Author Topic: MAPs and maps (Read 1161 times)

ephemeralstability · « **on:** September 18, 2002, 03:02:08 AM »

OK, here's my plan: (map in the cartographic sense is written "map", in the HTML image-clicking sense "MAP")

Flash-based map-drawing tool to create images of maps.
It also allows one to define rectanglular clickable image MAPs which link to details about particular areas. These MAPs are exported in XML format from the Flash movie and stored in a database along with a reference to the image.
Details about areas on the maps can be submitted and stored on an XML database related to the image/MAP database.
A Perl script will allow interrogation of the database to give a page containing a set of clickable maps.

But I'm not sure about how to take a Flash movie and turn it into an image file from inside Flash player using ActionScript (or even if it's possible). So if anyone knows one way or the other, please reply and tell me!

ephemeralstability!

Strolen · « **Reply #1 on:** September 20, 2002, 11:09:08 AM »

Have you ever checked out http://www.heromachine.com/

They haven't been able to figure out a way to export to a picture either. They way they got around it is to save all the variables into an url. So then, by using that url, it can recreate all the details you put into it. Or not an url, something like that anyway that the flash program can interpret. You would understand it better then I.

Not really feasible for the map generator though I wouldn't think.

ephemeralstability · « **Reply #2 on:** September 20, 2002, 01:24:36 PM »

The only way I've thought of so far is to export details about the map as an XML file from Flash (a bit like SVG) and then interpret that using a Perl program and the GD modules which draw image files for you. Unfortunately (although I can export XML from Flash) I don't know how to access the posted XML from a server-side Perl script. I tried using the CGI param() method, but it only partially worked. I'm still searching...

ephemeralstability!

DaWergyling · « **Reply #3 on:** December 06, 2003, 11:26:51 AM »

Uhhhh... Eph, did you give up on the flash-mapping program? Because I can't find any links to it. (Because I'd like to download it and use it myself if that's okay. Just if you do so export it to .exe and not .swf- I don't have flash, and am a bit, well, poor)

Strolen · « **Reply #4 on:** December 06, 2003, 05:38:42 PM »

Click on Eph's "WWW" and follow the link to the mapping tool.

It is an online tool and it is free so there shouldn't be any problem.

Ylorea · « **Reply #5 on:** December 09, 2003, 01:41:36 AM »

If you do have a map and want a gif or jpg version of the image, you might consider using a grabbing tool like snag-it.

Or did I miss some important point along the line?

Yours,

Ylorea