Animation (animated GIF)

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I'm thinking of a way to make GrafX2 powerfully edit multi-frame images, 
without hurting the usability with normal images.

The program would still have 2 images (Principal & Spare) loaded at same 
time, TAB still switching between them. but now an image would comprise of 
1 or more frames.
All frames of an image share the same palette and dimensions. At any given 
moment, only one frame is displayed (ie: #05)
Some keyboard shortcuts help quickly navigate to previous and next.

An extra screen allows showing and editing the "strip" of images (clone, 
del, displace ), setting each image speed, previewing the animation.

Difficulties:
Need to adapt Undo. Especially because an operation like Resize affects 
the pixel data of all frames.

Bonus:
Even for normal pixelling, a multi-frame Spare page can help memorize an 
important stencil and restore it later.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by yrizoud on 10 Oct 2008 at 1:59

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One other thing: it's not possible to assign a shortcut to 'play forwards' or 
'play backwards'

Original comment by 00a...@gmail.com on 13 Mar 2012 at 1:56

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Also -- this is a bit more serious a problem -- if I load an animation (via 
commandline) on the main page, then switch to the spare page, the spare page is 
somehow stuck as layered -- I don't have the option to switch it to animated, 
only 'Tools' and 'Layers' are shown in the menu.

OTOH if I create an anim on the main page, then switch to the spare page, the 
animation toolbar remains selected (but the display acts like a layered one, 
and if I try to say, set frame time, then it becomes the Layers toolbar). After 
switching back to the main page and then back to the spare page, the Animation 
toolbar changes to the Layer toolbar and I can't get it back.

Original comment by 00a...@gmail.com on 14 Mar 2012 at 4:02

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I can't reproduce it. Are you testing avery old version ? What you described 
shouldn't happen since at least r1911.

Original comment by yrizoud on 14 Mar 2012 at 12:04

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Haha, I'm using r1932, it still happens here :) (the version I was using in 
comment #52 was r1931). Happens very reliably, every single time. I'll attach 
the gif I'm loading, in case it has any influence. It was made with Grafx2 
(r1931).

I can make a gif recording of what I do and what happens if necessary.

Original comment by 00a...@gmail.com on 14 Mar 2012 at 1:33

Attachments:

• vanish.gif

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Since it's not a version I built for Windows, I assume you compiled yourself 
from the sources on a Linux. I tested on Debian, and still can't reproduce it. 
Can you please try a 'make clean' then 'make', to force a full rebuild ?

Original comment by yrizoud on 14 Mar 2012 at 7:22

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Done.

Same result; no change in behaviour.

Original comment by 00a...@gmail.com on 15 Mar 2012 at 12:30

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Rebuilding with ccache disabled: same result.

Platform info:
* Arch Linux (64bit)
* SDL 1.2.15

Note that there is one other step I do: the first thing I do, on either page, 
is to shrink it (I delete the last digit, in these tests, so I get 41x25 
pixels).
I also sometimes use zoom (although whether I do, doesn't appear to effect the 
outcome.)

Do you want me to do that demo clip?
Do you want

Original comment by 00a...@gmail.com on 15 Mar 2012 at 1:06

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(just to clarify, nothing was cut off above. I think it was a copy+paste error. 
Ignore the second "do you want")

Original comment by 00a...@gmail.com on 15 Mar 2012 at 9:14

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The precise sequence of what you do and what you see, would be helpful :
* run grafx2 from console as: (somepath/)grafx2 vanish.gif
-> main image is animation, toolbar shows anim tools, frame 1.
* press TAB ? or click Page icon ?
-> Switches to second page (NO_NAME2.GIF), toolbar is still anim, frame 1
* Right-click the X icon to choose toolbars
-> Should propose [X]Tools [ ]Layers and [X]Anim

(Normally, grafx2 allows switching layers<->anim when the current view has only 
one frame or layer)

Original comment by yrizoud on 15 Mar 2012 at 10:39

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Well, I can provide it.

However this "(Normally, grafx2 allows switching layers<->anim when the current 
view has only one frame or layer)" has allowed me to zero in on the likely 
issue.

That is: When I first switch to the spare page, Animation mode appears to be 
activated but actually isn't. Therefore, when I draw some frames, it gets stuck 
in layers-mode because >1 layers exist; never mind that the UI presents the 
illusion that what I added were frames, not layers.

I just tested this by fiddling around with the 'active toolbars' menu after 
step 2, below -- Changing from (faux)Anim mode to Layers mode and then to Anim 
mode, then continuing with the subsequent listed steps, results in an actual 
animation that I can interact with normally and behaves normally in general.

I'll list the sequence here

1. Run 'grafx2 whatever.gif' (happens on any animation; the toolbar is 
correctly set to Anim mode and Grafx2 appears to actually be in Anim mode) OR
A1. Run 'grafx2'. 
A1.1 Select animation mode
A1.2 Resize picture to 41x25
A1.3 Add 4 or so frames, create an animation quickly by drawing into them
2. Switch to spare page with TAB
3. Resize picture to 41x25 (at this point, the menu still shows all 3 options, 
with Anim 'active' and Layers 'inactive'; However, the truth seems to be the 
opposite: 'Layers' is the actual mode and the Anim toolbar being displayed is 
simply a lie.
4. Add some frames
5. Draw into them to create an anim. However, they are displayed as layers, not 
frames. Animation Play has no effect.
6. TAB back to main (which is in the expected state -- Animated and everything 
works as expected)
7. TAB back to spare (which now displays the Layers toolbar and is stuck there 
-- I expect if I deleted all but one frame I'd be able to switch it, per what 
you said in comment #59)

To be concise, sometimes the Animation toolbar is shown when actually in Layers 
mode. This misleads me into adding 'frames' -- which are actually layers -- and 
thereby getting myself stuck in Layer mode.

Original comment by 00a...@gmail.com on 15 Mar 2012 at 1:49

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Also there seem to still be some crash conditions. I was just editing a 7-frame 
animation, I'd added an 8th frame and was just starting to edit it (Right click 
with contour tool). After drawing the first pixel, and before I released the 
button, it crashed.

(I can't currently comment on whether this is a bug which is shared with Layers 
mode, since I never use Layers mode.)

I'll attempt to reproduce and debug it at the soonest opportunity available.

Original comment by 00a...@gmail.com on 15 Mar 2012 at 2:00

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The former issue (from #52) is now fixed, thanks a lot.

Original comment by yrizoud on 15 Mar 2012 at 8:17

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Original comment by pulkoma...@gmail.com on 12 May 2012 at 11:19

• Changed state: Started

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I consider this stable enough. Please open new bug-reports for the remaining 
issues, if any.

Original comment by pulkoma...@gmail.com on 28 Sep 2012 at 6:28

• Changed state: Fixed