HTML+TIME 2.0 Reference

Internet Development Index

HTML+TIME (Timed Interactive Multimedia Extensions), first released in Microsoft?Internet Explorer 5, adds timing and media synchronization support to HTML pages. Using a few Extensible Markup Language (XML)-based elements and attributes, you can add images, video, and sounds to an HTML page, then synchronize them with HTML text elements over a specified amount of time.

Thus, HTML+TIME technology allows you to create multimedia-rich, interactive content on a Web page with little or no scripting. Because HTML+TIME adds timing to a document through new attributes on existing HTML elements, you can leverage your existing HTML knowledge when you add timing to a page. The HTML+TIME attributes specify when an element appears on a page, how long it remains displayed, and how the surrounding HTML elements are affected, allowing you to create animation effects. In addition to the attributes, some new XML-based elements have been created to simplify the incorporation of media into Web pages.

The topic areas listed below provide access to the object model exposed by the time2 behavior.

HTML+TIME References by Topic

AnimationIntroduction to HTML+TIME allows Web authors to animate content on the page by changing the value of particular attributes and properties over time. Without using script, you can animate an element's color; move an element along a specific path or between intervals; cause elements to appear or disappear over time or in response to events; or accelerate, reverse, or loop an animation.
Microsoft DirectMusic?/A>Authors can add sophisticated musical content to Web pages by combining the timeline control and synchronization offered by Introduction to HTML+TIME with some of the attributes and properties provided by the DirectMusic燼pplication programming interface (API). DirectMusic provides support for MIDI, downloadable sounds, and consistent playback on the Microsoft Windows?platform.
MediaIntroduction to HTML+TIME provides extensive support for media playback through media container elements, a unified timeline model, a variety of media-specific attributes and properties, and system test attributes. These features make it simpler for Web authors to provide tightly synchronized multimedia presentations, and to coordinate media and animation without using script.
Time ContainersBy providing a timing model that unifies a rigid timeline with event-based timing relationships, Introduction to HTML+TIME makes it easy to synchronize media elements, control animations, and add timed, interactive content to a Web page without using script.
TransitionsIntroduction to HTML+TIME provides support for Introduction to Filters and Transitions, which allow you to apply multimedia-style effects to your Web pages. Visual filters are extensions to CSS properties that change the display of an object's contents. Transitions are time-varying filters: they affect the way content changes in an object are displayed. You can apply visual filters and transitions to standard HTML controls, such as text containers, images, and other windowless objects. Although filters and transitions can be implemented as script, Introduction to HTML+TIME allows Web authors to combine filters and transitions with timeline control and animation without using script.
Other FeaturesThese links provide access to additional features of the object model exposed by the time2 behavior, including content control elements, system test attributes, timing attributes and properties, and several overviews on Introduction to HTML+TIME functionality.

HTML+TIME Overviews and Articles

Introduction to HTML+TIMEHTML+TIME, first released in Internet Explorer 5, adds timing and media synchronization support to HTML pages. Using a few XML-based elements and attributes, you can add images, video, and sounds to an HTML page, and synchronize them with HTML text elements over a specified amount of time.
Basics of HTML+TIME AnimationThis article introduces you to the basics of HTML+TIME animation, so that you can create an exciting Web experience for your users.
Controlling Child Elements Using HTML+TIME: Time ContainersHTML+TIME?.0 comes equipped with three time containers that enable you to control how timed interactive child elements behave on your Web pages. These time containers enforce time relationships with their corresponding child elements, control the amount of time that children may be active, and define the relationships among a set of grouped child elements.
About Content Selection: System Test Attributes and t:SWITCHHTML+TIME 2.0 provides authors with the option to display different elements based on system settings.
Incorporate the time2 BehaviorThis tutorial explains how to incorporate the time2 behavior in your Web pages so you can begin using timelines, multimedia, and animation with HTML elements.
Initiating Timed Elements with the begin AttributeThis overview provides you with the syntax for the begin attribute and describes how to initiate timed interactive HTML+TIME elements using the time2 behavior implemented in Internet Explorer 5.5.
Getting Started with HTML+TIMEHTML+TIME enables you to support timed, animated, and multimedia content in your pages. Using a few XML-based elements and attributes, you can synchronize media playback with text and other elements and animate content in your Web pages without using script.
Spice Up Your Web Pages with HTML+TIMEHTML+TIME provides a declarative means for adding multimedia and interactivity to Web pages. You don't need to know script to use HTML+TIME, so you can focus on creating the content instead of learning a programming language.
Using HTML+TIME TransitionsIt is now possible to create transitions with HTML+TIME quickly, without writing script. Internet Explorer 6 implements the inline transitions module of the SMIL 2.0 Transition Effects Modules Non-Microsoft link through the time2 behavior of HTML+TIME. To get started, you need only learn one new HTML+TIME element called t:TRANSITIONFILTER and a few of the t:TRANSITIONFILTER attributes.

