3.5.3.3 <imagemap>

The <imagemap> element supports the basic functionality of the HTML "client-side" image map markup. <imagemap> allows you to designate a linkable area or region over an image, allowing a link in that region to display another topic.

An HTML client-side image map binds an image to the navigation structure (the "map") by means of an ID association from the map to the image. In contrast, the DITA version of <imagemap> markup simply includes the target image as the first required element in the markup, followed by a sequence of <area> elements that represent the links associated with the contained image.

An <imagemap> structure can be output either to a standard HTML image map or to alternative forms of navigation (such as table-based image maps). When output as PDF, the minimal form would be to represent at least the image; advanced PDF output processors should provide equivalent region-oriented hyperlinks.

The <xref> content within <area> contains the intended alternative text or hover text for that image map area.

Content models

See appendix for information about this element in OASIS document type shells.

Inheritance

+ topic/fig ut-d/imagemap

Example

A simple <imagemap> looks like this (note that the rendering will depend on how this markup is supported for particular output formats):
<imagemap>
 <image href="imagemapworld.jpg">
   <alt>Map of the world showing 5 areas</alt>
 </image>
 <area><shape>rect</shape><coords>2,0,53,59</coords>
  <xref href="d1-s1.dita">Section 1 alternative text</xref>
 </area>
 <area><shape>rect</shape><coords>54,1,117,60</coords>
  <xref href="d1-s2.dita"><!-- Pull title from d1-s2.dita --></xref>
 </area>
 <area><shape>rect</shape><coords>54,62,114,116</coords>
  <xref href="#inline" type="topic">Alternative text for this rectangle</xref>
 </area>
 <area><shape>circle</shape><coords>120,154,29</coords>
  <xref format="html" href="test.html">Link to a test html file</xref>
 </area>
 <area><shape>poly</shape>
  <coords>246,39,200,35,173,52,177,86,215,90,245,84,254,65</coords>
  <xref format="pdf" href="test.pdf">Link to a test PDF file</xref>
 </area>
</imagemap>

The areas defined correspond to this graphic image with the areas visible:
Diagram showing a graphic image annotated to show the areas of an imagemap. Each area is indicated with a bordered region on the image. To the right of the image there is a list correlating the areas of the imagemap to the targets of their respective links.

The values for use in the <shape> and <coords> elements follow the guidelines defined for image maps in HTML 4.1, Client-side image maps: the MAP and AREA elements

Attributes

The following attributes are available on this element: Universal attribute group, Display attribute group, outputclass, and spectitle.

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