Mindmap Navigation Applet 1.2 Description

Applet Parameters

Required Parameters

<param name="script" value="URL|file">
Specifies the script describing the actions in the applet.

Optional Parameters

<param name="designmode" value="YES|NO">
Use the design mode while you are developing your Mindmap. In this mode a black border is painted around all items, texts and images. Minimize the white space to save memory and to increase performance.
Default is "NO".
<param name="aswindow" value="YES|NO">
The applet can run within the browser or as seperate window. Set the value of this parameter to "YES" to run in a seperate window.
When the applet runs in a seperate window, set the width and height parameter of the applet tag to a minimum value (0 or 1) and use the "windowheight" and "windowwidth" parameters (see below).
Default is "NO".
<param name="windowx" value="int">
The x position of the seperate window (see above). The parameter has no effect if the "aswindow" parameter is not set.
Default is 10.
<param name="windowy" value="int">
The y position of the seperate window (see above). The parameter has no effect if the "aswindow" parameter is not set.
Default is 10.
<param name="windowwidth" value="int">
The width of the seperate window (see above). The parameter has no effect if the "aswindow" parameter is not set.
Default is 500.
<param name="windowheight" value="int">
The height of the seperate window (see above). The parameter has no effect if the "aswindow" parameter is not set.
Default is 500.
<param name="windowtitle" value="String">
The title of the seperate window (see above). The parameter has no effect if the "aswindow" parameter is not set.
Default is "Mindmap".
<param name="bgcolor" value="int,int,int">
The background color of the whole applet area.
Default is white (255,255,255).
<param name="statusbgcolor" value="int,int,int">
The background color of the status bar and tool bar.
Default is light grey (221,221,221).
<param name="statustextcolor" value="int,int,int">
The text color of the status bar.
Default is black (0,0,0).

Script File

The script file contains the description of the Mindmap.
First of all some general remarks about the script file:

Keywords of functions and parameters are NOT case sensitive.
All parameter values must be enclosed in double quotes.
If you need more than one line for a keyword, use the backslash (\) as the last character of a line for concatination.
If a value is invalid, it is ignored or the default is used.
The coordinate system has is origin in the upper left corner.

The general structure of the file is the following:

    Mindmap
    ...

    Item
      Text
      ...
      Image
      ...
      Line

The file starts with the Mindmap keywords. This is the list of Mindmaps that are displayed under the Open pulldown. It should also contain the actual Mindmap.
After this first section, the file contains a list of Mindmap items. Each item can contain a any number of Texts, Images and connecting Lines.

Take a look at the example script files (e.g. MMN.script). It is a good sample and shows most of the features of the applet.

Here now is a list of the valid keywords and their parameters.

//
Comment.

Mindmap name="String" script="URL|file" [image="URL|file"]
Defines an entry in the Open pulldown. These are Mindmaps that can be loaded from this Mindmap. It should also contain the actual Mindmap.

name
A unique name of the Mindmap. Default is an empty string.
This parameter is mandatory. If it is missing or not unique, the script file reading stops.
script
Any valid URL or file name specifying the script file containing the Mindmap description.
Default is no URL or file.
This parameter is mandatory. If it is missing, the script file reading stops.
image
Any valid URL or file name specifying the images displayed in the Open pulldown before the Mindmap name.
Default is no image.

Item name="String" parent="String" [x="int"] [y="int"] [w="int"] [h="int"] [url="URL|file"] [target="String"] [mindmap="String,String"] [bgcolor="int,int,int"] [sound="URL|file"]
Defines an item of the Mindmap.

name
A unique name of the Mindmap. Default is an empty string.
This parameter is mandatory. If it is missing or not unique, the script file reading stops.
parent
The name of the parent item. If the parent is missing, the root item is set.
Default is no parent item.
If there was another item without parent item before, the script file reading stops.
x
The x offset (in pixel) of the item from the parent item. For the root item, this parameter has no effect.
Default is 100 pixel.
y
The y offset (in pixel) of the item from the parent item. For the root item, this parameter has no effect.
Default is 100 pixel.
w
The width of the item (in pixel).
Default is 100 pixel.
h
The height of the item (in pixel).
Default is 100 pixel.
url
Any valid URL or file name specifying a document associate with the item. The document is opened when the user doubleclicks on the item.
If this parameter is set, the mindmap parameter cannot be set additional. url and mindmap are exclusive.
Default is no URL.
target
The name of the frame in which the associated document (see above) should be loaded. If the target frame name is not set, the document is loaded into the actual frame or into actual browser, if you do not use frames.
Default is no target frame name.
mindmap
Another Mindmap that is associated with the item. The Mindmap is opened when the user doubleclicks on the item.
The parameter consists of two string. The first is the name of the script file containing the Mindmap information, the second is the title of the seperate window (if there is one). Both strings are mandatory.
If this parameter is set, the url parameter cannot be set additional. url and mindmap are exclusive.
Default is no Mindmap.
bgcolor
Color of the background of the item. If you do not specify a color, the item is transparent.
The three values are the red, green and blue amount (in this sequence) of the color.
Default is white (255,255,255).
TIP: The performance of the better if you specify a background color.
sound
Any valid URL or file name specifying the sound clip played when the mouse pointer is more than 1 second over the item.
Default is no sound clip.

