Topic Outline
What is multimedia Authoring tools.
 Multimedia tools features
 Categories of multimedia authoring tools.

AUTHORING TOOLS

Have 2 basic features:
Ability
to create and edit product.
A presentation scheme for delivering
the product.
AUTHORING TOOLS
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 TOOL FEATURES
PAGE
Different environments use different term of
page such as frame,stage, template,or window
 Act as a container for other features or object
such as text or graphic content or controls such
as buttons.

MULTIMEDIA TOOL FEATURES
CONTROLS
Enables interaction between user and product.
 Managing or direct sequences of events (data
 collection,data objects)


3 categories of controls:
 Navigation
(buttons, hot spots, hypertext)
 Input (radio button, check box, list box, text)
 Media Controls (video and audio)
MULTIMEDIA TOOL FEATURES
EXECUTION

Process that control the presentations and
sequencing of the application.
 Linear sequenced:
 Presentation
control by user.
 Temporal control:
 Control
by timer that initiates event in a
predetermine order.

Interactive control:
-
wait for user to select a function such as pressing
button before continue.
CATEGORIES OF AUTHORING TOOLS
Simple authoring tools: word processor and
presentation software.
 Programming tools: enables developer to
create applications with data and controls for
basic interactivity.
 Simple interactive authoring tools: enables
the developer to create applications with data
and controls for basic interactivity.
 Complex interactive authoring tools: allow
developer to use programming construct to
provide a fine degree of application control.

SIMPLE AUTHORING & DELIVERY
TOOLS
Word processors:
provide ability to
display text in
variety of font
types, sizes and
color.
 Enable user to
develop very simple
presentations.

SIMPLE AUTHORING & DELIVERY
TOOLS
Graphic software: ranges from simple to
complex, include powerful paint programs.
 Useful to create graphics that can be placed in
other applications.
 Avoid use red and green color as a cue color
because color blind individuals cannot see them
correctly.

SIMPLE AUTHORING & DELIVERY
TOOLS

Presentation Packages:
 Provide
a multiple page-based medium for text
and graphic with content delivers as a sequential
series of slides.
 Also contain audio and video as embedded
objects.
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES FOR
AUTHORING
Multimedia products
can be developed
by assembly
languages, C, BASIC.
 Advantages:

 Languages
like C
and assembly
languages very
efficient & fast.
 Easy integration with
other software.

Disadvantages:
 Programming
expertise is require
to create and
maintain the product.
 Much more code is
required making long
term maintenance
difficult & expensive.
SIMPLE INTERACTIVE AUTHORING
TOOLS
Provide critical feature of being able to
interactivity navigate through a product.
 Simple refer to limited interaction available for
end user.

SIMPLE INTERACTIVE AUTHORING
TOOLS

Advantages:
 Easy
to learn,
provide a number
of powerful
interactive
features.
 Reasonable price

Disadvantages:
 Difficult
to
integrate with
other applications.
COMPLEX INTERACTIVE AUTHORING
TOOLS
Combine feature in simple interactive
tools with programming features.
 3 categories:

 Page/Card
based layout
 Temporal/Time based
 Icon based.
PAGE/CARD BASED AUTHORING
Navigation is referred to the number of page.
 Each page consists of layer(s).
 Example: Toolbook, Hypercard 2.4,
Hyperstudio, Supercard.

PAGE/CARD BASED AUTHORING
TEMPORAL/TIME BASED AUTHORING


Has the ability to develop an application like a movie.
Can create complex animation and transitions.
TEMPORAL/TIME BASED AUTHORING

Features:
A
page or display frame on which object
such as button, text or audio/video data are
placed.
 An array for keeping track of pages/frames
including their sequence, timing and content.
 Controller for playing stopping, stepping or
rewind a presentations.
TEMPORAL/TIME BASED AUTHORING

Example: Macromedia Director, Flash
ICON BASED AUTHORING
Enables complex interaction and layering of
multimedia products.
 Ability to graphically design complex
interaction for repetitive application.
 Example : Macromedia Authorware

ICON BASED AUTHORING