HTML+TIME References by Name

Members Table

AttributePropertyDescription
abstract Retrieves a description of the media file.
abstract Retrieves a description of the media file if available.
Abstract   Retrieves the Abstract content of the entry banner in an Advanced Stream Redirector (ASX) file using the event object.
ACCELERATEaccelerate Sets or retrieves a value that applies an acceleration to an element's timeline.
ACCUMULATEaccumulate Sets or retrieves a value that indicates whether the animation is cumulative.
activeDur Retrieves the total duration of the timeline.
activeTime Retrieves the current point in time along the total active timeline, including repeats and time spent in reverse mode.
activeTrack Sets or retrieves the track, or playItem object, that is currently active in the playList collection.
ADDITIVEadditive Sets or retrieves a value that indicates whether the animation is additive with other animations.
ATTRIBUTENAMEattributeName Sets or retrieves the name of the element's attribute to be animated.
author Retrieves the name of the media file's author.
author Retrieves the name of the media file's author if available.
AUTOREVERSEautoReverse Sets or retrieves whether the timeline on an element begins playing in reverse immediately after completing in the forward direction.
Banner   Retrieves the Banner content of an entry in an ASX file using the event object.
Banner   Retrieves the Banner content of an entry in an ASX file.
BannerAbstract   Retrieves the BannerAbstract content of an entry in an ASX file.
BannerMoreInfo   Retrieves the BannerMoreInfo content of an entry in an ASX file.
BEGINbegin Sets or retrieves the delay time before the timeline begins playing on the element.
boundary Sets when music should begin to play by using DirectMusic.
bufferingProgress   Retrieves a value that indicates the current percentage of buffering completed.
bufferingProgress Retrieves a value that indicates the current percentage of buffering completed.
BYby Sets or retrieves a relative offset value for an animation.
BY  by Specifies a relative offset value for the progress of the transitionFilter.
BYby Sets or retrieves a relative offset value by which to animate a color attribute or property with the t:ANIMATECOLOR element.
CALCMODEcalcMode Sets or retrieves the interpolation mode for the animation.
CALCMODE  calcMode Sets or retrieves the interpolation mode for the progress of the transitionFilter.
CALCMODEcalcMode Sets or retrieves the interpolation mode for the animateMotion object.
CALCMODEcalcMode Sets or retrieves the interpolation mode for a t:ANIMATECOLOR element.
canPause Retrieves a value that indicates whether the media file can be paused.
canPause Retrieves a value that indicates whether the media file can be paused.
canSeek Retrieves a value that indicates whether the media file is capable of locating a specific time in the media's duration.
canSeek Retrieves a value that indicates whether the media file is capable of locating a specific time in the media's duration.
CLIPBEGINclipBegin Sets or retrieves the beginning point of a sub-clip of a continuous media object.
clipBegin Sets or retrieves the beginning point of a sub-clip of a continuous media object.
clipDur Outputs the effective media duration.
CLIPENDclipEnd Sets or retrieves the end point of a sub-clip of a continuous media object.
clipEnd Sets or retrieves the end point of a sub-clip of a continuous media object.
copyright Retrieves the copyright information associated with a media file.
copyright Retrieves the copyright information associated with a media file.
currentFrame Retrieves a value that indicates the currentFrame of the object.
currTime Retrieves the current playback time of the player.
customObject Allows the player to pass in a dispatch that implements the custom object model. This interface can be passed out to script.
DECELERATEdecelerate Sets or retrieves a value that applies a deceleration to the end of a simple duration.
downloadCurrent   Retrieves a value that indicates the current number of bytes downloaded from streaming content.
downloadProgress Retrieves the downloading progress of the media.
downloadTotal   Retrieves a value that indicates the total size of the file (in bytes) downloaded.
DURdur Sets or retrieves a value indicating the amount of time the element remains active or displayed.
DURdur Sets or retrieves a value indicating the amount of time a transition is applied to an element.
ENDend Sets or retrieves a value indicating the end time for the element, or the end of the simple duration when the element is set to repeat.
ENDSYNCendSync Sets or retrieves the synchronization rule that specifies which child element is used to determine when the time container will end.
FILLfill Sets or retrieves the action an element takes if its timeline ends before the timeline on its parent element ends.
