1. How to add references in SMIL?
- A time namespace should be defined to use SMIL in HTML.
- The process is:
1. Add <?import> element in <HTML> tag definition to add time name space.
2. Define a ‘time’ class to add SMIL attributes to standard HTML elements.
3. This is done by <html xmlns:time="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:time">
4. To define the class "time" add a <style> element.
5. This is done by
<head>
<?import namespace="time" implementation="#default#time2">
<style>.time {behavior: url(#default#time2)}</style>
SMIL is used for the following purposes:
- To create internet presentations.
- To represent presentations with multiple file types.
- Many files can displayed at the same time.
- Multiple web servers can display SMIL presentations
- SMIL contains action button to control the presentations.
- SMIL has functions to set the duration and the sequence of the presentation.
3. Give an example of SMIL file?
- SMIL files are written using a text editor.
- A compatible SMIL player is needed such as Ambulant Player.
- SMIL have <head>, <body> and <layout> tags.
- <layout> tag is used specify the size and background color of the presentation.
- Following code snippet is an example of SMIL:
<head>
<layout>
<topLayout width="640px" height="480px" backgroundColor="#FFFFFF"
open="whenActive" close="whenNotActive"/>
</layout>
</head>
- SMIL stands for Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language.
- SMIL is an XML-based language which allows to write interactive multimedia presentations.
- It is easy to describe the layout on spatial layout.
- It has features to set the timings of the presentation.
- The presentations can be synchronized with a specific time.
5. Explain about SMIL code writing in HTML?
- The HTML+SMIL profile allows to integrate a subset of SMIL specification with HTML.
- It has SMIL modules for supporting animation, objects, content control, and timing.
- SMIL features are directly integrated with HTML and CSS.
- SMIL can be used to manipulate HTML and CSS features.
- SMIL modules can be implemented using document definition and / or schema
- Add a prefix and class attribute to the SMIL elements.
- This executes SMIL presentation in HTML.
- Following example perform the task:
<time:seq repeatCount="indefinite">
<img class="time" src="image1.jpg" dur="3s" />
<img class="time" src="image2.jpg" dur="3s" />
</time:seq>
7. Do you know about XHTML + SMIL?
- The integration of XHTML and SMIL allows to write valid XHTML code.
- Timing, animation, transition can be added to the web pages.
- The layout functionality is provided by XHTML / CSS
- The linking module functionality is provided by XHTML
- The XHTML is the host language for providing structure module for SMIL.
- Meta information is also available with XHTML.
- The above modules are integrated by XHTML in SMIL.
8. What is use of clipBegin and clipEnd?
- Internal timing marks to playback begin and end is specified by clipBegin and clipEnd attributes of a clip.
- These attributes allows to play a part of a clip which has an internal timeline, like video/audio.
- Static or group clips will not be effected by clipBegin and clipEnd attributes.
- Following is an example :
<video src="myvideo.rm" clipBegin="10s" clipEnd="50s"/>
- In the above example, the clip starts playing at 10 second mark and ends when it reaches 50 seconds. The total play is for 40 seconds.
9. How to specify the duration?
- The dur attribute is used to specify the time span for the clip / image.
- Following example plays the clip for 40 seconds.
<video src="myvideo.rm" dur="40s"/>
- When the duration of the video is less than 40 seconds, the last frame of the video appears frozen on the screen, until the duration elapses.
- The duration can be specified by number of minutes also.
- Following example specifies the image to appear for 5 minutes onscreen.
<img src="myimage.gif" dur="5min"/>
10. What are the media elements in SMIL?
Following are the SMIL Media Elements:
- <animation> - Element for an animation
- <audio> - Element for an audio clip
- <brush> - Element for a brush
- <img> - Element for an image
- <param> - Element for a parameter
- <ref> - Element for a generic media reference
- <text> - Element for a text
- <textstream> - Element for a textstream
- <video> - Element for a video
11. Describe about Transition Effects and Timelines?
- By default, every transition lasts for one second of time.
- Transition can last for a fixed length of time, by using transition timelines.
- The effects are not applied to the presentation timeline.
- The transition would effect the timeline, if it is applied to the beginning of the clip.
