Help creating a clickable map with Photoshop

[aoitsukinosuke]

Hi everyone.

I have a Europe map and I'd like to use it for a Powerpoint presentation.

In photoshop, I can change the colors of different countries and save the whole map as an image. Also, I tried saving the countries with different colors as individual files and put them together on a slide. Works fine.

But, I'd like to do the separate coloring as animations in my presentation (just like a clickable map) and that's where I got stuck.

Is there a way to create such an interactive map with photoshop?

Can anybody help?

Thanks in advance.

 

[UTclassof89]

Photoshop doesn't do interactive graphics. The most you could do is animate each country being colored with a preset, pre-timed sequence (using the Animation panel).

I think you'll have to create the coloring effect in Powerpoint so you can have the sequence and timing you need during a presentation (or use Flash to create a truly interactive graphic)

 

[afroAnt]

Try using Flash Catalyst. My graphics teacher recommended it to me when I was going to make an animated slideshow and he told me that it is much easier to use than Flash. But I haven't tried it yet so I'm not sure if it will help you.

 

[btbrossard]

What version of PhotoShop do you have available to you?

CS2 and earlier came with ImageReady that could be used to make Flash animations if you wanted.

Do you have any other Creative Suite programs available to you?

 

[jeremy h]

Check a sample flash file works in your PPT before spending hours creating the SWF. It's not always as simple as it might appear to import it depending on your PPT version. (In the past I've had to use special plug ins etc)

If it was me - I would probably forget about using a bitmap map and create it in Illustrator and then import and convert the countries to a Microsoft Drawing object (ie shapes) and then colour them in directly in Powerpoint.

Alternatively just do the thing as a Flash file and present as a SWF. (Assuming it's not part of a bigger presentation) An interactive PDF might be a thought in that case.

 

[aoitsukinosuke]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to write back. I appreciate your efforts.
I'm very inexperienced with most of the below and feel like a complete idiot for thinking that my question would have a simple solution.

Sorry guys!!

Photoshop doesn't do interactive graphics. The most you could do is animate each country being colored with a preset, pre-timed sequence (using the Animation panel).
I think you'll have to create the coloring effect in Powerpoint so you can have the sequence and timing you need during a presentation (or use Flash to create a truly interactive graphic)

I already did that, but it's 80% OK.
Found a clickable map here:
http://www.presentationmagazine.com/free-powerpoint-maps-12.htm

Country colors changed, animations, motion paths, etc.
But, I need to divide one of the countries into regions and that's where I get stuck.

Try using Flash Catalyst. My graphics teacher recommended it to me when I was going to make an animated slideshow and he told me that it is much easier to use than Flash. But I haven't tried it yet so I'm not sure if it will help you.

I guess not as I never used Flash or a derivative before.
Actually, I downloaded Photoshop 3 days ago and have done some work since with the help of Youtube.
I probably can use only 2-3% of its potential but did the work for me. Except the divided country part.

I'll give Flash Catalyst a try.

What version of PhotoShop do you have available to you?
CS2 and earlier came with ImageReady that could be used to make Flash animations if you wanted.
Do you have any other Creative Suite programs available to you?

Photoshop CS5.

I have Extension Manager and Device Central, but they were in the package.
ImageReady is not there.

Check a sample flash file works in your PPT before spending hours creating the SWF. It's not always as simple as it might appear to import it depending on your PPT version. (In the past I've had to use special plug ins etc)
If it was me - I would probably forget about using a bitmap map and create it in Illustrator and then import and convert the countries to a Microsoft Drawing object (ie shapes) and then colour them in directly in Powerpoint.
Alternatively just do the thing as a Flash file and present as a SWF. (Assuming it's not part of a bigger presentation) An interactive PDF might be a thought in that case.

Gosh!! Am I illiterate or what in graphics?

I don't have Illustrator and never did an SWF. I worked with PNG files only. So, thank you so much for going deep but I am way out of your league with your solutions. My bad!!

PDF is out of question, must be PPT.