FROMfrom Sets or retrieves the starting value of an animation.
FROM  from Sets or retrieves a progress value indicating the point from which to begin the transition.
FROMfrom Sets or retrieves the starting value of a color attribute or property animated by t:ANIMATECOLOR.
hasAudio Retrieves a Boolean value that indicates whether the media contains audio.
hasAudio Retrieves a Boolean value that indicates whether the media contains audio.
hasDownloadProgress   Retrieves a Boolean value that indicates whether a media file has begun to download.
hasDownloadProgress Retrieves a Boolean value that indicates whether a media file has begun to download.
hasMedia Retrieves a Boolean value that indicates whether the element is an Introduction to HTML+TIME media element.
hasPlayList Retrieves a Boolean value that indicates whether the element has a playList collection.
hasVisual Retrieves a Boolean value that indicates whether the element can draw on the screen.
hasVisual Retrieves a Boolean value that indicates whether the element can draw on the screen.
higherhigher Controls how elements with higher priority interrupt child elements of a priorityClass element.
immediateEnd Sets a value that indicates whether a DirectMusic segment ends immediately or plays a transition before ending.
index Retrieves the index value of the playItem object in the playList collection.
isActive Retrieves a value that indicates whether the element is currently active on the timeline.
isBuffered Retrieves whether the media can be buffered.
isDirectMusicInstalled Retrieves a Boolean value that indicates whether DirectMusic is installed on the machine.
isMuted Retrieves a value indicating whether the element's audio is currently muted.
isOn Retrieves a value that specifies whether the element is active or holding on the timeline in its current state.
isPaused Retrieves a value that specifies whether the element is paused on the timeline.
isStreamed   Retrieves a Boolean value that indicates if the source of the media object is streamed.
KEYSPLINESkeySplines Sets or retrieves a set of Bezier control points that define the interval pacing of an animation.
KEYTIMESkeyTimes Sets or retrieves a list of time values used to control the pacing of an animation.
latestMediaTime   Retrieves a value that indicates the amount of time it takes for a media object to begin playing.
length Retrieves the number of objects in a collection.
longTransition Sets whether to allow introduction and ending transitions longer than one bar with DirectMusic.
lowerlower Controls how elements that are defined with lower priority interrupt child elements of a priorityClass element.
mediaDur Retrieves the duration of the element's media file.
mediaDur Retrieves the duration of the element's media file.
mediaHeight Retrieves the height of the element.
mediaHeight Retrieves the rendering height of the media.
mediaWidth Retrieves the width of the element.
mediaWidth Retrieves the rendering width of the media.
mimeType   Retrieves the MIME content-type of the object.
MODE  mode Sets or retrieves a variable that indicates whether an element transitions in or out.
modulate Sets whether to attempt to modulate between keys when playing transitions with DirectMusic.
MoreInfo   Retrieves the MoreInfo content of an entry banner in an ASX file through the event object.
motifName Sets the name of the DirectMusic motif to play.
MUTEmute Sets or retrieves a value that indicates whether the audio is turned on or off.
mute Sets or retrieves a value that indicates whether the audio is turned on or off.
ORIGINorigin Sets or retrieves the origin of motion for the animation.
parentTimeBegin Retrieves the current element's begin time as an offset from the parent element's begin time.
parentTimeEnd Retrieves the current element's end time as an offset from the parent element's begin time.
PATHpath Sets or retrieves a set of values that describe a path as a function of time.
peerspeers Controls how child elements of a priorityClass element interrupt one another.
PLAYERplayer Sets or retrieves the object used to render the media associated with this element.
playerObject Retrieves the object that plays media files.
playList Retrieves playlist information if the player supports play lists.
progress Retrieves the current progress of the element's timeline.
rating Retrieves the rating of the media file.
rating Retrieves the rating of the media file.
repeatCount Retrieves the current iteration in the repetition loop.
REPEATCOUNTrepeatCount Sets or retrieves the number of times an element's timeline repeats.
REPEATDURrepeatDur Sets or retrieves the number of seconds that an element's timeline repeats.
RESTARTrestart Sets or retrieves the conditions under which an element can be restarted on a timeline.
segmentDur Retrieves the duration of an element on a timeline in seconds, including autoReverse.
segmentTime Retrieves the current point in time along a segment of time.
