Toufee
Encyclopedia
Toufee is flash movie
creating/editing software that is distributed online. It is an online software which runs inside the browser, so it is compatible with Windows, GNU/Linux and Macintosh operating systems. It contains features such as text effects, image transitions, audio/video support, and timeline editing.
. At the top there is menu bar. Beneath the menu bar there are two columns. The column of frames on the left is the "filmstrip
". The bigger column, on the right, is the "stage".
The stage is similar to a big painting canvas
where users add text, photos, videos, etc. The filmstrip is a panorama of the stage (allowing the preview of different frames).
. It is instead a straightforward process, allowing anyone to create movies with ease. Frames, text, images, videos, notes, sounds and buttons can be added to the movies by clicking the buttons on the menu bar. Double-clicking on any item opens a properties window for the selected item. This can be used to change the appearance of the selected item, add sounds effects, change timing, and so on.
The finished movie can be published online as an SWF
file. It can only be viewed online, however, unless converted to a video file format with a third-party utility.
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
creating/editing software that is distributed online. It is an online software which runs inside the browser, so it is compatible with Windows, GNU/Linux and Macintosh operating systems. It contains features such as text effects, image transitions, audio/video support, and timeline editing.
Layout
Toufee’s layout is similar to Microsoft PowerpointMicrosoft PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint, usually just called PowerPoint, is a non-free commercial presentation program developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Office suite, and runs on Microsoft Windows and Apple's Mac OS X operating system...
. At the top there is menu bar. Beneath the menu bar there are two columns. The column of frames on the left is the "filmstrip
Filmstrip
The filmstrip was a common form of still image instructional multimedia, once commonly used by educators in primary and secondary schools , now overtaken by newer and increasingly lower-cost full-motion videocassettes and DVDs...
". The bigger column, on the right, is the "stage".
The stage is similar to a big painting canvas
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
where users add text, photos, videos, etc. The filmstrip is a panorama of the stage (allowing the preview of different frames).
Making flash movies
To create flash movies in Toufee one does not require knowledge of programming, or ActionscriptActionScript
ActionScript is an object-oriented language originally developed by Macromedia Inc. . It is a dialect of ECMAScript , and is used primarily for the development of websites and software targeting the Adobe Flash Player platform, used on Web pages in the form of...
. It is instead a straightforward process, allowing anyone to create movies with ease. Frames, text, images, videos, notes, sounds and buttons can be added to the movies by clicking the buttons on the menu bar. Double-clicking on any item opens a properties window for the selected item. This can be used to change the appearance of the selected item, add sounds effects, change timing, and so on.
The finished movie can be published online as an SWF
SWF
SWF is an Adobe Flash file format used for multimedia, vector graphics and ActionScript. Originating with FutureWave Software, then transferred to Macromedia, and then coming under the control of Adobe, SWF files can contain animations or applets of varying degrees of interactivity and function.,...
file. It can only be viewed online, however, unless converted to a video file format with a third-party utility.
Editing, effects and transitions
There are over 50 text effects, and 25 image transitions. These are applied using a drag and drop interface from the "effects" or "transitions" folders. Sound clips, and masks, can be added to any items on the stage by dragging those effects onto the items.Features
- Toufee is web-based software, and does not require any software installation.
- A Toufee movie consists of Text, Images, Videos, and Sounds. Any number of these can be used in each movie.
- There are more than fifty Text Effects and around 25 Image Effects available.
- Included are five nearly-human text-to-speechSpeech synthesisSpeech synthesis is the artificial production of human speech. A computer system used for this purpose is called a speech synthesizer, and can be implemented in software or hardware...
voices which can convert user-provided text to dictated text instantly. - Toufee supports PNG and GIF image files.
- Import of all popular video formats, including: WMVWindows Media Video'Windows Media Video is a video compression format for several proprietary codecs developed by Microsoft. The original video format, known as WMV, was originally designed for Internet streaming applications, as a competitor to RealVideo. The other formats, such as WMV Screen and WMV Image, cater...
, MPEGMoving Picture Experts GroupThe Moving Picture Experts Group is a working group of experts that was formed by ISO and IEC to set standards for audio and video compression and transmission. It was established in 1988 by the initiative of Hiroshi Yasuda and Leonardo Chiariglione, who has been from the beginning the Chairman...
, AVIAudio Video InterleaveAudio Video Interleave , known by its acronym AVI, is a multimedia container format introduced by Microsoft in November 1992 as part of its Video for Windows technology. AVI files can contain both audio and video data in a file container that allows synchronous audio-with-video playback...
, and others. - Supports download of images and videos directly from popular sites like FlickrFlickrFlickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...
and YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
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Restrictions
- No one can create/edit movies without opening an account (Trial offer).
- The flash movies made with Toufee cannot be downloaded to a computer. If the movie needs further editing, it must be done at the site.
- Users of the OperaOpera (web browser)Opera is a web browser and Internet suite developed by Opera Software with over 200 million users worldwide. The browser handles common Internet-related tasks such as displaying web sites, sending and receiving e-mail messages, managing contacts, chatting on IRC, downloading files via BitTorrent,...
web browser have reported problems utilising Toufee's GUIGuiGui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...
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Toufee In education
- Toufee is being used by educators for activity-based learning to help children who cannot afford flash or learn flash programming.
- It was recently featured on the Discovery Educator NetworkDiscovery CommunicationsDiscovery Communications, Inc. is an American global media and entertainment company. The company started as a single channel in 1985, The Discovery Channel. Today, DCI has global operations offering 28 network entertainment brands on more than 100 channels in more than 180 countries in 39...
.
Versions
| 0.9 | Toufee 0.9 |  |
| 1.02 | Toufee 1.02 |  |
| 2.0a | Toufee 2.0a (alpha, unreleased) |  |
External links
- Toufee Website
- Toufee Wiki
- Techcrunch'sTechCrunchTechCrunch is a web publication that offers technology news and analysis, as well as profiling of startup companies, products, and websites. It was founded by Michael Arrington in 2005, and was first published on June 11, 2005....
article on toufee - Use in education
- Discovery Education Website