imagemap
The imagemap element supports the basic functionality of the HTML "client-side" image map markup. imagemap allows you to designate a linkable area or region over an image, allowing a link in that region to display another topic.
An HTML client-side image map binds an image to the navigation structure (the "map") by means of an ID association from the map to the image. In contrast, the DITA version of imagemap markup simply includes the target image as the first required element in the markup, followed by a sequence of area elements that represent the links associated with the contained image.
An imagemap structure can be output either to a standard HTML image map or to alternative forms of navigation (such as table-based image maps). When output as PDF, the minimal form would be to represent at least the image; advanced PDF output processors should provide equivalent region-oriented hyperlinks.
The xref content within area contains the intended alternative text or hover text for that image map area.
Content models
See appendix for information about this element in OASIS document type shells.
Inheritance
+ topic/fig ut-d/imagemap
Example 184. Example
A simple imagemap looks like this (note that the rendering will depend on how this markup is supported for particular output formats):
<imagemap>
<image href="imagemapworld.jpg">
<alt>Map of the world showing 5 areas</alt>
</image>
<area><shape>rect</shape><coords>2,0,53,59</coords>
<xref href="d1-s1.dita">Section 1 alternative text</xref>
</area>
<area><shape>rect</shape><coords>54,1,117,60</coords>
<xref href="d1-s2.dita"><!-- Pull title from d1-s2.dita --></xref>
</area>
<area><shape>rect</shape><coords>54,62,114,116</coords>
<xref href="#inline" type="topic">Alternative text for this rectangle</xref>
</area>
<area><shape>circle</shape><coords>120,154,29</coords>
<xref format="html" href="test.html">Link to a test html file</xref>
</area>
<area><shape>poly</shape>
<coords>246,39,200,35,173,52,177,86,215,90,245,84,254,65</coords>
<xref format="pdf" href="test.pdf">Link to a test PDF file</xref>
</area>
</imagemap>
The areas defined correspond to this graphic image with the areas visible:
![Diagram showing a graphic image annotated to show the areas of an imagemap. Each area is indicated with a bordered region on the image. To the right of the image there is a list correlating the areas of the imagemap to the targets of their respective links. Diagram showing a graphic image annotated to show the areas of an imagemap. Each area is indicated with a bordered region on the image. To the right of the image there is a list correlating the areas of the imagemap to the targets of their respective links.](../DITA%201.3%20Language%20Reference/images/imagemapworld.png)
The values for use in the
shape and
coords elements follow the guidelines defined for image maps in HTML 4.1,
Client-side image maps: the MAP and AREA elementsAttributes
Parent topic