SUBSTITUTING ALTERNATIVE EVENTS AND PICTURESGN40881 On this Day in history interactive is an auto-updating graphic created in Tumult Hype with events and data for 2021. GN36036 was a similar graphic that was updated sequentially during 2018-220..

Unlike other interactives it doesn’t interact with the viewer, but instead interacts with the clock of the device on which it is viewed to show the picture and events associated with that day in history. As a result the viewer has to come back tomorrow to see anniversaries and events for that day in history.

This also means that it is not necessary to prepare data for a whole year in advance. Instead, as the print graphics are prepared and made available through the year, the data for the interactive can be “topped up”. It also makes it easier for an editor to substitute alternative events to give a more local or national focus.

  • Changing events and pictures: The events selected by Graphic News from the GN On This Day database are intended to have wide international interest. The words and the images for each day are available in separate files, named with the date. e.g GN40881_2512.json for the words and otd2512.jpg is for the image for December 25. The images are 480px wide by 448px deep). To edit the words in the .json files you need a suitable text editor

  • Proofing: Although the print graphics are a quick way to review the events coming up, you can proof what will show online in coming days by changing a parameter in the url, e.g. .../GN40881W/GN40881.html?z=0102; for Jan 2

  • Finding the words and image files: To find the images and words files, download the graphic. It will decompress to a folder > [GN40881W_interactive_EN]. Inside this > [GN40881W_min_EN] and within this [GN40881.hypersources]

  • Publishing: To publish the graphic as supplied, you can use the embed code supplied by Graphic News available at the point of download - Simply paste the code onto your web page. Alternatively you can host the graphic on your own servers.