Scenario Creation Methods

1. General2. The Main Rules of Scenario Creation3. Glossary4. AVPlayer Components (Modules): the Player and the Interpreter5. Stack System of the Interpreter.6. Scenario Commands. 7. Scenario Call-in Methods.8. Mobile and Fixed Objects.9. Interpreter Operation.10. Scenario Creation.11. Examples of Scenarios and Methods of Playing Them.

1. General

The technology enables the scriptwriter to create an interactive film targeted at the viewer. The viewer can passively watch the film or obtain detailed information about the events and objects on the screen, i.e. request at his/her desire additional data.

The examples of additional information called on the viewer's demand include various Media applications. One ought to bear in mind that additional data should be expedient and logically relevant.

When creating a scenario, you can make use of the following: a dialog mode enabling the spectator to choose the desired conditions; a number of plotlines chosen according to the conditions typed-in by the spectator (within

the scope of information the film contains); databases, various methods of image and animation processing; the Internet; various applications (text, graphic and sound editors, cartographic information); offer the viewer more detailed information when he/she returns to the played episodes

again. The episodes played are memorized as bookmarks in the History panel; create the main menu (or content navigation), for example, in the form of the map of

episodes.

2. Scenario Creation

Creating a scenario involves the following three basic steps:

1. Creating an artistic scenario.2. Creating a technologic scenario.3. Developing a program code.

The artistic scenario formulates the subject or the idea of the interactive film. This step presupposes:

identifying the target audience of the created film; determining the contents of the film, as well as the type and means of presenting main and

additional information;

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The technologic scenario offers information resources to be selected for realization of the artistic scenario. This step presupposes:

designating the type of multimedia applications required: video applications, audio applications, graphic pictures, computation programs, animation, the Internet, cartographic information, databases, etc.,

building the space of multimedia information ties - means of film navigation; designing user interface.

Interface requirements are determined by the necessity to create favourable visual environment on the monitor screen. The degree of its comfort depends on colour characteristics, information placement on the monitor screen..

The development of the program code is the creation of the computer program that controls multimedia applications through the algorithm specified by artistic and technologic scenarios.

It is necessary to ensure that introduction of changes to technologic and artistic scenarios be possible throughout the program development. The feedback can be caused by a recent necessity or new technical opportunities of their realization (or their absence).

3. Glossary

Active Video Editor (AVEditor) The Active Video Editor is a software tool for creating Active Video films.

Active Video Player (AVPlayer) The Active Video Player is a software tool for playing Active Video films.

Active Video Film While viewing the Active Video film, the user can obtain additional information about the

objects of the film on his/her demand and control its playback.

Additional Information It is detailed information about the object that the viewer can get on his/her demand by: interacting with active objects; selecting the episode scenario.

Active Video Project The Active Video project is the workspace in the AVEditor in which Active Video films

are originated. The Active Video project contains all information about films and their episodes, active objects, markers, tooltips, scenarios and their attachings to objects, rubrics and episodes.

Episode The episode is a continuous sequence of frames, a unit of film playback.

Active Object (AO) The active object is an image on the screen of the AVPlayer. Clicking on the active area of

the object, you can: play a video clip, output text or sound information, open a Web page or a mail window, etc. The active area of the object can be marked on the screen with a

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highlight, change of the mouse cursor or a tooltip. Active objects can be accompanied by markers.

Object Shape It is the contour of an object in the frame.

Active Area of the Object It is the contour of an active object.

Marked Contour of the Object Shape It is the contour of an object marked with graphic tools of the AVEditor.

Object The object is a key element. Any living being or object can become an object of the film.

The object shape changes from frame to frame. For example, the object is a car: it is moving away. The car image is diminishing. During the film, various shapes of an object can be seen. Active Video Technology stores data on every object related to the contours of its shape varying with every frame, tooltips, markers, scenarios. Shapes, markers, tooltips and scenarios attached to the object throughout the film enable creation of an active object with which the user interacts in the AVPlayer.

Tooltip It is a window popping up over the mouse cursor. The text of the tooltip is used for active

object denomination, prompts, and short instructions.

Marker It is an arbitrary picture. Markers draw the user's attention to active objects while playing

the film in the AVPlayer.

