RealPix Trix 3: It's Button Time
by Tim Kennedy
March 23, 1999

Much of the SMIL published today is pretty boring. That is because most SMIL pieces are linear presentations. And while the linear presentation does have its place, an interactive multimedia show is far more interesting for your visitors.

In this installment of RealPix Trix, I am going to create a simple interactive menu. Sound complex? It doesn't have to be. The choices will be limited and the SMIL code kept simple. Using this technique, you could add interface buttons to most any SMIL presentation.

If you are new to SMIL, this tutorial will add a unique spin to your current set of Web authoring skills. If you have spent some time with HTML, you have probably created image maps for your Web site graphics. Those allow your visitors to click on an image and go to another part of your site. SMIL will allow us to work with a very similar approach. But SMIL will also add a new dimension. Not only can we map image coordinates to another Web page or G2 resource, we can also control that link across time.

Time is the magic behind SMIL....