HTML+TIME 2.0 Reference
This topic documents a feature of HTML+TIME 2.0, which is obsolete as of Windows Internet Explorer 9.
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 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 use 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
Animation | Introduction 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 | 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 API. DirectMusic provides support for MIDI, downloadable sounds, and consistent playback on the Windows platform. |
Media | Introduction 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 Containers | By 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. |
Transitions | Introduction 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 Features | These 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+TIME | HTML+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 Animation | This 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 Containers | HTML+TIME 2.0 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:SWITCH | HTML+TIME 2.0 provides authors with the option to display different elements based on system settings. |
Incorporate the time2 Behavior | This 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 Attribute | This 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+TIME | HTML+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+TIME | HTML+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 Transitions | It is now possible to create transitions with HTML+TIME quickly, without writing script. 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
The following table lists the members exposed by the HTML+TIME 2.0 Reference object.
Attribute Property Description abstract Gets a description of the media file.
Abstract Gets the Abstract content of the entry banner in an Advanced Stream Redirector (ASX) file by using the event object.
ACCELERATE accelerate Sets or gets a value that applies an acceleration to an element timeline.
ACCUMULATE accumulate Sets or gets a value that indicates whether the animation is cumulative.
activeDur Gets the total duration of the timeline.
activeTime Gets the current point in time along the total active timeline, including repeats and time spent in reverse mode.
activeTrack Sets the active track or gets the active playItem object in the playList collection.
ADDITIVE additive Sets or gets a value that indicates whether the animation is additive with other animations.
ATTRIBUTENAME attributeName Sets or gets the name of the element attribute to animate.
author Gets the name of the media file author.
AUTOREVERSE autoReverse Sets or gets whether the timeline on an element begins playing in reverse immediately after it completes in the forward direction.
banner Gets the banner content of an entry in an ASX file.
Banner Gets the Banner content of an entry in an ASX file using the event object.
bannerAbstract Gets the bannerAbstract content of an entry in an ASX file.
bannerMoreInfo Gets the bannerMoreInfo content of an entry in an ASX file.
BEGIN begin Sets or gets the delay time before the timeline begins playing on the element.
boundary Sets when music should begin to play by using DirectMusic.
bufferingProgress Gets a value that indicates the current percent of buffering completed.
BY by Sets or gets a relative offset value for an animation.
BY by Specifies a relative offset value for the progress of the transitionFilter element.
BY by Sets or gets a relative offset value by which to animate a color attribute or property with the t:ANIMATECOLOR element.
CALCMODE calcMode Sets or gets the interpolation mode for the animation.
CALCMODE calcMode Sets or gets the interpolation mode for the progress of the transitionFilter element.
CALCMODE calcMode Sets or gets the interpolation mode for the animateMotion object.
CALCMODE calcMode Sets or gets the interpolation mode for a t:ANIMATECOLOR element.
canPause Gets a value that indicates whether the media file can be paused.
canSeek Gets a value that indicates whether the media file is capable of locating a specific time in the media's duration.
CLIPBEGIN clipBegin Sets or gets the beginning point of a sub-clip of a continuous media object.
CLIPEND clipEnd Sets or Gets the end point of a sub-clip of a continuous media object.
copyright Gets the copyright information associated with a media file.
currentFrame Gets a value that indicates the currentFrame of the object.
DECELERATE decelerate Sets or gets a value that applies a deceleration to the end of a simple duration.
downloadCurrent Gets a value that indicates the current number of bytes downloaded from streaming content.
downloadProgress Gets a value that indicates the current percent of download completed.
downloadTotal Gets a value that indicates the total size (in bytes) of the downloaded file.
DUR dur Sets or gets a value indicating the amount of time the element remains active or displayed.
DUR dur Sets or gets a value indicating the amount of time that a transition is applied to an element.
dur Gets the playing-time length of the current playList or playItem, if the length is known.
earliestMediaTime Gets a value that indicates the earliest time for efficient seeking.
element Retrieves the dispatch for an animated element.
END end Sets or gets a value indicating the end time for the element, or the end of the simple duration when the element is set to repeat.
ENDSYNC endSync Sets or gets the synchronization rule that specifies which child element is used to determine when the time container ends.
FILL fill Sets or gets the action taken by an element if the element timeline ends before the timeline on its parent element ends.
FROM from Sets or gets the starting value of an animation.