Scenario It is an element of the Active Video technology, a set of special commands. The scenario makes the object of the film active. Scenario execution can stop the film, mute

the sound, open a new window, etc. The active object can have an unlimited number of scenarios, but must certainly possess a default script run by left-clicking on the active object in the AVPlayer.

Scenarios are also created for episodes. The specific feature of the Active Video technology is that the Active Video film is controlled by the scenario. Besides, each episode has its own scenario. So the film is cut into episodes first and then scenarios are written for them. One episode can have several scenarios.

A scenario can be attached to an event or a trigger, for example, to the appearance of a specified frame.

The Main scenario is a necessary criterion for playing the Active Video film. This scenario controls the film playback if the user is passive.

Rubric It is the name of a list of scenarios grouped by meaning. The rubric or its scenarios are

called by right-clicking on the unmarked part of the frame or an active object while playing the film in the AVPlayer.

Compilation of the Active Video Project

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It is the process that results in the creation of special files constituting a new film format - Active Video film: Indices file, Active Objects file, Scenarios file, Configuration file.

4. AVPlayer Components: the Player and the Interpreter

The main function of the AVPlayer is to execute scenarios of the Active Video film. Scenarios control the film playback and create exactly the same video stream as was conceived by a scriptwriter.

In accord with the operations performed, the AVPlayer is logically subdivided into interrelated modules performing their own functions. The main modules are the Player and the Interpreter.

The Player module reproduces video and audio information. When replaying ordinary films, it functions as an ordinary player, for example, Windows Media Player. The Main review window is generated and the film playback is controlled by standard buttons: Stop, Pause, Close, Speed Up/Down and Volume Up/Down.

When running an Active Video film in the AVPlayer, the Player module activates its special functions, i.e. it displays active objects, markers, tooltips, senses a mouse click and passes it to the Interpreter module for further processing.

The Interpreter module is the control system with the built-in AV scripting language interpreter. Its global function is to execute all scenarios of the Active Video film. The Interpreter module controls the functions of the Player module: it processes mouse clicks, events, triggers, i.e. executes scenarios connected with them.

5. Stack System of the Interpreter

The Interpreter module uses a stack method of data storage. The stack is characterized by a specific method of access to the elements it stores. The element can be added only to the top of stack (the element appended becomes first in the stack) and deleted only from the top of stack.

The stack functioning can be demonstrated with the following example:While the main program is running, a subroutine is often called to perform some actions. When

finished, return to the command following the cue occurs. For this purpose, the command address or the return address is saved in special memory cells known as stack. The stack is so organized that the address saved last is read first and the first recorded address is read after all the others.

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Fig. 1

Fig.1 represents the following process:

Execution of the main program. Interrupt. Call and overall execution of subroutine 1. Return to the main program and its further execution. Interrupt. Call and execution of subroutine 2. Interrupt. Call and overall execution of subroutine 3. Return to subroutine 2 and its further execution till the end. Return to the main program and its execution till a subroutine call.

Commands in the program are executed in a successive order till a subroutine is called. After the subroutine has been performed, the command following the cue starts executing.

More simply, the process of playing back an Active Video film in the AVPlayer can be compared with the execution of the main program, and the actions of the user who activated an object or ran a scenario can be compared with the call of a subroutine, moreover, the LIFO method is used.

So

The main program is playback of an Active Video film. Subroutine 1 is activation of object "a" and execution of its scenario. Subroutine 2 is call of a scenario for the episode and its playback. Subroutine 3 is activation of object "b" in the course of episode playback and execution of

its scenario.

Example (Fig.2.)

Main program

Call of subroutine 1

Return to the main program

Call of subroutine 2

Return to the main program

Call of subroutine 3

Return to subroutine 2

Subroutines

№ 1

№ 2№3

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Source data: a clip consisting of several episodes is playing in one of the AVPlayer windows. Let us consider the dynamics of the mouse click in various episodes of this clip, at the moments, when the playback is not accomplished. In all the cases, mouse clicking calls only one scenario type - "episode playback with interrupt return". When clicking, the viewer selects an active object or calls an episode with a mouse click.

So the first episode ab is playing. A click on c' runs the second episode cd. A click on e' plays the third episode en. When the third episode is over, the second episode continues playing from the breakpoint. When the second episode stops playing, the first one plays to the end in like manner.

