Xref: utzoo comp.databases:8041 comp.sys.mac.apps:2790 comp.ivideodisc:531 Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!kddlab!trl!rdmei!ptimtc!olivea!apple!usc!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!ccwf.cc.utexas.edu From: clouds@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Kathy Strong) Newsgroups: comp.databases,comp.sys.mac.apps,comp.ivideodisc Subject: Re: Database question Message-ID: <40474@ut-emx.uucp> Date: 1 Dec 90 01:16:39 GMT References: <1990Nov30.154544.28317@ariel.unm.edu> Sender: news@ut-emx.uucp Reply-To: clouds@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Kathy Strong) Followup-To: comp.databases Lines: 73 In article <1990Nov30.154544.28317@ariel.unm.edu> wilcox@hydra.unm.edu (Sherman Wilcox) writes: >I am developing a multimedia project (an interactive videodisk-based >American Sign Language dictionary). We have known all along that the >project will have to have a database underlying it, but our first impulse >was to develop the application in an authoring language (Director, Author- >Ware, etc). > >We are starting to rethink this decision and wonder whether the entire >project could be developed in a powerful database such as 4D or Omnis. >This is the basis of my question. > >Does anyone know of any projects which have tied together databases and >interactive videodisks? If you are familiar with either Omnis or 4D, does >it sound feasible to do what I am suggesting? > >Some specific questions: for the multimedia part, all we really have to >do is control the laserdisk (Pioneer LD-V4200), which means sending commands >out the serial port. Possible in 4D/Omnis? Second, we are displaying the >video on the RBG monitor by using a RasterOps 364 card. Control of the card >is accomplished via an XCMD -- possible to do this with 4D/Omnis? Hmm, a good question. I believe that controlling the videodisc player through the serial port should be trivial--most database packages with any heft to them have an RS-232 command to control things like cash drawers and bar-code readers. I'm not so sure about the overlay card, though... Also, do you plan to do any animations (that is, using graphics from the computer rather than video from the disc player)? The reason we continue to do our interactive projects with authoring packages rather than with a database or a programming language is that the authoring package typically packages all the ingredients: program flow (logic, branching, etc.), calculations, videodisc control, overlays, display of graphics, and animations. One of the DOS-based packages we're using right now, in fact, has rudimentary database functions built in--reads dBase IV files (whoopee!!). You may be interested in a product I've seen mentioned recently. It's called Lynx, by a company named Warren-Forthought (sic) in Angleton, TX. From their handout: "Lynx is a multimedia object database with powerful presentation tools... raw power and capacity: Lynx can handle handle the largest project and never slow down, even gigabytes of data with millions of links. The multimedia objects in the database are created with your favorite and familiar applications... The link is merged with its image and stored together in the original file. You create no cards, stack, master file or control program of any kind.... Lynx uses the Macintosh HFS and the Finder you already know. All multimedia objects are standard files and are stored in folders..." etc. Anyway, their material I'm reading from is pretty verbose, but the idea is that you don't have a control program... all the links or "interactivity" is somehow saved into the document itself. I wonder how this would work with a database program? Oh, by the way, the Lynx package does include videodisc and digital audio control. If you're interested, drop me a line and I'll give you their full info. --Kathy P.S. I've added comp.ivideodisc to the distribution. P.P.S. The usual disclaimer. Not only do I not work for these guys, I've not even seen their product. Someone picked up this material at SALT. -- ........................................................................... : Kathy Strong : "Try our Hubble-Rita: just one shot, : : (Clouds moving slowly) : and everything's blurry" : : clouds@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu : --El Arroyo : :..........................................................................: Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com