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HTML Image Mapping
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Bryce Camp Image Map Website

Image Map How-to

Here are step-by-step instructions for generating HTML image maps in Bryce. (All the tips we learned follow a bit later.)

During scene construction

While you are working on your scene:

1. Select object that will become web object:

2. Click the A (Object Attributes) icon to access the dialog box. Click the Linking tab

3. For the URL, assign the web page URL and click the Checkmark to close the Object Attributes dialog box.

Tips we found for constructing the scene.

We found out that grouped objects don't work well as links. Our solution: placing a perfectly transparent cube (Transparency = 100%) over any group intended as a link. Blend Transparency was shading mode.

An individual primitive that is a part of a group works fine as a link.

Sometimes the area that needs to be the link is a non-area, such as the hallway that goes into the crypt, or the space between stairs and banister. To make those into actual links, we placed "invisible" objects in the scene–usually a cube or a 2D square plane. The invisible object was assigned a web link, and, like the transparent cube described above, the object was made transparent. (If you make an object hidden in the Objects Attribute dialog box, it will not work)

During Final Scene Render

1. When you render the scene, you need to make sure that all of your web objects are selected. In the select pop-up menu (on the Selection palette), choose the Select Web Links option.

2. Render your scene (and save it).

Exporting the HTML Image map.

Once your scene has rendered, you can export the HTML image map.

There are two methods to generate an HTML image map in Bryce. They both live under the File menu. They take the process in slightly different orders.

Render to Disk ---order of steps

1. Select Web links

2. Select File > Render To Disk

3. Save the HTML name

4. Select options in HTML Export dialog box

5. Bryce renders the file and then generates the two export files (HTML text file and JPEG image file)

Export Image -- order of steps

1. Select Web links

2. Render scene

3. (optional, but highly recommended!) Save scene file.

4. Select File > Export Image

5. Save the HTML file name

6. Select options in HTML Export dialog box

Bryce exports the rendered image to generate the two export files

Of these two options, the Export Image allows you to make multiple export attempts (say, to change the JPEG Quality or the HTML hotspot boundary) without having to re-render each time. For that reason the rest of this discussion will follow the Export Image method.

Export Image -- Detailed Explanation

1. After you have rendered your image, go to the File menu and select Export Image.

A Save As dialog box appears, with a pop-up menu that contains options for different image formats.

Bryce 4 Mac Save As dialog box

Bryce 4 Windows Save As dialog box

2. Select HTML Image Map (Mac) or HTML Files (Windows)

3. Name your HTML text file in the text entry area.

Note: For Windows users, the .htm extension is automatically added to the file name. For Mac users, it is not. In fact, the name that is presented there is identical to the name of your scene file. Do NOT overwrite your scene file (You will get overwrought if you do!). You'll need to supply the .htm or .html extension when you name your HTML file.

4. Click OK. You go to another dialog box, the HTML Image Map export dialog box (shown on next page), where you get to assign different parameters.

5. After you enter the name of the HTML file, Bryce presents you with the HTML Image Map export dialog box.

In this dialog box you will set up parameters for your HTML file as well as name your JPEG image file.

6. Fill in the sections according to your wishes.