You might be asking too much. Publisher produces static pages and generally
if you want the dynamic functionality you are seeking, then most people will
use other programs. However you might be able to accomplish some of these
things.
Google maps provides code snippets that you can insert into your Publisher
pages via the insert html code fragment feature. On a basic level that
should give you a static map that is generated by Google. However in order
to get that map to zoom you would probably need to use an I-frame and import
the map. And if you got that to work, I don't know that Google Maps has the
option of adding the star symbols that link to other web pages... I would go
to Google Maps, Mapquest and the Bing maps and read about the options
available to you.
Alternatively you could have a static image of a map that you insert into
your page, and then add the star symbols that are "hot linked" to the other
pages. But now you would not have the zooming capability. But you could
just provide a link to the Google map and have it open in a new window if
the viewer wished to zoom. You could find the "star locations" in Google
maps and then use a "hot link" or insert it into a star image to that map to
take your viewer to the Google map with the location marked. Create a
different Google map for each starred location.
Bottom line is there is no easy way to do what you are asking and you will
just have to experiment to see what you can come up with. Part of the issue
is that I do not know what capabilities the Google Maps and other mapping
sites offer these days, nor do I have the time to research those options. I
insert static map images from Google or Bing maps and then provide a link to
that map on the Google or Bing site if the viewer wants to zoom in or zoom
out. I don't import dynamic maps from Google or Bing because it takes a lot
longer for the map to render than if you are viewing a static image. A
static image of that map shows my viewer where something is and that is all
I need as a rule. But I can add hot linked stars or other map details to the
image in Publisher easily where I can't do that to a dynamically generated
image imported to an I-frame.
Perhaps others in this group can suggest a better approach, but I think a
static image of the map with your hotlinked stars is the easiest to build,
and then provide a link to Google Maps if the viewer wants to zoom in or
out.
DavidF
