Course Web Site Development: Advanced FrontPage Components: Image Maps

Image maps allow you to take a graphical image and turn it into a visual directory of a certain idea or concept.  To illustrate this device, take a look at the sample image map contained within the two horizontal bars below.

Craig In Europe -- An Online Adventure

Simply click on various regions of Western Europe below to see where I've been!

You may create an image map out of practically any image you come across.  The basic process for creating this kind of object is outlined below.

1. Select an image that will be used for the image map.  A good place to start is the AltaVista image search database.  To use this system, click here, then click on Images.  Type in your search criteria and click the Search button.  Select an image from the resulting list and save it on your hard drive somewhere.  This can be accomplished by right-clicking on the image and choosing Save As.
2. Import this image into the page that will eventually hold the image map.  Directions on how to import an image can be found here.
3. Click once on your image.  The Image Toolbar will appear at the bottom of the screen.  The third button from the right is labeled "Polygonal Hotspot".  Click on this button.
4. Begin clicking inside your image and outline the area that will become "click-able".  To complete the process, click back upon the first spot you clicked on, thus enclosing the polygon.
5. A hyperlink box will appear.  Find the file you wish to link to (the file that will be displayed when your user clicks on the area you just defined) and click the OK button.