3. The SMIL 2.1 Animation Modules

Editor for SMIL 2.1:

Thierry MICHEL, W3C

Editors for SMIL 2.0

Patrick Schmitz , Microsoft

Aaron Cohen, Intel

Ken Day, Macromedia.

3.1 Introduction

This section defines the SMIL 2.1 Animation Modules, which are composed of a BasicAnimation module and a SplineAnimation module. These modules contain elements and attributes for incorporating animation onto a time line, and a mechanism for composing the effects of multiple animations. Since these elements and attributes are defined in modules, designers of other markup languages can choose whether or not to include this functionality in their languages. Language designers incorporating other SMIL modules do not need to include the animation modules if animation functionality is not needed.

The examples in this document that include syntax for a host language use [SMIL10], [SVG], [HTML4] and [CSS2]. These are provided as an indication of possible integrations with various host languages.

While this document defines a base set of animation capabilities, it is assumed that host languages may build upon the support to define additional or more specialized animation elements.  Animation only manipulates attributes and properties of the target elements, and so does not require any knowledge of the target element semantics beyond basic type information.

This module depends on the SMIL 2.1 BasicInlineTiming module, using elements and attributes from the Timing module for its time line. The BasicInlineTiming module is a prerequisite for any profile using SMIL Animation. The reader is presumed to have read and be familiar with the SMIL 2.1 Timing modules. 

This section first presents the underlying principals of animation in SMIL 2.1, then the elements and attributes of the BasicAnimation module and of the SplineAnimation module.

3.2 Relation to SMIL 2.0

The SMIL 2.1 specification leaves the SMIL 2.0 Animation Modules unchanged.

Please refer to the former SMIL 2.0 Animation Modules [SMIL20-animation] for definition of animation semantics, elements and attributes allowing animation features into SMIL presentation.

Note: A SMIL 2.0 errata was raised which affects SMIL 2.1 Animation Modules . Please refer to the SMIL 2.0 [Second Edition] Errata page for details. This errata should be incorporated in the next SMIL 2.1 Proposed Recommendation full version.