Convert .anim to .gif or .mp4 (from Windows)

[jabbamonkey]

I have a bunch of old amiga ".anim" files. I am looking for a program that can easily convert them to gif or mp4 files.

• ACDSee (doesn't open anim)
• Photoshop (doesn't open anim)
• XnView and XnConverter (doesn't open anim)
• AnimWebConverter. This was the closest I got ... the program opened the anim files and played them fine. However, when it converted the file, it did a poor job (colors were missing, there was a "blur" effect).

Anyone have any other suggestions?

[markpjd]

Hi,

I've not tried it myself, but maybe Jasc Animation Shop?

[emufan]

since some weeks you can do this with ffmpeg
windows builds 32/64 bit.

#1) AnimWebConverter is a nice tool, just tested the windows version. never heard about that before.

[jabbamonkey]

Originally Posted by emufan

since some weeks you can do this with ffmpeg
windows builds 32/64 bit.

I tried ffmpeg, but it didn't work. It doesnt recognized the .anim format. I keep getting a "dla_tr.anim: No such file or directory" ... even though the file exists in the directory. Note: Just in case, I converted an MOV file from that same directory, so I know that the file is in there.

I used the following command (this worked for the mov file, but not for the anim file) ...

ffmpeg -i dla_tr.anim -f image2 %03d.png

Note: I read that a gif conversion is dithered to hell, so I was going to convert it to a series of pngs, and just combine them in photoshop.

[jabbamonkey]

Originally Posted by markpjd

I've not tried it myself, but maybe Jasc Animation Shop?

Nope. Jasc doesn't recognize .anim file.

[emufan]

Originally Posted by jabbamonkey

I tried ffmpeg, but it didn't work...

which version do you use? if older get a build from the link above, get a static build.
i've just tested build "ce466d0 (2016-07-05)" and it is working here:

ffmpeg.exe -i anims/film.anim film.mp4
ffmpeg.exe -i explosion.anim explosion.mp4
ffmpeg.exe -i explosion.anim explosion.gif

the resulting mp4 and gif anim are ok. no clue what wnet wrong on your side.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by jabbamonkey

Nope. Jasc doesn't recognize .anim file.

Damn; I thought that it did but just checked:



...I'm using an old version though i.e. 3.04 (bundled with Paint Shop Pro 7.04).

[jabbamonkey]

Originally Posted by emufan

which version do you use? if older get a build from the link above, get a static build.
i've just tested build "ce466d0 (2016-07-05)" and it is working here:

I used your link and downloaded a build from the other day... it didn't work. So I downloaded the most recent build (2016-07-06) and it worked.

The mp4 file had some issues, and the gif had problems as well. Alot of flashing and blurring trails ... it doesn't look like the actual anim video. I also tried breaking it into a batch of png images, but they had the same problems as well. Need to find an alternative...

[Daedalus]

If you have access to an actual Amiga (or a WinUAE setup), Personal Paint comes with scripts for converting animations to GIFs. Not quite as straightforward as a single command line, but it's quite versatile, allows you to adjust frame timings etc., and I still use it for most of my GIF work these days.

[ptyerman]

Another situation where only the Amiga will do!

[hipoonios]

Another guy asked the same thing for not long time ago. My method makes perfect GIF's without dithering.

I Use WinUAE and play the animation in Dopus/DPaint and use WinUAE's build-in AVI recorder with a lossless codec like TSCC. Later I open the file in VirtualDUB and remove unwanted frames and crop it if needed.

If you send me the anims i can do it for you. Takes max 5 minutes. Depending of how many there are of course.

[emufan]

Originally Posted by jabbamonkey

I used your link and downloaded a build from the other day... it didn't work. So I downloaded the most recent build (2016-07-06) and it worked.

The mp4 file had some issues, and the gif had problems as well. Alot of flashing and blurring trails ... it doesn't look like the actual anim video. I also tried breaking it into a batch of png images, but they had the same problems as well. Need to find an alternative...

this is really not what i got here as the result. can you upload one of your animations into the zone?
once you joined the zone group, you find the link to it next to the "logout" button.
archive it with zip, so you can upload - since some filetypes are not recognised.

