Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL 2.1)

W3C Candidate Recommendation 13 May 2005

This version:

http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/CR-SMIL2-20050513/

Latest SMIL 2 version:

http://www.w3.org/TR/SMIL2/

Latest SMIL Recommendation:

http://www.w3.org/TR/SMIL/

Previous version:

http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/WD-SMIL2-20050201/

Editors:

Dick Bulterman, CWI - Guido Grassel, Nokia - Jack Jansen, CWI - Antti Koivisto, Nokia - Nabil Layaïda, INRIA - Thierry Michel, W3C - Sjoerd Mullender, CWI - Daniel Zucker, Access Co., Ltd.

This document is also available in these non-normative formats: single HTML file, zip archive.

Copyright ©2005 W3C^® (MIT, ERCIM, Keio), All Rights Reserved. W3C liability, trademark and document use rules apply.

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Abstract

This document specifies the second version of the Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL, pronounced "smile"). SMIL 2.1 has the following design goals:

• Define an XML-based language that allows authors to write interactive multimedia presentations. Using SMIL, an author can describe the temporal behaviour of a multimedia presentation, associate hyperlinks with media objects and describe the layout of the presentation on a screen.
• Allow reusing of SMIL syntax and semantics in other XML-based languages, in particular those who need to represent timing and synchronization. For example, SMIL components are used for integrating timing into XHTML [XHTML10] and into SVG [SVG].
• Extend the functionalities contained in the SMIL 2.0 [SMIL20] into new or revised SMIL 2.1 modules.
• Define new SMIL 2.1 Mobile Profiles incorporating features useful within the mobile industry.

Status of this document

This section describes the status of this document at the time of its publication. Other documents may supersede this document. A list of current W3C publications and the latest revision of this technical report can be found in the W3C technical reports index at http://www.w3.org/TR/.

This is a W3C Candidate Recommendation of the Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) 2.1.
This document is based upon the SMIL 2.1 Last Call Working Draft published on 01 February 2005. The current draft contains editorial improvements, and minor bug fixes in response to Last Call comments. The significant changes in this draft are:

• Added an Appendix for Patent Policy clarification.
• Updated the SMIL 21 DTDs Appendix (added the new SMIL 2.1 semantics).
• Updated SMIL 2.1 references Appendix (split Normative and Informative references, reviewed outdated references).
• Fixed bugs:
  • soundAlign : The BALANCE functionality implied by the original text has now been made explicit in the attribute definition.
  • paramGroup attribute: The type of the attribute has been changed for IDREF to NMTOKEN and the text definition has been clarified.
  • Interaction of mediaAlign with regPoint/regAlign: The fact the regPoint/regAlign override mediaAlign has been added to the definition of mediaAlign and has been integrated into an example.
  • Animation of soundAlign: the soundAlign attribute has been added to the 'set' table for animation in the SMIL 2.1 Language profile and SMIL2.1 Extended Mobile Profile.
  • Changed the text of the backgroundTiling introduction to remove an incorrect statement about backgroundTiling and scaling; images used with backgroundTiling are never scale.

Please send review comments about this Candidate Recommendation to the public mailing list www-smil@w3.org [archives], including the prefix'[SMIL21 CR comment]' in the subject line. We expect that sufficient feedback to determine its future will have been received by 15 June 2005.

The SYMM Working Group will advance the specification to Proposed Recommendation when the following exit criteria have been met:

• All features in the SMIL 2.1 specification have been implemented at least twice in an interoperable way. This defines as :
  - the implementations have been developed independently,
  - each test in the SMIL 2.1 test suite has at least two passing implementations.
• The Working Group releases a public test suite for SMIL 2.1 along with an implementation report.
  The SMIL 2.1 test suite will provide at least one test case for any new element or new attribute or new attribute value introduced in SMIL 2.1 and sufficient tests also for any SMIL 2.0 functionality that might be impacted by new features of SMIL 2.1.

  The Implementation results are publicly released and are intended solely to be used as proof of SMIL 2.1 implementability. It is only a snap shot of the actual implementation behaviors at one moment of time, as these implementations may not be immediately available to the public. The interoperability data is not intended to be used for assessing or grading the performance of any individual implementation.

Any feedback on implementation and use of this specification would be very welcome. To the extent possible, please provide a separate email message for each distinct comment.

This document has been produced by the SYMM Working Group as part of the W3C Synchronized Multimedia Activity, following the procedures set out for the W3C Process. The goals of the SYMM Working Group are discussed in the SYMM Working Group Charter.

In line with its charter the SYMM WG has organized this specification as a collection of changes-only documents for Candidate Recommendation. The SYMM WG will publish a full SMIL 2.1 document (including SMIL 2.0 former modules and SMIL 2.1 new modules) for Proposed Recommendation.

The patent policy for this document is the 5 February 2004 W3C Patent Policy. Patent disclosures relevant to this specification may be found on the SYMM Working Group's patent disclosure page. An individual who has actual knowledge of a patent which the individual believes contains Essential Claim(s) with respect to this specification should disclose the information in accordance with section 6 of the W3C Patent Policy.

The authors of this document are the SYMM Working Group members. Different parts of the document have different editors.

Publication as a Candidate Recommendation does not imply endorsement by the W3C Membership. This is a draft document and may be updated, replaced or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to cite this document as other than work in progress.