Text [content="String"] [x="int"] [y="int"] [w="int"] [h="int"] [bgcolor="int,int,int"] [textcolor="int,int,int"] [textfont="String,int"]
Defines a text within an item.

content
The content of the text box. The text is formatted into several lines when a word does not fit into the actual line and the height is more than one line.
The text can contain the following HTML codes for formatting:

	<B>	The following text will be displayed bold.
	</B>	End of bold text.
	<I>	The following text will be displayed italic. You can combined bold and italic.
	</I>	End of italic text.
	<BR>	Line feed. The following text will start at the following line.
	&LT;	Lower than sign (<).
	&GT;	Greater than sign (>).

To display a double quote, write \".
Default is no content.

x
The x offset (in pixel) of the text within the item.
Default is 0 pixel.
y
The y offset (in pixel) of the text within the item.
Default is 0 pixel.
w
The width of the text (in pixel).
Default is 100 pixel.
h
The height of the text (in pixel).
Default is 100 pixel.
bgcolor
Color of the background of the text. If you do not specify a color, the text is transparent.
The three values are the red, green and blue amount (in this sequence) of the color.
Default is white (255,255,255).
TIP: The performance of the better if you specify a background color.
textcolor
Color of the text.
The three values are the red, green and blue amount (in this sequence) of the color.
Default is black (0,0,0).
textfont
The font of the text. The first value is the name of the font family, the second one the size of the font, seperated by a comma.
Default is TimesRoman,18.

Image src="URL|file" [x="int"] [y="int"] [w="int"] [h="int"] [bgcolor="int,int,int"]
Defines an image within an item.

src
Any valid URL or file name specifying the image to be displayed within an image box. Animated images are NOT supported.
Default is no image.
This parameter is mandatory. If it is missing, the script file reading stops.
x
The x offset (in pixel) of the image within the item.
Default is 0 pixel.
y
The y offset (in pixel) of the image within the item.
Default is 0 pixel.
w
The width of the image (in pixel).
Default is 100 pixel.
h
The height of the image (in pixel).
Default is 100 pixel.
bgcolor
Color of the background of the image. If you do not specify a color, the image is transparent.
The three values are the red, green and blue amount (in this sequence) of the color.
Default is white (255,255,255).
TIP: The performance of the better if you specify a background color.

Line target="String" [xsource="int"] [ysource="int"] [xtarget="int"] [ytarget="int"] [linecolor="int,int,int"]
Defines a line between the item and another item (normally the parent item).

target
The name of the target item.
Default is no target item.
This parameter is mandatory. If it is missing, the script file reading stops.
xsource
The x offset (in pixel) of the line within the item.
Default is 0 pixel.
ysource
The y offset (in pixel) of the line within the item.
Default is 0 pixel.
xtarget
The x offset (in pixel) of the line within the target item.
Default is 0 pixel.
ytarget
The y offset (in pixel) of the line within the target item.
Default is 0 pixel.
linecolor
Color of the line.
The three values are the red, green and blue amount (in this sequence) of the color.
Default is black (0,0,0).

FAQs / Problems

This chapter describes the most common problems using the IS applet and how you can solve them.

First of all, if something does not work as expected, please take a look at the Java Console. At lot of possible errors, especially in the script file, are reported there.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02
The applet does not run from the local file system, because the Internet Explorer throughs a Security Exception when an image or sound clip is loaded from the local file system. You have to wait for a fix from Microsoft or use version 3.01.
Version 3.02 works correctly when the applet is loaded from the Internet.
Netscape 2.02 for Windows95
The applet does currently not run under this browser. I'm trying to find a circumvention.
error:java.lang.ClassFormatError
When you upload the MMN applet to your server, make sure that
- you uploaded all the files starting with MMN (.class files and .gif files)
- you uploaded the files with their long filenames
- you have the correct spelling (capital and small letters are important in Java)
- you have uploaded the files BINARY (not (!) ASCII)
- you unziped the files correctly
No content or script parameters not recognized
In this case, check the script file and take a look at the Java Console. Check, that
- the keyword and parameter names are correct
- the values are in double quotes

History

Version 1.2
- Added "mindmap" parameter for ITEM.
- Added "backward" and "forward" icons.
- Performance improvements.
Version 1.1
- Added "center root item" icon.
- Small bug fixes.
Version 1.0
- Initial version.