Imagemaps 139Creating LinksImagemapsWeb Design in a Nutshell, eMatter Editionhave a prominent field for entering the default URL, but on others you may
need to look for it under a pull-down menu.- Select the type of imagemap (client- or server-side) you want to create.
- Save or export the map information. Server-side imagemaps are saved in a
map definition file (.map) that will reside on the server. Client-side
imagemaps are embedded directly in the HTML file.
If you do not have an imagemap tool, it is possible to write out the map informa-
tion by hand following the examples in this chapter. Simply note the pixel
coordinates as indicated by your image editor and type them into the appropriate
place in the map file. For instance, Photoshop’s Info palette gives pixel coordi-
nates as you move the mouse around the image.
Client-Side Imagemaps
Client-side imagemaps have three components:
- An ordinary graphic file (.gif,.jpeg, or.png)
- A map delimited by
- Theusemapattribute within the image tag (
) that indicates which map
to reference
There are many advantages to using client-side imagemaps. They are self-
contained within the HTML document and do not rely on a server to function. This
means you can test the imagemap on your local machine or make working site
demos for distribution on disk. It also cuts down on the load on your server and
improves response times. In addition, they display complete URL information in
Figure 8-1: Creating map information (shown in MapMaker 1.1.2)