Originally Posted by Daedalus

If you have access to an actual Amiga (or a WinUAE setup), Personal Paint comes with scripts for converting animations to GIFs. Not quite as straightforward as a single command line, but it's quite versatile, allows you to adjust frame timings etc., and I still use it for most of my GIF work these days.

thats right, PPaint does gif animations too:

Originally Posted by emufan

first you have to load one of the anmations into ppaint ( Animation -> Load ... ).
ensure you stay on the first image of the animation (1/xxx)
right mouse on crown symbol -> choose AnimGif: define anim brush.
you now got the crosshair tool (***) , using this you choose the area for the anim brush
just draw a box all over the screen, buttom right to top left. click proceed on next requester.
for animations which occupy a small part of the screen, you can choose a smaller area.
right mouse on crown symbol -> now you choose AnimGif: save anim brush.
a dialogbox will be shown, with options for the gif animation, loop, tranparency , timing.
next choose a filename and wait until the waiting mouse pointer vanishs. thats all.

(***)

Originally Posted by emufan

once you have the crosshair to select the area, hit F9 and F10.
this switches off menu and toolbar. so it should work.

but there is also an old version of main actor for win32 - this will load anims and you can create avi and gif animations aswell.

[jabbamonkey]

For anyone interested in seeing the conversion issues with ffmpeg, I uploaded the file to http://www.classicgaming.cc/dlair.anim

I will check out WinUAE ... I haven't used that in ages, so it will take some time to familiarize myself with it again.

hipoonios, thanks for the offer to convert the files, but I have about 30 of them right now, and am looking for some others on old harddrives... Plus, I want to be able to do it myself, in case this comes up in the future.

[Retro1234]

maybe if you can play the Anim run your graphics card out and back in through your TV card.

[emufan]

Originally Posted by jabbamonkey

For anyone interested in seeing the conversion issues with ffmpeg, I uploaded the file to http://www.classicgaming.cc/dlair.anim

yep, ffmpeg/ffplay does such color flashing here too. but the mainactor win32 version does a better job.
output to avi or gif-anim results in good non-flashing anims.

[jabbamonkey]

Trying to figure out WinUAE again. The link to PPaint you sent was to an iso file ... and I was expecting an adf file. When I opened the iso file, there were no executable files in there. Is that for Windows?

Alternatively, I found a rom for Personal Paint and loaded it in WinUAE, but it wouldn't let me access my C drive (I was restricted to opening files on my amiga disks).

Obviously, my skill level here is very limited. Any help is appreciated.

[emufan]

the iso is for the amiga, but to setup winuae takes it's time.
ppaint is too big for just a adf image, so you need to install a workbench first.
a shared folder amiga <-> windows you can make in the hd/cd setup.
choose a folder on your windows system, Device: DH2 Volume: WinHDD ( for example).
you can still try mainactor for win32, link above.

Lemonamiga - Winuae setup Workbench 3.1 guide
The Green Alien Setup guide Workbench 3.1

[hipoonios]

Not really needed to install and setup a Workbench environment.

1. Download Dopus 4.12 bootable disk here.

2. Setup WinUAE:

* Select A1200 quickstart config
* Add at least 4 Mb fast RAM
* Add a hard drive in hardware tab. (Device name: dh1: Volume label: dh1 Select path to your files and remove bootable checkmark)

3. Boot!

4. Press F12 to put up the WinUAE gui and go to output tab. Select codec and click AVI output. Play the animation after finished press F12 again and click AVI output again to stop recording.

edit:

result: http://www.hipooniosamigasite.org/fi...loads/anim.gif

I opened the file in Jasc Animation Shop and it automatically removes duplicated frames. Very handy!

[emufan]

Originally Posted by hipoonios

I opened the file in Jasc Animation Shop and it automatically removes duplicated frames. Very handy!

it is not easy to find a reliable source for it, but i found it on archive.org.
Jasc Animation Shop 3.11 - nice tool, thanks for pointing out.

[jabbamonkey]

Originally Posted by hipoonios

Not really needed to install and setup a Workbench environment.

1. Download Dopus 4.12 bootable disk here.

2. Setup WinUAE:

* Select A1200 quickstart config
* Add at least 4 Mb fast RAM
* Add a hard drive in hardware tab. (Device name: dh1: Volume label: dh1 Select path to your files and remove bootable checkmark)

3. Boot!

4. Press F12 to put up the WinUAE gui and go to output tab. Select codec and click AVI output. Play the animation after finished press F12 again and click AVI output again to stop recording.

Had some trouble with this... When I boot, I get the start screen asking for bootable media (i.e. insert disk). Also, although I didn't even get to this point, I don't see any part of the instructions that ask to "load" the animation file (so, how's it know what video to output?).