[Media Overlays] Add media:paused-class

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I would propose to add a "media:paused-class" to the Media Overlays 
specification, specifically Sections 3.4 and 3.5.2.

This author-defined "media:paused-class" would behave similarly to 
"media:active-class", except it would be applied to the current EPUB Content 
Document element when the MO playback is put into "paused" state by the user, 
and removed when the playback is resumed (or stopped).

The rationale is simple: this addition will give the EPUB Document Author a way 
to style the current element in two different ways, depending on whether the MO 
playback is "active/playing" or "paused". For example, the "active-class" might 
apply a solid underline to the corresponding text, while the "paused-class" a 
dotted underline.

For reference, the proposed behavior is implemented in Menestrello ( 
https://readbeyond.it/menestrello/ ).

Original issue reported on code.google.com by [email protected] on 22 Dec 2013 at 5:50

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Alberto, thanks for suggestion and implementation pointers. This will 
definitely be considered in the next EPUB revision. 

Original comment by [email protected] on 15 Jan 2014 at 2:21

• Changed state: Accepted
• Added labels: Spec-MediaOverlays

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Given the existing naming convention for "media:playback-active-class" (which 
applies to the 'html' element) and "media:active-class" (for any highlighted 
element), would it make sense to pair "media:paused-class" with 
"media:playback-paused-class" so that the document element's styling can also 
be differentiated? (stop != paused state) I think this can be quite useful.

http://www.idpf.org/epub/301/spec/epub-mediaoverlays.html#sec-docs-assoc-style

Original comment by daniel.weck on 11 Mar 2015 at 12:02

[GoogleCodeExporter]

If you are suggesting to add _both_

"media:paused-class"

and

"media:playback-paused-class",

I agree the latter might be useful for the author of the publication, it brings 
a pleasant symmetry in the universe, and it is relatively easy to implement, as 
it is similar to the already existing "media:playback-active-class".

Still, I would also like authors be able to use "media:paused-class" and 
"media:playback-paused-class" independently one from the other (e.g., omitting 
one of the two), similarly to "media:active-class" and 
"media:playback-active-class".

=== === ===

PS: the URL for Menestrello is now: http://www.readbeyond.it/menestrello/

Original comment by [email protected] on 11 Mar 2015 at 8:21

[pettarin]

Bumping this up, since I would like to have this included in EPUB 3.1.

[pettarin]

@danielweck @TzviyaSiegman Not seeing this addressed in the current EPUB 3.1 draft.

[danielweck]

@marisademeglio what do you think?
Most reading systems have a "play/pause" toggle button, but no "stop" button. The "stopped" state would only be set indirectly, for example when opening the EPUB for the first time, or when user-pausing and then user-switching to another spine item (basically, whenever the "resume" position is anything other than the last played location).
In the specification, we need normative prose to describe the distinction between the "stopped" and "paused" playback states, in relation to the existing media:playback-active-class (on the 'html' element) and media:active-class (on the highlighted element). The proposal is to add corresponding media:playback-paused-class and media:paused-class, respectively. This would allow authors to define visual styles specifically for the "paused" state (e.g. CSS highlighting of the location from which playback will resume).
http://www.idpf.org/epub/301/spec/epub-mediaoverlays.html#sec-docs-assoc-style
@pettarin thoughts welcome too :)

[pettarin]

I still am in favor of adding both media:playback-paused-class and media:paused-class, both as optional, like the current active counterparts.

[mattgarrish]

On a procedural note, the first editor's draft is intended to solicit feedback on the more drastic changes proposed so far; it is not feature complete. Issue tracker items, feature requests, and other items lower on the totem are still on the radar, but the working group has been clearing off the major drivers of the workplan first.

[marisademeglio]

The "paused" state that you describe ("it was playing and then i paused it, and i haven't navigated away") vs "it was never playing" is a different user experience that should have its own styling options. Adding these two new classes, and making their usage optional (both, neither, or something in between) makes sense to me.

[mattgarrish]

The working group reviewed this issue on the June 22 call and decided to defer. Questions were raised about the ability to standardize within the remaining timeline.

[iherman]

The issue was discussed in a meeting on 2021-03-04

List of resolutions:

• Resolution No. 4: Explore implementation of a media:paused class in EPUB 3.3

View the transcript

4. [Media Overlays] Add media:paused-class

See github issue #428.

Brady Duga: this was a way to style content when MO playback is paused

Marisa DeMeglio: so, you'd be playing MO and an element would be highlighted, and then you would pause, and the style of that element would change to whatever is defined by media:paused

Wendy Reid: e.g. the highlight could change to an underline

Brady Duga: so right now, when you pause, what happens when you pause?

Marisa DeMeglio: we don't say what should happen

Brady Duga: so this would make behaviour clearer

Wendy Reid: this is something that RSes might already have found a behaviour for...

Marisa DeMeglio: I think different RSes do their own thing
… from an implementation point of view, if you don't address this, then the styling will just stay even when the MO playback is paused
… could this open up a can of worms?

Wendy Reid: most RSes that implement MO also implement a standard style
… that overwrites what the content says

Brady Duga: we don't do that, we just go with whatever style the content says to apply for MO playback

Marisa DeMeglio: i'm trying to think of what impact this has on synched media where we do highlighting in a pretty different way

Wendy Reid: could we just defer this to synched media?

Marisa DeMeglio: synced media already has a pretty long list of deferred things

Brady Duga: one thing to consider is that if we do add this, existing content would be absolutely okay
… and then if new content begins to use this feature, it's fairly easy to implement

Marisa DeMeglio: a player can also do this without it formally being in spec, but its just that author wouldn't be able to pick the style

Dave Cramer: who filed the original issue?

Matthew Chan: all now referring to posts in the issue

Dave Cramer: i think we should ask around to see if people are actually interested in using this feature

Proposed resolution: Explore implementation of a media:paused class in EPUB 3.3 (Wendy Reid)

Brady Duga: +1

Matthew Chan: +1

Matt Garrish: +1

Toshiaki Koike: +1

Wendy Reid: +1

Masakazu Kitahara: +1

Resolution #4: Explore implementation of a media:paused class in EPUB 3.3