Server-Side Image Map problems when using Internet Explorer versions 9, 10, and 11. WWW.Smythies.com.

The problem: Server-Side Image Map type web pages do not work properly with Microsoft Internet Explorer Versions 9, 10, and 11 on some, but not all, computers.
As far as I know, server-side image maps have always worked fine with IE8 or even earlier versions on any computer, however server-side image maps do not seem to work with IE9 on many computers.

Internet Explorer version 11 update: (inserted 2014.01.21):
Using Internet Explorer version 11.0.9600.16476 the issue, as originally described herein, does not occur. However, CPU usage remains extreme. So, there is no longer excessive memory consumption, nor any delay when the mouse is moved away from the image map, or to a different area of the image map. The extreme CPU usage is still a function of the status bar:
Status bar = disabled gives high CPU usage; Status bar = enabled gives no extra, or negligible, CPU usage.
Therefore, it appears as though any buffering between mouse postiion reading and text box updates has been eliminated, but a lack of any sample rate limiting that would prevent excessive CPU usage remains.

This problem occurs with the status toolbar disabled. This problem does not occur with the status toolbar enabled.
So now, finally, we understand why "some, but not all, computers".
Other than this paragraph, these web notes have not been re-worked with this new knowledge.

Root Cause note: (inserted 2012.02.20):
This problem occurs with the status toolbar disabled. This problem does not occur with the status toolbar enabled.
So now, finally, we understand why "some, but not all, computers".
Other than this paragraph, these web notes have not been re-worked with this new knowledge.

Microsoft Response (insterted 2012.11.15):
From this forum thread a bug report was entered with Microsoft. Eventually the bug report was closed, with these notes added:

"Posted by Microsoft on 13/06/2012 at 10:42 AM:
Thanks for reporting this. Resolving "won't fix" for a few reasons. This is not a regression and the use of Server-side image mapping is not a recommended. Also, we are not seeing this on real world web sites.
We continue to welcome more feedback, so please don't hesitate to report other ways that we can improve Internet Explorer.

Best regards,

The Internet Explorer Team"

Myself, I disagree with such an approach for a few reasons: Yes, use of serverside image mapping is not recommended, but it is available and thefefore should work; This may just be one manifestation of an issue that might appear in other senarios (And on that forum thread, CodeCruiser eluded to another senario using ChartFX (which I don't know what that is)); I agree it is not a regression, it is a new bug as of IE9; My site is a real world site, as are others with server-side image maps.

... back to the problem
When the mouse dwells over the image map area of the web page the following occurs: The map coordinates text box appears and flashs at a very high rate; The IE process take more and more memory the longer the dwell time, to a max of about 1.9 giga bytes (I.E. there is a memory leak); The CPU usage spikes during the mouse over dwell period, and remains spiked during the after dwell time catch up period (it seems to use just about 100% of 1 cpu, overall cpu load depends on how many CPUs you have. Example: For an elapsed time of 47 minutes and 30 seconds, Task manger showed 45 minutes of CPU time.); The IE window locks up until the text map coordinates box buffer is cleared (can take up to half an hour (my computer) after moving the mouse away from the image map) (on my computer the ratio is about 1 to 1, meaning for every second of dwell time, it will take a second with the mouse NOT over the diagram for the text buffer to be exhausted. I.E. one minute of dwell time creates two minutes of text messages); The IE program sometimes just breaks completely requiring termination and re-start.
Here is a screen shot showing CPU and memory useage during a mouse over dwell period.
And another with just memory useage detail, over a 1 hour period. Half an hour with the cursor over the image map followed by half an hour with the cursor moved off of the image map.

What I think has occurred: It appears as though there is some buffer between the mouse readings task and the text box task in IE version 9. For server-side image maps there also now seems to be no rate limit on reading the mouse and updating the graphic text box. The reading rate exceeds the maximum text box update rate, so the intermediate buffer grows and grows apparently unconstrained (well o.k. it seems to limit out at 1.9 gigabytes). Since the text box on server-side image maps is supposed to be a real time display of mouse position to map coordinates, there should not even be an intermediate buffer. The latest reading supersedes any that might be in some buffer. The rule should be that the latest reading be displayed as soon as possible, regardless of any previous history. IE versions: 6, 7, 8 and server-side image maps work fine, as do some IE version 9 computers.
One thing I do not understand is that client-side image maps also show a mouse over text box, with the alternate text, but it works normally.
I have not found any reference to this issue, including here:http://support.microsoft.com/ph/807#tab6

Test Method:
Go to a server-side image map web page. Here is an example server-side web page.
On that page, place the mouse over the little diagram image (the server-side image map within the page) for say 30 seconds the first time, and increasing the dwell time for subsequent tests.

