RE: Server Side Image Maps (was: images / alt and image maps)

According to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, the things you have
described are server side image maps. (The definition of image maps at
http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/wai-pageauth.html#image-map is
functional, not code based.)

In actual fact for most maps it is not terribly hard to have a client-side
map in principle, using vector-based technology. Roadmaps are in essence
vector diagrams. But there are certainly some kinds of image maps where the
most appropriate non-visual interface is different - perhaps form-based, or
text links.

And as Jim points out, reducing the navigation overload is helpful.

cheers

Charles

On Sat, 26 May 2001, Jim Thatcher wrote:

  Server Side Image Maps (was: images / alt and image maps)Hi Bruce,

  Actually, the maps at MapBlast are image buttons and according to HTML 4:
  <quote> When a pointing device is used to click on the image, the form is
  submitted and the click coordinates passed to the server <endquote>.  So
  they behave like server-side image maps but technically are not. Do you know
  of other examples of server-side maps in use that are not image buttons?

  You said that the provision about available geometric shapes applies to maps
  where each pixel is, in effect, a separate hot link. If so, how then can one
  hope to have equivalent text links for the hot spots?

  I want to emphasize that my example of King County was not raising the issue
  of whether or not that could be a client site map; instead I was pointing
  out that making their navigation banner a server-side map with text links at
  the bottom of the page provided a "skip navigation" technique and certainly
  did not interfere with access.

Received on Saturday, 26 May 2001 15:19:39 UTC