Fig.2

5. Scenario Commands

Active Video scenario is a script in the form of a sequence of special commands. The following information is specified for each scenario (Fig.3):

Reference data is a scenario name that must be unique within one project. Forwarding information is an annotation implying the text that displays as a scenario name

in the scenarios list of the AVPlayer. Overhead information is an interval determining a list of episodes in which this scenario

can be called by right-clicking either on the active object (a list of object scenarios) or in any place of the episode without active objects (a list of episode scenarios).

Configuration information is in parameters. Types of in parameters: Numbers. Lines representing a sequence of symbols.

a c’ b

c e’ d

(a c’) (c e’) (e n ) (e’ d) (c’ b) b

The result of playback of 3 episodes

e n

1st episode

2nd episode

3d episode

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Fig.3

Scenario Commands

Add Set Comment Command. Add Video Stream Command. Add Independent Window Command. Add Independent Text Window. Add Picture Window Command. Add If-Then-Else Statement. Add While Loop. Add Internet Resource. Add Run/Call Script Command. Add Change Object Status Command. Add Set Trigger/Variable Command.

You can delete and edit the commands specified using the Delete and Edit buttons.

Using scenario commands, you can: Create a new video stream (film) on the basis of already existing films. Replay the video stream created. Change playback parameters of the created video stream. Create independent windows for playing back created video streams. Create dependent text windows with the text scrolling option and creeping lines. Create dependent windows for outputting pictures, menu items. Control all windows simultaneously or one definite window only. Create a dialog box for inputting user data and thus influence the end result. Enter the scenario control logic, i.e. specify its execution environment. Control active objects in the course of film playback. Call external applications.

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? An independent window is created to output a video stream. The window can contain the buttons controlling the film review and also the button closing the window. The viewer can change window dimensions and its position on the screen. A dependent window is created to output texts and pictures. The dependent window cannot be sized or shifted.

6. Scenario Call-in Methods.

The Main scenario controls the Active Video film if the viewer is passive. While playing the Active Video film, left-clicking on the active object calls one of the

scenarios connected with this object, the principal scenario. The object can have several scenarios. You can call the scenarios list by right-clicking and then run one of them.

By left-clicking on the unmarked area of the frame, it is possible to call a scenarios list and select the scenario required for episode playback.

The scenario can be linked with events or triggers. For example, you can set the event "Timer" calling the scenario specified in a definite interval or specify the event (display of a definite frame) triggering scenario execution.

Scenarios can be sorted by topics and united in rubrics. Each rubric is a list of scenarios also containing a default scenario.

As the film management system saves the history of the viewer's transitions, you can run the episode replayed before in the History panel.

It is also possible to activate links available on the logic card of episodes.

7. Mobile and Fixed Objects

The object is a logical component of the Active Video technology that realizes information and control functions. The object is interacted with by means of active areas located inside its contour in the frames of the video stream. There are two types of objects: mobile and fixed.

General Properties and Attributes of Fixed and Mobile Objects Properties:

each object is unique, files storing information about an object or several objects are generated in the directory of the

Active Video project, the object appears at the specified interval of the Media file, the active area of the object is marked with a highlight or change of the mouse cursor picture

when the user points it at the active object, Attributes:

the object can have markers - object logotypes, it can have tooltips (popping up when the user points the mouse cursor at an active object) -

comments on the object or its control features, the object can have a list of scenarios (or it can lack it), the object has an active area enabling display of additional information, the object has several contours attached to it.

Differential Features: Fixed object:

The fixed object is attached to a sequence of frames.

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The fixed object is attached to invariable areas of film episodes, i.e. the active area of the fixed object and the contour of the real object image always match together.

Mobile object: It is created using a special command. The examples of the active area of the mobile object include the contour of the real

object image in the frame and an arbitrary contour, i.e. the mobile object can change the position of its active area.

The mobile object is not linked with the frames of a definite Media file, so it can appear in various frames of Media files constituting a part of the Active Video project.

The mobile object is not visible on the screen of the AVPlayer till it is called.

