No more animated avatars?

[Levon]

I try to use a new avatar & get this error: "You may not upload animated images."

I really hope this is an error that can be fixed, I'v been making avatars just for this site for for years. All my avatars are 80 X 80 & under 20 KB. I wouldn't want all my effort to give people here animated avatars to goto waste.

Its not like my animated avatars are large that slows people down, they are all under 20 KB.

http://www.geocities.com/levon_r/LevonsAvatars.html

[Leader Desslock]

The loss of Levon's avatars would be a major dent in the character of the AN forum, I feel.

[Old Ape Face]

Indeed, those moving avatars do give the forum it's character. they also give more personality to the poster.

[Lord Timaeus]

Dammit, I've been wanting to use some of Levon's Peorth avatars, and now I can't use them? You truly are heartless, vBulletin.

[Soluzar]

The loss of animated avatars wouldn't be catastrophic, but I'd certainly miss it. I've been using various of Levon's avatars since almost my debut here, and I intend to keep on employing whatsoever moving images of Kuno-Senpai as Levon feels moved to create.

I too hope that this is simply an error (like sig. images) that can soon be rectified. Since we're on the topic, though... assuming you do restore animated avatars, it wouldn't suck if you upped the allowed size by a couple of KB. Not that I expect you to do it, but there's no harm in asking, right? :wub:

[The Million Dollar Prons]

I hate to be Scrooge McDuck here, but I hate animated avatars (No offense levon), and never use them (Except that Ideon one I had for a day), therefore I won't miss them at all.

But I promise, if I did use animated avatars, I'd use Levons!

[hiei_kurama27]

No animated avatars? That sucks. Its only 20k, and I see no reason not to.

[Jon]

Might have been turned on be defualt, just like the "pictures in signatures" not too long ago.

[Sendo Takeshi]

Time paradox?

[Levon]

I hate to be Scrooge McDuck here, but I hate animated avatars (No offense levon), and never use them (Except that Ideon one I had for a day), therefore I won't miss them at all.

But I promise, if I did use animated avatars, I'd use Levons!

http://img100.exs.cx/img100/6456/peek.gif
I remember you using this avatar for a long time-_-;

I was making a few new Ideon avatars.

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1083/ideon4be9.gif

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5474/ideon1cd8.gif

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/3364/ideon5qu6.gif

[The Million Dollar Prons]

Yes Ideon! Watch The Anime And Use The Avatars Everyone~!!

[Suki]

You don't know how pissed off I would be if I didn't have this monkey anymore.

[Josh]

Should be fixed now.

[Levon]

Thanks Josh!:D

[Leader Desslock]

Yay! In honor of that, I'll do the first test....

Yep! It worked!

[Hisoka]

Thank goodness. It just wouldn't be the same without the card throwing action.

[SDAnimeFan]

In honer of them restoring animated avatars I will use this one for awhile.XD

[Soluzar]

Yay! In honor of that, I'll do the first test....

Yep! It worked!
So that's why you had Akane as your avatar for a little while there... I sometimes forget to look at people's names, so I though you were Suiko Eiji for a few minutes.

[throughhim413]

Thank goodness. It just wouldn't be the same without the card throwing action.And posting just wouldn't have been the same without Chrono in the wind.

[Fobb]

Just a question for levon, since it's on the topic of animated avatars:

How do you keep your avatars under 20k? What program do you use, and what compression methods? If you'd be so kind as to let me know, I'd be eternally grateful, because I've been stuck, and any animated gif I touch increases in size.

[Levon]

I use Ulead GIF Animator. And I use the Optimize tab to adjust the quality, it can be pretty hard at times because 20 KB is very small.

[Fobb]

Would you recommend ULead over Imageready?

[Old Ape Face]

Imageready will only except Quicktime files as frames, if you're takeing it from a DVD, you might want to convert the file to quicktime. I'm not exactly sure how to do that though, dvds have codes in them to protect them from piracy.

[Levon]

Inserting a video clip into a program would have hundred or thousands of frames you'd have to delete. Its a mess that way.
Its a lot more easy to use VirtualDub to load the fansub file or .vob(DVD, use DVD Decrypter to put the files onto your harddrive). With VirtualDub you press Ctrl+1 to copy the frame & then you paste(Ctrl+v) the frame into Ulead GIF Animator. Do that to each frame you want. Then you have to edit each frames size & position. Then optimize to be under 20 KB. Most of the time my limit is around 15 frames, although it depends on the amount of colors & movement. If theres a lot of colors of different scenes or with a lot of movement where lots of other colors are used then it will be harder to optimize.

