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Clickable Image Map Maker (CIMM)® v0.47b5

This is a utility to create the HTML code for client side image maps. It is intended for those who are familiar with HTML. Compared to coding image maps by trial and error, it can reduce your time investment by 90-95%, while dramatically improving quality.

To use CIMM, follow these easy steps:
  1. Select a graphic file on your own hard drive.
  2. Decide how to orient the controls.
  3. Decide if you want to use the "lite" or standard version.
  4. Click [Use This Image]
A new screen will appear which contains:
  • Your image
  • Several controls to create your hrefs and plot out the necessary coordinates
  • A text field to view your code as it is created (large size monitors are a big help here)
The controls should be fairly intuitive. For example, to plot a rectangle, click on the rectangle icon, click the desired upper left corner, then click the desired lower right corner; for a circle, click the intended center, then an outer margin; that's it! I have tried to provide helpful dialog boxes as necessary.
  1. When you are done, click [STOP], then select the code from the text field and paste it into your HTML document.
It's just that easy!

There are a few details to know about.
  • In generating the HTML code, this utility assumes that the image will be in the same folder as the HTML document which will be calling it. You will need to adjust the reference in the code to match your needs.
  • The [erase] command clears one line at a time - you can't back up by only one (x,y) pair.
  • The [restart] command restarts with the same image. To work with a new image, you need to come back to this page.
  • Polygons must be closed by clicking [close poly]. Rectangles and circles close automatically when you click on the second coordinate.
  • I have included several text fields and pop-up menus to speed the creation of fixed and relative URLs for your hrefs. I have posted detailed instructions as their complexity has increased.


First, maximize your browser window. Collapse the navigation controls to make more room. You may need to reload this page before proceeding in order for the Javascript to function correctly.
Next, if the image you want to map is wider than half your window or shorter than half your window, check here: (this puts the tools under the image, rather than to its right)
If you want the lite version, check here: (simpler, works with smaller monitors)
Now, select an image to map by clicking the [Browse] button:
If you are using IE on OSX, you may need to check here for CIMM to work: (Jaguar 10.2.3 or later encouraged).
Enable Debug Mode:


Compatibility

I have spent a number of hours tweaking CIMM to work with MacOSX. It now appears to work with Chimera, Internet Exploder oops Exploiter, and Netscape 7.x. I cannot make CIMM work with Opera, iCab, or OmniWeb, and I'm not sure I can without some ridiculous coding gymnastics. Safari is coming along; the main issue is that the autoload/autoparse feature isn't working, but I have had several similar Javascript issues in Safari, so I may have to wait until Safari is out of Beta. I cannot get Camino (formerly Chimera) to even run OMM, so any reports from the front would be welcome (there are just so many browser titles available for MacOSX, I almost feel like using that niche platform called Windows which really only has one browser to deal with). The issues involve browser oddities, Unix line endings, Javascript incompatibilities, file path insanity, uniquely OSX issues, and others. Somewhere in the process, CIMM was crashing IE 5.1.6 on MacOS 9.2.2, but in my most recent tests that was not the case. I hope I have not damaged CIMM for use with Windows (in all its flavors) or Linux. If you contact me, please include your OS/version and browser/version. It is also helpful to enable debug mode and tell me what you find with it.

Previous versions of CIMM still work for the classic MacOS and older Windows versions, at least with Netscape Navigator. I highly recommend Netscape Communicator 4.8 on the Mac, even in Classic mode. It is still the most stable, speedy, and predictable for Javascript.

Cost

CIMM is free when used over the Internet. Please consider a PayPal donation.

CIMM runs faster when it lives on your hard drive, and you don't need to be connected. If you send me $10 I will send you a ".sit" archive of CIMM. For you Windows folk, get Aladdin Expander from Aladdin to unstuff it.

Updates until January 1, 2005 are free. Please include your e-mail address with your $10. I take PayPal; you can send your money to jwbaumann(shift-2)linkedresources(dot)com (note the spam proof address to frustrate the harvestor robots). Alternatively, the mailing address is
LinkedResources
10452 Mississippi Blvd NW, Suite 336
Coon Rapids MN 55433-4523


[LinkedResources Script Tools]

©1997-2003 Jeffrey W Baumann & LinkedResources, Inc. All Rights Reserved