All the properties of fixed and mobile objects may be resolved into the following determinant properties:

Information and visual propertiesThe object provides space inside its contour for outputting various information: text, video,

pictures. The active area of the object provides the basis for the creation of a window outputting an information resource. Information output depends on the parameters (attributes) of the object, including the status of its resources - markers, tooltips. Visibility of output data is affected by the visibility of the active area of the object, which, in its turn, depends on the highlight mode of active areas.

Control propertyIt exerts in affording the user an interactive opportunity to make topical or arbitrary choice of

information. By clicking on the active object, the viewer runs the execution of its scenario and gets additional information as a result. Control properties of the object can be realized only if the activity mode of Objects is on. The active Object can be:

highlighted by means of turning the corresponding mode on, accompanied by markers and a tooltip.

When creating various elements of the Active Video technology, you can use all properties and attributes in the aggregate or each of them separately.

Use of information and visual properties of the object , viz. its active area. In this case the window outputting any information resource is created on the basis of the active area of the object. The highlight mode of the active area is on. The activity mode of objects is:

Off. If the object has markers, they follow its image in film frames and the active area of the object is used to output information.

On. If the object has markers and a tooltip, they accompany its image in film frames and the active area of the object is used to output information.

Use of control property of the object. In this case the user interworks with the active object interactively. Clicking on the object activates its scenario.

The activity mode of objects is On. Simultaneous use of information, control and visual properties of the object. In this case the

user can select the object whose active area is used for information output and activate its scenario.

The activity mode of objects is On. The highlight mode of the active area is On.

8. Interpreter Operation

The logic Interpreter module of the AVPlayer processes the user's actions (mouse clicks on the object or scenario calls) and system phenomena (occurrence, its processing or triggering).

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The Interpreter: controls the script logic, i.e. processes special conditions of scenario execution. It allows

creating alternative plotlines which the user chooses for his film concept. supports multiwindow mode, including additional windows with their video streams and text

messages besides the main review window. ensures crosswindow interaction, i.e. sends the commands called in one window for execution

to other windows (either only to one or several windows). controls object properties in the course of film playback in the AVPlayer: turns on/off activity

modes of objects, visibility of their marking areas, sound, specifies tooltips. The properties of each object are controlled separately.

hears the message queue from the Player and processes the messages received. tracks and modifies the state of triggers.

When sequentially executing scenario commands (except the PlayVideoStream and the Play Delay commands), all messages from the user and other windows are not processed at once, they are blocked and accumulated.

The PlayVideoStream command is a special command of a scenario. The Interpreter module passes it to the Player module for execution and starts executing the messages accumulated pending other actions:

End of Episode occurrence Call of a new scenario as a result of:

Clicking on the object Triggering Occurrence Calling an episode in the History panel Clicking on the link in the Hot Links panel

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Fig.4

9. Scenario Creation

Window Creation

Windows are created to output Media information: video streams, text messages, pictures, etc. Windows can be dependent and independent.

? Independent windows can have control buttons, including the Close button. Such windows can be resized and shifted by the user. Dependent windows have the Close button only. They cannot be resized and shifted across the screen.

Creating Independent WindowsAt the moment independent windows can be created to output video stream.

It is necessary to perform the following actions to create independent windows (Fig. 5):

Fig.5

The CreateMediaWindow command sets the window parameters by entering a Window name and the following parameters: (Fig. 6)

PlayVideoStream

Pending:

- End of Episode- Clicking on the object- Triggering - Event- Calling an episode in the History panel- Clicking on the link in the Hot Links panel

The Interpreter processes

Video file playback

The Playerperforms

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Window coordinates, i.e. its xy location in pixels on the screen of the player. Coordinate values can be specified in figures, variables, arithmetic expressions and set by default.

Window dimensions, i.e. the width and the height of the window in pixels. Dimension values can be specified in figures, variables, arithmetic expressions and set by default.

The Full Screen toggle. Selecting On, Off, default (Off) toggles, we determine whether the window will be full-screen.

The On Top toggle. Selecting On, Off, default (On) toggles, we determine whether the window will be placed on top the others.

The Unchange Size toggle. Selecting On, Off, default (Off) toggles, we determine whether the window dimensions can be changed.

Fig.6

Default values of the command parameters are taken from the corresponding values set for the Player.

