2. Multimedia Authoring Tools
• Multimedia authoring tools provide the framework for
organizing and editing the elements of a multimedia
project.
• Authoring software provides an integrated
environment for combining the content and functions
of a project.
• It enables the developer to combine text, graphics,
audio, video, and animation into an interactive
presentation/ project.
2
3. Multimedia Authoring Tools
• 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.
3
4. Features of Authoring Tools
• Basic features includes:
– Editing and organizing features.
– Programming features.
– Interactivity features.
– Performance tuning and playback features.
– Delivery, cross-platform, and Internet playability
features.
4
5. Types of Authoring Tools
• Card- and page-based tools.
• Icon-based, event-driven tools.
• Time-based tools.
• Web Page Authoring tools.
5
6. Card & Page - Based Tools
• This tool provide a simple and easily understood
metaphor for organizing multimedia elements.
• It contains media objects such as buttons, text fields,
and graphic objects.
• It provides a facility for linking objects to pages or
cards.
• Software: Hypercard – linked cards
ToolBook – each page is a screen
6
7. Card & Page - Based Tools
• Advantages:
– Easy to understand metaphor
– 1 screen = 1 card = 1 page
– Easy to use
• Provide template
• Short development time
• Disadvantages:
– Some run only on one platform
– Tools not as powerful as equiv. stand-alones
7
9. Icon Based – Event Driven Tool
• Icons or objects based authoring tool is the simplest and
easiest authoring process.
• Simple branching is the ability to go to another section of the
multimedia production.
• 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.
• Software: Authorware and IconAuthor.
9
10. Icon Based – Event Driven Tool
• Advantages:
• Clear structure.
• Easy editing and updating.
• Disadvantages:
– Difficult to learn.
– Expensive.
10
11. Time-Based Tools
• This tools are best suited for messages with a
beginning and an end.
• Some time-based tools facilitate navigation
and interactive control.
• Software: Adobe’s Director and Flash.
11
12. 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.
12
13. Time-Based Tools
• Advantages:
– Good for creating
animation
– Branching, user control,
interactivity
• Disadvantages:
– Expensive
– Steep learning curve
for advanced features
13
15. 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.
15
16. Time-Based Tools
• Advantages:
– Easy to put animated 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.
16
17. Web Page Authoring Tools
• Allows users of all skill levels to create Web pages.
• Some application software programs include Web
page authoring programs.
• Adobe Dreamweaver allow to create web pages
without learning the underlying HTML.
• Software: Adobe Dreamweaver, Front page
17
