        Terrain
        Geoid

    United States Vector Data
        Low-Resolution Data
        Medium Resolution State Outlines

    United States Matrix Data
        Political
        Terrain

    Astronomical Data

Bibliography

Glossary

Printable Documentation (PDF)

Product Page