CHAPTER 8

Multimedia
Authoring Tools

CSC253 INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA

Overview
 Introduction to multimedia authoring tools.
 Types of authoring tools.
 Cross-platform authoring notes.
Introduction
• Multimedia authoring tools
provide the framework for Text
organizing and editing the
elements of a multimedia
project.
Graphic Audio

Authoring
• Authoring software provides Tools
an integrated environment for
combining the content and
functions of a project.
Video Animation

• It enables the developer to

create, edit, and import data.
Introduction
 Most authoring systems also support a scripting language for
more sophisticated applications.

 Authoring tools require less technical knowledge to master

and are used exclusively for applications that present a
mixture of textual, graphical, and audio data.
Introduction
 Four main perspectives in multimedia authoring tools:
 Tool
▪ (any software package that could authors multimedia product)
 Product
▪ (the result of combining all multimedia components)
 Developer
▪ (designers, programmers, and multimedia authors)
 End user
▪ (customer or viewer)
Multimedia Authoring Tools
 Authoring system in multimedia.
 Features of authoring tools.
Authoring Systems in Multimedia

 In multimedia authoring systems, multimedia elements and

events are often regarded as objects.

 Objects exist in a hierarchical order of parent and child

relationships.

 Each object is assigned properties and modifiers.

 On receiving messages, objects perform tasks depending on

the properties and modifiers.
Features of Authoring Tools
 Editing and organizing features.
 Programming features.
 Interactivity features.
 Performance tuning and playback features.
 Delivery, cross-platform, and Internet playability features.
Editing and Organizing features
 Authoring systems include editing tools to create, edit, and
convert multimedia elements such as animation and video
clips.

 The organization, design, and production process for

multimedia involves storyboarding and flowcharting.

 Visual flowcharting or overview facility illustrates project

structure at a macro level.
Programming features
 Visual programming with icons or objects is the simplest and
easiest authoring process.

 Visual authoring tools such as Authorware and IconAuthor

are suitable for slide shows and presentations.

 Authoring tools offer ‘very high level language’ (VHLL) or

interpreted scripting environment.
Interactivity Features
 Interactivity gives the end user control over the content and
flow of information in a project.

 Simple branching is the ability to go to another section of the

multimedia production.

 Conditional branching is an activity based on the results of

IF-THEN decisions or events.

 Structured language supports complex programming logic,

subroutines, event tracking, and message passing among
objects and elements.
Performance Tuning and Playback
Features
 Achieving synchronization is difficult, considering that
performance of the different computers used for multimedia
development and delivery varies.

 Authoring system should facilitate precise timing of events.

 It should enable developers to build a part of a project and

then test it immediately.
Delivery, Cross Platform and Internet
Playability Features
 Delivering the project may require building a run-time version
of the project, using the multimedia authoring software.

 Run-time version or standalone allows a project to play back

without the complete authoring software and all its tools and
editors.

 It is important to use tools that facilitate easy transfer across

platforms.

 Authoring systems provide a means for converting their

output to be delivered within the context of HTML or DHTML.
Types of Authoring Tools
 Card- and page-based tools.
 Icon-based, event-driven tools.
 Time-based tools.
Card and Page-based Tools
 Card- and page-based authoring systems provide a simple and
easily understood metaphor for organizing multimedia elements.

 Cards are developed that have different elements associated with

them and are put in stacks. It contains media objects such as
buttons, text fields, and graphic objects.

 It provides a facility for linking objects to pages or cards. You can

link the cards by allowing the user to click on buttons or other
elements and jump to a different card in the stack.

 Example : Hypercard, ToolBook, HyperNext Studio, Hyper Studio,

PhytonCard, Revolution
Card and Page-based Tools
Card and Page-based Tools: Example: ToolBook
Card and Page-based Tools
 Advantage
 Easy to understand metaphor
 1 screen = 1 card = 1 page
 Easy to used
▪ Provide template
▪ Short development time

 Disadvantage
 Some run only on one platform
 Tools are not powerful / stand-alone
Icon Based, Event-Driven Tools
 Icon-based, event-driven tools provide a visual programming
approach to organize and present multimedia.

 Multimedia elements and interaction cues are organized as

objects in a flowchart.

 Flowchart can be built by dragging appropriate icons from a

library, and then adding the content.

 With icon-based programs, you use symbols in a flowchart

scheme.

 Each icon represents a particular event.

Icon Based, Event-Driven Tools
 An advantage of icon-based programs is that you can easily
see how a title is structured, that is, the flow of a program
and especially the branching.

 Example : Multimedia Authoware

Icon Based, Event-Driven Tools: Example: Multimedia Authoware
Icon Based, Event-Driven Tools
 Advantages
 Clear structure
 Easy editing and updating
 Disadvantages
 Difficult to learn
 Expensive
Time-Based tools
 Time-based tools are best suited for messages with a
beginning and an end.
 Some time-based tools facilitate navigation and interactive
control.
 Time Based Authoring Programs use a movie metaphor. Like
a movie on videotape, you start the multimedia title and it
plays until some action causes it to pause or stop.
 Macromedia’s Director and Flash are time-based
development environments.
Time-Based tools
 Macromedia Director:
 A multimedia database, ‘Cast’, contains still images, sound
files, text, shapes, scripts, movies, and other Director files.
 Score is a sequencer for displaying, animating, and playing
Cast members.
 Lingo is an object-oriented scripting language that enables
interactivity and programmed control.
Time-Based tools: Example: Macromedia Director (Mac)
Time-Based tools
 Advantages
 Good for creating animation
 Branching, user control, interactivity

 Disadvantages
 Expensive
 Steep learning curve for advances features
Time-Based tools
 Macromedia Flash:
 Flash is used for delivering rich multimedia content to the
Web.
 It allows the creation of simple static HTML pages with the
Flash Player plug-in.
Time-Based tools: Example: Macromedia Flash
Time-Based tools
 Advantages
 Easy to put animation and interactive movies
 Interactive menus

 Disadvantages
 Increase in file size
 Music and sound files embedded in Flash movies increase
file sizes and increases the download time
Time-Based tools
Cross-platform Authoring Notes
 Macintosh and Windows computers use different schemes to
manage text and colors.

 While using text fields, ensure that the text displays correctly
on both platforms.

 Outline and shadow styles on text should be avoided on

Macintosh since they are not currently supported in
Windows.
Summary
 Multimedia authoring tools provide the framework needed
for organizing and editing multimedia elements in a project.

 The three types of authoring tools are card- or page-based,

icon-based or event-driven, and time-based.

 Text and color compatibility must be verified before moving

multimedia projects across platforms.