Gif animation play 1st frame once - loop rest?

[paul_newson]

I'm currently using Photoshop but I can download a trial version of anything for this one-off problem.

I have created a gif animation that is sufficient for my purposes, but it would be much better if I could get it to display the 1st frame just once and then loop the rest of the frames infinitely.

Does anyone know how to do this and what software is suitable?

I seem to vaguely remember some years ago using some software that allowed you to specify the frame playback order, but my memory could be somewhat clouded this would be perfect - set order to 1,2,3...n,2...

If there is a "next frame to display" setting buried within the information for each frame then it must be possible (even if I have to resort to using a hex editor on the gif file itself).

[djr33]

Hmm... this might be possible with the format, but I don't know and certainly don't know of any programs that will let you do it.
GIF is really a pretty limited format... not much customization... it doesn't even support more than 256 colors.

I believe some PNGs support animation, though I'm not sure how many browsers support this. Might want to look and see if that has support for this.

I see two options aside from finding a hidden trick in the gif format:

1. Use flash. It's not the best solution always, but the easiest way here.
2. Use javascript. You could make it display the first frame (a picture) for a bit (maybe while the animation loads, even), then display the looping animation. Might take some complex js for all of that. I wouldn't know.

[Twey]

Beyond the abilities of GIF animation, I'm afraid.

I believe some PNGs support animation, though I'm not sure how many browsers support this.

No browsers support this. Animated PNG (APNG) and its libraries, libapng, are still in an early developmental stage.

[djr33]

Ah, darn.

Hmm... yeah, it's on to flash then. Or javascript.

[moscarda]

if you have access to .NET, there are controls for slideshows that i've customised to do similar things. you set the frame rate, and specify each image (they can be gifs) in an xml file. you even have the option to choose a transistion, like a fade or dissolve. even if you dont want to use animated images, you can make it look like an animation by playing with the timing.

[darco9x2]

if you have access to a flash program, you can do this very easily because you can just import the gif you already have set each frame a keyframe and use a script to when it ends to back to frame 2.

[djr33]

.NET is the microsoft proprietary version of javascript that only works in IE, right?
If so, note that using it only works in IE, or just use javascript.

Flash is the only real solution to complex graphic needs, but comes with it's own downsides.... somewhat limited compatibility, and requires a plugin.
But, yeah, probably a good choice here.

[Twey]

.NET is the microsoft proprietary version of javascript that only works in IE, right?

No. That's JScript. .NET has nothing to do with this.

[djr33]

Is .NET the same as ASP.NET?
Maybe I'm getting conufsed.

Either way, what is it?

[Twey]

I've no idea what s/he means by it in this context. .NET is Microsoft's development framework, essentially a clone of Java with most of the good bits, like decent platform independence, removed. It's also a label they attach to some of their services for no other reason than to make them look good.