Create an interactive election map

a) Download the software

Download and install iMapBuilder from its official website.

b) Using the Wizard

1. Invoke the Wizard by selecting Show Wizard from the File menu.
   

   

   Note: The Wizard automatically opens each time you open the iMapBuilder - Interactive Flash Map Software. Using the Wizard you can also open projects saved and created earlier.

 
2. Click Create in the Create New Map Project panel.

   


 
3. Select your map on the left under Available Maps and a preview can be seen in the Preview window on the left. You can also filter the map by category, select the "United States " category on the right so that the layout of United States maps will be displayed. In the Preview window click any of the Layout buttons to align the map. You can also browse through the list of maps using the Next and Previous buttons .
   
   
   Note: you can also align the in the Preview Panel of the main window using similar Layout buttons.
   
    



c) Enable grouped highlight area feature

4. Click OK and the map is opened. Click to enable grouped highlight area feature.
   
   
    
5. Set a group ID for each region. For example, number '1' indicates blue state which tends to vote for the Democratic Party while '2' for a red state representing the majority of voters vote for Republican Party in the United States starting from the 2000 presidential election.. Click icon to apply the same set of colors for each grouped area.
   
   
   
    
    
6. You can also click to fill in the ID in numerical value, or import your data from an excel unicode text file (.txt) by pressing [Import from Excel] or click [Paste all from clipboard] button to paste the data from clipboard. Export the data to Excel by pressing [Export to Excel] for calculations in Excel Spreadsheet if necessary.

   Click [Verify Data] to verify if the numbers are valid integer values.

   Click to save the settings.
   
   
    

 

d) Add map legend

7. A legend is needed to list the color used on the map and help users to understand the meaning of what each color represents. To add legend, you can click on the icon at the top.
   
   
8. Points & Lines pop up window is displayed. Click to add legend items.
   
   
    
9. Check Import Country/State/Region Color List. Click .

   


 
10. Edit the description field. Type Republican Party for red state and Democratic Party for blue state. Click and .
    
     
    
    

    e) Add mouse over tooltips/infobox to show election results for each state

    
    

11. Click to add points or to draw clickable regions on top of the map. For details, please visit our userguide of adding points or defining clickable regions.
    
    
12. Enter election results for each state under Mouse Over Event tab. Click to continue.
    

    
    

13. Publish and upload the map.