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On Thu, 06 Sep 2012 20:57:24 +0000, ray wrote:

> web search: 'linux animated gif' - several options, one of which would
> be imagemagick from the command line.

Since ImageMagick is a well-known Linux standard, that's what I'll use:

From http://www.tjhsst.edu/~dhyatt/supercomp/n401a.html it seems the
syntax is simply to use the 'convert' command, e.g.:
$ convert -delay 20 -loop 0 pictures*.gif animated_pictures.gif

Q: What do we recommend as the best GIF animation freeware on Windows?

Here's what I've compiled from your hints & googling so far:

Number 1: (Con=save it now or you won't have it in the future)
Ulead GIF Animator
http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/page24.html

Number 2? (Con=It's from Microsoft)
Microsoft GIF Animator
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best...f-animator.htm
http://ms-gif-animator.en.softonic.com
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/msgifanimator.html

Number 3? (Con=May be overkill just to get GIF animation?)
PhotoScape
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best...f-animator.htm
http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/download.php

Number 4: (Con=Found by googling but nobody suggested it)
UnFREEz 2.1
http://www.whitsoftdev.com/unfreez

Others:
http://www.freeware-guide.com/dir/mmedia/animation.html

On Fri, 7 Sep 2012 17:00:43 +0000 (UTC), James Gagney
<> wrote:

>On Thu, 06 Sep 2012 22:36:43 +0100, Bruce wrote:
>
>> someone will be along to tell you that the absolute
>> minimum you need to own is Photoshop CS6.
>
>I'm a firm believer that the freeware does almost everything we need, if,
>at the price of having to install multiple freeware programs to get the
>job done.
>
>For example, on Windoze:
>a) I view & crop pictures with Irfanview (fast & functional)

A plug here for my favorite freeware: FastStone. As a viewer, it
presents all of the images in the file as thumbnails, and the size of
the thumbnail is settable. This allows me to glance through all of
the shots as thumbnails by using the keyboard or mouse only when the
number of images exceeds the screen footprint. Any image can be
clicked and viewed full-screen, and multiple images can be compared in
a split-screen view.

The freebie also re-numbers or re-names, sorts by different factors,
moves or copies files to another file, converts files to different
formats, can display images in a slideshow, shows (limited) EXIF data,
has some editing functions. I don't edit in it, but right-click on
the image and edit in the program I've included in "Open as" dropdown,
usually CS4.

I have Irfanview, but prefer FastStone when viewing a group of images.

--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

On Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:02:25 -0400, tony cooper wrote:

> I have Irfanview, but prefer FastStone when viewing a group of images.

While Irfanview is fast on individual pictures, I must agree that the
batch thumbnail takes FOREVER on directories with a large number of 7GB
files (over 500 for example).

In fact, if you don't know that Irfanview MUST painfully view each and
every thumbnail in thumbnail mode, when you run subsequent autorotate,
autorename, and autoresize batch commands, you will only get 1/4 or 1/2
or whatever number resolved painfully in the thumbnail view before you
moved on.

This is actually a bug in Irfanview, in my humble opinion, that it LETS
you move forward to batch mode before all the thumbnails have "resolved".

Since it could take ten minutes for all the thumbnails to resolve, you
naturally move on if you don't know this ... and you end up with batch
actions only on a portion of your files.

So, if Fastone (I pronounce it "Fast One") does better than Irfanview on
batch operation with large directories, then that's good.

Note: I already realize MANY of you have NEVER NOTICED this Irfanview
bug, and I expect you to say "it doesn't happen to me" ... but it's
there. Trust me on that. At least it was there last I was on Windoze as I
researched it thoroughly.

Here is how to test:
1. Create a directory with a large number of images (any number will work
for the test)

2. Go to the Irfanview thumbnail view but DO NOT WAIT for all the
thumbnail views to resolve (it could take a half hour at times, but
usually it's only a few minutes)

3. Select all (control + a) ... now you THINK you've selected all of your
thumbnails right? Nope. You've only selected the ones that have resolved.