segmentType Sets whether to play a DirectMusic segment as a controlling or secondary segment.
simpleDur Retrieves the duration of a repeat iteration.
simpleTime Retrieves an object's current point along its timeline from zero to its dur value.
SPEEDspeed Sets or retrieves the playback speed of an element relative to its parent time container.
speed Retrieves the playback speed of an element at run time, which includes the cascading effect of the speed set for the parent time container.
SRCsrc Sets or retrieves the source URL of the media.
src Sets or retrieves the source URL of the media.
state Retrieves the current state of the element's timeline.
state Retrieves the current state of the media's timeline.
stateString Retrieves the current state of the element's timeline.
SUBTYPE  subtype Sets or retrieves the name of the subtype that will be applied to the transition.
SYNCBEHAVIORsyncBehavior Sets or retrieves a value that indicates the synchronization rules for the element's timeline.
SYNCMASTERsyncMaster Sets or retrieves whether the time container must synchronize playback to this element.
syncTolerance Sets or retrieves the time variance allowed on a timeline with locked synchronization.
systemBitrate Retrieves the approximate bandwidth available to the system in bits-per-second.
systemCaptions Indicates whether or not to display a text equivalent of the audio portion of the presentation.
systemLanguage Indicates whether a given language is selected in a user's system preferences.
systemOverdubOrSubtitle Specifies whether overdubs or subtitles render during a presentation.
TARGETELEMENTtargetElement Sets or retrieves the target element to be animated.
TIMEACTIONtimeAction Sets or retrieves what action is taken on the element while the timeline is active.
TIMECONTAINERtimeContainer Sets or retrieves the type of timeline associated with an element.
timeElement Used by the control to retrieve the time node
timeParent Retrieves the parent time container element of the current element.
timeState Used by the control to retrieve the time state.
title Retrieves the title of the media file.
title Retrieves the title of the media file.
TOto Sets or retrieves the ending value of an animation.
TO  to Sets or retrieves a value that indicates the point in the transition's progress at which the transition ends.
TOto Sets or retrieves the ending value of a color attribute or property animated by t:ANIMATECOLOR
TRANSITIONTYPE Sets or retrieves the type of DirectMusic transition to use between segments.
TYPEtype Sets or retrieves the MIME type of the media object referenced by the SRC attribute.
TYPE  type Sets or retrieves the type of transition to be applied.
UPDATEMODE  updateMode Specifies or retrieves a value that indicates how the object is to be updated.
URL   Retrieves the URL specified by the Advanced Streaming Format (ASF) file script command after the onURLFlip event is fired.
VALUESvalues Sets or retrieves a list of semicolon-separated values of an animation.
VALUES  values Sets or retrieves a semicolon-separated list of one or more values specifying the progress of the transition.
VALUESvalues Sets or retrieves a list of semicolon-delimited RGB color values for a t:ANIMATECOLOR element.
VOLUMEvolume Sets or retrieves the volume of the media file.
volume Retrieves the playback volume of an element at run time.
volume Sets or retrieves the volume of the media file.
CollectionDescription
activeElements Returns a reference to the collection of all top-level child elements of the object that are currently active on the timeline.
playList Retrieves a collection of playItem objects.
timeAll Retrieves a reference to the collection of all timed elements.
timeChildren Retrieves a reference to the collection of all timed, top-level children elements.
ElementObjectDescription
t:ANIMATEanimate Animates a specified attribute of an object.
t:ANIMATECOLORanimateColor Changes the color of an object over time.
t:ANIMATEMOTIONanimateMotion Animates the position of an element over time.
t:ANIMATIONanimation Defines a timed animation element in an HTML document.
t:AUDIOaudio Defines a timed audio element in an HTML document.
currTimeState Contains information about an HTML+TIME timeline.
t:EXCLexcl Defines a time container that allows only one child element to play at any given time.
t:IMGimg Defines a timed image element in an HTML document.
t:MEDIAmedia Defines a generic, timed media element in an HTML document.
t:PARpar Defines a new timeline container in an HTML document for independently timed elements.
playItem Represents an individual media file in a playList collection.
t:PRIORITYCLASSpriorityClass Defines a group of excl children and the pause/interrupt behavior of the children.
t:REFref Defines a reference to a generic timed element in an HTML document.
t:SEQseq Defines a new timeline container in an HTML document for sequentially timed elements.
