[thelist] Image question and wha about ?? background images ??

[Kevin Raleigh]

<tip>
Instead of an image map how about a background image in either a table
or a sub table.

What about placing your image map into a <td> cell as a background image.
Nothing fancy here, "be warned with the NN problems"; but if you do it in
this fasion
you can run your text links across the top of your image map effectively
killing two birds
with one stone, and then some

You have a background image that will load quicker because you got rid of
the
text. Text adds quite abit to an image size. And you have eliminated the
need for the
complex image map code. Another plus in your download. You also make it
easier to
maintain because once again one element is not dependent on the other. I
have never
heard of the alt tag having problems with image maps but it is something to
take note of.
"For me that is". Anyway the point being that your anchors float above the
image so it wouldn't
matter.

Definately the way to go here. As far as reproducing the graphic in Paint
Shop Pro all you have
to do is create a rectangle with rounded corners and then buttonize it. I am
sure that Photo Shop has
the same basic approach. Add a second layer two the image and do the same
thing again.

The difference would be that you would tweak the way the button looks to get
the desired effect.


One last note however. IF I remember correctly Netscape has allot of trouble
with background images.
So I would place the entire image in one subtable, With the background image
as the background to the table
tag. In this way you can add alittle more control to your image map. The
<td> or <th> can be used for even more control
over the individual href's if need be.

This might be useful if navigation image is not perfectly in synch with the
way you want your hrefs to appear above
it.
</tip>
Hope this helps.
Kevin