Map This! 32-bit -- This is the first image map editor specifically designed for Windows 95 that I've encountered, and it's definitely one of the best map editors on the 'net. If you're considering creating your own image maps for your web site, you'll need to first make sure that you meet four requirements: 1. You'll need your own web page(s) -- obviously, 2. The server that hosts the page(s) must be able to support image maps (talk to your system admin about this), 3. You'll need to know how to create and add image maps to your web page, and 4. You'll need to know how to use the imagemap function of your server. Assuming that you meet the first requirement but are possibly in need of more information for the other three, I've scoured the web for helpful sites on this subject. First, you'll need to consult with your system administrator on whether your map files should be saved in the CERN or NCSA format and where they should be stored on the server. If you're going to be working with CERN maps, check out the CERN tutorial for creating image maps; if you'll be working with NCSA maps, check out their tutorial instead. Finally, the addition of client-side image maps in browsers like Internet Explorer and Netscape (2.0+) should make creating and storing image maps a much easier process. Now that you have the necessary knowledge for creating image maps, you can put the multitude of features in Map This! to good use. Map This offers users an intuitive, graphics-based interface for creating and modifying image maps. Map This includes grid lines; zoom in/out; rectangle, polygon, and circle tools; right mouse button functionality; and a map area editor for quick and efficient map editing. While creating the image map is often the easiest step in setting up an image map, Map This makes the process even easier by providing all the tools you'll need for this critical step. Map files can be saved in either CERN, NCSA, or even CSIM (client side image mapping) format. Additional features in Map This include frames support for image maps; copy, cut, and paste commands; a built-in preview/test client for image maps; AreaTips (displays the URL as your cursor moves over specific areas); and user-definable grids. The latest release also offers massive revisions and improvements to the online help documentation, with much-appreciated emphasis on helping new users learn how, why, and even if image maps should be used on web sites. Although Windows 3.x users are out of luck with Map This (it's a 32-bit application, so unless you're using Win32s, Map This won't run on Windows 3.x platforms -- see WebImage for a 16-bit image mapping utility), Map This is a must-have app for anyone with a 32-bit operating system considering the idea of using an image map on a web site. Pros: Efficient and intuitive image map editing, easiest way to create image maps for the web Cons: Only available in 32-bit release, some features could be more intuitive for new users New: Support for client-side image maps, AreaTips, area grab handles, more Version Reviewed: 1.30 Official Release Date of Review: 7/11/96 Reviewer: Forrest Stroud apps conference Main Menu