Visual Imagemapper 2.0
January 16, 2002
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There have been many times that I wished that I had an image
mapper that would not let me waste my time by allowing me to
accidentally move or delete a selection. Not that my clumsy hands
don't always do what I want, but there are times when they seem
to have a mind of their own.
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Visual Imagemapper 2.0 arrives on the scene, and one of its
features is the ability to "lock" an element so that it can't be
moved or deleted. For that reason alone, we have a winner!
However, that is not the only quality feature that VIM has to
offer for its $19.95 price tag.
Sure, it allows the usual rectangle, circle, and polygon
selections, but that is where many of the familiar features end.
For example, VIM's interface is far more complete and informative
than many mapper programs.
As soon as the user makes a selection, the properties box on the
right comes to life allowing the user to name the selection,
attach a URL to it, provide alternative text to it, a target in
which the URL is to open, X-Y coordinates, and mouseover and
mouseout messages.
That also means that users can change the X-Y coordinates to gain
exact positioning of a shape.
Unlike many such programs, when the user makes a selection and
lets go of the mouse button, it can still be altered. The
selection will show up with "handles" on all sides — just
like most graphics do in regular graphics programs — that
enable the user to adjust any of the sides or to move the entire
selection.
The user can also save that selection to a file for use
elsewhere.
While some programs make a mystery out of finding the HTML coding
to go with maps, VIM does not even require the user to save the
file. Simply make the selections within the graphic, then either
click a button at the top of the program or go to "Edit" in the
menu and choose "View HTML source."
Either way will open a window that shows the source code which
can be copied and pasted into a document. That same window
offers a tab for the user to choose an internal browser to see
what the image map will look like on an HTML page. In the options
menu, users can select the color to be used for the selections so
that it works best with the graphic. Users can also go through
the menu to preview it in the internal or external browser at
anytime. Using an external browser requires saving the file.
Of course, if users wish to save the file, they can, either in
the program's native .vip format or in .html format. Saving in
the program's native file makes it easy to re-edit later; saving
it in .html format can, if the user so chooses, subject it to the
program's built-in code checker to make sure there are no
mistakes.
Another feature is the program's Hotspot Wizard, shown at
right. It will allow users to set hotspots in an organized system
which, for example, can make it easy to apply URL's to a photo
catalog.
Hotspot Wizard can generate 10,000 hotspots in a little
more than a minute, but that's probably overkill for most people.
However, for those who sometimes have 20 or so equal-sized photos
to deal with, it is a great time saver. Please note that the
trial version limits the number of hotspots allowed.
Further, if you are like me, you will like this program because
you can easily identify with the company that makes it —
Sofasitters Entertainment. Sofasitters is a group of teen-
agers who like to sit on the sofa and watch TV, and they design
their software so others will have more time to do the same.
I've not been a teen-ager for several decades, but to me that's a
humanitarian act if ever there was one. And, now that this is
written, I wonder ... where did I put that remote control?
| What is it called again?
Visual Imagemapper 2.0 |
| Where can I get it?
http://www.sofasitters.net |
| How much does it cost?
$19.95 |
| How big is the download? 2.68 MB |
| Do I recommend it?
Certainly. It's well worth the money. |
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