Graphical image processing with levels of user access

A method of generating an executable animation file in an image data processing system, in which first graphical data, second graphical data and rendering instructions are stored upon a data storage medium and these are processed by processing means in accordance with processing instructions to combine said first graphical data with instructions to generate an executable animation file, in which:

• said first graphical data comprises locked parameters defining first characteristics of an animation and references to second characteristics of said animation;
• said second graphical data comprises unlocked parameters defining said second characteristics of said animation;
• wherein
• said combining process results in an executable animation file being stored, containing within it references to said unlocked parameters, such that:
• said first animation characteristics are locked by said combining process and are editable only at a first level of user access, prior to said combination of first graphic data and rendering instructions;
• and
• said second animation characteristics are editable at a second level of user access, after said combining has been performed.

A data structure on a machine-readable medium, containing instructions for processing means in an image data processing system comprising said processing means and data storage means, in which said instructions instruct said processing means to perform processing operations for generating an executable animation file, by combining first graphical data stored upon said data storage means with rendering instructions, and for generating a second graphical data file, wherein

• said first graphical data comprises locked parameters defining first characteristics of an animation and references to second characteristics of said animation;
• said second characteristics being defined by second graphical data comprising a plurality of unlocked parameters;
• wherein
• said combining process results in an executable animation file being generated, containing within it references to said unlocked parameters, such that:
• said first animation characteristics are editable only at a first level of user access, prior to said combination of graphic data and rendering instructions;
• and
• said second animation characteristics are editable at a second level of user access, after said combining has taken place.

An image processing system for generating animated visual images, including processing means and data storage means, in which an executable animation file and a editable data file are stored upon said data storage means, wherein

• said executable animation file includes rendering instructions and animation data which in combination define first characteristics of an animation, said animation data including locked animation parameters and references to unlocked animation parameters;
• said editable data file comprises said unlocked animation parameters defining second characteristics of said animated images such that said second characteristics are modifiable without changing said executable animation file;
• and
• said processing means is configured to render a sequence of image frames by processing said editable data file in accordance with said rendering instructions in the executable animation file.

A data structure on a machine-readable medium, containing instructions for processing means in an image processing system comprising said processing means and data storage means, in which said instructions instruct said processing means to perform processing operations for generating animated visual images, by processing graphical data with an editable data file stored upon said data storage means;

• said data structure includes rendering instructions and animation data which in combination define first characteristics of an animation, said animation data including locked animation parameters and references to unlocked animation parameters;
• and
• said editable data comprises values for said unlocked parameters defining second characteristics of said animation data;
• wherein
• said rendering instructions for said processing means render a sequence of image frames by processing said editable data in combination with said animation data.