The Trials & Tribulations of Developing Cross-Platform Multimedia Applications in Music Education

1. The Trials & Tribulations of Developing Cross-Platform Multimedia Applications in Music Education Dr. Scott D. Lipscomb, Institute for Music Research UTSA Division of Music 5th TDML Conference

2. Scientific Method • Formulate Question of the Real World • Review Literature • Design Experiment to Answer Question • Gather Data • Analyze & Interpret Data • Create/Modify Model 5th TDML Conference

3. Overview & History • Operationally define “cross-platform” • My early experiments with software development • user-friendly GUI • Windows Development tools • Creating cross-platform versions • eventually allow WWW access 5th TDML Conference

4. Programming Style: Antiquated FOR x = 1 TO UBOUND(UsedDurs!) IF DurCount2(x) < 70 THEN LOCATE x + 6 + z, 1 PRINT LTRIM$(LEFT$(STR$(UsedDurs!(x)), 8)); LOCATE x + 6 + z, 10 PRINT STRING$(DurCount2(x), "*") ELSE LOCATE x + 6 + z, 1 PRINT LTRIM$(LEFT$(STR$(UsedDurs!(x)), 8)); FOR y = 1 TO DurCount2(x) \ 70 LOCATE x + 6 + z, 10 PRINT STRING$(70, "*") z = z + 1 NEXT y LOCATE x + 6 + z, 10 PRINT STRING$(DurCount2(x) MOD 70, "*") END IF NEXT x CALL CenterLine(23, "Would you like a hardcopy? (Y/N)") 5th TDML Conference

5. Programming Style: Antiquated FOR x = 1 TO UBOUND(UsedDurs!) IF DurCount2(x) < 70 THEN LOCATE x + 6 + z, 1 PRINT LTRIM$(LEFT$(STR$(UsedDurs!(x)), 8)); LOCATE x + 6 + z, 10 PRINT STRING$(DurCount2(x), "*") ELSE LOCATE x + 6 + z, 1 PRINT LTRIM$(LEFT$(STR$(UsedDurs!(x)), 8)); FOR y = 1 TO DurCount2(x) \ 70 LOCATE x + 6 + z, 10 PRINT STRING$(70, "*") z = z + 1 NEXT y LOCATE x + 6 + z, 10 PRINT STRING$(DurCount2(x) MOD 70, "*") END IF NEXT x CALL CenterLine(23, "Would you like a hardcopy? (Y/N)") 5th TDML Conference

6. Scripting • Hypercard/Supercard (Mac) • Authorware (Mac) • Toolbook (PC) • Director (Mac/PC) 5th TDML Conference

7. Programming:The Next Generation • Visual Basic • Visual C++ • Visual J++ 5th TDML Conference

8. Ease of Use & Design • Graphical User Interface • Objects with Properties • User Interaction • Events • Methods 5th TDML Conference

9. Software Development • Visual Basic • Signal • MEDS • Visual C++ • Signal • Director • Lingo • Plug-Ins 5th TDML Conference

10. Conclusions • Visual Basic • relatively easy to learn and use • not cross-platform • no easy WWW access (ActiveX) • VC++ • steep learning curve • cross-platform edition adds another level of complexity • no easy WWW access (ActiveX) 5th TDML Conference

11. Conclusions • Director • Powerful with the use of Lingo & Plug-Ins • cross-platform (Mac/PC) • WWW access with Shockwave • Limited by built-in functionality • Other possible solutions: • Java • DHTML 5th TDML Conference

12. Contact Information: Dr. Scott D. Lipscomb Institute for Music Research UTSA Division of Music 6900 N. Loop 1604 West San Antonio, TX 78249 phone: (210) 458-5334 FAX: (210) 458-4381 email: lipscomb@lonestar.utsa.edu WWW: http://imr.utsa.edu/~lipscomb 5th TDML Conference