Sizzler creates Sprite files which are streaming animation files for the Web. QuickTime movies and PICS files can be dropped on the Sizzler application and the result is a highly compressed interactive animation Sprite file. The Sizzler Plug-in allows Netscape Navigator 2.0 to display the Sprite files within Netscape Navigator. Sizzler adds animation to the static text and graphics of HTML.
Sizzler Usage Tips
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Sizzler creates Sprite files that are streamed over the Web and played as they are received by Netscape Navigator 2.0 and the Sizzler Plug-in. At the present time the Sizzler application can convert QuickTime movies and PICS files into Sprite files. The conversion process may take a few moments and may require you to give Sizzler more memory if you are converting large QuickTime movies or PICS files. An EMBED tag with the correct dimensions is printed by Sizzler and can be copied and pasted into your HTML documents. When quitting Sizzler you are asked if you wish to save a document. Clicking "Save" will save the textual information into a text file. The Sprite file is always saved and will have the extension ".sprite" appended to it.
Sprite files are optimized for low data rates like those found over modem connections. As the speed of the connection increases, so does the effectiveness of the Sprite files. For best performance, PICS files should be limited to small sizes and a small number of frames of animation. Try out different sizes and numbers of frames in order to produce the most effective animations.
Many graphical applications on the Macintosh can export QuickTime movies and PICS files. It is important that the PICS files used with Sizzler be non-frame differenced. This means that the PICS file must be a series of frames that are not frame differenced. If the PICS file is frame differenced the resulting Sprite file will appear to have parts of the animation missing.
Serving Sprite Files
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The first step in serving Sprite files is configuring your HTTP server to send the correct MIME type when a Sprite file is referenced in an HTML document. Refer to the document "Configuring Your Server" included with this package. Briefly, you need to add the MIME type "application/x-sprite" and extensions "sprite" and "spr".
Place the Sprite file on your HTTP server making sure to upload the file as raw data. Be sure not to use MacBinary format as this will result in a file that is unrecognizable by the Sprite Plug-in. The file name extension of any Sprite files that you wish to have served by a HTTP server must be "sprite", or "spr" if your server only allows for 3 character file name extensions.
Referencing Sprite Files: EMBED Tag
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The EMBED tag references plug-ins in much the same way that the IMG tag refers to images. The EMBED tag for Sprite files has three attributes. An example EMBED tag for a Sprite file named "eyeblink.sprite" being shown in a 100x100 area is shown below:
The SRC attribute specifies the URL of the Sprite file to play. Your HTTP server must first be configured with the correct MIME type for Netscape to correctly identify the ".sprite" files.
Netscape Navigator Beta Note: Each EMBED tag in a single HTML document must have a unique SRC attribute. Two EMBED tags with the same SRC attribute will result in the first appearing, and the other being ignored in the HTML document. A workaround is to post multiple Sprite files on the HTTP server, each with unique names.
The WIDTH and HEIGHT Attributes
The WIDTH and HEIGHT specify the dimensions of the Sprite file. An EMBED tag with the correct dimensions is printed by Sizzler and can be copied and pasted into your HTML documents.
Netscape Navigator Beta Note: The Sizzler Plug-in may appear in an icon-sized space if the WIDTH and HEIGHT attributes are not present. This may cause problems in current and future versions of Netscape Navigator.
Expiry Date
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The Sizzler application version b4 will expire on September 1st, 1996. Newer versions of the Sizzler application will be available on the Totally Hip Web Site before this version expires.
Distribution
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The latest version of the Sizzler application is available at the Totally Hip Web Site (http://www.totallyhip.com). Information about the Sizzler application, its future capabilities, and the Sizzler Plug-in, the plug-in that allows you to view Sprite files within the Netscape browser, can also be found at the Totally Hip Web Site. Feature/Bug reports should be sent to sizzler@totallyhip.com.
Legal & Contact Info
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Sizzler For Macintosh
Copyright (c) 1996 Totally Hip Software. All Rights Reserved.
Sizzler is the property of Totally Hip Software and may not be altered, reproduced or copied in any way, shape or form without prior written consent from Totally Hip Software.
