TEMPO: play a sound in animated GIF/PDF/SVG

Click on the image below to see the ticking metronome (SVG version) in action:

https://agrahn.gitlab.io/svg/tempoForWeb-2.1.svg

This animate-based example comes in two versions.

The PDF version requires Acrobat Reader and is thus restricted to Windows and OSX platforms for desktop PCs. (Mobile devices are not supported.) The PDF version uses media9 for playing the embedded sound file click.mp3, taken from the animate package which already provides a ticking metronome example in its manual.

The standalone SVG version runs in most contemporary Web browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Opera ...), even on mobile devices. Here, the sound is embedded as a Base64-encoded Blob using the HTML5 <audio> tag. (click.mp3 was encoded with "base64 click.mp3" on the command line.) The physically embedded sound file makes the SVG self-contained.

In either case, playback of the sound is started by JavaScript on every frame change of the running animation. The "timeline" feature of animate is used to associate the JS code with each frame (timeline input frames.txt).

The tempo marker is implemented with a second animateinline environment. It provides 39 typical metronome speeds that can be stepped trough with the +/- buttons. The buttons make use of the animate JavaScript interface to increment and decrement the tempo marker frame number. Another timeline file, tempo.txt, associates each marker frame with a JS snippet that scales the metronome speed accordingly, again using the JS interface of animate.

PDF version, to be compiled with pdflatex, lualatex, latex+dvips+ps2pdf, or xelatex:

\documentclass[varwidth,border=12pt]{standalone}

\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{animate}
\usepackage{media9}
\usepackage{fontawesome5}

% tempo markers
\def\tempos{{40,42,44,46,48,50,52,54,56,58,60,63,66,69,72,76,80,84,88,92,96,100,104,108,112,116,120,126,132,138,144,152,160,168,176,184,192,200,208}}

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
% timeline files
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
% metronome
\usepackage{filecontents}
\begin{filecontents*}{frames.txt}
::0: annotRM['click'].callAS('play');
::1: annotRM['click'].callAS('play');
::2: annotRM['click'].callAS('play');
::3: annotRM['click'].callAS('play');
\end{filecontents*}
% tempo
\newwrite\TimeLineFile
\immediate\openout\TimeLineFile=tempo.txt
\foreach \i in {0,1,...,38} {
    %JavaScript for scaling the metronome's default speed (60 frames per min)
    \pgfmathparse{\tempos[\i]/60}
    \immediate\write\TimeLineFile{::\i:anim.metronome.speed=\pgfmathresult;}
}
\immediate\closeout\TimeLineFile
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

\setlength{\textwidth}{4.4cm}

\begin{document}
\begin{center}
%the sound player  
\makebox[0pt][r]{\includemedia[
  width=1ex,height=1ex,
  label=click,
  addresource=click.mp3,
  activate=pageopen,transparent,noplaybutton,
  flashvars={source=click.mp3&hideBar=true}
]{}{APlayer.swf}}%
\makebox[4cm][l]{The \LaTeX{} Metronome}\\[1ex]

%%%%%%%%%%%
% metronome
%%%%%%%%%%%
\begin{animateinline}[label=metronome,nomouse,loop,timeline=frames.txt]{1}
  \multiframe{4}{n=1+1}{
    \begin{tikzpicture}
      \path (0.3,-0.5) rectangle (4.7,0.5);
      \shade[inner color=green,outer color=green!10] (\n,0) circle(.6);
      \foreach \i in {1,...,4} \fill[cyan] (\i,0) circle(.3);
    \end{tikzpicture}
  }
\end{animateinline}

%%%%%%%%%%%
% controls
%%%%%%%%%%%
\makebox[4cm]{%
\mediabutton[
  jsaction={
    if(anim.metronome.isPlaying) anim.metronome.stopFirst(); 
    else anim.metronome.playFwd();
  }
]{\faPowerOff}\hfill
% tempo
\mediabutton[
  jsaction={ try {--anim.tempo.frameNum;} catch (e) {} }
]{\faMinusCircle}\,%
\begin{animateinline}[label=tempo,step,nomouse,poster=10,timeline=tempo.txt]{1}
  \multiframe{39}{i=0+1}{
    \pgfmathparse{\tempos[\i]}
    \makebox[\widthof{000}][c]{\strut\pgfmathresult}
  }
\end{animateinline}\,%
\mediabutton[
  jsaction={ try {++anim.tempo.frameNum;} catch (e) {} }
]{\faPlusCircle}}
\end{center}
\end{document}

SVG version, to be compiled with

latex tempoForWeb.tex
latex tempoForWeb.tex
dvisvgm --font-format=woff --exact --zoom=-1 tempoForWeb.dvi

The SVG can be viewed standalone in a Web browser, or embedded into a Web page by means of the <object> HTML tag:

\documentclass[dvisvgm,varwidth,preview]{standalone}

\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{animate}
\usepackage{fontawesome5}

