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Mandala Mandala uses the Imago image server to compute layouts for thumbnail collections. |
 recursive spiral layout |
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| Software that determines positions is called a layout algorithm. Imago's layout algorithms position thumbnails within a two-dimensional area so they may be stored in an imagemap. Their are many different ways to rate images. Most rating schemes attempt to identify and down-rate images used for advertisement, navigation, and decoration. Rating schemes may use information from the image file itself as well as from the context on the Web page that references the image. The rating scheme used in the spiral layouts shown here favor large, square, colorful images. |
Imago's simplest layout algorithm positions thumbnails so their centers lie on a grid. |  grid layout |
A variation of the grid layout algorithm first sorts the thumbnails according to a image rating scheme and positions the highest-rated thumbnails near the center.
Using a grid to position thumbnails tends to waste space. A significant amount of space may be wasted for large image collections. |
 spiral layout
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| A further improvement is obtained by attempting to minimize wasted space. Instead of positioning thumbnails within a grid, thumbnails are positioned around the outside of previously positioned thumbnails, forming a space-saving spiral. These thumbnails were first sorted so the highest-rated ones are in the center. |
space-saving spiral layout |
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| See also: |
recursive spiral layout |
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Mandala | applications | thumbnails | layouts | imagemaps | components | documentation
