With Apple Media Tool software, you can create dynamic multimedia projects for business, education, entertainment, and the home. And you can share them with almost anyone, because finished projects can run on both Macintosh and Windows softwarebased systems.
The Apple Media Tool makes development of sophisticated multimedia titles easy. Its visual authoring environment lets you assemble graphics, text, sound files, and QuickTime and QuickTime VR movies into exciting, interactive multi-media programs. It's so easy to use, you don't need to write programming code or deal with a complex user interface.
Navigating with the intuitive Browser, you import the media elements you need for each screen, then assign actions that allow users to interact with them. You can create any number of links between different screens, giving users nearly unlimited options for exploring the subject matter. If you like, you can add music or other sounds that will play without interruption as users move from screen to screen.
Apple Media Tool helps you create higher-quality projects because you can focus on content and flow instead of on writing scripts. You can even reuse the structure of a project with different content. You can also assign each part of a project to the person best qualified to create it, then integrate everyone's work into a polished multimedia project.
Previous versions of Apple Media Tool have won numerous accolades, including the 1993 MacUser Editor's Choice Award for Best New Multimedia Software. Version 2.0 brings an enhanced user interface and many other features to this already popular software.
For complex projects requiring advanced interactive features, Apple also offers the Apple Media Tool Programming Environment (must be purchased separately). Using its object-oriented programming language and application framework, programmers can optimize and extend projects created with the Apple Media Tool.
New features in version 2.0
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- Use intuitive Browser for easy project navigation
- Build QuickTime VR movies into projects without scripting
- Enable hypertext linking
- Create flipbook animation from PICT file
- Apply continuous sound throughout a project
- Prioritize first, second, and third run-time bit-depth choices
- Use custom color palettes for each screen
- Record and automate projects with AppleScript
- Customize features and projects with Apple Media Tool Programming Environment (sold separately)
- No licensing fees
Media formats supported
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- QuickTime and QuickTime VR movies
- PICT graphics
- SND, AIFF, and WAV sound files
- RTF text files (including hypertext files)
To create a simple interactive multimedia title
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- Open new project
- Create and position screens
- Name screens
- Connect screens (thereby creating a project map)
To add new media to a project
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- Add a media object (movie, graphic, text, or sound) from Media menu
- Drag and drop media onto project screen
To add interactivity to a project
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- Within the Browser, select an object (such as movie, graphic, text, or sound) within a screen
- Select event (such as Mouse down)
- Select desired action (for example Command, Effect, Link) associated with the event
- To test interactivity, select Run in Window menu
To create a cross-platform run-time title
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- Save the project as a text file
- Open Runtime Maker
- Check Windows run-time box
- Select and open project file (this simultaneously creates run-time files for both Macintosh and Windows softwarebased systems)
Features
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Ease of use
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- Lets you "drag and drop" media objects on to screens
- Displays a map of all project screens and the links between them
- Allows you to assign interactive actions (such as responses to mouse clicks) through simple menu choices
- Lets you integrate QuickTime VR movies without scripting
Support for multiple technologies
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- Enables you to deliver the same multimedia content for both Mac OSbased and Windows softwarebased systems
- Supports popular sound, graphics, text, and video formats (including QuickTime VR)
- Works with AppleScript to automate parts of a project and create links to other applications
- Lets you use hypertext to link keywords to other media objects
Efficiency
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Allows creative team members to work simultaneously on various aspects of the same project, reducing overall production time
- Stores media separately from the application, facilitating easy content substitution and reducing application size
- Features an intuitive user interface and Browser that let you create projects quickly
- Runs completed projects faster than many other multimedia tools
Extensibility with Apple Media Tool Programming Environment
- Allows programmers to customize Apple Media Tool features and optimize Apple Media Tool projects
- Supports extensions to the Internet and interactive television
- Supports extensions for database access and links to other programs
Ordering Information
====================
Apple Media Tool
Order No. 412000Z
- One CD-ROM containing the following software:
- Apple Media Tool
- Runtime Maker
- QuickTime
- QuickTime for Windows
- Getting Started guide
- Apple Media Tool User's Guide
For more information or to order Apple Media Tool, call Claris at 1-800-544-8554 in the U.S. or 1-800-361-6075 in Canada. In other countries contact your Apple or Claris representative.
The Apple Media Tool Programming Environment is sold separately and available through the Apple Developer Catalog. Also available is an Apple Media Tool Demo CD that includes a limited version of the Apple Media Tool, several sample projects, and electronic documentation (including source-code samples) for the Apple Media Tool Programming Environment.
To order the Programming Environment or the Demo CD, call 1-800-282-2732 in the U.S., 1-800-637-0029 in Canada, or 1-716-871-6555 from other countries. You can also send a fax message to 1-716-871-6511.
Site licensing for Apple Media Tool software is available. Please contact Claris for details.
Product specifications are subject to change. Check with your Claris reseller for the most current information about product specifications and configurations.
This article was published in the "Information Alley": Volume II, Issue 19, Page 18