MacWorld 1997 November/Macworld (1997-11).dmg/Shareware World/Comms & Internet/Mapedit/lib/help.txt

Text File | 1997-09-02 | 15KB | 365 lines

^welcome
Welcome to Mapedit 2.3

A WYSIWYG editor for WWW Imagemaps

http://www.boutell.com/mapedit/

MAPEDIT IS NOT FREE SOFTWARE.

Copies of Mapedit can be downloaded from our web site and
evaluated for up to 30 days before registration is required.
If your copy of Mapedit has a REGISTER button, it is not
registered. Click on the REGISTER button for details on
registering your copy for indefinite use.
^credits
Credits and License Terms

Mapedit, copyright 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 by Boutell.Com, Inc. Mapedit is
not free software. See the "about" option of the Help menu for details
of the license governing this copy of the product.

^whatsnew
What's New in Version 2.3

Version 2.3 is the first version of Mapedit to be written
in Java, and also the first to be available on the Macintosh.
This new Java version puts client side imagemap editing
first and foremost. It is still possible to import and
export old-style server side imagemaps from an HTML document.
^whatis
What is Mapedit?

Mapedit is a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor for
imagemaps on the World Wide Web.

To add clickable hotspots to the images in your HTML documents,
just use the Open button or the Open option on the file menu
to open your existing HTML page. If you do not have any HTML
pages yet, you need to create one with an image in it before
using Mapedit.

Client-side imagemaps, which are available in Netscape 2.0 or
better and all versions of Internet Explorer, allow the hotspots
to reside right in your HTML. That means there is no need for
a separarate map file.

Mapedit allows you to load your image into a scrollable, resizable
window and then draw polygons, circles and rectangles on top of it,
specifying a URL for each. It also allows you to go back and delete
these "hotspots," move polygon points around, and so on. In addition,
you can add "alt" text which appears when the mouse pointer is
over the hotspot in the latest browsers. (Some non-graphical browsers,
such as browsers for the blind, can produce menus from the alt text.)
Finally, it is possible to add "target" attributes for linking to
specific frames, and "onMouseOver" and "onMouseOut" attributes for
Javascript programmers. However, most users will only need the URL
and ALT fields.
^install
How do I install imagemaps?

Before investing a great deal of time and effort in using Mapedit for
Windows, please read the following.

"How do I install client-side imagemaps?"

If you use client-side imagemaps, all you need is an HTML document
containing inline images! Client-side imagemaps work do not require a
web server. Just make sure both the document and the images are
present on your drive, and use the Open dialog to open the HTML
document. Mapedit will insert the proper tags into your HTML document
when you save your work.

Client side imagemaps work in the following browsers:

Netscape 2.0 or better

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Spyglass Mosaic 2.1 and derivatives thereof

"How do I install server-side imagemaps?"

Unlike client-side imagemaps, server-side imagemaps are supported by
all web browsers. This time, the difficulty is that you must have
access to an actual World Wide Web server on which cgi scripts,
specifically the imagemap program (not this program!), have been
installed. Also consult the administrator of your web server and the
documentation of your web server.

For more information about using imagemaps with the NCSA httpd and
compatible web servers, see the following URL:

http://hoohoo.ncsa.uiuc.edu/docs/tutorials/imagemapping.html

The same HTML document can use both server and client side
imagemaps. So, if you are concerned with very old web browsers,
create a client side imagemap first, and then use the Export option
on the file menu to export a server side version of the same imagemap.

The server does NOT have to reside on your own computer, although
that is possible. You can run Mapedit to your heart's content without
a server, as long as you upload the resulting imagemaps to the server
and install them correctly.

If you are unfamiliar with web servers, we suggest you consult the
World Wide Web FAQ, available at the following URL:

http://www.boutell.com/faq/
^started
How do I get started editing an imagemap?

Mapedit's menu bar contains a File menu, a Tools menu and a Help menu.
Most options are also available from the graphical toolbar. Initially
most options are disabled, since you have not yet opened a document.

Using the mouse, pull down the File menu and select Open. You will
be prompted to open a file. Select any existing HTML document. If
you attempt to open another kind of document, Mapedit will let you
know that the file does not contain an HTML document with inline images.

