Argghh... Adobe/CS "Help" is the worst (animated gifs)!!

[AlBDamned]

Hi guys,

Can anyone help. I've got an animated image in image ready, it's flashing fine in image ready, I save it to .PSD as it instructs in the help file.

However, whenever I try to save it as a .gif file, the animation doesn't save.

It's only one frame and I'm using two layers to provide the animation, which is just two words changing from white to red.

Photoshop help is useless it just says "save it as a PSD" and then directs you to all this unintelligible crap about optimizing.

I'm totally new to this so I'm sure I must be missing something dead simple

 

[sparkyms]

In the Optimize tab (at the side - or window Optimise *i think*) make sure its optimizing as .GIF.

hope this helps, ill take a look. I had the same problem the other day.

*edit* just checked, yes this is how i fixed it. Hope it helps!

 

[AlBDamned]

In the Optimize tab (at the side - or window Optimise *i think*) make sure its optimizing as .GIF.

hope this helps, ill take a look. I had the same problem the other day.

*edit* just checked, yes this is how i fixed it. Hope it helps!

No that hasn't worked unfortunately

I just don't understand what to do, it's really quite frustrating but not the first time. I find Photoshop such an unfriendly program when you're trying to learn stuff.

 

[iMeowbot]

Can anyone help. I've got an animated image in image ready, it's flashing fine in image ready, I save it to .PSD as it instructs in the help file.

that's always good to do in case you want to tweak later.

However, whenever I try to save it as a .gif file, the animation doesn't save.

Just to make sure, you're using "Save Optimized" at this point, right?

It's only one frame and I'm using two layers to provide the animation, which is just two words changing from white to red.

Ah, this might be where you are having trouble. If you want animation to happen, you need at least two frames. You can show and hide layers as you need in each separate frame.

If you're really new to this, all the animation magic lives under the Windows->Animation. The "optimization crap" is really just there to that you can tweak the palette and dithering to get a balance of decent appearance and file size, but you can worry about those details after you get a working animation.

 

[AlBDamned]

If you're really new to this, all the animation magic lives under the Windows->Animation. The "optimization crap" is really just there to that you can tweak the palette and dithering to get a balance of decent appearance and file size, but you can worry about those details after you get a working animation.

I am really new to this. I've wanted to try animating gifs for a while, but now I have an actual need to!

Having read the photoshop help, it led me to believe that having one frame with two different settings was the way to go. I'm not sure if I'm doing it right.

 

[iMeowbot]

IHaving read the photoshop help, it led me to believe that having one frame with two different settings was the way to go.

Nah, GIF animation is nowhere that sophisticated, it's little more than an electronic flip book.

For a simple flashing type of effect like you describe, what you would want is to duplicate your first frame in the animation palette (click the first frame, then use the new frame button at the bottom of the palette). Then, show or hide layers in each frame so that each of the two states you want is shown. In the lower left of the palette, you probably want to pick "forever" so that it cycles, then adjust the times on the frames.

At this point you can try File->Preview In to see how it all looks, then lather, rinse repeat until you're satisfied.