Chapter Two
Multimedia Authoring and Tools
Compiled by : Nafyad T.
Oct , 2024
What is Authoring System?
Authoring is the process of creating interactive multimedia
applications/ productions/presentations.
An authoring system is a program which has pre-programmed
elements for the development of interactive multimedia
presentations.
It provides an integrated environment for binding together the
different elements of a Multimedia production.
What is Authoring System?
It enables the developer to combine text, graphics, audio, video,
and animation into an interactive presentation/project.
Authoring systems include editing tools to create, edit, and
convert multimedia elements such as animation and video clips.
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.
Features of Authoring Tools
Editing Features
Organizing Features
Programming Features
Interactivity Features.
Performance tuning and playback features.
Delivery Features
Cross‐platform Features
Internet Playability Features
Features of Authoring Tools – Cont…
Editing Features
Most authoring environment and packages exhibit capabilities to
create, edit and transform different kinds of media that they
support.
For example, Macromedia Flash comes bundled with its own sound
editor.
Organizing Features
Some of the authoring tools provide a system of visual flowcharting
or overview facility to showcase your project's structure at a macro
level.
Navigation diagrams help to organize a project. E.g. Dreamweaver
Features of Authoring Tools – Cont…
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.
Interactivity Features
Interactivity empowers the end user control over the content and
flow of information in a project.
Features of Authoring Tools – Cont…
Performance tuning and playback features
It should enable developers to build a part of a project and then test
it immediately.
Therefore authoring system should have playback facility.
Delivery 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 playback
without the complete authoring software & all its tools and editors.
Features of Authoring Tools – Cont…
Cross‐platform Features
Some authoring programs are available on several platforms and provide
tools for transforming and converting files and programs from one to the
other.
It is important to use tools that facilitate easy transfer across platforms.
Internet Playability
Due to Web has become a significant delivery medium for multimedia,
authoring systems typically provide a means to convert their output so
that it can be delivered within the context of HTML or DHTML.
Simple Authoring Tools
Tools for creating and editing multimedia elements include:
Word processing tools – used for text editing, create project content,
letters. E.g. MS word
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Software – converts bitmap
characters into electronically recognizable ASCII text.
Painting and drawing tools
Painting Software – is used to create and modify bitmap images. E.g. Adobe
Photoshop, Fireworks, Painter
Drawing Software – is used to create and modify vector graphics. E.g. Adobe
Illustrator, CorelDraw, FreeHand, Designer and Canvas
Simple Authoring Tools – Cont …
3-D Modeling and Animation Tools – will render the objects in a
three dimensional perspective. Objects can be rotated and viewed from any
direction or angle. E.g. vectorWorks, AutoDesk’s Maya, Strata 3D
Image Editing Tools – are used to create, enhance and retouch existing
bitmap image. E.g. Adobe Photoshop
Sound Editing Tools – are used to allow the users to see the music as a
waveform, hearing the sound and edit segment of sounds. E.g. Audacity
Movie Making Tools – allow users to create, edit and assemble digitized
motion video segments. E.g Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, Filmora
Interactive Multimedia Authoring Tools
Macromedia Authorware - is used for creating interactive programs
that can integrate a range of multimedia content, particularly electronic
educational technology (also called e-learning) applications.
Macromedia Director – used for creating interactive media for world
wide webs, CDs, presentations and interactiveTV
Macromedia Flash - used for production of animations, rich web
applications, desktop applications, mobile apps, mobile games, and
embedded web browser video players.
Microsoft Power Point
Authoring systems vary widely in:
Orientation
Capabilities, and
Learning curve: how easy it is to learn how to use the
application
Multimedia product still can be developed using programming
language.
So why we use authoring tool?
Why should you use an authoring system?
Can speed up programming i.e. content development and delivery
Learning curve is short
Time gains i.e. accelerated prototyping
Provide drag and drop functionality
In general, Authoring tools can save a lot of time and money.
Authoring Vs Programming
There is a distinction between authoring and programming:
Authoring involves the assembly and bringing together of
Multimedia with possibly high level graphical interface design and
some high level scripting like Lingo, ActionScript.
Programming involves low level assembly and construction and
control of Multimedia and involves real languages like C and Java.
Characteristics of Authoring Tools
A good authoring tool should be able to:
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 etc
let you create highly efficient, integrated workflow
Multimedia Authoring Paradigms
The authoring paradigm, or authoring metaphor, is the
methodology employed to create multimedia applications.
There are various paradigms:
Scripting Language
Icon-Based Control Authoring Tool
Card and Page Based Authoring Tool
Time Based Authoring Tool
Most authoring programs use one of several authoring
metaphors.