You will then be asked which of the inline images in the document
you wish to add an imagemap to. Double click on the image you want
to work with.

The image, which can be in any image format that your Java environment
knows how to view (usually GIF or JPEG), must already exist on your
hard drive. (If Mapedit cannot locate it, you will be prompted to
find the file.) Mapedit is not a paint program. To create new images,
use any paint program, such as Photoshop, The Gimp or Paint Shop Pro.
Conversion utilities are widely available to convert other formats
to GIF or JPEG for use on the web.

Mapedit will examine the HTML document to make sure that the syntax is
reasonable. If your HTML document contains errors, Mapedit will warn you
about them. Next, Mapedit will prompt you to select one of the inline
images in the HTML document you have chosen.

Mapedit will now load your image into memory. This will take a few
moments, depending on the size of the image.

When the image has been loaded, it will appear in the main mapedit
window, which should expand or shrink to suit the image. If the image
is large, you can use the "scroller" in the lower left corner to
navigate within the image by clicking on the point where you would
like the display to be centered. (If your image is not large, the
scroller and the main window will both display the entire image.)

^hotspots
How do I make "hotspots"?

Image maps consist of areas that have been designated as "hotspots"
which users can click on to fetch particular URLs. Mapedit allows you
to draw these graphically on the screen. Try clicking on the Rectangle
tool, through the Tools menu or using the tool palette on the left.
^rectangles
How do I specify rectangles?

If the Rectangle tool is not already checked in the Tools menu, then
select Rectangle from the Tools menu. Next, click the mouse
button in one corner of a rectangular region of interest in the image.
Now move the mouse pointer to the opposite corner, tracing out a
rectangle. (You do not need to hold down the mouse button.) To
complete the rectangle, click the mouse button again. You will then be
prompted for a URL.
^urls
Entering URLs

When you complete a hotspot, the URL window will pop up, prompting you
for the URL that this hotspot should link to. The URL you enter should
be a legal URL. For example:

http://www.boutell.com/mapedit/

Relative URLs are also acceptable. Do not enter HTML tags in the URL
field; only the URL is needed.

You can also enter a text alternative for each hotspot in the
ALT field. The very latest web browsers display this text when
the mouse pointer is over the hotspot. Also, when your page is
viewed by a web browser that does not support graphics, the user will
be presented with a menu of the text alternatives, instead of an image.
(Not all text-based browsers understand text alternatives at this time.)

Fields are also provided to add target attributes for frames and
onMouseOver and onMouseOut attributes for Javascript programmers.
If you are not familiar with these subjects, do not use these fields.

When you have completed your entry, click on OK to continue.
You can then begin work on another rectangle or switch to
a different tool.
^polygons
How do I specify polygons?

Select Polygon from the Tools menu to begin drawing a polygonal
hotspot. Now click the mouse button at some point on the edge of
an area of interest in the image.

Move the mouse pointer to another point on the edge of the area of
interest, tracing its outline. Note that a "rubber-band" line follows
you from the point of the initial click.

Click again at this second point. Continue clicking points until you
have outlined all but the final connection back to the first point.
(You do not need to hold down the mouse button.)

To complete the polygon, click the mouse button again back at the
point where the polygon began. The URL dialog box will now appear.

^circles
How do I specify circles?

Select Circle from the Tools menu. Circles work just like rectangles,
except that the first mouse click positions the center of the circle,
and you can then move the mouse pointer to any point on the edge of
the desired circle and click the mouse button again to accept it. You
will then be prompted for a URL.

^color
Editing the hotspot color

You can edit the hotspot color by selecting Edit Hotspot Color from
the File menu. You will be presented with a color selection dialog
box, in which you can click on a color of your choice. Look for a
color that contrasts well with the colors present in your images.

Mapedit will remember your choice of color indefinitely.
^test
How do I test my hotspots?

Select Test/Edit from the Tools menu. Now click at various points in
the image. When you click in a hotspot, such as a polygon, rectangle
or circle you have designated, the URL window will pop up, showing the
URL associated with that hotspot. Also, the region within the hotspot
will be displayed in reverse video.

Important Note: when hotspots overlap, the oldest gets the click. This
is important because this is how the actual imagemap program will
behave when your users click on your map in practice.
^edit
How do I go back and edit URLs and comments?

