Attributes

Attributes are categorized into four functional groups: media definition, metadata information, synchronization, and timing.

Media Definition Attributes

Attributes in this group define an element.

id

Specifies a name for an element so that it can be referenced by another element in a playlist. You can use the id attribute to add an identifier to any element, but it is most useful for identifying media elements. The id attribute is used to identify an element as a SyncBase for timing and synchronization purposes.

mediaName

Specifies a name for a media element. The server uses the mediaName attribute to log data, and the mediaName attribute value overrides name information sent to clients. This attribute is useful if you are using log files for reporting or if you want to prevent users from seeing the names of your servers and the paths to your content.

noSkip

Specifies whether the next, rewind, fast forward, pause, and seek functions are enabled in Windows Media Player when a media element plays. You can use this attribute to prevent users from skipping a media element, such as an advertisement.

role

Specifies a purpose or type for a media element. This attribute enables you to create custom categories for digital media sources, such as music, bumper, promo, or public service announcement. The WMS Client Logging plug-in uses the value specified in the role attribute to populate the cs-media-role field.

src

Identifies the content source of a media element using a URL, Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path, or absolute path. The source can be any type of digital media content or file as long as there is an enabled data source plug-in that can access the content and a media parser or playlist parser plug-in that can parse the content.

In general, any stream that can be assigned as the source of a publishing point is a valid value for the src attribute. By default, you can specify any of the following sources for a media element:

• A Windows Media file

• A JPEG image file

• An MP3 audio file

• An encoder stream

• A stream or file from a remote Windows Media server

• A stream or file from a local publishing point

• A playlist file

Metadata Information Attributes

Attributes in this group are used with the clientData element to specify information that is sent to the client.

album

Specifies the album name associated with a single media element or a collection of media elements. An album attribute value is included in the content description list that is sent to the client. Windows Media Player displays the album attribute value when the media element or elements are played.

artist

Specifies an artist name for a single media element or collection of media elements. An artist attribute value is included in the content description list that is sent to the client. Windows Media Player displays the artist attribute value when the media element or elements are played.

author

Specifies a content creator name for a single media element or collection of media elements. An author attribute value is included in the content description list that is sent to the client. Windows Media Player displays the value when the media element or elements are played.

bannerURL

Typically used with the bannerInfoURL and bannerAbstract attributes to add a banner image to the Windows Media Player interface. The bannerURL attribute value is the URL of a banner image file.

bannerAbstract

Typically used with the bannerURL and bannerInfoURL attributes to add ToolTip information to a banner image displayed in Windows Media Player. The bannerAbstract attribute value provides the text information displayed when a user pauses the mouse pointer on the banner image.

bannerInfoURL

Typically used with the bannerURL and bannerAbstract attributes to add a hyperlink to a banner image displayed in Windows Media Player. You can use the bannerInfoURL attribute to provide users with a link to a Web page that is associated with one or more media elements. For example, the Web page may provide users with more information about the content source or an advertiser.

copyright

Specifies copyright information for a media element or collection of media elements. A copyright attribute value is included in the content description list that is sent to the client. Windows Media Player displays the value when the media element or elements are played.

genre

Specifies a genre type for a media element or collection of media elements. A genre attribute value is included in the content description list that is sent to the client. Windows Media Player displays the value when the media element or elements are played.

LogURL

Specifies a URL to which a client sends logging information. In addition to the unicast and multicast logging capabilities included with Windows Media Services, the logURL attribute enables each clientData element to direct logging information to other locations on the network. By using the logURL attribute within a clientData element, usage information about the elements contained within the clientData element is sent by the client to a logging program that either displays the data, integrates it into a database, or saves it as a file. Logging data is sent once for each address specified in the logURL attribute.

title

Specifies a content title for a media element or collection of media elements. A title attribute value is included in the content description list that is sent to the client. Windows Media Player displays the value when the media element or elements are played.

