Path: Route to follow to reach a file. It may be absolute, like c:\Mapas\Base50k or relative, like ..\Base50k. By default, MiraMon saves all paths, wherever possible, as relative in order to be much more flexible, portable and independent of the platform.

The path may refer to a local disk (like c:\Mapas\Base50k), to a unit in the network (like Z:\Bases\Ortofoto5k), a UNC path (like \\servidor\resource) or a URL address (http://www.creaf.uab.es/miramon/index.htm).

Where no path is indicated it is assumed that the file is in the same directory as the file that makes reference to it. A synonym for path is route.

Layer: A set of files (two or more in MiraMon) that represent a cartographic abstraction of the real world. This representation can be in raster or vector format. Examples; the layer with the master contour lines at 1:50,000 of the map sheet number 328-MTN, the land use base for the 1992, 1:250,000 map obtained from classified satellite images.

Map series: A set of layers, at the same scale, that cover, adjacently, the whole of a territory from the same point of view (topography, vegetation, geology, etc).

MiraMon Map: MiraMon Maps are text files, with the extension MMM, that describe groupings of raster and/or vector layers combined is a certain way. That is, with a specified order for overlay, display characteristics (colour, scale,...) and print settings, etc. The MMM files (MiraMon Maps) define the graphic files to use and how to display them, but they never contain the data themselves, just simple references to them (name, path, etc) thus saving space and increasing the internal consistency of the data.

To permit the distribution of data in Internet or on CD, or just to save data in a compressed form, MiraMon compressed maps are used. These are binary files, with the extension MMZ, that contain all the raster, vector, database and other informatin associated with an MMM file, saved in a highly compressed form that can be decompressed automatically.

NODATA: Any field value in a database, image, etc, that is not a data value but has a special meaning (normally it indicates that it contains no data). In rasters it is always a numerical value (e.g. -9999, 255, etc) and in database table it is usually an empty string.