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Image Maps - htimage

Overview

Most clickable images consists of two parts:

1. The image file
2. An image map

The image file can be any .gif or .jpg image.

The image map is a list of "hot spots" on the image. Each hot spot has a URL associated with it. Additionally, a default URL can be set that specifies where the user should be sent to if he/she clicks in none of the hot spots.

Apache or CERN

Your site can be either on a CERN or Apache server, and map file formats differ slightly between the two types. The majority of our sites are on Apache servers, but please contact us to verify what type of server your site is on. If you have a preference, we may be able to move your site from one type to the other.

Implementation

You will need an image file and a map file. You can create the map file by hand or with the aid of several programs.

• Apache

  If your site is on an Apache server you must use the NCSA/Apache format for your map file.

• CERN

  The rest of this document details the map file format for sites that reside on a CERN server.

CERN Map File Format

• The map file is a plain text file and contains lines describing a clickable area and the URL to direct the user to.
• The map file name should end in ".map".
• There should be no blank lines.
• Comments are not supported.
• The map file should contain a default entry.

Format of map file lines

default URL

Specifies where the user should be sent to if the click was in none of the other areas. Abbreviated as "def".

circle (x,y) r URL

Specifies a circle with a center with a center point of x, y and a radius of r. Abbreviated as "circ".

rectangle (x1,y1) (x2,y2) URL

Specifies a rectangle with having the opposite corners (x1,y1) and (x2,y2). Abbreviated as "rect".

poly (x1,y1) ... (xn,yn) URL

Specifies a closed polygon having the vertices (xi,yi). Abbreviated as "poly".

Entry in your HTML document

If you have a custom domain name, you can specify the image and map as follows:

<A HREF="http://www.domain.name/image.map">
<IMG ISMAP SRC="image.gif">
</A>

If you do not have a custom domain name, you would specify the image and map as follows:

<A HREF="http://www.sitename.holowww.com/image.map">
<IMG ISMAP SRC="image.gif">
</A>