Mapping Toolbox Getting Started What Is the Mapping Toolbox? Dedication and Acknowledgment Your First Maps See the World Tour Boston with the Map Viewer Documentation Summary Getting More Help Locating Map Data Consulting Release Notes Mapping Toolbox Demos Examples 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 Selecting Data to Read with the shaperead Function Understanding Raster Data Georeferencing Raster Data Regular Data Grids Geolocated Data Grids Reading and Writing Geospatial Data 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 Creating and Viewing Maps Introduction to Mapping Graphics Simple Map Displays Using worldmap and usamap Using worldmap Using 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 Lines or 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 NGA 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 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 Bibliography Glossary Release Notes Mapping Toolbox 2.1 Release Notes New Features New Function Reads Both 2-Minute and 5-Minute ETOPO Data Function gshhs Now Returns a Version 2 Geostruct Geodata Can Now Be Exported in Shapefile Format Accessing Geodata Resources on the Internet Major Bug Fixes Upgrading from an Earlier Release Atlas Data Changes: Overview Changes to WORLDMAP and USAMAP Data Files Added in this Release Atlas Data MAT-files Removed in this Release Functions Deleted in This Release Functions Made Obsolete in This Release worldmap and usamap Display Types Superseded Known Software and Documentation Problems Mapping Toolbox 2.0.3 Release Notes New Features Polygon Vertex Ordering Functions Major Bug Fixes Upgrading from an Earlier Release Axesm Does Not Reorder Longitude Limits Contourm Returns Contourgroup Handle Elevation Has New Azimuth Output Gtopo30 Has New Options Inputm Has New Button Output Polybool Revised, Has New Helper Functions Polymerge Ouput Vertex Order Changes Known Software and Documentation Problems Mapping Toolbox 2.0.2 Release Notes New Features Mapping Toolbox Compilability Enhanced SDTS Functions Now Available on HPUX Major Bug Fixes Mapping Toolbox 2.0.1 Release Notes New Feature mapexreg Demo (Georeferencing an Image to an Orthotile Base Layer) Generalized and Clarified Major Bug Fixes Mapping Toolbox 2.0 Release Notes New Features Release Summary New Demos and Sample Data New Map Viewer Spatially Referenced Image Formats Working with Images Referenced to Map Coordinates SDTS Terrain Data Access Shapefiles and Vector Features Geographic Data Structure Enhancements Attribute-Driven Vector Data Symbolization Access to PROJ.4 Map Projections Minor Enhancements Summary of Functions Added in Version 2.0 Major Bug Fixes Upgrading from an Earlier Release Functions Obsolete in Version 2.0 Functions Deleted in Version 2.0 Changes in Nomenclature Mapping Toolbox 1.3.1 Release Notes Bug Fixes and Enhancements Mapping Toolbox 1.3 Release Notes New Features New and Enhanced Map Display Functions Mapping Data Enhancement Other Enhancements Major Bug Fixes Upgrading from an Earlier Release Obsolete Functions Mapping Toolbox 1.2 Release Notes New Features Higher Resolution Atlas Data External Data Interface Improved New Interactive Interfaces New Analysis Functions for Geographic Data Other New Functions Printable Documentation (PDF) Product Page (Web)