t:SETset Sets the value of an object's attribute for a specified duration.
t:SWITCHswitch Enables you to provide several choices and display content depending on which choice is true on the user's computer.
t:TRANSITIONFILTER  transitionFilter Animates the progress of a transition on an element or elements with renderable content.
t:VIDEOvideo Defines a timed video element in an HTML document.
EventDescription
onbegin Fires when the timeline starts on an element.
onend Fires when the timeline stops on an element.
onmediacomplete Fires when the element's associated media finish loading.
onmediaerror Fires when an element's media file causes any error.
onoutofsync Fires when the element loses synchronization with its associated timeline.
onpause Fires when the timeline on an element pauses.
onrepeat Fires when the timeline repeats on an element, beginning with the second iteration.
onreset Fires when the timeline reaches the value of the BEGIN attribute or when the resetElement method is called on the element.
onresume Fires when an element's timeline resumes from a paused state.
onreverse Fires when the timeline on an element begins to play backward.
onseek Fires whenever a seek operation is performed on the element.
onsyncrestored Fires when synchronization is resumed between the element and its associated timeline.
ontimeerror Fires whenever a time-specific error occurs, usually as a result of setting a property to an invalid value.
ontrackchange   The event fires when a track changes in a playList defined in an ASX file.
onURLFlip   This event fires when an ASF file, played by a HTML+TIME?A HREF="elements/media.html">media tag, processes script commands embedded in the ASF file.
MethodDescription
activeTimeToParentTime Converts a value in the element's active timeline to the corresponding point in the parent timeline.
activeTimeToSegmentTime Converts a value in the element's active timeline to the corresponding point in the segment timeline.
begin Begins playback on the player.
beginElement Starts the element on the timeline.
beginElementAt Starts an element's timeline at the specified time.
Detach Used by the host to control player lifetime.
documentTimeToParentTime Converts a value in the document timeline to the corresponding point in the element's parent timeline.
end Ends the progression of the media.
endElement Stops the element on the timeline.
endElementAt Ends an element's timeline at the specified time.
getControl Retrieves IUnknown control.
Init Used by the host to control player lifetime.
item Retrieves an object from the specified collection.
nextElement Advances the timeline so that the next element in the sequence begins playing.
nextTrack Advances the media-playing container to the next track, or playItem object, in the playList collection, and begins playing that track.
parentTimeToActiveTime Converts a value in the parent timeline to the corresponding point in the element's active timeline.
parentTimeToDocumentTime Converts a value in the element's parent timeline to the corresponding point in the document timeline.
pause Pauses playback on the player.
pauseElement Stops playing an element's timeline at the current point.
prevElement Resets the timeline so that the previous element in the sequence begins playing.
prevTrack Sets the media-playing container to the previous track, or playItem object, in the playList collection and begins playing that track.
repeat Player repeats playback.
reportError Used by the control to report errors.
reset The HTML+TIME host calls reset when it's time state has completely changed and the control needs to adjust it's internal state to match that of the HTML+TIME host.
resetElement Removes any changes made to the element and returns the element to its original state.
resume Resumes playback of media.
resumeElement Restarts the element's timeline from a paused state.
seek Seek to a specified point of media playback.
seekActiveTime Locates a specified point on the element's active timeline and begins playing from that point.
seekSegmentTime Locates the specified point on the element's segment timeline, and begins playing from that point.
seekTo Locates a specified point on the element's segment timeline, including repetitions, and begins playing from that point.
seekToFrame Locates a specified frame in the object.
segmentTimeToActiveTime Converts a value in the element's segment timeline to the corresponding point in the element's active timeline.
segmentTimeToSimpleTime Converts a value in the element's segment timeline to the corresponding point in the element's simple timeline.
setActive Sets the playItem object as the active track in the playList collection, which causes the track to play.
simpleTimeToSegmentTime Converts a value in the element's simple timeline to the corresponding point in the element's segment timeline.