So, I want to be able to make animated gifs from other media files, but I am not sure how to do it. I have heard some people say they make captures using VirtualDub, but I can't figure out how to do that. As for making the gifs, I have Jasc software Animation Shop. I sort of know how to use that. Basically it's the capturing of individual frames with VituralDub from an AVI or similar file that's stumping me.
Screencaps and Making animated gifs
-
-
you don't need to use Virtual Dub, I suggest you screen cap it with your current media player, if you need help with that, we already have a help thread on making screen captures.
So basically, just screen cap a few frames of what you want, then select the key ones(the ones that show change) and then place it in frame by frame with Jasc PSP.
-
I go through a long process for my animated gifs. I do use Virtualdub, once you have a certain scene you want in the brackets then you go to "file" "save image squence" and you can pick where to save it. It'll export each frame as a .bmp or .tga both work fine. Then to animate it I use Ulead Gif Animator, open the first image of the sequence then import the rest of the images. I then start deleting repeat frames and try to get a good loop on the sequence. After that's done, I'll start experimenting with the image size, if it's something like the example I'll have in a second I just try to zoom in on that part cutting out the useless stuff, and then resize with the zoomed in part.
example of a good continuous loop:
I probably didn't help at all did I?
If need be I can always help you out making some if you want.
-
Do a screenshot for every frame (eg using bsplayer) then use Adobe Imageready to animate them. That's what I do and it's kinda tedious ^^;;
-
I probably didn't help at all did I?
It sounds helpful, but I have yet to actually try itβ¦.
How do you put the scene in the brackets?
Wanderer_Zero - I know how to make screencaps in WMP, but I don't seem to get a very good frame-rate that way, that is why I am trying it in VD.
-
you'll just have to pause faster =p
kidding, but it's worth a try <_<
Anyway, I'm inexperienced with Virtual Dub myself, so if Snow could explain in more detail how she is doing it, that might help you a lot. If anything, try PMing her for help.
-
Ok first step, you need to know what you want to make an animated gif of, say Luffy laughing in episode uh 67 at like 12 mins and 54 seconds. You don't need to know the exact time but it's helpful. (note: that I'm just making up the time right now)
Open episode 67 in VD, then press crtl + G and it will bring up a frame skip window, use the bottom one for time so instead of the 0s go 12:54.00. And it will bring you around the area you want.
Press the mark in button
It will create a triangle indicator to tell VD that is where you want to start. Move the marker to the desired place. then press the mark out button, which will tell VD where to stop.
See the triangle indicator at the bottom and there's a black strip between another triangle indicator? That would be the set of frames you are exporting. So go to save image sequence and you're good to go. Of course don't do exactly what I'm doing in the pictures because I'm making a video clip.
When you're saving the image sequence there's a box with "minimum number of digits in name" don't make it 0, make it like 3 or something, it'll then put 001, 002, and so on. It makes all the frames to be saved in order then if you sort your files by name. I you need a screen on how to work the "Save Image Sequence" thingy, then just ask.
-
Wow, thank you so much for the little tutorial, snow_yeti! It worked! :proud: And now I know how to make avi files with VD too. Now I can ditch the crappy WMM.
Of course, now I need to figure out how too take all these frames and turn them into an animation.
I was surprised at the number of frames that came up, I'll probably have to cut them down.
Edit: Well, I actually made a gif - when I viewed the animation in Animation Shop, it played exactly as I wanted it to according to the frame rate properties - but when I saved it and opened it, the animation goes too slow, like it ignores that settings that I created.
I am at a loss now as to how to fix this problem.
-
Uhm, I don't really know how to do it, but what I did is just get some series of screenshots, put it in Flash, publish it and just convert it from swf to gif?=(
-
Edit: Well, I actually made a gif - when I viewed the animation in Animation Shop, it played exactly as I wanted it to according to the frame rate properties - but when I saved it and opened it, the animation goes too slow, like it ignores that settings that I created.
I am at a loss now as to how to fix this problem.
Hmm, think you could post it? I'll check it out on my computer.
MR.Prince-Sanji all I did was teach how to export the frames from VirtualDub. I'm pretty sure when it's in flash you can save it as an animated gif, but there are better programs to use to make for animated gifs other than flash. Flash is my choice for other things but not gifs.
-
OK, here is my gif:
(Figures I'd do something like that, eh?) XD
Note how slow it goes. When I preview the image in AS, it's not slow like that. I tried looking through help files to see if I missed anything, but I can't figure it out. And I don't know anyone else who uses the program to give me any advice.
-
It works fine on my computer actually. It's not slow, unless you want it like lightning fast. But it's not like really really slow, it's probalby going at the speed you intended it to go at.
-
Hm, well this is interesting. It's slow on IE, and it's also slow when I open it in any other image viewer on my computer, but it seems to be right in Firefox.:wacko:
I guess Microsloth is just a pain. What browser are you using? -
I'm using Mozilla, I'll check your gif with my animator to look at the frames. I'm assuming you say it's slow like really laggy slow?
[edit] well I opened it in my animator, so I got rid of the extra frames, but now it's really really fast.
Went back again, and didn't get rid of as many extra frames so its a tad slower than the one above.
-
Hm, ic. Thanks. I took the second one and I removed just two more frames. It seems to be pretty good that way. Wierd how the different browsers show it differntly though.
-
Well it could be just my perception of slow and fast. It was probably slow to you because you intended it to be faster, while since my view was unbiased I didn't think it was slow. You know I come up with the oddest theories when I'm tired.
So I assume everything is good to go? If you have troubles with any gifs that you're making feel free to PM me.
-
Well it could be just my perception of slow and fast. It was probably slow to you because you intended it to be faster, while since my view was unbiased I didn't think it was slow. You know I come up with the oddest theories when I'm tired.
So I assume everything is good to go? If you have troubles with any gifs that you're making feel free to PM me.
Well, I thought maybe that might have been the case at first, but seeing it in Mozilla working fine and seeing your two frames, I'm sure that's not the case, it just goes faster in Mozilla and slower in IE, I have no idea why. It's not the first time I've seen that. But then, other animations look just the same in both browsers, so I don't know what the deal is. :wacko:
But until I get to the bottom of it all, it seems like it's as good as I can get it.
Now, on to more complicated projects. XD
Thanks again so much for all your help! :adore:considers making the gif my avatar
-
OK, new issue, but related.
I wanted to make some gifs from movie 6, but it's an mkv file, and virtual dub doesn't recognize that type of file. Is there some way to convert the movie to another format? I don't know what program I would use to do that. -
WinAVI video converter is your friend.
-
@Battle:
WinAVI video converter is your friend.
Is it free? how good is it?
-
Fairly sure it's free. Um, quality is good, it'll convert nearly any video format to .wmv, .avi, .rm, .vob, ect, without too much quality lost.
-
Ah, thanks. Except it's only free as a trial version, apparently.
Edit: nevermind, it looks like there is a free full version too.Edit again: For whatever reason, the full version is defunct. I'll try the trial version.
Edit #3 I downloaded an older version, I think I got it working now. ^_^
Edit #4 sigh for some reason it keeps getting stuck at 32%. Plus it seems there's letters stamped on the screen that say "remove this for only 39.95" -_-