Export Map View to HTML

Is there any way to export from Tinderbox to HTML with a reasonable representation of the Map menu, i.e. links and adornments?

If no, is that what a web version of Storyspace will ultimately do? Any idea of a timeline for that?

Try Edit > Copy View as Image.

Some other thoughts here and here.

If your needs for map export are more complex than copy and paste, you might take a look at Boxpress:

MapsElf

That would export a non-functional image, correct?

I meant can you export a working version of the map view to HTML? Or will this eventually be possible in Storyspace Web?

Wow that is impressive

Who wrote that?

I will definitely look into that in detail

Written by another keen TBX user, Scott Heftler. Quite an achievement. He presented the latest version in one of the meet-ups video for which is available on Vimeo.

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Indeed there it is - definitely will view this - thanks

In short, No. The image export is the only option at present. There is actually a lot of complexity in exporting to HTML (I’ve tried, several times). One issue is what is meant by ‘working’. That’s not flippancy, there are a lot of visual elements in the map: do we need them all. Making the items draggable means more work, and are we talking about just one map layer or being able to drill up down.

Boxpress has been mentioned, but my understanding is it makes image map (see here). This is neat, but not what is being asked for in the opening post, as the map isn’t HTML but a bitmap image with HTML overlay. In saying that, it is no disrespect to the level of care and effort that has gone into the making of BoxPress.

I think it would be lovely to have (it’s definitely a feature suggested over the years), but my experience suggests it’s a lot of engineering cost for an unclear use case and probably a pig to maintain on an ongoing basis.

It would be useful to clarify the use case. Back when I tried this first via HTML export (in the late-2000s) one thought was showing the map to others. But with full screen apps and better web video/screen sharing that driver goes away. So, what is the USP for doing this other than being a cool thing to do? I mean that genuinely (i.e. not sarcasm, lest it be misread).

Good question

My initial purpose in exploring Tinderbox was to organize my notes (a collection of medical literature citations) as background for a book or set of books I plan to write.

But the more I see what Tinderbox is capable of, it seems a shame to do this just for myself. I am wondering how I can essentially author non-fiction hypertext content to share or publish on the web. Storyspace web seems like it would be that but is not available now. Tinderbox HTML Export probably would work if I did a bunch of work on CSS. Exporting Map View might be a simpler option.

Thanks, thats helpfull.

Well, that’s the idea behind me sharing my aTbRef online since c.2004. aTbRef’s website is, I think, a valid example of a large non-fiction web resource generated from a single TBX. You can download that file (here) which contains all the export templates, and exports the necessary CSS files. Lots of ideas to copy and improve.

As noted, the BoxPress approach can give some ideas on image maps (clickable ares overlaying images), though note that zooming image maps with fidelity depends on the resolution of the background bit map. IOW, a large detailed map needs a large image (think: image file size).

The more nuance—stylistic or structural—in your web design, the more work there is at outset and there are always question. This is exactly why forums like this exist as others can chip in with parts of the answer. To make the whole model shareable is also a lot of work, documentation normally takes longer than the task it describes. BoxPress’s author is to be commended for attention to detail in that regard (it’s the hard work that rarely garners recognition).

My suggestion is, just dive in. It’s how we all started. Don’t try and start by building the final glorious whole - it’s too much without the expertise. Start with the building blocks, what’s exportable, what goes to where, that the export codes do. Then scale up, e.g. cascading templates, includes, etc. and build out from there.

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Good advice - thanks

And yes, TbRef is indispensable - an amazing reference tool

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Thanks. Most of aTbRef is made with a small number of templates, but with a lot of conditional parts. Thus (depending on the note’s prototype) notes on attributes/actions/export code generate a Displayed Attributes-like table at the top of the page. Images are stored externally, and included into the page differently depending on whether the image is portrait (test flows alongside) or landscape (test goes below) general shape. Things like the Google translate are essentially optional includes.

aTbRef includes instructions on how to download bother TBX and the images, enabling you to run out a complete working HTML/CSS/JS site on you local hard drive so you can play about and learn how features work. If you get stuck, drop a question in the export related sub-forum.

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