4. Perform a batch operation. Guess what happens?

That batch operation will ONLY happen to the thumbnails that were
resolved. This makes a total mess out of your directory because you can't
UNDO that. So now you have a directory with sequential numbers, date
stamped, whatever you put in your %EXIF variable.

If FastOne doesn't have this problem ... then it might be a better
freeware program for batch manipulation of large numbers of digital
photos!

On Fri, 7 Sep 2012 18:33:43 +0000 (UTC), James Gagney
<> wrote:

>On Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:02:25 -0400, tony cooper wrote:
>
>> I have Irfanview, but prefer FastStone when viewing a group of images.
>
>While Irfanview is fast on individual pictures, I must agree that the
>batch thumbnail takes FOREVER on directories with a large number of 7GB
>files (over 500 for example).
>
>In fact, if you don't know that Irfanview MUST painfully view each and
>every thumbnail in thumbnail mode, when you run subsequent autorotate,
>autorename, and autoresize batch commands, you will only get 1/4 or 1/2
>or whatever number resolved painfully in the thumbnail view before you
>moved on.
>
>This is actually a bug in Irfanview, in my humble opinion, that it LETS
>you move forward to batch mode before all the thumbnails have "resolved".
>
>Since it could take ten minutes for all the thumbnails to resolve, you
>naturally move on if you don't know this ... and you end up with batch
>actions only on a portion of your files.
>
>So, if Fastone (I pronounce it "Fast One") does better than Irfanview on
>batch operation with large directories, then that's good.
>
>Note: I already realize MANY of you have NEVER NOTICED this Irfanview
>bug, and I expect you to say "it doesn't happen to me" ... but it's
>there. Trust me on that. At least it was there last I was on Windoze as I
>researched it thoroughly.
>
>Here is how to test:
>1. Create a directory with a large number of images (any number will work
>for the test)
>
>2. Go to the Irfanview thumbnail view but DO NOT WAIT for all the
>thumbnail views to resolve (it could take a half hour at times, but
>usually it's only a few minutes)
>
>3. Select all (control + a) ... now you THINK you've selected all of your
>thumbnails right? Nope. You've only selected the ones that have resolved.
>
>4. Perform a batch operation. Guess what happens?
>
>That batch operation will ONLY happen to the thumbnails that were
>resolved. This makes a total mess out of your directory because you can't
>UNDO that. So now you have a directory with sequential numbers, date
>stamped, whatever you put in your %EXIF variable.
>
>If FastOne doesn't have this problem ... then it might be a better
>freeware program for batch manipulation of large numbers of digital
>photos!

It's FastStone, not FastOne.
http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDownload.htm

I make no guarantees that it will work better for your needs. All I'm
saying is that I like it. It's free. You can try and delete it if
you don't like it.

As far as batch operations, hold down Shift and select a group of
thumbnails. Control A selects all thumbnails. If the thumbnails for
batching are scatttered within the file, tag the one you want to be
included in the batch and show only tagged files, Control A, and away
you go.


--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

<> wrote:

>James Gagney <> wrote:
>> I need to document for a forum post the flashing lights moving from
>> solid, to runway, to railroad of a router I'm trying to repair.
>>
>> The forum won't accept videos & youtube seems the wrong way to go due to
>> the long time between flashing (it would have to be multiple videos).
>>
>> The right way would be to simply create an animated gif with all the
>> flashing sequences of import.
>>
>> QUESTION:
>> What's a good set of GIF animation freeware nowadays?
>>
>> Note: I have Irfanview on Windoze, and KolourPaint & TheGimp on Linux
>> (among others).
>
>The minimum you need to create animated GIFs is Adobe Photoshop CS6.


You can do it with the GIMP. Cost $0.00.

On 2012.09.07[36] 15:32 , Bruce wrote:

> You can do it with the GIMP. Cost $0.00.

