Well I checked the gif file and the dimensions are
639x476, it contains about 300 frames, and it's about 90
seconds long. It doesn't seem like its that big, but I
guess I don't know all of the technical constraints of
Movie Maker.
Also, to help you out and let you know, if you see loss
of quality in your gif file on the storyboard/videostream
screen, the quality will return to almost perfect on the
movie when you've saved it as a movie file.

>-----Original Message-----
>What are the pixel dimensions of the gif?
>
>MM2 doesn't import a copy of the file, just enough to
create a big
>thumbnail, along with the pointers to the source file.
I'm wondering how
>it's handling animated gifs. Does it do a thumbnail for
each image of the
>gif? I'll have to import one and check.
>
>PapaJohn
>
>"Matthew" <mega_matt@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:03a301c36831$f02ccd20$a601280a@phx.gbl...
>> Ya, the memory issue is most likely the cause of the
>> problem. I seem to remember a message concerning
virtual
>> memory the first time I attempted importing the file.
I'm
>> thinking the problem is being caused by the method in
>> which Movie Maker imports the files. Seeing the
imported
>> files are representations of the original sources, it
>> would take quite a bit of memory for the program to
copy
>> the files.
>> It's kind of strange that the program uses so much
memory
>> when executing such tasks though. When I tried Adobe
>> Premiere, it imported without any problems. The
downside
>> to premiere though, was that the picture quality of the
>> gifs dropped severely. I find that the picture quality
of
>> animated gifs are better with Movie Maker, so its a
shame
>> I can't import a file that size. Hopefully, the problem
>> will be corrected if or when they upgrade to Movie
Maker
>> 3.
>> Well anyways, thanks for the help Papa.
>>
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >I've imported 15 GB files and 3008x1960 pixel pictures
>> without problems.
>> >With that big of an animated gif file, you might be
>> bumping into a
>> >memory-related issue.
>> >
>> >I haven't tried animated gifs in MM2. Guess I need
to -
>> thanks.
>> >
>> >PapaJohn
>> >
>> >"Matthew" <mega_matt@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> >news:0c0d01c36829$d351b100$a001280a@phx.gbl...
>> >> Animated Gifs arn't supported as video files, but
are
>> >> however accepted as picture files. Which means they
can
>> >> be accepted through the 'Import Pictures' function.
As
>> I
>> >> have said in my previous statement, my other .gif
files
>> >> were accepted. When you equip them to the
>> >> videostream/storyboard and hit play, they play out
the
>> >> animation of the animated gif.
>> >> *Helpful Hint for those who want to make their own
>> >> original Intro/Credits*
>> >> The actual problem was that it wont accept the one
>> >> certain larger .gif file. THE OTHERS WORK FINE. My
>> >> question is;
>> >> Is there a problem with the image importing portion,
>> >> seeing all of the 'loss of quality' posts and if so,
>> >> would that particular portion of the program have a
>> limit
>> >> to the size of files it accepts.
>> >>
>> >> >-----Original Message-----
>> >> >Matthew,
>> >> >
>> >> >Animated gifs are not one of the video file types
>> >> supported by MM2
>> >> >
>> >> >PapaJohn
>> >> >
>> >> >"Matthew" <mega_matt@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> >> >news:021a01c3681d$cc583920$a601280a@phx.gbl...
>> >> >> For some reason, whenever I try to import one of
>> >> my .gif
>> >> >> files into movie maker, it gives and error
message
>> >> >> saying "the file could not be imported.
Catastrophic
>> >> >> Failure." It only does it with the one file
because
>> it
>> >> >> still accepts my other .gif files. I've tried
>> resaving
>> >> >> the animation, but it still gives the same error
>> >> message.
>> >> >> The only thing I can figure is that the file is
too
>> >> >> large, even though its only 3,876KB. But I have
no
>> Idea
>> >> >> why that would be a problem seeing I have been
able
>> to
>> >> >> import Video footage that was 5,215KB and audio
>> files
>> >> >> that went uo to 25.6MB. Please help me.
>> >
>> >
>> >.
>> >
>
>
>.
>
.

Re: Catastrophic Failure by Matthew

Matthew
Fri Aug 22 13:46:32 CDT 2003

Alright thanks Papa. Be sure to email me about any new
info you get from microsoft. Thanks again.

Matthew

>-----Original Message-----
It's an interesting item. I think I'll check with
Microsoft and find out how
MM2 handles them.

I added this discussion thread to my Importing Source
Files... Still
Pictures page at www.papajohn.org, but I want to move it
up to treat it as a
separate item. Sure is nice to add animated gifs to
movies.

