Help:Image maps

The ImageMap extension to the MediaWiki software allows you to insert images with clickable links into articles in the wiki. With the ImageMap extension, you can make an entire image serve as a link to a different article or you can select multiple areas within that image to link to different articles. The ImageMap extension is a powerful and flexible tool, but because it is coded in HTML and defines regions via coordinates, many users may find it difficult to use at first. This guide will show you the easiest way to use the ImageMap extension to use an image to link to another article.


 * Note:It is not necessary to use an image map to add a link to an entire image, this can be done by adding an image link.

1. Upload your image

 * Upload into FamilySearch Wiki the image you want to make into an image map.

2. Copy the URL for the image

 * Right click on the image and choose Copy image URL.
 * Note do not copy the URL from the browser window, it will not work.

3. Open the Image Map Editor
NOTE: this link is currently broken due to User account expired. An acceptable replacement is being evaluated for future use. Please be patient. Broken link!
 * Open Editor

4. Load image into editor

 * Paste the URL into "Load from URL."
 * In Name box, copy and paste the file name of the image with its extension (jpg, png, etc).
 * Click Load.
 * The image will show up in the image box immediately below.
 * If image does not display, you have a problem with the URL.

5. Select category of area being outlined

 * Below the image box is the Areas box.
 * Depending on the shape of the image, select the correct category: Rectangle, Circle or Polygon.
 * Most of the time you will probably be using Polygon as most images you will be outlining do not have regular shapes.
 * When you click polygon, a box marked General appears.

6. Install links and title

 * Put the link to the article in the Wiki for the area you are outlining on your image map.
 * Or the URL for a site outside of the wiki.
 * Next, put in the title box whatever title you want to appear in the tooltip to be seen by anyone who clicks on the area.

7. Outline area with the cross

 * Go back up to the image box and you will see a cross.
 * Place the cross on the starting point of the area to be selected.
 * Click on the various parts of the image you want to be part of the area.
 * As you progress along the borders, the area will become shaded.
 * Return to the starting point.

8. Check the coordinates in the ImageMap box

 * After you have finished with the first area, go down to ImageMap extension code box and you will see the coordinates of the area you just outlined.
 * Notice that the link and its name is between the set of.
 * You will also notice that area you outlined is shaded so you can see what area has already be covered.

9. Create the next clickable area

 * To create the next clickable area on your image, click Polygon again.
 * It will blank the General box.
 * Enter the next link and title.
 * The cross will appear again so go around the area you want to outline next.
 * When you have finished all the areas you want to select, go to ImageMap extension code again and copy all the code in the box including

10. Create imagemap template

 * Enter in the search box Template:Name of Your Image Map.
 * Click on the red link and then edit page to create your template.
 * IMPORTANT Using the Wikitext editor install this code  __ NORICHEDITOR __ at the top of the page.  This will prevent anyone from opening the file with the Rich Editor which will destroy your code (this is currently the only work-around).
 * Paste in coding you copied from ImageMap extension into Wikitext editor not the Rich Editor.
 * Save the template.
 * You should see the image and when you put your mouse on the various areas you selected, you should see a tooltip with the title of the area.
 * Click on the area to see if your links are ok.

11. Limit size of image map

 * The image will be the size it was uploaded as.
 * If you want to limit the size of the image, go to the WIkitext editor and install a pipe after the name of the image at the top of the coding followed by the size in pixels, like so:
 * Image:Name of Image.jpg|400px

12. To install your image map

 * Installed image on page like any template.
 * Type where you want it on the page.
 * If the image is still too large or you want to increase the size, go back and edit the template by changing the size in pixels at the top of the page.

Example
In this example, you will take an image of the Oregon flag and make it so that when you click on the image, you are taken to the Oregon page.
 * 1) Go to https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Image:Oregon_flag.png, and then click on the link to the file just below image to bring you to the page showing the full URL to link to the image.
 * 2) Right click the image and choose "Copy image URL."
 * 3) Go to ImageMap Editor and paste the URL in the URL field of the "Load from URL" box. Enter the full name of the image in the name box. In this example, the full name of the image is Oregon_flag.png.
 * 4) Click load
 * 5) The image will then load.
 * 6) Click Rectangle in the New Area box.
 * 7) In the link field of the General box, type Oregon.
 * 8) Next, you will set the clickable area that will link to the "Oregon" page. In the right upper corner of the image, click with the right mouse button. In the left lower corner of the image, click with the left mouse button.
 * 9) In the Global Settings box, click none.
 * 10) Paste your code in the appropriate location in the page. You should see something like this:

Save your page and test your link. If you followed the instructions for this code, you would see:

Tips

 * You can use the ImageMap extension and the ImageMap editor to define multiple regions within your image that link to different pages.
 * You can learn more about some advanced applications of the ImageMap extension at MediaWiki.
 * It's a good idea to get familiar with new tools by playing with them in the Sandbox before trying them out on full articles.

Sources and Citations

 * MediaWiki ImageMap Extension and documentation
 * ImageMap editor

__NORICHEDITOR__