Synchronization Attributes

Attributes in this group control playback of media elements contained in
a priorityClass element.

higher

Specifies the behavior of the media elements within a priorityClass element when they are interrupted by media elements of a higher priorityClass. A higher attribute can have the following values:

• Pause specifies that the media element pauses when its playback is interrupted by a media element that has a higher priority. The interrupted media element resumes playback when the higher-priority element ends.

• Stop specifies that the media element stops when playback is interrupted by a media element that has a higher priority. The interrupted element does not resume playback.

lower

Specifies the behavior of the media elements within a priorityClass element when they are interrupted by media elements of a lower priorityClass. A lower attribute can have the following values:

• Defer specifies that an attempt by a lower-priority media element to interrupt playback is deferred. Playback of the interrupting media element begins when the higher-priority media element ends.

• Never specifies that an attempt by a lower-priority media element to interrupt playback is denied. The interrupting media element does not play.

Peers

Specifies the behavior of a media element within a priorityClass element when its playback is interrupted by another media element in the same priorityClass (called a peer). A peers attribute can have the following values:

• Pause specifies that the media element pauses when its playback is interrupted by a peer media element. The interrupted media element resumes playback when the peer ends.

• Stop specifies that the media element stops when its playback is interrupted by a peer media element. Playback does not resume. This is the default value for media elements contained within an excl or priorityClass element.

• Defer specifies that an attempt by a media element to interrupt playback of a peer is deferred. Playback begins when the peer element ends.

• Never specifies that an attempt by a media element to interrupt playback of a peer element is denied. The interrupting element does not play.

Timing Attributes

A timing attribute defines the aspects of an element’s behavior that relate to time and sequence. For example, the timing value assigned to a begin attribute defines when an element starts playing; while the timing value assigned to a clipEnd attribute defines when a media element ends. If an attribute has no assigned value, the default value is used.

Timing values are specified as either clock values or as events. An event value consists of the id attribute value of the trigger element followed by a period (.) and the attribute of the trigger element on which the timing is based. For example, a begin attribute value of Advert1.begin means that an element is set to begin playing when the media element Advert1 starts; a begin value of 0s means the media element starts playing immediately.

begin

Specifies the timing value used to start or activate an element. The begin attribute is most useful for activating elements in excl or priorityClass elements. Unlike the immediate children of seq or smil containers, child elements of an excl or priorityClass element have no default start time, and will therefore not start without a begin attribute value.

clipBegin

Specifies the point in a media element source at which playback begins.

clipEnd

Specifies the end point for a media element.

dur

Specifies the length of time that an element plays.

end

Specifies the timing value at which an element stops streaming data and ends. By default, the end attribute value is the natural end of the element.

endSync

Specifies the following end values for an element in an excl element:

• First specifies that the excl element ends after the first active child element ends.

• All specifies that the excl element ends after all child elements that have a resolved begin attribute value end. Elements with an unresolved begin attribute value will prevent the excl element from ending because the duration cannot be determined.

• Id-value specifies that the excl element ends when the child element with the specifed id attribute value ends.

• Last specifies that the excl element ends when the last active child element with a resolved and definite begin attribute value ends. If there are no children with a resolved begin attribute value, the excl element ends immediately.

repeatCount

Specifies how many times an element plays sequentially. For example, a repeatCount attribute value of 2 means an element plays twice (repeating once). You can use this attribute to repeat a media element or a time container element, such as a seq or excl element. A value of “indefinite” specifies that the element repeats indefinitely.

repeatDur

Specifies the length of time that an element repeats before stopping. For example, a media element that is five seconds long with a repeatDur attribute value of 20s plays four times and then stops. If an element is still playing when the repeatDur attribute value ends, the element stops, even if it has not repeated. Thus, when it has a specified repeatDur attribute value, an element may repeat many times, repeat for a fractional number of times, never repeat, or play for a shorter time than its duration. You can use this attribute to repeat a media element or a time container element, such as a seq or excl element.

syncEvent

Specifies an element in a wrapper playlist that is activated by a broadcast playlist element. For example, the syncEvent attribute can be used to switch from a broadcast to a wrapper element, and then switch back to the live broadcast.