The SetActiveWindow command attaches all the parameters specified by the previous command to the current window. The properties of the current window (display areas) such as window dimensions, its location on the screen, window name in the AVPlayer (capture) or its position in relation to other windows (it can be on top, hide), etc. can change.

The SetWindowFocus command sets focus to the created independent window and it becomes active (the window frame changes its colour, the sound appears).

A new independent window can be created using the Call (Run) command with the Open in New Window parameter (call scenario in a new window).

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Fig.7. Adding a command to the scenario

Fig.8 Scenario

While a new independent window is being created, a new data control stack is generated.

A new notion of "Caption" is introduced for the independent window of video stream output. To assign a caption to the window, use the SetWindowCaption (window name) command. The window name and caption are used for different purposes: The window name is used in scenario commands The window caption is used to display the window "name" in the AVPlayer.

The following parameters of created windows can be changed (Fig. 7). The changes made can be seen when reactivating the windows:

SetWindowWidth, SetWindowHeight, SetWindowSize, SetWindowCoordinateX, SetWindowCoordinateY, SetWindowCoordinates.

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Fig.9

Creating Dependent Windows

Dependent windows are created to output text messages and pictures.

Dependent windows are generated on the principle of surrogation, i.e. one object cannot have several dependent windows during the continuance of all episodes. The window created last substitutes the previous one.

The windows can be: rectangular with a scrolling bar (text windows) and of arbitrary shape (windows of text and picture output). Dependent windows of arbitrary shape are created on the basis of active areas of fixed and mobile objects.

If the dependent window is originated on the basis of a fixed object, it will be located on the active area of the fixed object. Depending on the parameters set, the window can appear both in all film episodes containing this object and in a particular episode or an interval of this episode.

The visibility of dependent windows depends on the visibility of active areas of objects. So it is necessary to turn on the highlighting of the windows created on the basis of active areas. As only in this case the text or picture output in the window will be visible on the screen.

If the dependent window is originated on the basis of a mobile object, the coordinates of its location in the frame can change as the mobile object is not attached to definite frames of the video stream. The windows on the basis of the active area of mobile objects are created in the Hide mode, therefore, the status of created windows should be changed to information display via the Show(Text/Picture)Window command.

Windows of Text Output .

The text file, the source of the text, must always be specified for text windows. If it was not specified in the course of window creation, it can be set via the SetTextFile() command.

The following main parameters should be entered for all windows (Fig.10.):

1. Window name

2. Window style: Untransparent window with caption, Transparent window with caption,

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Untransparent shape without caption, Transparent shape without caption.

3. Text output type: Add Text, Replace Text, Add Text with creeping line, Replace Text with creeping line

4. Auto scrolling Speed: Correct values: 0.25; 0.5;1;2;4

5. Text resource name

If the Untransparent window with caption and Transparent window with caption window styles are selected, the created window will be rectangular. The following optional parameters should be input (Fig.10):

Coordinates [X,Y] Size[Width, Height]

Fig.10

If the Untransparent shape without caption and Transparent shape without caption styles are selected, the window will be created on the basis of the active area of the object, i.e. the contour of its image in the frame. The window can be originated on the basis of the contour of both a fixed and a mobile object.

In case a static object is selected, (Fig.11) the following parameters should be entered in addition to the main ones:

Object Name,

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Shape Id, Select the Video file and the Episode and specify the episode interval (Start

frame, Stop frame) within which the created window is available

If the None value is selected in the Video File field, the window will appear in all the films of the Active Video project in the frames with this fixed object.

.

Fig.11

In case a mobile object is selected, (Fig.12) the following parameters should be entered in addition to the main ones:

Object Name, Shape Id, Coordinates [X, Y]. If default values are set as window coordinates, the text

will be displayed in the default place of the mobile object.

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Fig.12

Windows originated on the basis of the mobile object contour should be made visible via the ShowTextWindow command (Fig.13).

Fig.13

If two windows have been created on the basis of one contour of a mobile object and further made visible using the ShowTextWindow command, they will be superimposed upon each other. The visibility and activity priority of the upper window is higher than that of the lower one. To make the lower window active, you should create it again and make it visible or disable the visibility and activity of the upper window.

The following parameters of created windows can be changed: (Fig. 14).

