Interactive Maps

This is a follow-on from a posting I made in the Xara Xtreme forum but since it's now turned into a flash issue I thought I'd move it here.

I had some success (thanks to the community) creating a flash based interactive map with roll-overs and overlays. Here's the resulting swf:



This file has only one overlay (on Germany Zone I) but as you can see it works.

With this flush of success I went ahead and added a bunch more overlays and now none of them are working (see attached xar). I immediately thought that perhaps it might be the additions that were causing the problem and tried to revert to the earlier state to test. Even the single overlay does not work now.

If anyone could be so generous as to have a look at my file to see if I've done anything obviously wrong I'd be grateful. Any suggestions on where to look would also be welcome.

Another question: I'd like to link to a specific frame (e.g. to one of the overlays). Paul Robertson from Adobe says that it can be done but how might this translate into Xara Xtreme Pro usage?

Many thanks.

Hi Sadler,

The flash works very well.

To find the goto command in Flash check the Xtreme Help file.

Thanks for that.

In this case, the goto would work from within a single flash file. I'd like to be able to deep link from another page using a URL to an overlay. I guess what I'm asking is, does Xtreme create frame anchors and when it generates the swf file does it use the "Flash with Named Anchors" option.

As to the overlays, can you confirm that when you open the xar and preview the flash that you can see Zones I to VI? If so, would it be too much trouble for you to generate a working swf for me?

Cheers.

Hi Sadler,

I was commenting on the swf file you had attached to your post. When I try your .xar file the "clicked" frames do not show.

It is "very late" for me (I work 3rd shift). If no one else has provided an answer I will work on the problem after getting home from work tomorrow. Need to get some sleep. ;)

Hi Sadler, your problem is being caused by having 2 buttons, one on top of another for every country/sector. 1 button says on roll over Goto Frame X whilst the one above it says on click Goto Frame Y.

It can only do one action, so it just does the roll over action.

Sadler, I'm not 100% sure the above is actually the issue but I've removed any possible cause of this being a possibility in the attached xar file. It seems to function as expected now. I notice that some of your frames have names like xxxxx; Stop and others like xxxxx;Stop. It doesn't appear to make a difference but I'd try doing it without the space between the semi-colon and Stop.

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In this case, the goto would work from within a single flash file. I'd like to be able to deep link from another page using a URL to an overlay. I guess what I'm asking is, does Xtreme create frame anchors and when it generates the swf file does it use the "Flash with Named Anchors" option.

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The answer to this is no.

Egg, it would seem I'm indebted to you once more. And thanks to Bill for stepping into the breach when he was so tired.

Now, I have to know what you did Egg, since I have to add a few more overlays and maybe even a third layer since the frame anchors are not an option. Perhaps I can glean what you've tidied up from the file - that'll be the best way to learn.

As to the inconsistency in the semi-colons and the stops that was me experimenting to see if it made any difference - it didn't seem to.

I can't check 'til I'm back at work tomorrow but I'm guessing you've moved the click event onto the same button as the roll-over? If so, it should be an easy way forward.

Hi Sadler, basically I've done away with your 2 backgrounds layers and placed every country/region on every over page but deleted the mouseover action button underneath the moused over country. Example. goto Italy over and move the red Italy. theres no italy below it.

Then the clicked layers each have a map of europe with no actions.

This seems excessive but once you've got the correct button actions just pasting the map into each layer takes little time. The file size (swf) isn't big either.

A couple of suggestions:
On your site the on click windows that opens has the close button bottom left. If the visitor doesn't scroll down they can't see the close button so I'd suggest putting it top right of the window.
The NE corner of the map jars by having a coast line where there isn't one. I suggest you include the Baltic States & Belarus.

Thanks Egg. As long as the client likes it and I don't need to change it too often I'm happy with this way - especially since it works! and the file sizes haven't exploded.

It is a mystery though, why/how I managed to get that one overlay working. Your reasoning on the two buttons sounds logical.

I also take on board what you say about the missing land masses - there was no requirement to include them for the sake of the project but I too was getting itchy about the lack of certain areas.

And you are also right about the [back] link. I moved it down there because that was the only consistent corner of the overlay but, as you say, the scrolling and mouse haulage outweigh that benefit. So I shall move it back.