The biggest flaw with Ulead GIF Animator is that you can't select all frames to set the size & position all at once. This makes no sense. Instead I have to edit each frame, its annoying. I hope they have a new version where that feature is included.

[Fobb]

I didn't even know you could drop the whole video into Imageready. That sounds like waaay too much work though, and must eat a whole bunch of RAM too. Alright, thanks for the help.

[KingKodiak]

Hey guys I just started posting here and have a slew of animated avatars too. However when I upload them to the site, all of a suddent they ar enot animated anymore. Any suggestions as to why this is happening?

[Gibb]

I just uploaded this avatar as a test and it seems to be working.

The image is 64 by 64 and 6.24 KB in size.


edit: whoops, didn't notice Josh's post saying it's fixed. Also didn't notice this thread is from a while ago >__<

[KingKodiak]

Well I tried posting my GL avatar and usually the light flickers, not sure what is up. lemme try another avatar.

[KingKodiak]

Yea once again I tried and it didn't work not sure what is up can anybody help me out.

[EmberAlchemist0]

Actually my avatar is an animated one, but for some reason it doesn't go into motion at all. >_<

[KingKodiak]

Good that measn that this is a problem for more than one person. Can anyone help us out?

[Jon]

Yea once again I tried and it didn't work not sure what is up can anybody help me out.


Actually my avatar is an animated one, but for some reason it doesn't go into motion at all. >_<

Do these avatars move, Ember?

http://animenation.net/forums/customavatars/avatar10002_17.gif http://animenation.net/forums/customavatars/avatar27577_1.gif

They move on my computer, and if they don't move on yours, then it's possible that it could be a issue on your side.

[ZeroRyoko1974]

i can see them move. Mine is moving

[Levon]

Is the avatar over size? Because I think if you upload a gif thats over 20 KB all you'll get is a still of the first frame. But I could be wrong.

Try uploading your avatar using a different browser.

[Gibb]

I tried uploading a couple .gifs over 19.6 KB and it gives me an error message saying it's too large. Under that size and it works fine (and animates). I'm using Opera 9.10.

[Len]

I can resize some for people if you like. Just post the gif, I'l save it, then post it on here with the appropriate size. If its too large, some color loss will have to be had.

@Gibb: I usually make it 19.2k and 80x80.. It always uploads for me, no problem. I have about.. 14 animated gif avatars I use for myself that arn't off Levon's site.

[EmberAlchemist0]

Do these avatars move, Ember?

http://animenation.net/forums/customavatars/avatar10002_17.gif http://animenation.net/forums/customavatars/avatar27577_1.gif

They move on my computer, and if they don't move on yours, then it's possible that it could be a issue on your side.



Yeah those move for me no problem there Jonn.

[KingKodiak]

Yea not sure what the problem is because the .gifs I have uploaded are under the file size limit and they work on my comp. and other sites. Then when I load them on here, the image stops animating. I guess I'll keep trying other images... but if anyone knows of a problem like this happening to them they should report it because it might be a problem with specific files like .gifs, or .jpegs... maybe one or the other does work well with the site.

[hiei_kurama27]

I tried uploading a couple .gifs over 19.6 KB and it gives me an error message saying it's too large. Under that size and it works fine (and animates). I'm using Opera 9.10.

Thats because 19.6 KB is over 20000 bytes. (As crazy as that sounds...) This is what I figured out:
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/35096008/
(refer to the very bottom of the pic).

I always make my avvies 19.4 KB at most.

[Soluzar]

I guess I'll keep trying other images... but if anyone knows of a problem like this happening to them they should report it because it might be a problem with specific files like .gifs, or .jpegs... maybe one or the other does work well with the site.
There must have been thousands of animated avatars used on this site since it was launched. It's more likely that you've made some kind of mistake in preparing your image. You mention JPEG files, but only GIF files can be animated. You're not uploading in JPEG format are you?

[Gibb]

Thats because 19.6 KB is over 20000 bytes. (As crazy as that sounds...) This is what I figured out:
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/35096008/
(refer to the very bottom of the pic).

I always make my avvies 19.4 KB at most.

I just meant that the boards give an error when the file is too large, not that it works but doesn't animate.

[hiei_kurama27]

Right then. I guess just consider my post there a random bit of info people should take note of. -_-;

[Levon]

I once had this problem years ago but I forgot how to fix it. Try asking this at some computer forum where people know a ton. I remember it having something to do with my computer settings or maybe my browser settings. Have you tried another browser?

[KingKodiak]

There must have been thousands of animated avatars used on this site since it was launched. It's more likely that you've made some kind of mistake in preparing your image. You mention JPEG files, but only GIF files can be animated. You're not uploading in JPEG format are you?