The commands listed below should only be used to change the parameters of those created windows whose parameters have already been specified. Otherwise, attempts to change non-existing parameters of windows can lead to an error at the stage of project compilation.

SetTextWindowSize, SetTextWindowPosition, SetTextWindowShape, ShowTextWindow, HideTextWindow,

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DeleteTextWindow, SetTextName

Fig.14

Windows of Picture OutputWindows of picture output are created on the basis of the active area of the object, i.e. the

contour of its image in the frame. Both mobile and fixed objects can be used as an object.

The picture can be output by two methods: First method: The picture is output in the active area within the object contour and moves

with the contour through the film frames. In this case the picture is output through the following algorithm:1. The picture is circumscribed with a rectangle and then its centre is found. Fig.15.

Fig.15

2. The contour of the object is also circumscribed with a rectangle and then its centre is determined. Fig.16.

Picture

The rectangle circumscribing the picture

Rectangle centre

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Fig.16

3. Then two rectangles: with the contour and with the picture, are superposed upon each other and their centres are overlaid. Fig.17.

Fig.17

4. The result of picture output in the object contour. Fig.18.

Fig.18

Second method: The picture is motionless relative to active objects moving in frames, i.e. its coordinates (position of the left top corner) are specified (Fig.19). The picture or its part will be displayed only if the picture surface and the active area of the object intersect. The picture can be displayed incompletely, only the part "fitted in" the active area of the object (Fig.20). There can be several objects whose active areas are used to output this picture.

Object contour

The rectangle circumscribing the object contour

Rectangle centre

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Fig.19

Fig.20

X

Y

Active object contour

Picture position on the screen

X Direction of object movement

X

Y

Active object contour

Picture position on the screen

X

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The following parameters should be entered for all the windows of picture output:

Window name

Window style: Untransparent shape without caption, Transparent shape without caption.

Object name

Shape Id

Object status (at present - Shape status)

Picture resource name

The file (picture source) must always be specified for windows of picture output (Fig.21).

Fig.21

If the picture source was not specified in the course of window creation, it can be set using the SetPictureName() command (Fig.22).

Fig.22

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Both a fixed and mobile object can be chosen as an object whose active area can be used to create a window. In case a fixed object is selected (Fig.23), the following parameters should be entered in

addition to the main ones: Video file name, Episode name and the episode interval (Start frame, Stop frame)

within which the created window is available.

If the None value is selected in the Video file name field, the window will appear in all the films of the Active Video project in the frames containing this fixed object.

Fig.23

In case a mobile object is selected, the following parameters should be entered in addition to the main ones: (Fig.24)

Coordinates [X, Y]. If default values are set as window coordinates, the picture will be displayed in the default place of the mobile object.

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Fig.24

Windows originated on the basis of the active area of a mobile object should be made visible via the ShowPictureWindow command (Fig.25)

Fig.25

The following parameters of created picture windows can be changed: (Fig.26).

The commands listed below should only be used to change the parameters of those created windows whose parameters have already been specified. Otherwise, attempts to change non-existing parameters of windows can lead to an error at the stage of project compilation.

o SetPictureWindowSize,o SetPictureWindowPosition,o SetPictureWindowShape,o ShowPictureWindow,o HidePictureWindow,o DeletePictureWindow,o SetPictureName

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Fig.26

Sending a Command to the Windows with Set ParametersThe commands should be distributed to active windows. To see the results of mass distribution of

commands to windows in the AVPlayer: set the window parameters using the CreateMediaWindow command, make the current window active using the SetActiveWindow() command.

The PlayVideoStream command with the input Window Template Name parameter makes this window active.

The current window is set as a default one in any command. If the commands should be executed in certain windows, they are selected manually from the Windows tab of the Add Command window (Fig.27).

Fig.27

Available windows are listed on the left side of the Add Command window. Affected windows, i.e. selected by pressing the Add button, are placed on the right side. The Remove button allows deleting the windows selected by mistake (Fig.28).

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Fig.28

The view of the scenario with the command sent for execution to the Main, Kazanski Sobor windows (Fig.29).

Fig.29

To call the commands in all windows, select the broadcast_all_MW window (Fig.30). As a result the command is also called in the windows that are not active at the moment.