I'm still in the process of copying the map to all the layers - just doesn't seem right but still...if it's going to work. Interim tests are not encouraging though since a few (5) of the country rollovers are flashing when rolled over.

Taking advantage of the giveawayoftheday I downloaded SWF Quicker to check out my previous attempt which didn't respond to any clicks. Interestingly, all the click hotspots opened in SWF Quicker at 0,0 - i.e. in the top left corner (see attachment) which would mean, of course, that the links would be impossible to click on. Of course it could be that SWF Quicker is reading the file incorrectly but everything else seems to be solid it's interesting that the only thing I'm having problems with is the thing that wrong in SWF Quicker.

I wouldn't take a lot of notice of the SWF Quicker import. There are quiet a few swf decompilers out there and I've never seen one that works 100% correctly on a decent sized swf. Good free program for messing about with simple swf's and a few fun effects of it's own as well.

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I'm still in the process of copying the map to all the layers - just doesn't seem right but still...if it's going to work. Interim tests are not encouraging though since a few (5) of the country rollovers are flashing when rolled over.

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I can't understand this if your using my xar as all the rollover effects were in place. You only need paste the non rollover map on each of the clicked pages. This map has no OnClick or RollOver buttons so you must be adding the wrong map to get these flashinf effects.

You're right Egg, it would be more expedient for me to use your file and I will probably do just that. I'm extremely grateful for your continued help. However, I want to get a handle on all the ins and outs of this process for myself as I think I'll want to use this technique in later projects and, you might not be around the help then ;)

I'm might actually be making some progress - I'll post another SWF in a minute or two.

OK...

You'll like this. All rollovers working without flashing and the SWF exports without any errors. I've added overlays for Zones I-VI and Italy, which work except for a couple where one needs to first rolls over another area. If anyone has got any ideas about how to address this...there must be something I'm missing but whatever it is it's subtle.



The xar file is now pretty big at nearly 4MB so I've not included it in this posting.

Hi Sadler, how's the brainwave going? I find that Sectors 1 & 2 & Italy need clicking several times to show the larger map.

Hi Egg,

My brain is just about fried right now. As you've noticed there are still a couple of issues with the map and I've no idea about how to address them.

If you enter Italy from Switzerland, Austria or Yugoslavia, clicking is unsuccessful but if you enter from France or the sea then it shows the overlay.

If you enter Zone I from anywhere but the French Zone then click through fails although if you happen to be over Zone I after a frame change (e.g. from another overlay) then clicking works.

It's a similar situation for Zone 2 except that the working entry visa is from the British or Soviet Zones.

I'd love to be able to get this sorted out but...

You'll see I've removed the close button from the overlays and resorted to screen wide button (i.e. click anywhere outside the overlay) to close it. This works very well and has the added benefit of giving another working entry to the Zones.

And you've completed the NE corner which now looks fine.

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You'll see I've removed the close button from the overlays and resorted to screen wide button (i.e. click anywhere outside the overlay) to close it. This works very well and has the added benefit of giving another working entry to the Zones.

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Are you certain these large close buttons aren't interfering with the OnClick actions?

How does it give you another working entry to the zones?

I also added Turkey and Spain :)

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Are you certain these large close buttons aren't interfering with the OnClick actions?

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Well, these large buttons are on the overlay frame which are later in the frame sequence and if they are interfering with the hotspots on other frames then they aren't interfering all the time. So, while not 100% certain, I'm quite confident that this isn't the issue.

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How does it give you another working entry to the zones?

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If you have an overlay open and you click over, say, Zone I, then click again, Zone I's overlay appears. If you enter from the French Zone it's overlay appears. That's two ways in as I see it. All other routes result in a non-click.

I've posted a tutorial video on the steps I took to create the map in this thread. It's my very first tutorial video ever so apologies for my poor mic technique.

Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SadlerJo...C83C4D41CD0041

Or watch it embedded here:



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Hi Sadler, an excellent tutorial. They take some planing and you've only got 10 minutes.

Thanks a lot for sharing.

Thanks - yes they do take a LOT of planning.

This is a 20min tutorial split into 2x10 for uTube. The link I posted should have been a playlist but the second half has had more viewings than the first have so perhaps that isn't working as I expected.

Yes, I watched both but it does come up with the second part first.

I've embedded them in your original announcement post now, so folks should view both equally.