Sprite Media Handler

This chapter describes the sprite media handler, a media handler you can use to add a sprite animation track to a QuickTime movie. The sprite media handler provides routines for manipulating the sprites and images in a sprite track. The sprite media handler makes use of the functionality provided by the sprite toolbox, which is discussed in Chapter 1 of QuickTime 3 Reference. If you are using the sprite media handler, you don't need to use the toolbox API.

This chapter discusses some of the new features of the sprite media handler available in QuickTime 3, including wired sprites (described in detail in Chapter 3), new and obsolete routines, and new sprite hit testing flags.

A sprite track is defined by one or more key frame samples, each followed by any number of override samples. The sprite track media format is hierarchical and is based on QT atoms and atom containers. A sprite track sample is a QT atom container structure. In addition to defining properties for individual sprites, you can also define properties that apply to an entire sprite track.

This chapter is divided into the following major sections:

"About the Sprite Media Handler" discusses the sprite media handler, which provides routines for manipulating the sprites and images in a sprite track.
"New Features of the Sprite Media Handler" provides a list of new sprite media handler features available in QuickTime 3.
"New Features of the Sprite Media Handler" provides you with code snippets from the sample program MakeSpriteMovie.c , listed in Appendix C, which shows how to create a QuickTime sprite track. The sample code creates a 640 by 480 pixel movie with one sprite track.
"Sprite Media Handler Reference" includes a list of the constants and functions in the sprite media handler.

Sprite Media Handler

Contents

About the Sprite Media Handler

New Features of the Sprite Media Handler

Using the Sprite Media Handler

Sprite Media Handler Reference