• Does the map coordinates text box appear and flash at a high rate?
• Does the IE process take more and more memory the longer the dwell time, to a max of about 1.9 giga bytes? (Memory useage will go down once the cursor is moved off off the image)
• Does the CPU usage spike during the mouse over dwell period? And remain spiked during the after dwell time catch up period?
• After dwelling at one spot on the diagram for awhile, is there a delay in the text box coordinates displayed when the cursor (mouse) is moved to another spot in the image?
• Does the IE window lock up until the text map coordinates box buffer is cleared? (can take up to an hour after moving the mouse away from the image map) (on my computer the ratio is about 1 to 1, meaning for every second of dwell time, it will take a second with the mouse NOT over the diagram for the text buffer to be exhausted. I.E. one minute of dwell time creates two minutes of text messages.)
• After dwelling over the image map for a time and then "clicking" the mouse, does it go to the desired web page right away, but then lock up until the coordinates text box clears?
• Does the IE program sometimes just break completely requiring termination and re-start? (It is not easy to crash the program, but if you play with this issue long enough it can happen. Sometimes it doesn't completley break, but leaves an orhaned text box and the imagemap will no longer work)

Test results: (only computers with IE9 are listed herein, even though several (about 10) with previous versions of IE were tested and worked properly. Also tested firefox, chrome and safari without issues)
FAIL Doug S., Dell XPS M1730 | OS: Vista Home Premium 32 bit service pack 2 | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.3
FAIL Daniel W., Dell Inspiron 1720 | OS: Vista Ultimate 32 bit service pack 2 | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.3
FAIL Daniel W., HP Mini 10 Netbook | OS: Windows 7 ???? 32 bit service pack 1 | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.3
FAIL Daniel W., Gigabyte Z68MA-D2H-B3 | OS: Windows 7 Professional 64 bit service pack 1 | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.3
PASS Russell A., EVGA X58 / Intel Core i7 920 2.66 GHz | OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit | IE 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.03
FAIL Greg H., Dell Dimension DIME521 | OS: Vista Ultimate 32 bit service pack 2 | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.3
PASS zhen tan - Microsoft Contingent staff, Hardware unknown | OS: Windows 7 ???? 32 bit | IE 9.???? Update Versions ?.??
FAIL Pat S., HP Pentium Dual-Core | OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit service pack 1 | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.3
FAIL Robert W., Dell Latitude Core Intel i7 2.7GHz | OS: Windows 7 ????? 64 bit service pack ? | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.3
FAIL Barbara W. (Test 1), HP a6057c Intel Core 2 CPU 4300 1.80 GHz | OS: Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit service pack ? | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.3
PASS Barbara W. (Test 2), HP a6057c Intel Core 2 CPU 4300 1.80 GHz | OS: Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit service pack ? | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.3 (This test is in doubt)
FAIL Barbara W., Toshiba Notebook Intel Core i3-2310M | OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit service pack ? | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.3
FAIL Mark N., NCIX Intel Core i5 2.67GHz | OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit service pack 1 | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.3
FAIL Cydney S., HP pavillion LapTop AMD Turion 2.2GHz | OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit service pack 1 | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.4
FAIL Dana B., ACER 6593 Intel Core Duo P8700 2.53 GHz | OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit service pack 1 | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.4
PASS IECUSTOMIZER (MS tech forum), X86 ??? | OS: Windows 7 ??? | IE9 9.0.8112.16421 Update Versions 9.0.5

All computers tested were current with windows updates.
Some computers were also tested with plug-ins disabled.

Most tests were done with Update Version 9.0.3. The problem is the same with every tested update. Last tested: 9.0.7.

To Do: Continue to find IE9 computers to test.

See also Client-Side image mapping example 1 or Client-Side image mapping example 2 or this page's parent page.

I have now posted this issue to the Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 9 Answers web site and will update this page with any new information.
On the above thread it was suggested that I post to another forum. (The solution was eventually found on this forum discussion).

This web page is HTML 4.01 strict compliant and passes the W3C code validator (I don't bother with the icon).