Map 2026 not reading world files

[cjneper]

Inserting images using MAPIINSERT in Map 2025 works perfectly, it reads the world file.

Doing exactly the same in Map 2026, it does not read the world file and is inserting it in the wrong place.  I have seen some Technical Support Bulletins on this issue but none of those solved the problem.  What changed from 2025 to 2026 and how do I get it to read the world files?

[Pointdump]

Hi Chris,
There are already some updates for 2026. Do you have them?
Map 3D 2026.0.1
AutoCAD 2026.0.1

Does this happen with all images, or just one? Can you post your image and world file?
Dave

[O_Eckmann]

Hi @cjneper ,

I just made a test with PNG and PGW, and Map 2026 works exactly same manner than 2025.

Could you give more explanations on error : file type, size, units...

[ChicagoLooper]

Hi @cjneper 

Go to command line enter:

UNITS=>change Insertion Scale=>Unitless. 

Your insertion units might be affecting your image’s insertion position so change the dropdown to Unitless then perform the insertion procedure again. 

[cjneper]

I do have the latest Map 2026.0.1

Happens with all images, I have TIF & TFW, ECW & EWW, and SID & SDW.

All came in instantaneously in 2025, now 2026 chokes on the bigger ones and takes minutes to insert - and in the wrong place.

[cjneper]

Yes I have Units set to Unitless.

Then after MAPIINSERT, in the Modify Correlation dialog box, for Correlation Source "World file" is not an option.

Sometimes I get the message "world file not found or not valid" even though it is where it always has been and is read just fine by 2025.

The "Units for insertion point & density" should be read from the world file to be "inches" but without the world file it is defaulting to feet thus is not inserted correctly.

[ChicagoLooper]

@cjneper wrote

Assuming your image has units of inches......and that's a big, actually huuuge, assumption (it might be neither feet nor inches, it might be meters).

<<...The "Units for insertion point & density" should be read from the world file to be "inches"...>>

No, it cannot be inches. Why? Because the coordinate system you've assigned to modelspace is FEET and the units in your drawing space will always adopt (or inherit) the units used in the assigned coordinate system. BTW, if you don't assign a CS then you can't expect your image to insert correctly using geospatial coordinates. Assigning a CS is mandatory to achieve geospatial accuracy.

<<... the world file it is defaulting to feet thus is not inserted correctly....>>

It's not defaulting to feet, it's actually using the feet from your assigned coordinate system. MAPIINSERT requires the native units in the image to be honored, not overridden by an AutoCAD user. (This is assuming the image's author gave it inch units to be begin with.)

To fix your issue you need to tell Map3D the image has units 'other than' feet (in your case inches) so perform a conversion when you insert it. Once it's informed the image has different units, he will convert from the native units to feet (or the units in the assigned CS).

For a definitive answer, complete with instructions, you can upload the image to the Forum? Alternatively, you may send the image to me directly.

[cjneper]

I do not use a coordinate system in my drawings... I do everything "Unitless".  There has never been a need for a coordinate system in what we do.

Yes the info in the world files are in feet.  And the units in my drawings is feet, but in the Modify Correlation box, when reading the world file it specifies inches and it works!

Sounds odd I get that, but I have been inserting images in Map for decades now and it has always worked this way in previous versions.  I was never concerned about the units because using MAPIINSERT always read the world files and inserted the images correctly.  Bottom line is, something changed in how Map is behaving with 2026.  Version 2025 all the way back to Map 2000?? read the world files and inserted the images correctly, and 2026 does not give the option to use a world file - that is different.

I attached one of my world files... they are pretty basic.  Why is Map2026 not reading them?

[O_Eckmann]

Hi @cjneper ,

Could you make a test with TIF and TFW joined. 

I've same result in Map 2025 and Map 2026

I join map screencast of process

[cjneper]

Your image worked just fine for me.  For some reason 2026 refuses to read my world files.  I'll probably try re-installing next.

[Pointdump]

Chris,
Before you do a re-install, please post an image that doesn't work for you.
Dave

[cjneper]

Attached is a .jpg and the world file.  I had to rename the world file to .txt to upload it.  Rename the extension to .jgw.

I'm sure it will work fine, seems like it is just me that is having this issue.  The "Modify Correlation" box does not give me the option to choose a world file.

[cjneper]

I think I am on the path to solving this problem...  Map 2026 will read the world file and insert images just fine if the files are on my local drive.  But, all of my images are stored on a network drive and for those 2026 will not recognize the world files.  Any ideas as to why this would be happening?  I have rights to the network drive.  I tried adding the folder to my "trusted locations" list but it's still not reading them.  Any other settings I could be missing?

[Pointdump]

Chris,
Thanks for posting your image.
Yup, it's you. Your suspicions are probably correct, a network or permissions thing in play.
Dave

[ChicagoLooper]

Colby Lake, correct?

[ChicagoLooper]

@cjneper 

There is no bug. There is no error. And there is no system variable that needs to be modified.

Do this.

1. You need to assign the appropriate coordinate system (CS) to your map. You can use MAPCSASSIGN command. Refer to image-1. 

Image-1

2. Then, once the appropriate CS is assigned, you may run MAPIINSERT command. Follow the notes shown below. Refer to image-2. Do not mix other instructions with these notes--follow them e-x-a-c-t-l-y.

Image-2

 To verify accuracy, turn on your favorite aerial imagery for comparison.

[cjneper]

You are correct.  2025 looks a little different than 1985

[ChicagoLooper]

@cjneper 

One more thing.......

I don't know why the extension on your world file shows .txt but you need to change it to .jpw.

The extension .txt is NOT a valid format for a world file.

[cjneper · Accepted solution]

I appreciate you looking into this but the coordinate system is not the issue.   Attached are what my mapiinsert dialogs look like after assigning the coordinate system.   Setting the insertion units to inches puts it in the right place, but as you can see I do not have the option to pick a world file and i need to have that option.  As I explained in another post here, it relates to where the images and world files are located.  On my local drive 2026 can read the world files, but on a network drive it cannot.

[cjneper]

I explain that in the post...