With the recent release of the Feature Data Objects (FDO) extension, Map Suite now supports more vector and raster data formats than ever before. 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.

Today, let's take a look at the complete rage of formats supported by the most recent versions of Map Suite Desktop, Web, Services and Silverlight Editions.

Native Data Formats

Map Suite comes built-in with native support for these formats:

Raster Formats

Vector Formats

• Mr. Sid
• ECW
• JPEG 2000
• BMP
• TIFF
• GeoTIFF

• ShapeFile
• SQL 2008
• Oracle Spatial

Vector data in PostgreSQL PostGIS format is also supported through the use of a bundled extension.

FDO Extension Enabled Data Formats

By using the FDO extension included with Map Suite Desktop 3.0.307 or Map Suite Web and Services Editions 3.1.124 and higher, the following formats are also available to you:

Vector Formats

• ESRI Personal Geodatabase (.mdb)
• Spatial Data File (.sdf)
• MapInfo TAB (.tab)
• 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

• 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.

If you have any questions about Map Suite's supported data formats or the FDO extension in general, feel free to post in the ThinkGeo support discussion forum for your Map Suite product edition. If you're new to Map Suite, our sales team would be happy to answer your questions -- just send us an email or call toll-free 1-866-847-7510 (outside North America, dial 1-785-727-4133).