Hi Folk

Is there any use for server image maps these days and how the heck do they
work (I tried to read up about it, but I am not 100% sure what the actual
mechanics are).

TIA

- Nicolaas

PS I am trying to simplify

www.friars.co.nz/search.php (the map that is)

and I was wondering if a server side image map could be useful

windandwaves wrote:
[color=blue]
> Is there any use for server image maps these days[/color]

Sometimes, but not often.
[color=blue]
> and how the heck do they work (I tried to read up about it, but I am not
> 100% sure what the actual mechanics are).[/color]

The browser sends co-ordinates of the click to the server, the server acts
based on those.
[color=blue]
> PS I am trying to simplify
> www.friars.co.nz/search.php (the map that is)
> and I was wondering if a server side image map could be useful[/color]

You have discrete sections there. A client side image map is preferred.


--
David Dorward <http://blog.dorward.me.uk/> <http://dorward.me.uk/>
Home is where the ~/.bashrc is

On Wed, 24 Aug 2005, windandwaves wrote:
[color=blue]
> Is there any use for server image maps these days[/color]

Could be useful if you don't want the HTML source to give away the answer,
e.g for a competition.

Can also be useful if you need a custom algorithm to determine the
results, but of course then you can't use stock server-side image maps,
you'd need a custom server-side script to handle the requests.

Generally speaking, client-side maps are more responsive and easier to
handle. I wouldn't use server-side maps nowadays unless you've got some
definite reason to want to.
[color=blue]
> and how the heck do they work[/color]

Try http://www.ihip.com/

Details depend a bit on what server you're using.

windandwaves wrote:[color=blue]
> Hi Folk
>
> Is there any use for server image maps these days and how the heck do they
> work (I tried to read up about it, but I am not 100% sure what the actual
> mechanics are).[/color]

The only reason I can think to use a server-side image map is when the
map isn't broken into discrete clickable regions, such as a geographic
map where a user is supposed to click it to recenter it at the point
clicked or perhaps zoom in around that point. In other words, situations
where the point coordinates are needed.

Note that server-side image maps are completely unusable by people
without visual access or who are unable to use an input device other
than the keyboard.