This volume aims to digest the wealth of information in the official MapInfo manuals, explain what it really means, and present it in a well-structured and readable format to allow easy lookup of topics. It contains copious illustrations (over 200), including explanatory diagrams and screen images. The end product serves as an introduction to the software and as a handy guide for more experienced users. It is suitable for both classroom use and as a reference manual. Understanding A Structured Guide covers MapInfo Professional Version 4 features, but is largely applicable to Version 3 or MapInfo for Mac. The volume includes an introduction to mapping concepts, and extensive sections on relational joins and SQL. The book emphasizes the link between graphical (map) objects and database tables, as a means of understanding vector GIS.