How to create animated GIF with captions?

[Yashgt]

Hi,

I would like to create a GIF file which appears as a slideshow of
multiple images with a fade-in effect. On image would gradually fade
and tunr into the next image. Also, I need a caption to appear in
small font at the bottom and outside the image. Is there a tool
(online or desktop) to do this?

Thanks,
Yash

[Richard Heathfield]

Post by Yashgt
Hi,
I would like to create a GIF file which appears as a slideshow of
multiple images with a fade-in effect. On image would gradually fade
and tunr into the next image. Also, I need a caption to appear in
small font at the bottom and outside the image. Is there a tool
(online or desktop) to do this?

The GIMP can do it. So can ImageMagick. Both are free.

[Rowley]

Why GIF? Just curious... would think that SWF would be a better format.

Martin

Post by Yashgt
Hi,
I would like to create a GIF file which appears as a slideshow of
multiple images with a fade-in effect. On image would gradually fade
and tunr into the next image. Also, I need a caption to appear in
small font at the bottom and outside the image. Is there a tool
(online or desktop) to do this?
Thanks,
Yash

[Richard Heathfield]

Post by Rowley
Why GIF? Just curious... would think that SWF would be a better format.

Well, I'm not the OP, but I would guess he is swayed by the fact that
animated GIFs have wide browser support.

[Rowley]

I guess that's true.... and I hear a lot of people use them on their
MySpace pages....

Martin

Post by Richard Heathfield

Post by Rowley
Why GIF? Just curious... would think that SWF would be a better format.

Well, I'm not the OP, but I would guess he is swayed by the fact that
animated GIFs have wide browser support.

[Yashgt]

I have chosen GIF for browser compatibility and also because I do not
have any experience with SWF.

ImageMagick suggested by Richard is the tool I was looking for. I can
build a script and specify the files to be used as the constituents of
the GIF. I can then change it when I want to change the GIF.

Trouble is that the syntax appears too complicated. If anyone can help
me with a sample, that will be great. Otherwise I will try and figure
it out. What I want to do is:
- specify 4 images
- specify 4 strings that act as their captions
- create a gif such that when one image transitions into another,
there is fade-in effect
- the corresponding caption appears for each image

Thanks,
Yash

Post by Rowley
I guess that's true.... and I hear a lot of people use them on their
MySpace pages....
Martin

Post by Richard Heathfield

Post by Rowley
Why GIF? Just curious... would think that SWF would be a better format.

Well, I'm not the OP, but I would guess he is swayed by the fact that
animated GIFs have wide browser support.

[Richard Heathfield]

Post by Yashgt
I have chosen GIF for browser compatibility and also because I do not
have any experience with SWF.
ImageMagick suggested by Richard is the tool I was looking for. I can
build a script and specify the files to be used as the constituents of
the GIF. I can then change it when I want to change the GIF.
Trouble is that the syntax appears too complicated.

ImageMagick? You're kidding! Let's say you have half a dozen bitmapped images,
named frame1.bmp through frame6.bmp (no, you don't have to use those names!).

You do this:

convert *.bmp final.gif

Where's the complication? :-)

Post by Yashgt
- create a gif such that when one image transitions into another,
there is fade-in effect

For this, you'll need to do a bit of alpha-blending. Not difficult. I actually
wrote a cross-fading program not so long ago, for precisely this purpose. It
takes a set of .bmp files and a tween rate, and produces bitmap frames that
fade from A to B, B to C, C to ..., etc, ... to Z, and Z back to A again.
ImageMagick then takes the strain of merging them together into a GIF.

(And before you ask, no, you can't use my cross-fader, unless you're prepared
to part with some cash, which strikes me as being rather unlikely. But it
really isn't that difficult to write your own. If I can do it...)

[Yashgt]

Thanks a ton. That was encouraging. Just that having to figure out the
options ans switches worries me.

Post by Richard Heathfield
ImageMagick? You're kidding! Let's say you have half a dozen bitmapped images,
named frame1.bmp through frame6.bmp (no, you don't have to use those names!).
convert *.bmp final.gif
Where's the complication? :-)

Post by Yashgt
- create a gif such that when one image transitions into another,
there is fade-in effect

For this, you'll need to do a bit of alpha-blending. Not difficult. I actually
wrote a cross-fading program not so long ago, for precisely this purpose. It
takes a set of .bmp files and a tween rate, and produces bitmap frames that
fade from A to B, B to C, C to ..., etc, ... to Z, and Z back to A again.
ImageMagick then takes the strain of merging them together into a GIF.
(And before you ask, no, you can't use my cross-fader, unless you're prepared
to part with some cash, which strikes me as being rather unlikely. But it
really isn't that difficult to write your own. If I can do it...)
--
Richard Heathfield <http://www.cpax.org.uk>
Google users: <http://www.cpax.org.uk/prg/writings/googly.php>
"Usenet is a strange place" - dmr 29 July 1999

[Anthony Thyssen]

On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:33:23 -0700 (PDT)
Yashgt <***@gmail.com> wrote:

| Thanks a ton. That was encouraging. Just that having to figure out the
| options ans switches worries me.
|
| >
| > ImageMagick? You're kidding! Let's say you have half a dozen bitmapped images,
| > named frame1.bmp through frame6.bmp (no, you don't have to use those names!).
| >
|
All the ImageMagick examples, including all the info you need for GIF animation
is in Imagemagick Examples...
http://www.imagemagick.org/Usage/

The Animation Basics tell you the options and the GIF handling.
Whole Animation Modifications give you everything from adding captions
to cross fading.