Fig.30

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To call the commands in all the windows except the specified ones, add (shift to the right side) the broadcast_all_MW window and the windows to which the command should not be sent (Fig.31). Fig.31 represents the situation when the command is sent to all the windows except the two ones displayed in the left part: Kazanski Sobor, Red Square Popup. (It does not exist yet)

Fig.31

The command can be sent to another window via the Call(Run) command with the set Open in New Window parameter (call scenario in a new window). It generates an independent window in which the called scenario is executed.

The commands that can be sent for execution to other windows: 1. Video Stream Command. 2. Independent Window Command. 3. Independent Text Window.4. Picture Window Command.5. Run/Call Script Command. 6. Change Object Status Command. 7. Set Trigger/Variable Command.

Creating and Playing a Video StreamCreating a Video Stream and Defining its Parameters.

The video stream is generated using the CreateVideoStream. If the windows in which the command should be executed are not specified in the Windows tab of the Add Commands window (mass distribution of the command is not performed), the video stream is created in the current independent window.

The Speed value set in the command cannot be applied if the user presses the Pause button in the AVPlayer.

The Volume value set by the user is taken as 100%, so the value of the command is specified in relation to the value set by the user.

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The following parameters of the CreateVideoStream command should be defined to create a video stream: (Fig.30)

Fig.30

Video stream name Window template name Video file name Episode name Start frame. The frame value can be specified in a number, a variable or an arithmetic

expression. Stop frame. The frame value can be specified in a number, a variable or an arithmetic

expression. Speed:

Correct values: [0.25; 0.5; 1; 2; 4] Volume:

Correct values: [unchange volume], [0....100]. The unchange volume value corresponds to the volume level set by the user.

It is possible to create a video stream using the PlayVideoStream command. To do it, enter a new unique name of the video stream for the Video stream name parameter.

Parameters of the created video stream can be changed: (Fig.31)

Fig.31

SetVideofileName. SetEpisodeName.

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The SetVideoFileName command resets the Active Video parameter in the video stream, the video stream plays as an ordinary film as a result.The SetEpisodeName restores the Active Video parameter.

SetStartPlayFrame. SetStopPlayFrame.

Be careful when using variables and arithmetic expressions in the SetStartPlayFrame and SetStopPlayFrame command. The values of the Start and End frames can be shifted from their real level which can lead to an error.

Creating a Video Stream and Setting its Parameters :

The playback of the video stream is specified by the PlayVideoStream command. If the windows in which the command should be executed are not specified in the Windows tab of the Add Commands window (mass distribution of the command is not performed), the video stream plays back in the current independent window.

The following parameters of the PlayVideoStream command should be specified (Fig.32):

Video stream name.

Selecting the active_VS video stream in the command calls the video stream played last or the current stream.

Window template name Video file name Episode name Start frame. The frame value can be specified in a number, a variable or an arithmetic

expression. Stop frame. The frame value can be specified in a number, a variable or an arithmetic

expression. Speed:

Correct values: [0.25; 0.5; 1; 2; 4] Volume:

Correct values: [unchange volume], [0....100]. The unchange volume value corresponds to the volume level set by the user.

If the speed and volume parameters are not specified, the values are set on default.

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Fig.32

The following parameters of the stream played back can be changed: Fig.33

Fig.33

Selecting the active_VS video stream in the commands listed above changes the parameters of the video stream played last or the current stream.

PlayDelay(N). PlaySpeed. PlaySound. PlayStop.

The PlayStop command closes the current playback window (the current stack) except the main one. If the command is applied to the main window, it becomes Hidden. If the windows for mass distribution are not specified in the command, the current window closes, otherwise windows close according to the list.

PlayWaitKey. The PlayWaitKey command stops the video stream, but it does not stop the execution of the current script.

The PlayWaitKey command stops the video stream by holding the Pause button of the AVPlayer control panel down. If the windows for mass distribution are not specified in the command, the current window stops, otherwise windows stop according to the list.

PlayAfterWaitKey.

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The PlayAfterWaitKey command restores the video stream playback by releasing the Pause button of the AVPlayer control panel. If the windows for mass distribution are not specified in the command, the current window restores, otherwise windows restore according to the list.

PlayKill. The PlayKill command closes the AVPlayer.

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