ANNOUNCE: MAP_MARKER V0.1, Editor for clickable maps

Murray-Rust Dr P (pmr1716@ggr.co.uk)
Thu, 24 Mar 1994 20:36:07 --100


We have just started reading this newsgroup and noticed the discussion:

koblas@netcom.com (David Koblas) wrote:
>>
>> I recently got around to reading the NCSA "document" on how to setup
>> clickable image maps. Now the big question is how many people use
>> this method (XPaint & XV) for creation maintinace of your image maps, or
>> what do you use?
>>
>> What features in a tool would you like to see to make this task easier?

Kevin Hughes * kevinh@eit.com also wrote:

> I would certainly like to see an X program that allows you to
>create the shapes over an image, showing a transparent overlay of each
>shape to easily show any overlapping areas. I'd like it to be able to
>reload the shapes from a config file and have the points editable, too!
>

We have essentially finished just such a tool and append a pre-release
notice. We'd be grateful for beta-testers - please be gentle as this is
Gudge's first project!

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MAP_MARKER V0.1

MAP_MARKER is a tool for generating clickable image maps for use
with HTML browsers. It has been written by Gudge Chandramohan,
undergraduate from South Bank University, London, UK as part of an
industrial training year at Glaxo R&D, Greenford. This is a PRE-RELEASE
version to meet the need for creating image maps.

We would be grateful for anyone wishing to beta-test this over the
next week before release. You will need tcl7.3/tk3.6. If you wish to use
colour images you will need them as rppm files and must have the photo
widget as part of your "wish". We would prefer to mail the files as shar
files or tar.Z.uue in the first instance (ca 170 Kb), but could upload to
a ftp/incoming if required. When ready we shall probably deposit the
code in the tk archive.

MAP_MARKER V0.1 is written in tcl/tk and allows the user to:

- read an image file in EITHER *.xbm OR *.rppm format

- optionally read in a NCSA format imagemap file (*.map)

- create, move, edit, copy and delete the following shapes:
- circle
- rectangle
- polygon

- display these in a variety of styles and colour on top of the image

- add an optional grid

- annotate objects with comments and a URL. (The program can force the
user to annotate all objects and will detect unannotated ones).

- interactively test the validity of all URL's associated with objects

- save the session as a NCSA imagemap file, including the display
attributes

The first full release will have the additional features:

- Motif-style bindings

- Filebrowsers for images, maps and URLs

- Display of comments as textual annotation on the image

- automatic conversion of gif files to images.

Gudge Chandramohan , akc22282@ggr.co.uk
Peter Murray-Rust, pmr1716@ggr.co.uk

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Peter Murray-Rust | "Nothing exists except atoms and empty
pmr1716@ggr.co.uk | space; all else is opinion" (Democritos).
Protein Structure Group, Glaxo Group Research, Greenford, MIDDX, UB6 0HE, UK
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