Not So Frequently Asked Questions

Can any imagemapping script be used on almost any server?

Yes, the imagemap program is just a program that takes a set of coordinates and returns a filename based on a mapfile. You could use any CGI program that did the same or similar thing. Right now you areconnected to an Apache server, but we're using CERN's htimage script

Where can I find other imagemapping tools?

You are invited to contribute to this list of imagemapping tools.

Can I test my imagemaps offline?

Yes, if you use client-side imagemaps. However, the HTML code and map file format will vary slightly from that of server-side imagemap.

Do any files need to be read-only or write-only?

Simply make sure all files are readable by the server.

Is the cgi-bin directory a standard server directory?

I'm not sure. However, the NCSA web page makes reference to this directory , whereas CERN makes reference to the htbin directory. This directory must be configured by your web administrator so that scripts contained therein do not load as text files, but rather as executables.

Can a JPEG image be used instead of a GIF image?

If you are using a program to generate a map file and the program does not accommodate JPEG images, save a copy of the image in GIF format. The JPEG when viewed has the same number of pixels as the GIF; therefore, you can map out the coordinates based on the GIF image and convert to a JPEG image later. Substitute the JPEG as your image source in your HTML. (Answer contributed by Sherwood P. -- It has not been tested by IHiP)

How can I surpress the blue border around the imagemap?

Some browsers support the "border" attribute which can be set to zero which will eliminate this border.

     eg. <img src="image.gif" ismap border=0>

Can my imagemap link to named anchors on the same page?

Yes. Be sure to use the complete (or "absolute") path within your map file.

     (ie. http://your_domain/any.html#name)

What is the function of the ALT parameter in the following code?

     <img src="/user_dir/image.gif" ALT="Company Logo">

The value of this optional parameter is displayed until the image is loaded.Although this does not pertain specifically to imagemaps, it may be useful to users of text-only browsers.

What can I do so that text-only browsers display the same link optionsas the imagemap?

You might want to create a set of textual links in addition to the imagemap.For example:

[ E-Mail |Sign Guest Book ]

What tips do you have for the newbie imagemap author?

First, read the entire IHiP home page and then contact your web administrator to determine whether they are using either the NCSA imagemap program or the CERN htimage program.

Where can I get a counter like the one on IHiP's home page?

Try a Yahoo search using the keyword "counter". Hiway customers, a counter script has been preinstalled foryour convenience.

Where can I find a program that converts images to either GIF or JPEG?

back to IHiP