Using Xtreme to produce .AVI animations

**gbredon** · 21 April 2006, 04:46 AM

I have recently learnt how to create animated GIF files using Xtreme. It struck me that it would be really nice if I could export these frames as movie clips (e.g. for titling etc) so that I could use them in my movie editing program called Sony Vegas 6. As far as I can see Xara has no way of exporting the finished animation in .AVI format.

Does anyone have a work-around that does not involve importing individual frames in say .png format into Vegas?

**jamesmc** · 21 April 2006, 05:06 AM

There are some GIF to AVI converters available on the web, some better than others.

I use JASC (Paint Shop Pro) GIF Animator. It has the ability to import AVI files to GIF.

There is an export option in GIF Animator to Paint Shop Pro, so you can modify an individual frame and update it back to GIF Animator. This is quite handy, because it allows you to do overlays or underlays with layers. You can for example, cut a frame in PSP, then paste it as a new layer. This gives you the ability to make it invisible, some percentage of transparency, apply masks, effects or a dozen other things.

Don't worry, I have Xara Xtreme too, PSP and GIF animator are just other handy little tools.

**Egg Bramhill** · 21 April 2006, 07:00 AM

gbredon

Why not try Xara3D. It can export to avi.

**gbredon** · 21 April 2006, 07:29 AM

Hi Egg

I've never used 3D (even though I've got it). I will try. I assume it has a simple import command and the GIF file appears as separate frames in it? And then there is an export command which allows export as an AVI file? I'm at the office now so I can't wait to get home and try it!
Thanks for your great support.

**gbredon** · 21 April 2006, 11:52 AM

I'm afraid Xara3D does not work (or at least I can't get it to work!). It does not offer Animated GIFs as an import option and if you import using the All files option nothing happens. On the other hand if you import an animated XAR file it seems only to import the first frame. Even this is unsatisfactory because it applies its own animation to that frame (eg rotating it etc) when what I want is to create the animation by moving from one frame to the next (as is done within Xara when a GIF animation is created.)

Is their some export/import setting I am getting wrong? Or do I need to use some other program to convert the animated GIF's into AVI files?

**AntonyF** · 21 April 2006, 12:48 PM

Hi,

You're not doing anything wrong, it's just that Xtreme can't do that. Finding a convertor is your best option.

Antony

**gbredon** · 21 April 2006, 01:58 PM

Thanks for this. I have tried 'Amazing Photo editor' which claims to be able to do the job but then says that it only converts GIF 89 (whatever that means!) files. Xara GIFs clearly aren't GIF 89's 'cos the conversion only works for the first frame and then goes blurred.

Any suggestions about a converter that is known to work with Xara animated GIF's?

**jamesmc** · 21 April 2006, 02:04 PM

I've used JASC's GIF animator to import GIF's to Xara Xtreme.

When they show up in Xara Xtreme, they are listed as Imported Animation on each frame.

I've used Xara Xtreme animated GIF's in JASC's GIF Animator.

I've had the blurring occuring once, but I don't recall what the reason was now. However, it was corrected in Xara GIF Animator and never occured again.

**Kiwi** · 21 April 2006, 08:49 PM

You can import .gif animations into Ulead gif animator and then save as avi animations quite simply.

**Egg Bramhill** · 22 April 2006, 01:53 AM

Gbredon

Sorry, I read your post incorrectly. Transferring a pre made XaraX gif to avi isn't directly possible.

A method that might work is to import the gif into Flash (If you have it) and export to avi from there.