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To insert an image choose Image from the
Types menu or click on the button. This
brings up a dialog box that lets you enter the file name and alternative text ('ALT' text) of the desired image. If
you wish to provide a long description (for example if your image presents
complex information) you should do so via the longdesc
option, also in the Attributes menu. To help find an image
file you can enter a filter field, and use the
filter button, so the dialog lists only the files which match
your pattern.
For elements such as images (and other multimedia objects) you must provide alternative text. This will usually be presented instead of the image by a browser with a voice output system, or a Braille display (used by many people who are blind). It is also common for users with low-quality connections to request the alternative view, as text is transmitted much faster than images.
The alternative text should replace the image in function. For example, if the image is used to provide an icon linking to a reference point (the first link on this page, to the W3C 'homepage', is such a link) then the title of the reference would be a good alternative text.
There are also cases where an image is used for purely visual effect, and does not add any information value to the page. In this case it is appropriate to use a blank alternative, although that must still be defined - enter two double quotes for alternative (eg. alt="").
In cases where the image conveys important information which is not available from the text of the document you must also provide a description of the information. The longdesc option of the Attributes menu allows you to link a description (which is a URI - a separate document, or named part of the current document) to the image.
In order to give an idea of how a page might be presented without the images, Amaya provides a Show Alternate option in the Views menu. If the page were spoken, then the alternate view might simply be read out. Without useful alternative text for images, many pages become difficult or impossible to navigate, and users are left 'feeling their way in the dark'.
Amaya allows you to use client-side image maps:
To create a new image map, you insert an image into the document, and define areas as links.
To create an area in a image, select the image or an existing area of that image. Then choose Rectangle, Circle, Polygon from the Area Map submenu of the Types menu, depending on the shape of the new area you want to create. The Show map areas option in the Views menu will outline each of the existing map areas on an image.
When the area has been defined, you must first provide alternative text and then enter the target of the link associated with that area. Just click on the target (or enter its URI if it is not displayed), in the same way as you create links. You must then provide alternative text for each area of the image. Select the alt option in the Attributes menu. Enter an appropriate alternative text and click the Apply button to add the Alternative text to the area. Click the Done button to close the dialogue form.
When the area has been defined, you can move this area:
By direct manipulation - combining the Control key with the Left button of the mouse within an area of image map allows you to move this area.
By editing the coords attribute of the area in the Structure View.