- A 5-second transition would not be effected, if the clip occurs during the last 5 seconds time.
12. What is transition effect?
- Time transition occurs, once the clip starts or stops playing.
- The clip appears when it starts playing, while not using trasition effect.
- Based on the fill attribute, it disappears when the clip stops playing.
- Transition effects makes the transition visually compels.
- The clip may fade from a solid color.
13. List the SMIL timing elements and attributes?
- SMIL timing Elements:
<excl> Specifies elements that are to be exclusively displayed
<par> Specifies elements that are to be displayed in parallel
<seq> Specifies elements that are to be displayed in a sequence
- SMIL timing Attributes:
begin - Specifies the delay before the display of the element
dur - Specifies the duration for the display
endsync - Synchronizes the stopping of parallel elements
repeatCount - Specifies the number of repetitions for the display
14. Describe about Transition Effects and Layouts?
- The transition effects may be applied to any visual clip irrespective of the layout.
- The area that is covered during a clip's play is treated as its background.
- The background can be a region color or clip in another region or a clip in the current region.
- The transition effect introduces the clip over, or removes the clip from its background.
- Hence, all the clips may not be the same size.
15. Explain about Transition Effects and Animations?
- Transitions are different from SMIL animations.
- Transition effect occurs when a clip starts or stops.
- Animation effects while a clip plays.
- Same presentation can have both transition and animations.
- Both transition and animation can be applied to the same clip. The definitions of them are separate.
16. What is <audio> Element in SMIL?
- The <audio> element defines a specific reference for an audio object.
- Following example illustrates the element:
<html xmlns:t="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:time">
<head>
<?import namespace="t" implementation="#default#time2">
</head>
<body>
<t:audio src="dance.wav" repeatCount="indefinite" type="wav" />
</body>
</html>
17. List the Media Attributes of SMIL?
- Every SMIL document, every object should be included with a reference URL from src attribute.
The attribute type defines the media type.
- erase - Specifies the behavior of the element after completion of timing.
- src - Specifies the source of a media object.
- type - Specifies the type of the media.
18. What is <video> Element in SMIL?
- The <video> element defines a specific reference for a video object.
- Following example illustrates the element:
<html xmlns:t="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:time">
<head>
<?import namespace="t" implementation="#default#time2">
</head>
<body>
<t:video src="http://www.mysite.com/about/vap_windows_check.wmv"
repeatCount="indefinite" type="wmv" />
</body>
</html>
19. SMIL Job Interview Questions Part One!
What is the full form of SMIL?
What are the applications of SMIL?
Name the majors markups used in SMIL.
What was the reason behind development of SMIL?
How is it different from HTML & XML?
Give the MIME type of SMIL.
SMIL was developed by which organization?
What is the latest version of SMIL?
What is the extension of SMIL files?
How does SVG animation can be incorporated in a SMIL file?
20. SMIL Job Interview Questions Part Two!
If a person wants show his RSS or Atom feeds into his SMIL presentation, how can he achieve it?
What do you about VoiceXML & MusicXML? How can you it be included in a SMIL file?
What is the future of SMIL?
In order to view SMIL presentations, which tool can be used at client side?
Name few hardware that can natively run SMIL files.
Is it possible to view SMIL files over a webpage? If yes then how?
How XHTML-SMIL integration is done?
How can you stream a SMIL file?
Is it possible to edit SMIL files created by Preview Navigator?
How can you arrange a multichannel live streaming?
21. SMIL Job Interview Questions Part Three!
What steps would you follow to create a simple business presentation using SMIL?
What are the pros & cons of a SMIL presentation over say PowerPoint Presentation?
Name few tools that can be used to automate the process of creation of presentation.
Explain basic layout of a SMIL file.
What are the stacking & scaling attributes in SMIL?
Explain SMIL timing model.
How is linking done in SMIL. Write a small code snippet to support your answer.
What does systemCPU attribute of SMIL stand for?
List the environment related system test attributes.
What are the resource related system tests attributes?
22. SMIL Job Interview Questions Part Four!
How is the transition effects put into a SMIL presentation?
Name the general attributes for basic transitions.
How to create a hierarchical layout in SMIL?
How to apply CSS to a SMIL layout?
