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Specification (PDF File)
First Introduced In 1992, TMT© Now Translates TIGER/Line Shape Files Into TAB, MIF/MID and Shape. TMT© also includes a custom geocoder for working with the roads TMT© builds.
The TIGER
To MapInfo Translator (TMT©) from International
Computer Works, Inc. (ICW) was the gold standard for translating
TIGER/Line® Files to MapInfo TAB format through out the 90’s. Our
next generation TIGER
translator, UTT© replaced TMT© with some overlap in time frame
and file formats. UTT© is offered as an integrated
module of the MapEdit
ToolKit©, first introduced in September of 1995. UTT© is
also offered as a stand-alone product.
Our TIGER
Update Software (TIGERUS©) allows the user to make topologically
correct edits to versions of the TIGER/Line® Files from 1995 through
the 2006 Second Edition and consists of MapEdit
ToolKit© and UTT©.
With the introduction of
the TIGER/Line® Shapefiles by the US Bureau of the Census in
March of 2008, ICW introduced GeoAuthor® for working with the topology
of this new generation of Census digital geography.
While the TIGER/Line® Shapefiles can
be translated directly from their native shape format to PBBI/MapInfo
TAB files, the results are not suitable for day-to-day desktop
mapping applications. Even for use in ESRI products TIGER/Line® Shapefiles need
to be converted to a data structure designed for the desktop mapping
user. TMT© performs this function.
TMT© also includes a custom GeoCoder that utilizes the left and right side ZIP Codes contained with the address data. This eliminates the need for ZIP Code polygons when geocoding to the roads TMT© builds.
Your geocoding hit rate and accuracy improve
with this geocoder when working with the TIGER/Line® Shapefiles or any road network that carries the left and right side ZIP Codes with the ranged address data.
TMT© will translate the TIGER/Line® Shapefiles which can
be downloaded to a local computer from the Bureau’s web site. The
following is an extract from the Bureau’s website
located at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/:
Latest TIGER/Line® Shapefile Release
- TIGER/Line®Shapefiles are spatial extracts from the Census
Bureau's MAF/TIGER database, containing features such as roads,
railroads, rivers, as well as legal and statistical geographic
areas.
- TIGER/Line®Shapefiles are made available to the public
for no charge and are typically used to provide the digital map
base for a Geographic Information System or for mapping software.
- TIGER/Line®Shapefiles are designed for use
with geographic information system (GIS) software. The TIGER/Line®Shapefiles
do not include demographic data, but they contain geographic
entity codes that can be linked to the Census Bureau’s
demographic data, available on American
FactFinder
The Following is an excerpt from the Bureau's
website located at: http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/tgrshp2009/tgrshp2009.html
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2009 TIGER/Line® Shapefiles
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What are the TIGER/Line
Shapefiles?
- May 2009 extracts containing geographic and cartographic information
from the Census Bureau's MAF/TIGER® (Master Address File/Topologically
Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing) database.
- The files provide the digital map base for a Geographic Information
System or mapping software. The files do not contain any mapping
software.
- Contain the boundaries for legal entities as of January 1,
2009.
- They include spatial data for geographic features such as roads,
railroads, rivers, and lakes, as well as legal and statistical
geographic areas that correspond to the 2009 American Community
Survey, 2009 Population Estimates, 2007 Economic Census, and
Census 2000.
- The geographic entity codes needed to link the Census Bureau's
demographic data to the geography are included in the files.
The TIGER/Line
Shapefiles do not contain any demographic or economic data; data
must be downloaded separately.
- Metadata in Extensible Markup Language (XML) format is included
with each compressed file.
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Technical Documentation
Frequently Asked Questions
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