Interactive Maps

**Sadler** · 13 July 2009, 01:59 PM

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.

**Soquili** · 13 July 2009, 02:07 PM

Hi Sadler,

The flash works very well.

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

**Sadler** · 13 July 2009, 02:26 PM

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.

**Soquili** · 13 July 2009, 03:30 PM

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.

**Egg Bramhill** · 13 July 2009, 07:17 PM

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.

**Egg Bramhill** · 13 July 2009, 09:12 PM

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.

**Egg Bramhill** · 13 July 2009, 09:45 PM

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.

The answer to this is no.

**Sadler** · 13 July 2009, 10:22 PM

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.

**Egg Bramhill** · 14 July 2009, 12:00 AM

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.

**Sadler** · 14 July 2009, 07:23 AM

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.