Icon-based authoring packages are just as powerful as scripting packages but allow sophisticated applications to be built without scripting. An icon-based authoring application is built by placing icons (pictures) on a flow chart. These icons can represent text, graphics, animations, video, decisions and user interactions.

Examples of icon-based authoring packages are IconAuthor and Authorware Professional.

Although Authorware Professional has no scripting capabilities, it is still an extremely powerful authoring tool. As well as arranging all the multimedia elements, Authorware has its own sound editor and animation director. It can perform calculations and use variables, as well as controlling external hardware devices like videodisc players. Once the application is complete, it can be compiled into a stand-alone application which can be distributed without the Authorware software.

The main drawbacks of Authorware are the lack of precise timing of events and its cost (approx. £2000.00). (No, that’s not a typing error, the program costs double what the computer system probably cost). Despite these limitations, Authorware is used throughout the world to generate interactive information kiosks and computer aided learning packages.

• To learn about the creation of an icon-based multimedia presentation you are going to use Liquid Media

• From the Start Menu choose Liquid Media

• Learn about the facilities of the program by following the six online tutorials

• Now create your own sample presentation to investigate the use of the tools

• This program can import and manipulate a very wide range of media types, practice adding text, images, animations, video and audio in your presentation

• Add buttons to navigate between screens in your presentation