Multimedia support within EditLive! for Java is achieved by embedding content via <object> tags and their associated <param> tags. EditLive! for Java supports the embedding of any form of multimedia content via the <object> tag provided that the relevant configuration information has been provided for the format. Multimedia objects can be inserted either using local files or files within a WebDAV repository. If a local file is used then this file will be uploaded when the content from EditLive! for Java is submitted.

Multimedia objects embedded within EditLive! for Java are presented to the user as icon within a resizable area. The icon can be seen below:

Figure 11.1. Icon use to represent multimedia objects

While most of the parameters and properties for the multimedia type are configured, to some extent, via the EditLive! for Java configuration file the height, width and data attributes of the <object> tag must be specified by the user. The height and width are used to provided the dimensions, if any, for the object while the data attribute contains the URL for the location of the object source file.

Configuration information of multimedia content is provided via the <multimedia> element within the configuration file. For each multimedia file type to be used with EditLive! for Java a separate <type> configuration element must be provided. Types are differentiated by their unique name attribute.

The <type> element serves a dual purpose. Some of the settings within the <type> element are used to configure the Insert Object and Object Properties dialogs while others are used to configure the attributes of the <object> tag to be inserted into EditLive! for Java. The section below provides definitions of the behaviors of each attribute:

<param> Tag Configuration

A list of possible <param> tags to be used with the <object> can be configured via the <param> elements associated with the <type> element within the EditLive! for Java. Each <param> element allows a name attribute to be specified for the parameter. The user will then be able to choose a parameter with this name in the Object Properties dialog in EditLive! for Java and provide an associated value. This can be seen in the following figure:

Figure 11.3. Parameter listing in the Object Properties Dialog

The dialog options shown above could be generated by the following XML configuration settings:

<editLive>
  ...
  <mediaSettings>
    ...
    <multimedia>
      <types>
        ...
        <type 
          name="Macromedia Flash" 
          type="application/x-shockwave-flash" 
          extension="swf" 
          allowCustomParams="true" 
          urlParam="movie"
        >
          <param name="movie" />
          <param name="quality" />
          <param name="bgcolor" />
        </type>
        ...
      </types>
    </multimedia>
  </mediaSettings>
  ...
</editLive>

The name-value pairs specified in the Parameters tab of the Object Properties dialog are inserted into EditLive! for Java as <param> tags associated with the relevant <object> tag.

This example demonstrates how to configure EditLive! for Java in the following way:

The following multimedia types will be available for inserting with the listed configuration:

The Macromedia Flash type will have the following parameters available and will not permit users to enter custom parameters:

The three other types will not have any predefined parameters, but users may specify any custom parameters.

The configuration used to achieve these settings is as follows:

...
<types>
    <type 
        name="Macromedia Flash" 
        type="application/x-shockwave-flash" 
        extension="swf" 
        allowCustomParams="false" 
        urlParam="movie"
     >
        <param name="movie" />
        <param name="quality" />
        <param name="bgcolor" />
    </type>
    <type 
        name="MP3 Audio" 
        type="application/x-mplayer2" 
        extension="mp3" 
        allowCustomParams="true" 
    />
    <type 
        name="AVI" 
        type="application/x-mplayer2" 
        extension="avi" 
        allowCustomParams="true" 
    />
    <type 
        name="WAV Audio" 
        type="application/x-mplayer2" 
        extension="wav" 
        allowCustomParams="true" 
    />
</types>
...

The Object Properties dialog would appear as follows for these settings:

Figure 11.4. Object Example - Multimedia Types

Figure 11.5. Object Example - Macromedia Flash Parameters

Objects can be inserted either from the file system of the client machine or from a WebDAV repository.