About WebMap

WebMap is a tool for creating the “.map” files that are required to support ISMAPs on an HTML server.  Currently there are 2 formats for these “.map” files, CERN and NCSA, corresponding to CERN's “htimage” software and the NCSA's “htimage” software.

Imagemaps are GIF graphics files that have a map file associated them.  This map file contains the definitions of the various rectangular, circular, and polygonal hot areas on the GIF, along with their associated URL (Uniform Resource Locator).

When an imagemap is being served, you can click on a hot area, and the URL associated with that hot area will be sent as a request to the HTML server specified in the URL.  This allows the creation of graphic front ends to online databases.

See the topics “The CERN Imagemap Format” and “The NCSA Imagemap Format” below for descriptions of these formats.