animated backgrounds

[BethS]

HI all,

I really did try to find some help in the search box for this but I can't find the right one if there is one. I have found a site that has free animated backrounds. You can just save and use them. The problem I am having is in using them. They are GIF files (not really sure what that means, though) which are accepted formats for psg but why oh why aren't they animated when I drag them into my show.

I KNOW one of you will have the answer. If this has been addressed ad nauseum, let me know and I will continue hunting down the thread.

Thanks

Beth

[Barbara_K Profile Private message]

Beth,

Although GIF files are supported in PSG and PSP animated GIFs are not.

Barbara

[BethS]

dang!

Thanks

[smcclendon]

Beth,
Have you tried ito import your gif to windows movie maker and making a movie of the gif. Import your gif and put it in the storyboard for how many secs/mins that you want it to run and save it as a movie and then it will work in producer or proshow gold.
Salli

HI all,

I really did try to find some help in the search box for this but I can't find the right one if there is one. I have found a site that has free animated backrounds. You can just save and use them. The problem I am having is in using them. They are GIF files (not really sure what that means, though) which are accepted formats for psg but why oh why aren't they animated when I drag them into my show.

I KNOW one of you will have the answer. If this has been addressed ad nauseum, let me know and I will continue hunting down the thread.

Thanks

Beth

[briancbb Profile Private message]

Salli

Welcome to the forum.

It is not very often someones first post to the forum comes in with such a helpful hint.

Hope you stay around for a while.

Brian

[nannybear Profile Private messageWebsite]

Your first was to help out! That is great. Welcome to the forum, look forward to your particpation. Cheers Jan

[racoscarelli]

Well here is another method of bringing .gif files alive in PSG.

1. (I use Elements) Bring the .gif into your photo editor and what you should see are a series of layers which make up the .gif animation.
2. Save each layer as a file with a different file name like "chicken walking 1.png", "chicken walking 2.png" and so on. (use the .png so you will have tranparent backgrounds)
3. In PSG select all of these unique .png files in sequence and pull down to your slide list or timeline mode.
4. Set all transitions to Cut.
5. Highlight all of the slides and set slide duration to about .1 or possibly .75 of a second, you will have to play around with the slide duration to get the smoothness you want.
6. Depending upon the animation, to make the animation last longer, copy the complete set of slides several times and keep adding to the show.

With the above said, it is easier to pull the .gif into Windows MovieMaker and convert it into a .wmv movie.

Rick

Rick

[BethS]

Salli,

I could not wait to try your suggestion. Here is what happened.....I went to a website with lots of gifs. I saved one of them. I opened movie maker and dropped the gif into the timeline. I found, however that I had to drop the same image in about 25 times because each image that dropped in was only .2 seconds. Not sure why. Anyway, when I tried to save the "movie" there was no .mov option that I could find so I saved it as a .wmv. I tried to use it in PSG and it did work but the first time I played it. I wanted to use a longer segment so I copied the slide. When I played the two slides with a "0 cut" transition, the first slide motion stopped after three seconds. It stayed still for 2 seconds and then continued just fine for the next 5 seconds. I have no idea why it did this. I don't have any fancy editing programs so I cannot try the other suggestion that was listed here. One day I will take the plunge. I am just afraid that with so much more to be able to do I will never again see my husband or children and they will have to bring me food and water. I get so caught up in all of this and before I know it they have celebrated another birthday. hahahahaha

Thanks for the suggestion. I will try it again and again until I get it right.

Beth

[SSteve]

bnshdl
You can do the same thing with ma free program called Irfanview.It works the same way as you were directed.I had to go do one to remember how it was done but I am back here is how.If you have Irfanview (if not there is a free version and that is what I use)now open it up and go up to options/scroll down to extract all frames/I should have told you to go in some where like "my pictures"and make a folder to send your frames to.That is all there is to it now you will need to do as you were directed above.Start out with if there are 8 frames insert all 8, 4 times besure you keep the in the sequence,now play with your settings until you like it.
Steve

[DickK Profile Private messageWebsite]

Steve -- great catch. I'd totally forgotten that Irfanview does that -- filed for reference the next time the question comes up! Irfanview is my viewer of choice in fact.
Thanks,
Dick

[gpsmikey Profile Private message]

Handy !!! I hadn't realized that Irfanview does that -- and I use it all
the time - as Dick says "my viewer of choice" -- double click a jpg and
I'm in Irfanview.

mikey

[BethS]

Okay, I will try this program but which one do I download? When I click on the download button I have a bunch of choices. I am not savvy in the language of what some of this stuff means. any help?

Beth