1. COM 205 Multimedia Applications
St. Joseph’s College
Fall 2004

2. Multimedia Authoring Tools
Chapter 11
Multimedia Authoring Tools

3. Authoring Tools
Provide the environment for integrating the content and functions of your project
Include
ability to create,edit and import data
assemble data into a playback sequence
provide method or language for responding to user input

4. Types of Authoring Tools
Based on metaphor for sequencing or organizing multimedia elements:
Card or page based tools
Icon based, event driven tools
Time based and presentation tools

5. Types of Authoring Tools
Page- or card-based tools

6. Types of Authoring Tools
Page- or card-based tools
Icon-based tools

7. Types of Authoring Tools
Page- or card-based tools
Icon-based tools
Time-based tools

8. Types of Authoring Tools
Macromedia Director is a popular time-based tool.

9. Card or Page Based Tools
Authoring system lets you link pages or cards into organized sequences
Elements are organized as pages of a book or a stack of cards
User can jump to any page
Can play sound elements or launch animation or video
(Example Toolbook, Hypercard)

10. Icon based, Event Driven Tools
Multimedia elements and interaction cues( events) are organized as objects in a framework
Authoring tools display flow diagrams of activities along paths
(Example Authorware)

11. Time based Tools Elements are organized along a timeline
Best for sequences with beginning and end
Multimedia elements are treated as object, which receive messages to do things at certain times
( Example Director)

12. Right Tool for the Job Choose the tool that best fits the job:
Video productions
Animations
Games
Interactive web sites
Demo disks and guided tours
Kiosk applications
Interactive training
Simulations, prototypes,visualizations

13. Evaluating Tools Editing Features Organizing Features
Programming Features
Visual programming
Scripting
Advanced programming languages
Document development tools

14. Evaluating Tools Editing Features Organizing Features
Programming Features
Interactivity Features

15. Evaluating Tools Editing Features Organizing Features
Programming Features
Interactivity Features
Performance Tuning Features
Playback Features

16. Evaluating Tools Delivery Features Cross-Platform Support
Fonts
Colors
Internet Playability

17. Editing Features
Elements of multimedia (images, text, sound, video) need to be created
Editing tools may be required for one or more of these
Authoring tools may provide the editors or you may need a specialized editor

18. Organizing Features
The Organizational and Design Process involves storyboarding and flowcharting
Some authoring tools, such as Authorware, provide a visual flowcharting system

19. Programming Features Visual Programming with icons
Drag the sound or picture icon into the playlist
Drag it away to delete it
Simplest and easiest to use
Best for slide shows and presentations
(Authorware)

20. Programming Features Programming with a Scripting Language
Provides a very high level language (VHLL) for navigation and control
Able to handle user input
(Director and the Lingo language)

21. Programming Features
Programming with traditional Languages for complex projects
Look for good debugging facilities, robust text editing, online syntax references, etc.
You may need access to the OS
You may also need to use the DLL
(Dynamic Link Libraries) in Windows

22. Programming Features Document development tools
Used to import pre-formatted text, indexing facilities,complex search mechanisms, and hypertext linking.
With scripts you can perform computational tasks, sense and respond to user input, create character, icon and motion animations., and control external devices...

23. Interactivity Features
Allow the user to control the content and flow of information
Authoring tools provide: ( 1 or more)
Simple branching ( to go to another section on key press, mouse click, timer)
Conditional branching- moves on basis of IF-THEN decisions or events
Structured language which supports complex programming logic, subroutines, message passing, etc.

24. Performance Tuning Features
Synchronization (particularly of animation and sound effects)
Precise timing of events and the ability to adapt to slower or faster computer systems

25. Playback Features
Authoring systems should allow you to build your project in segments and test it as though you were a user using it
You should be able to easily move between building and testing the project

26. Delivery Features
Your authoring software should allow you to create a run-time version of the project.
The run-time version allows users to play it without having the full software, but does not permit them to change the content or structure of the project.

27. Cross Platform Features
Decide whether your target audience will be using Windows or Mac
Look for authoring tools which provide either a compatible system for the other platform (PC or MAC)
or a runtime version for that system

28. Internet Playability
Most authoring systems provide a means to convert output so that it can be delivered within HTML or DHTML
by using plug-ins or
by embedding Java, or JavaScript in the HTML document.

29. Card and Page Based Tools
Images are organized like chapters and pages of a book
Navigation routines direct user to go to a page that contains the appropriate images, text, sounds, and animations
Characteristics of media objects(text fields, buttons, graphics, etc.) are defined by properties (highlighted, bold)
Object may contain a programming script

30. Card and Page Based Tools
Objects may contain a programming script, that is activated by an event.
Events cause messages to pass from one object to another in your project
Authoring systems also link objects to pages or cards

31. Icon Based Tools
First you build a structure or flowchart of events by dragging icons from a library
menu choices, graphic images, sounds and computations
Then you add your content
You can edit to rearrange the icons or their properties

32. Icon Based Tools
Non-technical multimedia authors can build sophisticated applications without scripting, by placing icons on a flowline
Authorware has a complete set of tools for editing multimedia elements

33. Time Based Tools
Uses visual Timeline for sequencing events ( Director)
Cast - multimedia database containing still images, sounds, text, Quick Draw shapes,programming scripts, QuickTime and Flash movies
Score is a sequencer for displaying, animating and playing the Cast members.

34. Time Based Tools
Animations are made by placing a graphic or sprite on the stage and changing its location over several frames
Lingo is a full featured object oriented language to enable interactivity and program control