International Business Machines Corporation

John Junior Boezeman

Christopher Joseph Paul

Dennis D King

Scott Michael Consolatti

Kimberly Diane Kenna

Carol Ann Jones

Wayne B Riley

Michael David Harris

Randall Peter Eckhoff

Shawne D Robinson

A mashup page presents link help information for logical links that pass context between widgets on the mashup page.

Help information for links in a mashup page

A plurality of object oriented parts are automatically interconnected on a computer system. A user selects at least two of the parts for interconnection. Default actions and events are automatically selected for each object, and the connection therebetween is made.

Method and system for dynamic connections with intelligent default events and actions in an application development environment

A multimedia title comprised of a plurality of parts is synchronized on a computer system. A co-tool automatically synchronizes at least one of the parts with reference to relative time. The co-tool may comprise a co-begin tool, a co-end tool, a co-occur tool, or a meet tool.

Synchronizing multimedia parts with reference to absolute time, relative time, and event time

An authoring tool is enabled to create special effects on an image using a color scale. A pattern file is used to map the image to the desired effect. By assigning meaning to one or more of the colors in the color scale, an image will be produced in accordance with the pattern file and the selected colors.

Method and system for using color information to create special effects

Motion paths are created as independent entities in a multimedia motion path editor. A motion path is drawn in a path editor layout window without associating the path with an object in the layout area. The path is then saved for subsequent assignment to any desired object in the layout area. The saved path may be manipulated as any other object. A plurality of the saved paths may be joined together, and/or combined into one extrapolated path.

Method and system for a true scale motion path editor to create motion

A movement path is defined for a multimedia object in an application development environment. A multimedia object is placed in a layout area of the application development environment. A movement path is then specified within the layout area for the object using a pointing device. The object may either be dragged along the movement path by the pointing device or individual points may be selected with the pointing device to define the movement path. Once the path has been defined, the path may be easily modified. The user may add or delete points by simply selecting a point with the pointing device for addition or deletion. In addition, the user may combine two or more movement paths into one.

Method and system for a true-scale motion path editor

Segments of a motion path are assigned a time factor and the motion path a total time factor. The time factor for each segment may be a percentage of the total time factor or a number of clock ticks. Once the total time factor is assigned, the remain segment time factors can be dynamically created therefrom. If the segment time factors are created before assigning a value to the total time factor, the total time factor will be a sum of the segment time factors.

Method and system for a true-scale motion path editor using time

Methods, systems and computer program products are provided which access media objects of a plurality of media types stored at a plurality of locations accessible to a computer system through a common interface. Such a common interface may accept user input requesting a media object. Responsive to the user input requesting a media object, the location of a requested media object is automatically determined based upon an object identifier for the media object. Similarly, the type of media object may be automatically determined based upon the object identifier. The determined location of the requested media object is then accessed to retrieve the media object the retrieved media object is formatted based upon the determined type of media object. User transparent access to animations and media libraries are also provided at both local and remote locations.

Media manager for access to multiple media types

A development tool simplifies layout of a part for a multimedia title. A spacer tool may be placed onto a graphical representation of a part. The spacer tool may be a play spacer which plays the part for a designated period of time, a hide spacer which hides what would have been an otherwise visible portion of a part, a rate spacer which changes the rate at which the part is played, or a move spacer which causes a part to move along a predetermined path while visible.

Method and system for a multimedia application development sequence

Parts for a multimedia title may be extended indefinitely relative to time with a user interface tool. A part for a multimedia title is provided with edges having a wrap handle affixed to one edge. By dragging and dropping the wrap handle to a wrap corral, the part will play or be visible indefinitely.

A unique event may be generated for a particular part at a particular time that is synchronized with an arbitrary event raised by an arbitrary part for a multimedia title using an interface tool. The particular part of the arbitrary event is visually specified and a time event specifier is placed on the particular part at the particular time in order to generate the unique event. The unique event is displayed as a graphical representation which may be directly manipulated by the developer. In addition, the event specifier may initiate the unique event at a predetermined recurring interval.

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Cary, NC, United States of America

John Junior Boezeman