Multimedia Systems

Chapter Two
2. Multimedia Authoring and Tools
2.1 What is Multimedia Authoring?
Authoring is the process of creating multimedia applications. An authoring system is a program
which has pre-programmed elements for the development of interactive multimedia presentations.
Multimedia Authoring Tools provide tools for making a complete multimedia presentation
where users usually have a lot of communicating controls.
Multimedia presentations can be created using: -
 simple presentation packages such as PowerPoint
 powerful RAD tools such as Delphi, .Net, JBuilder;
 True Authoring environments, which lie somewhere in between in terms of technical complexity.
Why should you use an authoring system?
 Can speed up programming i.e. content development and delivery
 Time gains i.e. accelerated prototyping
 The content creation (graphics, text, video, audio, animation) is not affected by choice of authoring system
Authoring Vs Programming
Authoring Programming
Assembly of multimedia Involves low level assembly of Multimedia
High level graphical interface Design Construction and control of Multimedia
Some high-level scripting e.g., Lingo, ActionScript Involves real languages like C, and Java
Table 1 Authoring vs. Programming
Characteristics of Authoring Tools
 integrate text, graphics, video, and audio to create a single multimedia presentation
 Control interactivity by the use of menus, buttons, hotspots, hot objects etc.
 publish as a presentation or a self-running executable; on CD/DVD, Intranet, WWW
 Be extended through the use of pre-built or externally supplied components, plug-ins
Features of authoring tools
The multimedia project you are developing has its own underlying structure and purpose.
When selecting tools for your project you need to consider that purpose. Some of the features
that you have to take into consideration when selecting authoring tools are:
1) Editing Feature: The elements of multimedia – image, animation, text, digital audio and
MIDI music and video clips – need to be created, edited and converted to standard file formats
and the specialized applications provide these capabilities. Editing tools for these elements,
particularly text and still images are often included in your authoring system.
2) Organizing feature: the organization of media in your project involves navigation diagrams,
or flow charts, etc. Some authoring tools provide a visual flowcharting facility. Such features
help you for organizing the project. Eg. IconAuthor, and AuthorWare use flowcharting and
navigation diagram method to organize media.

Kumkumo K. DIRE DAWA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Department of Computer Science

 Multimedia Systems

3) Programming feature: some programming approaches are: -

i) Visual programming: this is programming using cues, icons, and objects. It is done using
drag and drop. To include sound in your project, drag and drop it in stage. the simplest and
easiest authoring process.
ii) Programming with scripting language: Some authoring tool provide very high-level
scripting language and interpreted scripting environment. This helps for navigation control
and enabling user input.
4) Interactivity feature: interactivity offers to the end user of the project to control the
content and flow of information.
5) Performance-tuning features: accomplishing synchronization of multimedia is
sometimes difficult because performance varies with different computers. In such cases you
need to use authoring tools own scripting language to specify time and sequence on system.
multimedia projects should be compatible with different platform like Macintosh, Windows,
etc. This enables the designer to use any platform to design the project or deliver it to any
platform.
6) Playback feature: Testing enables you to debug the system and find out how the user
interacts with it. Not waste time in assembling and testing the project
7) Delivery feature: delivering your project needs building runtime version of the project using
authoring tools. Why run time version (executable format): It does not require the full
authoring software to play. It does not allow users to access or change the content, structure,
and programming of the project. Distribute-->run-time version
8) Internet playability: web is significant delivery medium for multimedia. Authoring
tools typically provide facility so that output can be delivered in HTML or DHTML format.
9) Ease of learning: is it easy to learn? The designer should not waste much time learning
how to use it. Is it easy to use?
2.2 Some Useful Editing and Authoring Tools
Authoring tools provide an integrated environment for binding together the different elements
of a Multimedia production.
Multimedia Editing Tools
Multimedia editing tools are categorized into the following parts.
1) Music sequencing and notation