FROM from Sets or gets a progress value indicating the point from which to begin the transition.
FROM from Sets or gets the starting value of a color attribute or property animated by t:ANIMATECOLOR.
hasAudio Gets a Boolean value that indicates whether the media contains audio.
hasDownloadProgress Gets a Boolean value that indicates whether a media file has started to download.
hasMedia Gets a Boolean value that indicates whether the element is an Introduction to HTML+TIME media element.
hasPlayList Gets a Boolean value that indicates whether the element has a playList collection.
hasVisual Gets a Boolean value that indicates whether the element can draw on the screen.
higher higher Controls how elements with higher priority interrupt child elements of a priorityClass element.
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 Gets a value that indicates whether the element is currently active on the timeline.
isDirectMusicInstalled Gets a Boolean value that indicates whether DirectMusic is installed on the machine.
isDirectMusicInstalled Retrieves whether direct music is installed.
isMuted Gets a value indicating whether the element's audio is currently muted.
isOn Gets a value that specifies whether the element is active or holding on the timeline in its current state.
isPaused Gets a value that specifies whether the element is paused on the timeline.
isStreamed Gets a Boolean value that indicates if the source of the media object is streamed.
Gets a Boolean value that indicates if the source of the media object is streamed.KEYSPLINES keySplines Sets or gets a set of Bezier control points that define the interval pacing of an animation.
KEYTIMES keyTimes Sets or gets a list of time values used to control the pacing of an animation.
latestMediaTime Gets a value that indicates the latest time for efficient seeking.
length Gets the number of objects in a collection.
length Sets or gets the number of objects in a collection.
longTransition Sets whether to allow introduction and ending transitions longer than one bar with DirectMusic.
lower lower Controls how elements that are defined with lower priority interrupt child elements of a priorityClass element.
mediaDur Gets the duration of the element's media file.
mediaHeight Gets the height of the element.
mediaWidth Gets the width of the element.
mimeType Gets the MIME type of the object.
MODE mode Sets or gets a variable that indicates whether an element transitions in or out.
Sets or gets 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 Gets 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.
MUTE mute Sets or gets a value that indicates whether the audio is turned on or off.
ORIGIN origin Sets or gets the origin of motion for the animation. parentTimeBegin Gets the begin time of the current element as an offset from the begin time of the parent element.
parentTimeEnd Gets the end time of the current element as an offset from the begin time of the parent element.
PATH path Sets or retrieves a set of values that describe a path as a function of time.
peers peers Controls how child elements of a priorityClass element interrupt one another.
PLAYER player Sets or gets the object used to render the media associated with this element.
playerObject Gets the object that plays media files.
progress Gets the current progress of the element timeline.
rating Gets the rating of the media file.
repeatCount Gets the current iteration in the repetition loop.
REPEATCOUNT repeatCount Sets or gets the number of times an element timeline repeats. REPEATDUR repeatDur Sets or gets the number of seconds that an element timeline repeats.
Sets or gets the number of seconds that an element timeline repeats.RESTART restart Sets or gets the conditions under which an element can be restarted on a timeline.
segmentDur Gets the duration of an element on a timeline in seconds, including autoReverse.
segmentTime Gets the current point in time along a segment of time.
segmentType Sets whether to play a DirectMusic segment as a controlling segment or a secondary segment.
simpleDur Gets the duration of a repeat iteration.
simpleTime Gets an object's current point along its timeline from zero to its dur value.
SPEED speed Sets or gets the playback speed of an element relative to its parent time container.
speed Gets the playback speed of an element at run time, which includes the cascading effect of the speed set for the parent time container.
SRC src Sets or gets the source URL of the media.
src Gets the source URL of the media.
state Gets the current state of the element timeline.
stateString Gets the current state of the element timeline.
SUBTYPE subtype Sets or gets the name of the subtype that will be applied to the transition.
SYNCBEHAVIOR syncBehavior Sets or gets a value that indicates the synchronization rules for the element timeline.
SYNCMASTER syncMaster Sets or gets whether the time container must synchronize playback to this element.
syncTolerance Sets or gets the time variance that is allowed on a timeline with locked synchronization.
systemBitrate Gets the approximate bandwidth available to the system in bits-per-second.
systemCaptions Indicates whether 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.
TARGETELEMENT targetElement Sets or gets the target element to be animated.
TIMEACTION timeAction Sets or gets the action that is taken on the element while the timeline is active.