Yep. download here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/g4g1c9brhl...P-GIF-Demo.gif

On Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:22:37 -0400, Alan Browne
<> wrote:

>On 2012.09.07[36] 10:25 , tony cooper wrote:
>> On Fri, 7 Sep 2012 05:23:53 +0000 (UTC), <> wrote:
>>
>>> James Gagney <> wrote:
>>>> I need to document for a forum post the flashing lights moving from
>>>> solid, to runway, to railroad of a router I'm trying to repair.
>>>>
>>>> The forum won't accept videos & youtube seems the wrong way to go due to
>>>> the long time between flashing (it would have to be multiple videos).
>>>>
>>>> The right way would be to simply create an animated gif with all the
>>>> flashing sequences of import.
>>>>
>>>> QUESTION:
>>>> What's a good set of GIF animation freeware nowadays?
>>>>
>>>> Note: I have Irfanview on Windoze, and KolourPaint & TheGimp on Linux
>>>> (among others).
>>>
>>> The minimum you need to create animated GIFs is Adobe Photoshop CS6.
>>
>> And Adobe Photoshop CS6 will only work on Macs.
>
>Only Mac Pros with dual 6-core processors and 32 GB of RAM, actually,
>and only if you have at least 2 30" Apple displays and Gigabit internet
>connections.

I think you also have to have a GIF dongle installed for each frame.
You chain the dongles.


--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

On Fri, 07 Sep 2012 17:04:04 -0400, Alan Browne
<> wrote:

>On 2012.09.07[36] 16:55 , tony cooper wrote:
>> On Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:22:37 -0400, Alan Browne
>> <> wrote:
>>
>>> On 2012.09.07[36] 10:25 , tony cooper wrote:
>>>> On Fri, 7 Sep 2012 05:23:53 +0000 (UTC), <> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> James Gagney <> wrote:
>>>>>> I need to document for a forum post the flashing lights moving from
>>>>>> solid, to runway, to railroad of a router I'm trying to repair.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The forum won't accept videos & youtube seems the wrong way to go due to
>>>>>> the long time between flashing (it would have to be multiple videos).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The right way would be to simply create an animated gif with all the
>>>>>> flashing sequences of import.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> QUESTION:
>>>>>> What's a good set of GIF animation freeware nowadays?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Note: I have Irfanview on Windoze, and KolourPaint & TheGimp on Linux
>>>>>> (among others).
>>>>>
>>>>> The minimum you need to create animated GIFs is Adobe Photoshop CS6.
>>>>
>>>> And Adobe Photoshop CS6 will only work on Macs.
>>>
>>> Only Mac Pros with dual 6-core processors and 32 GB of RAM, actually,
>>> and only if you have at least 2 30" Apple displays and Gigabit internet
>>> connections.
>>
>> I think you also have to have a GIF dongle installed for each frame.
>> You chain the dongles.
>
>Not with the latest version of OS X Mountain Lion Server and it's only
>another $20.

Are you saying that the OS X Mountain Lion Server contains some of the
same lines of code that the GIF dongle includes, and is therefore the
same?


--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

On Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:01:49 -0400, tony cooper wrote:

> It's FastStone, not FastOne.

But how is it properly pronounced?
Fast Stone or Fast One?

> As far as batch operations, hold down Shift and select a group of
> thumbnails. Control A selects all thumbnails.

It would be an interesting test to see if FastStone has the same bug
where it lets you move to the batch before the thumbnails have resolved.

Remember, it's not the SELECTION that causes the problem (Irfanview
selects them all quickly); it's the fact that each thumbnail has to be
painstakingly resolved before the OPERATION will work on the selected set.

If FastSton's algorithm is slicker than Irfanview's ... that would be an
improvement (and an example of the fact that even the best freeware isn't
the best at everything so you need a bunch of freeware if you want the
best).

On Fri, 07 Sep 2012 20:32:16 +0100, Bruce wrote:

> You can do it with the GIMP. Cost $0.00.

Yes. But with the overlays, it's overly cumbersome to use The Gimp.

I think, on Linux, ImageMagick is "best" and on Windows, it looks like
the response so far has the best as Ulead GIF Animator.