Glossary

There are a number of terms with specific meanings in the context of Plinthos. This glossary highlights the meanings behind these terms.

When these terms are used throughout the documentation, they will be capitalised as if they are proper nouns.

Bindings

Special values that Stages and Motifs react to in various ways (e.g., moving the camera in response to the x and y coordinates of the mouse cursor).

Content

Used to refer collectively to Shots and Sequences.

Display

An object responsible for managing the visual display of the Stage content as opposed to the composition of the content. Each Display is connected to a Stage Instance and an HTML canvas element and is reponsible for operations like updating the Stage Instance's resolution in response to the canvas element resizing or stopping the Stage Instance when the canvas is scrolled out of view or removed from the document.

Instance

It is possible for the same Stage to be used in multiple places on the same web page. In order to differentiate between them (for the purposes of providing instructions to them), each usage of that Stage is referred to as an Instance. Each Instance has its own key which can be configured from the Snippet.

Kit

A collection of Stages. It represents a bespoke body of work by Plinth Digital intended for use by a single customer (organisation or individual).

Kits come with access to the suite of online Plinthos tools used to create custom Content, configure Snippets, export video and display digital signage.

Motif

Any 3D object displayed by Plinthos.

Parameters

Extra pieces of information that provide more detail to Plinthos about how Content should be displayed.

This might include instructions to change the colors or positions of Motifs or adjust the framing of the shot so that the focal point is not behind the body text of your website.

Some parameters are shipped as standard with every Plinthos Kit and others are added as bespoke controls on a per-stage basis.

Reactions

An action (e.g., change or movement) that a Stage environment or Motif takes in response to some kind of input. For example an envelope Motif might appear as part of a Shot but it might fly off out of sight in response to a user clicking "submit" on an inquiry form. The Shot has not changed but the envelope Motif has Reacted.

Sequence

A sequence of Shots. Sequences can be configured to change between shots with set timings and parameters. Sequences are all individually named and have a unique key. The Sequence key is used to tell Plinthos what content to display.

Shot

An arrangement of Motifs, effects, movement and interactions. Shots are all individually named and have a unique key. The Shot key is used to tell Plinthos what content to display.

Snippet

A single line of HTML that allows Plinthos content to be displayed in a website or web application.

Stage

A collection of Shots. Shots within the same Stage often share Motifs. Stages are all individually named and have a unique key.

When a Plinthos Stage is used in a Snippet, each usage also has an Instance Key. This is so that you can use content from the same Stage in multiple places on your website and Plinthos knows which Instance of that Stage to send instructions to.