NAME

image - Tutorial for creating a reference image


OVERVIEW

This is just one way to create a reference image. You can use another way.

Anyway, you must respect the following rules :


1- CREATE A 16 MILLION COLORS IMAGE

A 16 Million colors image is a 24-bits image.

You can draw what you want... add a photo, use the reference image example... You can write text labels...


2- REDUCE THE NUMBER OF COLORS IN THE IMAGE

The purpose is to get an image with 256 different colors available (8 bits) but less really used.

I advise you to reduce to 256 colors, then to increase the number of colors to 16 Million and finally to reduce it again to 256. So, you will free many color cells in your 256 colors palette without degrading your image.


3- EDIT THE PALETTE

Add colors not used in your image in the free color cells.


4- DRAW THE OBJECTS THAT WILL BE LINKED

Use one color you've just added per object (link, submap...) and keep the corresponding palette index value (between 220 and 240 in the example) in mind.

Then, you will associate these index values with the MRTG targets (and PicNet submaps) in your PicNet config file : the config manpage.


5- SAVE AS PNG FILE

Here is an example of reference image :

doc/images/ex.png

You can use your network image to index MRTG stats pages and other PicNet maps (and other HTML pages). If you want to do it, you should note the X, Y values of the upper left and lower right corners for clickable squares or X, Y values of all the corners for clickable polygons.

When you move the cursor on the image, the X,Y coordinates are displayed in the lower left corner of the PaintShop Pro window. Remember the coordinates of the points you choose. You will use them in the PicNet config file : the config manpage.


AUTHOR

Laurent Derrien, <derrien@canl.nc>

9.9.99 (last update 10.20.00)