% tempo markers
\def\tempos{{40,42,44,46,48,50,52,54,56,58,60,63,66,69,72,76,80,84,88,92,96,100,104,108,112,116,120,126,132,138,144,152,160,168,176,184,192,200,208}}

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
% timeline files
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
% metronome
\usepackage{filecontents}
\begin{filecontents*}{frames.txt}
::0:$('click').play();
::1:$('click').play();
::2:$('click').play();
::3:$('click').play();
\end{filecontents*}
% tempo
\newwrite\TimeLineFile
\immediate\openout\TimeLineFile=tempo.txt
\foreach \i in {0,1,...,38} {
    %JavaScript for scaling the metronome's default speed (60 frames per min)
    \pgfmathparse{\tempos[\i]/60}
    \immediate\write\TimeLineFile{::\i:anim.metronome.speed=\pgfmathresult;}
}
\immediate\closeout\TimeLineFile
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
% for producing push buttons
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
\ExplSyntaxOn
\def\controlButton#1#2{% #1:button face, #2 JavaScript
  \sbox{0}{#1}
  \makebox[0pt][l]{\usebox{0}}
  \pbs_pdfannot:nnnn{\wd0}{\ht0}{\dp0}{cursor='pointer'~onmousedown='#2'}
  \phantom{\usebox{0}}
}
\ExplSyntaxOff
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

\setlength{\textwidth}{4.4cm}

\begin{document}
% embed sound
\special{dvisvgm:rawdef
  <audio xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id='click'>
    <source
    src="data:audio/mpeg;base64,
    SUQzBAAAAAAAOlRJVDIAAAAHAAADY2xpY2sAVERSTAAAAAYAAAMyMDA4AFRTU0UAAAAPAAADTGF2
    ZjUzLjMyLjEwMAD/+5DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABYaW5nAAAABwAAAAUAAAnKAFVVVVVVVVVV
    VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV/f39/f39/f39/f39/f39/f39/f6qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq1dXV1dXV
    1dXV1dXV1dXV1dXV1dX//////////////////////////wAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/+5DEAAAUjaVe1JYACx40rvMw8ABACACTCHXF
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    yUAQAAA/pl68Vi/7Qg4UtK3LOso+DiUVkE2dwETAJhFmkFMTULcBf8MajmiFhyj/+5LEHQAc3e9H
    +ZmAArA33dcbQADJEyHLIgYDRFdIJGeS1Jj0UCGFQ2RLBAzdFReRYwLBQLBeOGR1ArKLZkYoF6sp
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    01IXM3PQn8RHl1AXLACAAAAMS3hWjt8TEJN45REvHKFnEP/JByCg3m/xHQ0ikRYXL/4C4gLXhhh+
    QWTCO//xUSbC4EAE4AKKDSw0b//BtINyCEgDaQZBAwawDCnARIgsJ///E2ifQsmGOFlFYOiEzAAG
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    ADC10ZAL0hsotgzSUhxMQU1FMy45OS4zqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq
    qqqqqqqqqqqq" type="audio/mpeg"/>
%    <source src="click.mp3" type="audio/mpeg"/> % alternatively: separate mp3
  </audio>
  <script type="text/javascript">
  <![CDATA[
    function $(id) {return document.getElementById(id);};
  ]]>
  </script>
}
\begin{center}
\makebox[4cm][l]{The \LaTeX{} Metronome}\\[1ex]

%%%%%%%%%%%
% metronome
%%%%%%%%%%%
\begin{animateinline}[label=metronome,nomouse,loop,timeline=frames.txt]{1}
  \multiframe{4}{n=1+1}{
    \begin{tikzpicture}
      \path (0.3,-0.5) rectangle (4.7,0.5);
      \shade[inner color=green,outer color=green!10] (\n,0) circle(.6);
      \foreach \i in {1,...,4} \fill[cyan] (\i,0) circle(.3);
    \end{tikzpicture}
  }
\end{animateinline}

%%%%%%%%%%%
% controls
%%%%%%%%%%%
\makebox[4cm]{%
\controlButton{\faPowerOff}{%
  if(anim.metronome.isPlaying) anim.metronome.stopFirst(); 
  else anim.metronome.playFwd();
}\hfill
% tempo
\controlButton{\faMinusCircle}{%
  try {--anim.tempo.frameNum;} catch (e) {}
}\,%
\begin{animateinline}[label=tempo,step,nomouse,poster=10,timeline=tempo.txt]{1}
  \multiframe{39}{i=0+1}{
    \pgfmathparse{\tempos[\i]}
    \makebox[\widthof{000}][c]{\strut\pgfmathresult}
  }
\end{animateinline}\,%
\controlButton{\faPlusCircle}{%
  try {++anim.tempo.frameNum;} catch (e) {}
}}
\end{center}
\end{document}

Standalone, animated GIF is dumb and deaf, afaik, and there does not seem to exist an easily accessible method to synchronize an embedded Gif (in a Web page) with a sound. But SVG is much superior, since it is vectorial and thus freely scalable.

Tags:

Multimedia

Tikz Pgf

Asymptote

Media9

Animate

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