Kumkumo K. DIRE DAWA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Department of Computer Science

 Multimedia Systems

2) Digital audio editing tools

3) Graphics and Image Editing tools

4) Video Editing tool

Kumkumo K. DIRE DAWA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Department of Computer Science

 Multimedia Systems

5) Animation Editing Tools

Kumkumo K. DIRE DAWA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Department of Computer Science

 Multimedia Systems

2.3 Multimedia Authoring paradigms

Authoring is the process of creating multimedia applications. Most authoring programs use one of
several authoring metaphors, also known as authoring paradigms: metaphors for easier understanding
of the methodology employed to create multimedia applications. Some common authoring metaphors
are as follows:
1) Scripting language metaphor
The idea here is to use a special language to enable interactivity (buttons, mouse, etc.) and allow
conditionals, jumps, loops, functions/macros, and so on. An example is the OpenScript language
in Asymetrix Learning Systems' Toolbook program. OpenScript looks like a standard object-
oriented, event-driven programming language. For example, a small Toolbook program is shown
below.
--load an MPEG file "theMpegPath" = 1;
extFileName of NediaPlayer "theMpegPath"= -- if want to start and end at specific frames:
"c: \windows\media\home33 . mpg "; extSelectionStart of MediaPlayer
-- play "theNpegPath" 103i
extPlayCount of NediaPlayer "theMpegPath" extSelectionEnd of MediaPlayer
= 1; "theHpegPath" = 1997;
-- put the MediaPlayer in frames mode (not -- start playback
time mode) get extPlay () of MediaPlayer n
extDisplayMode of NediaPlayer theNpegPath";

2) Slide show metaphor

Slide shows are by default a linear presentation. Although tools exist to perform jumps in
slide shows, few experts use them. Example programs are PowerPoint or ImageQ.
3) Hierarchical metaphor
Here, user-controllable elements are organized into a tree structure. Such a metaphor is often
used in menu-driven applications.
4) Iconic/flow-control metaphor
Graphical icons are available in a toolbox, and authoring
proceeds by creating a flowchart with icons attached. The
standard example of such a metaphor is Authorware, by
Macromedia.
Figure 2.1 shows an example flowchart. As well as
simple flowchart elements, such as an IF statement,
a CASE statement, and so on, we can group
elements using a Map (i.e., a subroutine) icon. With
little effort, simple animation is also possible.
5) Frame’s metaphor
As in the iconic/flow-control metaphor, graphical icons are again available in a toolbox, and
authoring proceeds by creating a flowchart with icons attached. However, rather than
representing the actual flow of the program, links between icons are more conceptual.
Therefore, "frames" of icon designs represent more abstraction than in the simpler
iconic/flow-control metaphor. The flowchart consists of "modules" composed of "frames".
Frames are constructed from objects, such as text, graphics, audio, animations, and
video, all of which can respond to events.
6) Card/scripting metaphor
This metaphor uses a simple index-card structure to produce multimedia productions.
Since links are available, this is an easy route to producing applications that use
hypertext or hypermedia. The original of this metaphor was HyperCard by Apple.

Kumkumo K. DIRE DAWA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Department of Computer Science

 Multimedia Systems

7) Cast/score/scripting metaphor
In this metaphor, time is shown horizontally in a type of spreadsheet fashion, where
rows, or tracks, represent instantiations of characters in a multimedia production.
Since these tracks control synchronous behavior, this metaphor somewhat parallels a
music score. Multimedia elements are drawn from a "cast" of characters, and "scripts" are basically
event procedures or procedures triggered by timer events. Usually, you can write your own scripts.
In a sense, this is similar to the conventional use of the term
"scripting language" - one that is concise and invokes lower-level abstractions, since
that is just what one's own scripts do. Director, by Macromedia, is the chief example
of this metaphor. Director uses the Lingo scripting language, an object-oriented,
event-driven language.

Kumkumo K. DIRE DAWA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Department of Computer Science