Animated GIFs News & Views Software Review

by Mike Hendry Originally published in News & Views January 1999 issue. Copyright 1998 STC-Philadelphia Metro Chapter. For permission to reprint this article, contact the Managing Editor.

The big guns are pushing expensive tools and hassle-prone plug-ins to bring animation and video to the web. (Personally, the minute I see that a web page needs a plug-in, I'm out of there). I'll bet a lot of applications out there don't require such high-end tools. Behold the animated GIF. Simple, native (no-plug-ins), and capable of quite a bit more than spinning email signs and dancing penguins. GIF files can handle small (soundless) video clips easily. Using GIFs, you can show animations of processes, animated screen captures of software demonstrations, and other things. So, I went out on the web to see what was available for us to create these versatile little files. Some of the issues I considered in each tool include: can it import AVI video files is it an animation program-does it include paint and drawing tools; does it have the ability to trace previous frames (onion-skinning) is it an assembly program-assemble pre-drawn frames and edit their properties and order how much does it cost For examples of GIF animation for technical communication purposes, see my website at ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mhendry/. Finally, I'm sure I didn't cover all the tools available; if anyone knows of a good tool that I left off (especially a free one), email me at 102701.1465@compuserve.com. Freebies First the bad news: the freebie situation is bleak. Even the worst of the lot, Microsoft's GIF animator, is no longer free. However there is one tool that still provides a free "lite" version: HVS Animator from Digital Frontiers (www.digfrontiers.com). This is fairly bare bones. It cannot import AVI files; it is strictly a GIF tool. It has a fairly formidable interface, but adequate documentation online. My biggest complaint is that you can't apply frame properties globally but must apply them one frame at a time. My test animation was 54 frames, and I didn't enjoy applying a delay to each one. It is written in Java, so you need the latest version of the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine, which you can download when you download HVS. The only thing the lite version is missing is GIF file optimization, to shrink the file size down. I didn't see too much gain using the different optimization techniques, but you will have to experiment with your own projects. If you need to get a GIF animation together fast, from preexisting frames, you can download this and be on your way (legally) fairly rapidly. Cheapies The next category is the cheapies. Most are about $20, ranging up to $35. They are shareware, with variable evaluation functionality. Download them to try, and if you like one, register it. Evaluation versions fall into the following categories: fully functional with no time limit-the honor system fully functional with an expiration-usually 30 days save impaired-prints a warning or otherwise impairs the saved file save disabled-you cannot save your work at all I shy away from that last category, as there's nothing worse than working on an example just to watch it go up in smoke. For this category I evaluated Animated Screen, Animagic, Animato, GIF Construction Set, GIF Movie Gear, GifgIfgiF, MicroAngelo GIFted, and WWW Gif Animator. I have the following recommendations: WWW Gif Animator ($20, stud1.tuwien.ac.at/~e8925005/) Simple to use GIF assembly program. Wide support for import file types, including AVI (though it only saves as GIF or JPEG). Many effects and transitions, and banner creation. Fully functional with no expiration. GIF Movie Gear ($30, www.gamani.com) Easy-to-use GIF assembly program, nice film metaphor interface. You can view all the frames at once, not just a cryptic list. Supports the import and export of several file types, including AVI. 30-day trial. With GIF Movie Gear, you can view all the frames at once, not just a cryptic list. Microangelo GIFted ($29.95, www.impactsoft.com) The only low-end animation program. Not bad if you don't have your own paint program. You can paint on all frames at the same time, or one at a time, but cannot onion-skin. Assembly and optimization are adequate, but I would recommend one of the above if you don't need the drawing tools. GIF only. Fully functional with no expiration. Higher end This category includes Ulead Gif Animator 3, GIFmation, and ProMotion, ranging in price from $39.95 to $69. If money is no object, I have the following recommendations: Ulead GIF Animator ($39.95, www.webutilites.com) Ulead has been around for quite a while, and has developed quite a support infrastructure for its product. GIF Animator is an advanced assembly program, fairly easy to use, and includes many effects. It supports import/export of AVIs, but cannot import bitmaps other than GIFs. Open architecture allows Photoshop and Ulead effect plug-ins, which Ulead is happy to sell. 15-day trial. ProMotion ($69, www.cosmigo.com/promotion) This is a high-end animation program. It has many drawing tools, drawing aids, and effects. Steep learning curve, but for the professional artist, this is a good choice. Save disabled trial :-(. If you need specific functionality, get on the vendor's web site. But please, animate responsibly. Tool Price Download Web Address Comments HVS Animator n/a Freebie www.digfrontiers.com Need Microsoft Java Virtual Machine. The only freebie. Cannot convert AVI to GIF. Very formidable interface, but adequate documentation (on-line). Cannot apply frame conditions to all frames at once, this is very tedious. Very few features. GifgIfgiF $28 30-day trial, save impaired www.peda.com Interesting paradigm: It records screen captures to animated GIFs. You either work on a drawing in some other program and capture frames as you go along, or you work on a section on the screen and record it automatically at a specified frame rate. Good for putting software how-to's on the web. Screen capture tool only. Does not import files, does not convert AVI files. Manual on-line. Very few features. Animagic $29 30 day trial http://rtlsoft.com Supports Gif, PCX, BMP, JPG, and text files. Can apply frame parameters to all at the same time. Several special effects: Fade in. Fade out, Dissolve, Banner Scroll, Wipe, Spiral, and Blind. Optimization seems flaky Overall good tool. Good user interface. Help in HTML format. Animated Screen $29 No expiration www.pysoft.com Not very intuitive interface. Mostly to create screen savers and self executing greeting cards. Both can contain sound. Can also create animated GIFS. Has a wizard to take you through the process. Cannot import existing GIFs or AVIs. Extensive tool for screensavers and cards, not for GIFs. Animato $34.95 30 day trial www.lakeclear.com Includes paint functionality so you can create your own animations. Only Gifs, no AVIs. No onion-skinning. Gifmation $49 Save Disabled www.boxtopsoft.com Supports GIF, BMP, EMF, AVI, JPG, PSD. Demo doesn't save or import. Supposedly you can unlock it free for 30 days. Can onionskin, but no drawing tools. Gif Construction Set $20 No expiration www.mindworkshop.com/alchemy/alchemy.html Disappointing. Non intuitive interface, along the lines of the internal workings of the GIF file format, not an artists work flow. No drawing or painting tools. Can convert back and forth AVI to Gif. GIF Movie Gear $30 30 day trial www.gamani.com Supports GIF, AVI, BMP, JPG, PSD, ANI. Can apply frame parameters to all simultaneously. Nice film metaphor interface, easy to use. Recommended. Microangelo GIFted $29.95 No expiration www.impactsoft.com Nice little drawing package. Contains some kiosk transition effects (one frame to the next). Can only read GIF files, or insert bitmap images, no AVI. Course global speed adjustment. Not very hot. ProMotion $69 Save disabled www.cosmigo.com/promotion Suports GIF, PCX, BMP, ICO, FLI, ANI. Can save AVI, but not load AVI(?). Can onionskin. Very extensive paint, image editing and animation package. If you are serious, and don't have another paint program , this may be a good investment. Steep learning curve. WWW GIF Animator $20 No expiration http://start.at/gifanimator Wide support for import file types, can only save GIFs and JPEG stills. Many Effects and transitions. Can create banners. Simple to use GIF assembler. Recommended. Ulead Gif Animator $39.95 15 day trial www.webutilities.com Advanced assembly program. Easy to use, includes many effects. Only GIFs and AVIs. Supports plug-ins.

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Posted January 18, 1999 (dls)