TIMECONTAINER timeContainer Sets or gets the type of timeline associated with an element.
timeParent Gets the parent time container element of the current element.
title Gets the title of the media file.
TO to 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.
TO to Sets or retrieves the ending value of a color attribute or property animated by t:ANIMATECOLOR.
TRANSITIONTYPE Sets or gets the type of DirectMusic transition to use between segments.
TYPE type Sets or gets the MIME type of the media object referenced by the SRC attribute.
TYPE type Sets or gets the type of transition to be applied.
Sets or gets the type of transition to be applied.UPDATEMODE updateMode Sets or gets a value that indicates how the object is to be updated.
Sets or gets a value that indicates how the object is to be updated.URL Gets the URL specified by the Advanced Streaming Format (ASF) file script command after the onURLFlip event is fired.
Gets the URL specified by the ASF file script command after the onURLFlip event is fired.VALUES values Sets or retrieves a list of values of an animation.
VALUES values Sets or retrieves a list of one or more values specifying the progress of the transition.
VALUES values Sets or retrieves a list of RGB color values for a t:ANIMATECOLOR element.
VOLUME volume Sets or gets the volume of the media file.
volume Gets the playback volume of an element at run time.
Collection Description 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.
Element Object Description t:ANIMATE animate Animates a specified attribute of an object.
t:ANIMATECOLOR animateColor Changes the color of an object over time.
t:ANIMATEMOTION animateMotion Animates the position of an element over time.
t:ANIMATION animation Defines a timed animation element in an HTML document.
t:AUDIO audio Defines a timed audio element in an HTML document.
currTimeState Contains information about an HTML+TIME timeline.
t:EXCL excl Defines a time container that allows only one child element to play at any given time.
t:IMG img Defines a timed image element in an HTML document.
t:MEDIA media Defines a generic, timed media element in an HTML document.
t:PAR par Defines a new timeline container in an HTML document for independently timed elements.
playItem Represents an individual media file in a playList collection.
t:PRIORITYCLASS priorityClass Defines a group of excl children and the pause/interrupt behavior of the children.
t:REF ref Defines a reference to a generic timed element in an HTML document.
t:SEQ seq Defines a new timeline container in an HTML document for sequentially timed elements.
t:SET set Sets the value of an object's attribute for a specified duration.
t:SWITCH switch 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:VIDEO video Defines a timed video element in an HTML document.
Event Description 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.
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 media tag, processes script commands embedded in the ASF file.
Method Description 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.
addFragment Adds a fragment to the composer site. Consults the registered composer factories to find the proper composer.
beginElement Starts the element on the timeline.
beginElementAt Starts an element's timeline at the specified time.
buttonActivate Activates the currently-selected button.
detachFromComposer Notifies the fragment to detach itself from the animation composer.
Notifies the fragment to detach itself from the animation composer.documentTimeToParentTime Converts a value in the document timeline to the corresponding point in the element's parent timeline.
endElement Stops the element on the timeline.
endElementAt Ends an element's timeline at the specified time.
enumerateFragments Enumerates the fragments on the composer registered for the given attribute name.
get_value Retrieves an animated attribute's current value.
gotoMenu Navigates to menu.
insertFragment Inserts a fragment into the composer site at the specified index.
item Retrieves an object from the specified collection by index.
item Retrieves an object from the element collection by name or index.
item Retrieves the playItem object at the specified index from the current playList collection.
leftButtonSelect Selects the button to the left of the current button.
lowerButtonSelect Selects the button below the current button.
nextElement Advances the timeline so that the next element in the sequence begins playing.
nextTrack Advances the media-playing container to the next playItem object in the playList collection and begins playing that track.
Advances the media-playing container to the next 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.
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 playItem object in the playList collection and begins playing that track.
Sets the media-playing container to the previous playItem object in the playList collection and begins playing that track.registerComposerFactory Registers a new composer factory with this site.
removeFragment Removes a fragment from the composer site.
resetElement Removes any changes made to the element and returns the element to its original state.
resumeElement Restarts the element's timeline from a paused state.
rightButtonSelect Selects the button to the right of the current button.
seekActiveTime Locates a specified point on the element's active timeline and begins playing from that point.
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 current 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.
tags Retrieves a subcollection containing only the elements of this collection that have the specified tag name.
unregisterComposerFactory Unregisters a composer factory on this site.
upperButtonSelect Selects the button above the current button.