*with many browsers having partial native implementations, my suggestions for developing/viewing enviroments is:
Opera native (what you should use in class)
IE w/
plugin
example in another window
What is it?
Two-dimensional graphics Language in XML
Three types of graphic objects:
Vector Graphic Shapes
Pixelmap Images
Text
Graphical objects can be:
Grouped
Styled (CSS)
Transformed
Composited Into Previously Rendered Objects
Text is XML and so is searchable and accessibile
SVG Features
Nested Transformations
Clipping Paths
Alpha Masks
Filter Effects
Template Objects
Extensibility
Dynamic & Interactive
SVG has its own Document Object Model (DOM)
Includes the full XML DOM
Allows for vector graphics animation via scripting
(animation can be handled with SMIL or JavaScript)
Event handlers such as "onmouseover" and "onclick"
Basic Shapes
Rectangle
<rect>
Circle
<circle>
Ellipse
<ellipse>
Line
<line>
Polyline
<polyline>
Polygon
<polygon>
Path
<path>
Path ex:
Specific Control of Animations
KeySplines
KeyTimes
Ex: (Roll over the circle and the text)
example in another window
SVG Plays Well With Others
Can mix with XML, HTML, JavaScript, etc. on the same page
Some SVG Links
The Standards
W3C SVG Standards
Adobe's tutorials and the plug-in
Adobe's SVG Zone
(
Download Plugin
)
Tutorials and Examples
SVG Authoring Guidelines
The Art is in the Code
(examples of all primitives)
kevlindev
(Simple Tutorials/Examples - check out the games too!)
SVG Animation
(how to build jumping squares)
Adding media to SVG
SVG Resources List
Dan's Site! (plugin)
Dan's Site! (native)