The ImageMgaick Diccussion Server is also available to get further help
and is VERY active.

PS: I an the maintaner of IM Examples :-)

Anthony Thyssen ( Graphics Enthusiast ) <***@griffith.edu.au>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
A picture may be worth a thousand words,
but a thousand words use a lot less disk space!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
IM Examples

[tacit]

In article

Post by Yashgt
I have chosen GIF for browser compatibility and also because I do not
have any experience with SWF.
ImageMagick suggested by Richard is the tool I was looking for. I can
build a script and specify the files to be used as the constituents of
the GIF. I can then change it when I want to change the GIF.

You will be sadly disappointed by the results.

A GIF image can have no more than 256 colors maximum. If you have many
different photographs in a GIF, even an animated GIF, they must share
that same palette of 256 total colors. You'll go through a lot of work,
then likely be horrified by the results.

[Richard Heathfield]

Post by tacit
In article

Post by Yashgt
I have chosen GIF for browser compatibility and also because I do not
have any experience with SWF.
ImageMagick suggested by Richard is the tool I was looking for. I can
build a script and specify the files to be used as the constituents of
the GIF. I can then change it when I want to change the GIF.

You will be sadly disappointed by the results.
A GIF image can have no more than 256 colors maximum. If you have many
different photographs in a GIF, even an animated GIF, they must share
that same palette of 256 total colors. You'll go through a lot of work,
then likely be horrified by the results.

GIFs are typically used where a high definition image is required but not too
many colours are needed. The great advantage of the GIF format is that it is
lossless - every detail is preserved, keeping the image crisp. Unfortunately,
the great disadvantage of the GIF format is that it is lossless, making the
use of many colours impractical (and as tacit points out, the upper limit is
disappointingly low).

If you have cartoon-style images - hi-def, not many colours - GIFs work just
fine, and animating them can look really cool. But photographs? Well, yes you
can do it, but like the man said, it'll look *so* sucky.

[p***@ipal.net]

In comp.graphics.misc tacit <***@aol.com> wrote:
| In article
| <eb6c9347-4afc-449b-b3ca-***@j1g2000prb.googlegroups.com>,
| Yashgt <***@gmail.com> wrote:
|
|> I have chosen GIF for browser compatibility and also because I do not
|> have any experience with SWF.
|>
|> ImageMagick suggested by Richard is the tool I was looking for. I can
|> build a script and specify the files to be used as the constituents of
|> the GIF. I can then change it when I want to change the GIF.
|
| You will be sadly disappointed by the results.
|
| A GIF image can have no more than 256 colors maximum. If you have many
| different photographs in a GIF, even an animated GIF, they must share
| that same palette of 256 total colors. You'll go through a lot of work,
| then likely be horrified by the results.

Bzzzt! Wrong! Just for the record, I have a GIF file with 32697 colors.

[Oncle Dom]

Post by p***@ipal.net
Bzzzt! Wrong! Just for the record, I have a GIF file with 32697 colors.

Where is it?
--
Oncle Dom
_________
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/oncle.dom/

[KatWoman]

Post by Yashgt
Hi,
I would like to create a GIF file which appears as a slideshow of
multiple images with a fade-in effect. On image would gradually fade
and tunr into the next image. Also, I need a caption to appear in
small font at the bottom and outside the image. Is there a tool
(online or desktop) to do this?
Thanks,
Yash

If you have Photoshop?? it has an animation creator with tweening choices,
etc.

window>animation palette

place images into frames, specify time on screen, tween choices

then

save for web when done>>> select gif in drop down

[JD]

Post by KatWoman

Post by Yashgt
Hi,
I would like to create a GIF file which appears as a slideshow of
multiple images with a fade-in effect. On image would gradually fade
and tunr into the next image. Also, I need a caption to appear in
small font at the bottom and outside the image. Is there a tool
(online or desktop) to do this?
Thanks,
Yash

If you have Photoshop?? it has an animation creator with tweening choices,
etc.
window>animation palette
place images into frames, specify time on screen, tween choices
then
save for web when done>>> select gif in drop down

How does one add new images into frames? All I can get it to do is copy
the original image?

[KatWoman]

Post by JD

Post by KatWoman

Post by Yashgt
Hi,
I would like to create a GIF file which appears as a slideshow of
multiple images with a fade-in effect. On image would gradually fade
and tunr into the next image. Also, I need a caption to appear in
small font at the bottom and outside the image. Is there a tool
(online or desktop) to do this?
Thanks,
Yash

If you have Photoshop?? it has an animation creator with tweening
choices, etc.
window>animation palette
place images into frames, specify time on screen, tween choices
then
save for web when done>>> select gif in drop down

How does one add new images into frames? All I can get it to do is copy
the original image?
--
JD..

make a layered psd with all the images on separate layers
then click little paper icon
then turn off and on the layers you want to show in each frame

[JD]

Post by KatWoman

Post by JD

Post by KatWoman

Post by Yashgt
Hi,
I would like to create a GIF file which appears as a slideshow of
multiple images with a fade-in effect. On image would gradually fade
and tunr into the next image. Also, I need a caption to appear in
small font at the bottom and outside the image. Is there a tool
(online or desktop) to do this?
Thanks,
Yash

If you have Photoshop?? it has an animation creator with tweening
choices, etc.
window>animation palette
place images into frames, specify time on screen, tween choices
then
save for web when done>>> select gif in drop down

How does one add new images into frames? All I can get it to do is copy
the original image?
--
JD..

make a layered psd with all the images on separate layers
then click little paper icon
then turn off and on the layers you want to show in each frame

Thanks!