Yea I meant that I was uploading .gifs, which they are all .gifs that I have uploaded, still not sure what the problem is.

[Josh]

Can you upload the image you're trying to use as an attachment to your next post? I'll take a look and see if I can figure it out.

[KingKodiak]

Ok, here is the pick:

I had to link the image, couldn't upload it onto the forums...

http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?image=greenlantern2mb8.gif

[Josh]

It's too large (image size not file size). The current size limit is 80px x 80px, your image is 100px x 100px.

[Shiroiyuki]

^That picture is 100 x 100 pixels in size....I thought AN only allowed up to 80 x 80.

Maybe that is your problem ^_^

[EDIT]...curse my slow dial up....
DRAT, beat me to it Josh

[KingKodiak]

It's too large (image size not file size). The current size limit is 80px x 80px, your image is 100px x 100px.
Thanks I am gonna try and resize this real quick and try the image again.

[KingKodiak]

Hey guys another quick question, what do you use resize images?

[Shiroiyuki]

^Photoshop, or in this case.....maybe Imageready? Hmm, I think you should just pm Levon, since he is the Avatar man around these parts.

[Levon]

Well if its just a still image then yeah Photoshop, but if your talking about animated gifs then I recommend Ulead Gif Animator.


Here you go:

http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/3882/43154623zb6.gif http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/5076/20275534mi7.gif

[Len]

Or if you're lazy.. google "Animated Gif Editor" and click on whatever appears. It used to work for me.

[KingKodiak]

Well if its just a still image then yeah Photoshop, but if your talking about animated gifs then I recommend Ulead Gif Animator.


Here you go:

http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/3882/43154623zb6.gif http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/5076/20275534mi7.gif

Thanks a lot, you guys are quick with reponse and everything, good stuff.

[Len]

AHH MY EYES

[KingKodiak]

AHH MY EYES
Is that in response to my avatar? If so... sorry about that, the light of Green Lantern's ring does that sometimes to the eyes of the mortal. ;-)

[Len]

Yes. xD My screen is rlyrly bright.

[Jayden]

You can resize your animated avatar using Video Avatar.Also You can create avatar.. It's really cool prog)

[Sora N]

Holy cow! This thread is old!

BTW that makes me wonder if Levon ever plans on making new animated avatars that are 100x100?

[superplough]

He tried to, but he said that the 24.4kb limit is too constrictive.

[Sora N]

He tried to, but he said that the 24.4kb limit is too constrictive.

Ah, I understand.

[Jatz]

I can't remember if this was a bandwidth issue or a dial-up issue, but couldn't Gibb allow for off-site hosting? Dial-up users can just turn off the avatars in the C-panel.

[fujyoshi]

wow the only avatar I notice is mine and mine was supposed ta be animated but AN froze it instead.

[Levon]

People still use 56k dial up? I stopped using that crap 10 years ago.

wow the only avatar I notice is mine and mine was supposed ta be animated but AN froze it instead.

If its too big(over 24 KB) it will freeze only showing the first frame.

[Schadenfreude]

a 75kb cap doesn't seem that unreasonable, does it? That's what I've seen on other sites and you don't have to compress a 2 or 3 second gif to unreasonable pixelation to fit that.

[superplough]

I think 75kb would be fine... even on Dial Up that isn't that much. But it's up to Josh to change that...

[fujyoshi]

If its too big(over 24 KB) it will freeze only showing the first frame.

yea I noticed ;p

[DazarGaidin]

I use dialup at home. I have no problem with the avatars here or at animesuki (which i think allows a higher 40k or so), it takes me only a second to cache that. Even if my connection is bogging down i usually just turn off image loading anyway (as most other dialup users probably do). They should just make offsite hosting of avatars (which is already coded in vB) and raise the limit to whatever a dialup can load in a second (about 48k). They only have to load them once before its cached anyway. Would make for much more interesting avatars and we might actually be able to use the new 100x100 for animations with more than like 4 frames (which currently struggle to be 80x80). My current avatar was a crazy struggle, and its no where near the allowed dimensions/breaks uniformity.

[Jatz]

People still use 56k dial up? I stopped using that crap 10 years ago.


Many people have no choice as mentioned a few times here.

[ZeroRyoko1974]

Holy thread necros batman, a 3 yr necro bump.

[Schadenfreude]

Better than another thread being made instead.

[Ken-Ohki]

I'm going to close this thread primarily because its relevance is hardly applicable any longer. If you wish to discuss avatars still you may open a new thread to ask what questions you have. Otherwise I'm afraid the topic will be confusing to new visitors.