Often you will not know the final URL for each hotspot at first, or
you will want to change it. You can do so by selecting Test/Edit from
the Tools menu and clicking in the hotspot in question, editing the
fields that need to be changed, and then clicking on OK.
^delete
How do I delete unwanted hotspots?

Select Test/Edit... from the Tools menu. Note that a Delete button
appears in the URL dialog box when you select a hotspot. By clicking
this button, you can remove that hotspot from the map.

^move
How do I move hotspots and individual points?

To move an existing hotspot or one of its corners, first select the
Move tool from the tools menu. Next, click on the hotspot you wish to
move.

Note that the corners of the hotspot are now highlighted. The center
of the hotspot is also highlighted. You can click, hold and drag any
of these points with the mouse. Dragging the center moves the entire
hotspot.
^add
How do I add points to polygons?

To add points to an existing polygon, first select the Add Points tool
from the tools menu. Next, click on the polygon of interest. The
polygon will be highlighted.

Next, click anywhere in the image to add an additional point to the
polygon. The polygon will grow to accommodate the extra sides.

If you wish to add additional points, select the polygon again each
time.
^remove
How do I remove points to polygons?

To remove points to an existing polygon, first select the Remove
Points tool from the tools menu. Next, click on the polygon of
interest. The vertexes (corners) of the polygon will be highlighted.

Next, click on the vertex you wish to remove from the polygon.

If you wish to remove additional points, select the polygon again each
time.
^target
How do I target a hotspot to a specific frame?

Mapedit provides a separate field in the URL dialog box in which to enter
the target frame. If the new document should erase all currently displayed
frames and occupy the entire browser window, enter _top in the target field.
Other special target values documented by Netscape will also work. If this
field is left blank, the new document occupies the frame that
contained the imagemap.
^border
How do I restore the blue border around my image?

By default, Mapedit now removes the blue border around imagemaps,
because of a great number of customer requests for this feature.
If you want the blue border back, clear the "Hide Blue Image Border"
checkbox on the File menu. Mapedit will remember your preference
in this area indefinitely.

(Mapedit implements this feature by adding or removing a
border="0" attribute to your <img> tag.)
^save
How do I save my work?

Pull down the file menu and select Save, or just click on the
diskette icon in the tool palette. Mapedit will write your map
to the file you specified when you opened it.

If a problem is encountered while writing this file (if you entered a
bad path when you first created the map, for instance), use the Save
As file menu option to enter a new name for the map file.
^existing
Can I edit my existing imagemap files?

Yes. Mapedit can read existing imagemap files in the CERN, NCSA, and
client-side formats without difficulty. To open a server-side
imagemap, first open the HTML page you will be adding the
imagemap to. Next, use the Import Old Server Map option on the
file menu to select the server side imagemap you want to import.
Mapedit will read the hotspots from that file and display them.
When you save your work, those hotspots will become a client-side
imagemap in your HTML document!
^convert
Can I convert between imagemap formats?

Yes. To convert old server-side imagemaps to client-side, first open
your HTML document, then use the Import Old Server Map option on the
file menu to open up an existing server side imagemap file and
import its hotspots into your document. When you save your work,
those hotspots become a client-side imagemap in your HTML document.

To save a server-side version of a client-side imagemap, first open
your HTML document, then use the Export Old Server Map option on the
file menu. You will be asked whether to use the NCSA or CERN format
for the imagemap. Most web browsers use the NCSA format, but there
are a few (Microsoft IIS, for instance) that use the CERN format.

*Installing a server side imagemap is up to you.* You will have to
read the documentation of your web server to find out where to
put the imagemap file and what to put in your HTML page to make
it work.

If this seems complicated, just stick to client side imagemaps!

Please Note: server-side imagemaps do not support alternate text,
frame targeting, or Javascript attributes. These are limitations
of server-side imagemaps, not limitations of Mapedit.
^more
For more information

If you have any difficulties with mapedit, feel free to contact
Boutell.Com technical support. Send email to [e-mail].
Please read this manual thoroughly first. Also see the following URL
for more information about the latest and greatest version of Mapedit:

http://www.boutell.com/mapedit

Copyright 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, Boutell.Com, Inc.