PapaJohn

"Matthew" <mega_matt@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:095301c368d2$842d7ba0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
> Well I checked the gif file and the dimensions are
> 639x476, it contains about 300 frames, and it's about
90
> seconds long. It doesn't seem like its that big, but I
> guess I don't know all of the technical constraints of
> Movie Maker.
> Also, to help you out and let you know, if you see loss
> of quality in your gif file on the
storyboard/videostream
> screen, the quality will return to almost perfect on the
> movie when you've saved it as a movie file.
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >What are the pixel dimensions of the gif?
> >
> >MM2 doesn't import a copy of the file, just enough to
> create a big
> >thumbnail, along with the pointers to the source file.
> I'm wondering how
> >it's handling animated gifs. Does it do a thumbnail for
> each image of the
> >gif? I'll have to import one and check.
> >
> >PapaJohn
> >
> >"Matthew" <mega_matt@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> >news:03a301c36831$f02ccd20$a601280a@phx.gbl...
> >> Ya, the memory issue is most likely the cause of the
> >> problem. I seem to remember a message concerning
> virtual
> >> memory the first time I attempted importing the file.
> I'm
> >> thinking the problem is being caused by the method in
> >> which Movie Maker imports the files. Seeing the
> imported
> >> files are representations of the original sources, it
> >> would take quite a bit of memory for the program to
> copy
> >> the files.
> >> It's kind of strange that the program uses so much
> memory
> >> when executing such tasks though. When I tried Adobe
> >> Premiere, it imported without any problems. The
> downside
> >> to premiere though, was that the picture quality of
the
> >> gifs dropped severely. I find that the picture
quality
> of
> >> animated gifs are better with Movie Maker, so its a
> shame
> >> I can't import a file that size. Hopefully, the
problem
> >> will be corrected if or when they upgrade to Movie
> Maker
> >> 3.
> >> Well anyways, thanks for the help Papa.
> >>
> >> >-----Original Message-----
> >> >I've imported 15 GB files and 3008x1960 pixel
pictures
> >> without problems.
> >> >With that big of an animated gif file, you might be
> >> bumping into a
> >> >memory-related issue.
> >> >
> >> >I haven't tried animated gifs in MM2. Guess I need
> to -
> >> thanks.
> >> >
> >> >PapaJohn
> >> >
> >> >"Matthew" <mega_matt@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> >> >news:0c0d01c36829$d351b100$a001280a@phx.gbl...
> >> >> Animated Gifs arn't supported as video files, but
> are
> >> >> however accepted as picture files. Which means
they
> can
> >> >> be accepted through the 'Import Pictures'
function.
> As
> >> I
> >> >> have said in my previous statement, my other .gif
> files
> >> >> were accepted. When you equip them to the
> >> >> videostream/storyboard and hit play, they play out
> the
> >> >> animation of the animated gif.
> >> >> *Helpful Hint for those who want to make their own
> >> >> original Intro/Credits*
> >> >> The actual problem was that it wont accept the one
> >> >> certain larger .gif file. THE OTHERS WORK FINE. My
> >> >> question is;
> >> >> Is there a problem with the image importing
portion,
> >> >> seeing all of the 'loss of quality' posts and if
so,
> >> >> would that particular portion of the program have
a
> >> limit
> >> >> to the size of files it accepts.
> >> >>
> >> >> >-----Original Message-----
> >> >> >Matthew,
> >> >> >
> >> >> >Animated gifs are not one of the video file types
> >> >> supported by MM2
> >> >> >
> >> >> >PapaJohn
> >> >> >
> >> >> >"Matthew" <mega_matt@hotmail.com> wrote in
message
> >> >> >news:021a01c3681d$cc583920$a601280a@phx.gbl...
> >> >> >> For some reason, whenever I try to import one
of
> >> >> my .gif
> >> >> >> files into movie maker, it gives and error
> message
> >> >> >> saying "the file could not be imported.
> Catastrophic
> >> >> >> Failure." It only does it with the one file
> because
> >> it
> >> >> >> still accepts my other .gif files. I've tried
> >> resaving
> >> >> >> the animation, but it still gives the same
error
> >> >> message.
> >> >> >> The only thing I can figure is that the file is
> too
> >> >> >> large, even though its only 3,876KB. But I have
> no
> >> Idea
> >> >> >> why that would be a problem seeing I have been
> able
> >> to
> >> >> >> import Video footage that was 5,215KB and audio
> >> files
> >> >> >> that went uo to 25.6MB. Please help me.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >.
> >> >
> >
> >
> >.
> >


.


Re: Catastrophic Failure by PapaJohn

PapaJohn
Mon Aug 25 12:05:27 CDT 2003

Here's what I found from Microsoft about animated GIFs

Animated gifs are on the "Image" file type list for import because we
don't/can't distinguish between static GIFs and animated GIFs until after
the user decides to import the file.

But animated GIFs are treated as though they are "video" by MM2.0. This
means:

1. Animated Gif frames have a calculated duration. (Images are set to a
default duration via the "options" dialog in MM2.0.)

2. Animated Gifs can be trimmed, cut, and played back in the preview window.

3. Animated Gifs are stretched to fill the frame size when published.
(Images, on the other hand, keep their aspect ratio.)

4. We ignore the "loop forever" duration value if it's set in the animated
GIF. For a given aniGIF, we play each "frame" as per its authored duration,
and then stop. If the user wants the effect of "Loop", then they need to add
the aniGIF to the timeline multiple times to achieve the effect.

We don't do anything spectacularly interesting with animated GIFs - mostly,
we hand them off to be rendered. We believe that DEXTER/DSHOW renders each
"frame" for the duration specified in the GIF file itself. What you should
be aware of is that there is a fair amount of variety in the authoring
practices for animated gifs.

PapaJohn


"Matthew" <mega_matt@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:022e01c368dd$b4f40d20$a401280a@phx.gbl...
> Alright thanks Papa. Be sure to email me about any new
> info you get from microsoft. Thanks again.
>
> Matthew