1. Scripting Language
It is the method of using special language to enable interactivity
(button, mouse) and allow conditionals, jumps, loops, functions
and etc.
It is the authoring method closest in form to traditional
programming.
Usually use a powerful, object-oriented scripting language
1. Scripting Language – cont….
Multimedia elements and events become objects that live in a
hierarchical order
Most authoring tools provide visually programmable interface
in addition to scripting language.
The scripting paradigm tends to be longer in development
time (it takes longer to code an individual interaction),
But generally more powerful interactivity is possible.
Media handling can vary widely, different script for different
tools
1. Scripting Language – cont….
Examples
The Apple’s HyperTalk for HyperCard,
Asymetrix’s OpenScript for ToolBook and
Lingo scripting language for Macromedia Director
ActionScript for Macromedia Flash
Here is an example lingo script to jump to a frame
global gNavSprite
on exitFrame
go the frame
play sprite gNavSprite
end
2. Iconic/Flow Control Tools
It provides a visual programming approach to organize and
present multimedia
Multimedia elements and interaction cues (or events) are
organized as objects in a flowchart.
The core of the paradigm is the icon palette, containing
functions/interactions and Flow Lines.
These icons are used to represent menu choice, graphic images,
sounds, computations, video, etc.
2. Iconic/Flow Control Tools
First you build a structure or flowchart of events, tasks and
decisions by dragging appropriate icons from a library.
Each icon does a specific task, for example- plays a sound, open
an image etc.
When the structure is built you can add your content text,
graphics, animation, video movies and sounds.
Speediest in development time
You can change the sequence of objects
Examples:
Authorware
IconAuthor
2. Iconic/Flow Control Tools
3. Card and page Based Tools
In these authoring systems, elements are organized as pages of a
book or a stack of cards.
The authoring system lets you link these pages or cards into
organized sequences.
Every page of the book may contain many media elements like
sounds, videos and animations.
You can jump, on command, to any page you wish in a structured
navigation pattern.
Well suited for Hypertext applications, and especially suited for
navigation demanding applications
3. Card and page Based Tools – cont …
They are best suited for applications where the bulk of the
content consist of elements that can be viewed individually(1
screen= 1 page)
Many entertainment applications are prototyped in a card prior
to compiled-language coding. E.g. gaming apps
Some examples of card or page tools are:
Hypercard (Mac) – to make games, accounting system…
Tool book (Windows)- e-learning content authoring app
PowerPoint (Windows)
Supercard (Mac) – to make UI
3. Card and page Based Tools – cont …
Advantages of card based authoring tools:
Easy to understand.
One screen is equal to 1card or 1page.
Easy to use as these tools provide template.
Short development time.
Disadvantages of card based authoring tools:
Some run only on one platform.
Tools not as powerful as equivalent standalone.
4. Time Based Authoring Tools
allow the designer to arrange various elements and events of the
multimedia project along a well defined time line.
Sequentially organized graphic frames are played back at a speed set
by developer.
As the time advances from starting point of the project, the events
begin to occur, one after another.
Are the most popular multimedia authoring tool
They are best suited for applications that have a message with
beginning and end, animation intensive pages, or synchronized
media application
4. Time Based Authoring Tools
Examples
Macromedia Director
Macromedia Flash
Advantages of time based authoring tools.
Good for creating animation.
User control, interactivity facilities.
Disadvantages of time based authoring tools.
Expensive
Large file size
Steep learning curve to understand various features.
4. Time Based Authoring Tools
Macromedia Flash
Flash is used for delivering rich multimedia content to the Web.
Can accept both vector and bitmap graphics
Uses a scripting language called ActionScript which gives greater
capability to control the movie.
Flash is commonly used:
to create animations, advertisements,
to design web-page elements,
to add video to web pages,
to develop Rich Internet Applications.
4. Time Based Authoring Tools - Flash
Rich Internet Applications (RIA) are web applications that have the
features and functionality of traditional desktop applications.
RIA's uses a client side technology which can execute instructions
on the client's computer (no need to send every data to the server).
Flash uses:
Library: a place where objects that are to be re-used are stored.
Timeline: used to organize and control a movie content over time.
Layer: helps to organize contents. Timeline is divided into layers.
ActionScript: enables interactivity and control of movies
Web Page Authoring Tools
Allows users of all skill levels to design and create Web pages.
Web authoring tools are similar to HTML editors in that they
typically allow toggling between an HTML code view and a visual
design.
Some of these types of tools are also called WYSIWYG ("what you
see is what you get") editors
Adobe Dreamweaver allow to create web pages without learning the
underlying HTML.
Software: Adobe Dreamweaver, Front page