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Nested Context Language

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Nested Context Language (NCL) is a declarative authoring language for hypermedia documents.

NCL is an XML application language, which provides several facilities for authoring a complete hypermedia document with synchronization relationships among its components. Among its main facilities, it treats hypermedia relations as first-class entities through the definition of hypermedia connectors, and it can specify arbitrary semantics for a hypermedia composition using the concept of composite templates.

Following others XML standards, NCL is specified by a modular approach. NCL modules can be added to standard web languages, such as XLink and SMIL.

NCL was initially designed for the Web environment, but currently it is included as the declarative language of the Japanese-Brazilian ISDB-Tb (International Standard for Digital Broadcasting) terrestrial DTV (digital TV) middleware (named Ginga). It is also the first standardized technology of the ITU-T multimedia application framework series of specifications for IPTV services.

NCL Historical Evolution

NCL 3.0 Profiles

Full Profile

NCL 3.0 Full Profile includes all NCL Modules.

Enhanced Digital TV profile (EDTV)

NCL 3.0 Enhanced DTV profile includes the Structure, Layout, Media, Context, MediaContentAnchor, CompositeNodeInterface, PropertyAnchor, SwitchInterface, Descriptor, Linking, CausalConnectorFunctionality, ConnectorBase, TestRule, TestRuleUse, ContentControl, DescriptorControl, Timing, Import, EntityReuse, ExtendedEntityReuse, KeyNavigation, Animation, TransitionBase, Transition and Metainformation modules of NCL 3.0.

NCL Basic Digital TV profile (BDTV)

Includes almost all Enhanced Digital TV profiles but it doesn't include Animation, TransitionBase and Transition modules.

NCL 3.0 Modules

NCL is partitioned in functional areas. Each functional area groups a set of related modules. NCL 3.0 functional areas and modules are:

  1. Structure
    • Structure Module
  2. Layout
    • Layout Module
  3. Components
    • Media Module
    • Context Module
  4. Interfaces
    • MediaContentAnchor Module
    • CompositeNodeInterface Module
    • PropertyAnchor Module
    • SwitchInterface Module
  5. Presentation Specification
    • Descriptor Module
  6. Linking
    • Linking Module
  7. Connectors
    • ConnectorCommonPart Module
    • ConnectorAssessmentExpression Module
    • ConnectorCausalExpression Module
    • ConnectorTransitionAssessment Module
    • CausalConnector Module
    • CausalConnectorFunctionality Module
    • ConnectorBase Module
  8. Presentation Control
    • TestRule Module
    • TestRuleUse Module
    • ContentControl Module
    • DescriptorControl Module
  9. Timing
    • Timing Module
  10. Reuse
    • Import Module
    • EntityReuse Module
    • ExtendedEntityReuse Module
  11. Navigational Key
    • KeyNavigation Module
  12. Animation
    • Animation Module
  13. SMIL Transition Effects
    • TransitionBase Module
      Note: The TransitionBase Module is defined by NCL 3.0. SMIL 2.0 doesn't define this module.
    • BasicTransition Module
    • TransitionModifers Module
  14. SMIL Meta-Information
    • Metainformation Module

Authoring Tools

See also

NCL Players

Authoring tools

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