2011

Table Of Contents
your display map, or add features from a geospatial database. The map file
remembers all the connections and which objects you added to the map file.
This map contains a photo raster image, building data stored in a SHP file, and parcel
data stored in a DWG file.
What is the Display Manager?
You coordinate the data in your map using the Display Manager.
Each set of data is a Display Manager layer. For example, a raster layer can
display an aerial photograph of a city. An SDF layer can display an SDF file
representing parcels within the city. A drawing layer can display objects from
the current drawing or from an attached drawing file.
Display Manager layers are not the same as AutoCAD layers.
In the Display Manager, you can style each layer separately, change the order
of the layers, and view and plot the result. You can specify line styles, color,
and weights; fill colors and styles; labels; and more.
What is in a map file?
Each AutoCAD Map 3D map file contains the information for connecting to
the data sources, drawings, raster images, and attribute data for its contents.
4 | Chapter 1 Getting Started Guide