Image Map Bug in Dreamweaver CS4

[ghorsman]

I've included a video sample of Dreamweaver's inability to draw polygonal
hotspots in Design view on an image map. The image is inside an absolutely
positioned div tag. After clicking the first corner, the drawing tool is
deactivated. A second click to create the next corner point selects the
underlying image.

In this video sample, I'm using Dreamweaver CS4 on a MacBook Pro with a 2.4
GHz Intel processor and OS X 10.5.6. The image is actually a transparent PNG.
I'm very careful to click on an opaque area, but that shouldn't make a
difference.

The workaround is to open the image in a blank HTML file, create the polygonal
hotspots there and then copy and paste the code back into the original HTML
page. Adobe should really consider fixing this.

The video can be viewed here:

[Dooza]

Post by ghorsman
I've included a video sample of Dreamweaver's inability to draw polygonal
hotspots in Design view on an image map. The image is inside an absolutely
positioned div tag. After clicking the first corner, the drawing tool is
deactivated. A second click to create the next corner point selects the
underlying image.
In this video sample, I'm using Dreamweaver CS4 on a MacBook Pro with a 2.4
GHz Intel processor and OS X 10.5.6. The image is actually a transparent PNG.
I'm very careful to click on an opaque area, but that shouldn't make a
difference.
The workaround is to open the image in a blank HTML file, create the polygonal
hotspots there and then copy and paste the code back into the original HTML
page. Adobe should really consider fixing this.

Have you told Adobe about it?

Dooza

[David Powers]

Post by ghorsman
I've included a video sample of Dreamweaver's inability to draw polygonal
hotspots in Design view on an image map. The image is inside an absolutely
positioned div tag. After clicking the first corner, the drawing tool is
deactivated. A second click to create the next corner point selects the
underlying image.

I've watched your video, so I'm not disputing that you have a problem.
However, I have just tested creating a polygon hotspot inside an AP div
in both Windows Vista and Mac OS X, and it worked perfectly in both systems.

I did see a report recently that some people have been experiencing
problems with hotspots, so it seems as though you're not alone. Report
it direct to Adobe using the bug report form at
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform.

[James Shook]

Is this in a template? Historically, DW has had problems with image maps
in templates. Another possibility is to move the graphic out of any
<div> tags it may be within, add the hot spot, and then move it back
into the <div>.

JMS

[ghorsman]

@JMS

Nope. This is just a plain old HTML page. I did open the image in a separate HTML page and did the hotspots there, so your method may just be a little quicker.

[Murray *ACE*]

Historically, DW has had problems with image maps in templates.

Not for several releases now, James. In fact, I can't remember when this
went away....
--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Adobe Community Expert
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
==================

Is this in a template? Historically, DW has had problems with image maps
in templates. Another possibility is to move the graphic out of any <div>
tags it may be within, add the hot spot, and then move it back into the
<div>.
JMS

[ghorsman]

Hi again all.

This issue was originally brought up by myself on the Dreamweaver Help Site:

http://help.adobe.com/en_US/Dreamweaver/10.0_Using/WScbb6b82af5544594822510a94ae
8d65-7c13a.html

There, I was asked by a moderator to post this in the Dreamweaver General
Discussion area, which is what I've done here. I was also encouraged to fill
out a bug report form to the developers, so I think I'll do that too.

But I do appreciate the quick response so far from everybody. I'll proceed as
recommended so that this can be sorted out.

[ghorsman]

I've submitted my bug report to Adobe as recommended, so I guess it's just a matter of time before we know whether they'll address the issue.

I appreciate all the input from everybody.

[Murray *ACE*]

Or whether it is an issue. For example, the fact that others are not able
to reproduce the problem doesn't bode well in that regard....
--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Adobe Community Expert
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
==================

Post by ghorsman
I've submitted my bug report to Adobe as recommended, so I guess it's just
a matter of time before we know whether they'll address the issue.
I appreciate all the input from everybody.

[David Powers]

Post by Murray *ACE*
Or whether it is an issue. For example, the fact that others are not
able to reproduce the problem doesn't bode well in that regard....

I've just been reading the comments on the CS3 Livedocs about the same
problem. Two things stood out: the problem seems to arise when the image
is inside a div, and several people said the answer was to create the
image map in a new page. Being inside a div should not present a
problem, because all my tests have used an image directly inside a div.

What interested me was that there was no problem creating an image map
in a new page. Dreamweaver uses JavaScript in the background to run a
lot of its functionality. If there are any errors in the underlying
code, or if the code is complex, Dreamweaver can't analyze the page
properly. Another possible cause of problems is insufficient memory. If
you have the minimum RAM, but other programs are running, this is likely
to cause Dreamweaver to fail to function correctly, particularly on
large, complex pages.

So, if Dreamweaver fails to create a hotspot on an existing page, try it
on a new page. If it works in the new page, it sounds as though it's a
problem with the complexity of the page and/or memory. If it fails to
work on the new page, it's back to square one. :(

[Murray *ACE*]

Good review, David. Thanks for the analysis!
--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Adobe Community Expert
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
==================

Post by David Powers

Post by Murray *ACE*
Or whether it is an issue. For example, the fact that others are not
able to reproduce the problem doesn't bode well in that regard....

I've just been reading the comments on the CS3 Livedocs about the same
problem. Two things stood out: the problem seems to arise when the image
is inside a div, and several people said the answer was to create the
image map in a new page. Being inside a div should not present a problem,
because all my tests have used an image directly inside a div.
What interested me was that there was no problem creating an image map in
a new page. Dreamweaver uses JavaScript in the background to run a lot of
its functionality. If there are any errors in the underlying code, or if
the code is complex, Dreamweaver can't analyze the page properly. Another
possible cause of problems is insufficient memory. If you have the minimum
RAM, but other programs are running, this is likely to cause Dreamweaver
to fail to function correctly, particularly on large, complex pages.
So, if Dreamweaver fails to create a hotspot on an existing page, try it
on a new page. If it works in the new page, it sounds as though it's a
problem with the complexity of the page and/or memory. If it fails to work
on the new page, it's back to square one. :(
--
David Powers
Adobe Community Expert, Dreamweaver
http://foundationphp.com

[ghorsman]

I don't believe the page I created was all that complex. There are just 54
lines of HTML code and the file is 4 KB. I always start building my pages using
DIVs in code view to make sure things are kept clean. There is an external link
to the CSS file and no special scripting at all. So I can't imagine that a
complicated HTML page is the culprit in my case.

Clicking and dragging with the rectangular hotspot tool works fine. It's just
clicking once on the image to make a corner point that seems to want to select
the underlying image and deactivate the polygon tool at the same time.

Also, my computer's fairly able (an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz with 2 GB of
RAM), so I don't think that's it either.

[David Powers]

Post by ghorsman
I don't believe the page I created was all that complex. There are just 54
lines of HTML code and the file is 4 KB. I always start building my pages using
DIVs in code view to make sure things are kept clean.

That shouldn't be a problem, then. Sorry, I have no idea what's happening.