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Is it possible to use animated .gif images in lbgdx? If not how whats the alternative? We need to include animated buttons.

When I use an animated gif, the animation won't play. This question (and many others) states that Libgdx doesn't support it, I'm wondering if something has changed over the years

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2 Answers 2

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There is a GifDecoder class that turn a .gif file into a libGDX Animation. With it, you can render animated .gifs like this;

public class SandboxGame extends ApplicationAdapter {
    SpriteBatch batch;
    Animation<TextureRegion> animation;
    float elapsed;

    @Override
    public void create () {
        batch = new SpriteBatch();
        animation = GifDecoder.loadGIFAnimation(Animation.PlayMode.LOOP, Gdx.files.internal("throbber.gif").read());
    }

    @Override
    public void render () {
        elapsed += Gdx.graphics.getDeltaTime();
        Gdx.gl.glClearColor(1, 0, 0, 0);
        Gdx.gl.glClear(GL20.GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT);
        batch.begin();
        batch.draw(animation.getKeyFrame(elapsed), 20.0f, 20.0f);
        batch.end();
    }

    @Override
    public void dispose () {
        batch.dispose();
    }
}

The GifDecoder reads all the frames of the .gif and sticks them into an Array of TextureRegions, this gives you a lot of control of the playback.

The GifDecoder isn't part of the libGDX library, it was written by Johannes Borchardt and converted to libGDX by Anton Person, below is an updated version where I've taken their code and updated it to fit the latest version of libGDX;

/* Copyright by Johannes Borchardt */
/* LibGdx conversion 2014 by Anton Persson */
/* Released under Apache 2.0 */
/* https://code.google.com/p/animated-gifs-in-android/ */

package com.holidaystudios.tools;

import java.io.InputStream;
import java.util.Vector;

import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.Pixmap;
import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.g2d.Animation;
import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.g2d.Animation.PlayMode;
import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.g2d.TextureRegion;
import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.Texture;
import com.badlogic.gdx.utils.Array;

public class GifDecoder {
    /**
     * File read status: No errors.
     */
    public static final int STATUS_OK = 0;
    /**
     * File read status: Error decoding file (may be partially decoded)
     */
    public static final int STATUS_FORMAT_ERROR = 1;
    /**
     * File read status: Unable to open source.
     */
    public static final int STATUS_OPEN_ERROR = 2;
    /** max decoder pixel stack size */
    protected static final int MAX_STACK_SIZE = 4096;
    protected InputStream in;
    protected int status;
    protected int width; // full image width
    protected int height; // full image height
    protected boolean gctFlag; // global color table used
    protected int gctSize; // size of global color table
    protected int loopCount = 1; // iterations; 0 = repeat forever
    protected int[] gct; // global color table
    protected int[] lct; // local color table
    protected int[] act; // active color table
    protected int bgIndex; // background color index
    protected int bgColor; // background color
    protected int lastBgColor; // previous bg color
    protected int pixelAspect; // pixel aspect ratio
    protected boolean lctFlag; // local color table flag
    protected boolean interlace; // interlace flag
    protected int lctSize; // local color table size
    protected int ix, iy, iw, ih; // current image rectangle
    protected int lrx, lry, lrw, lrh;
    protected DixieMap image; // current frame
    protected DixieMap lastPixmap; // previous frame
    protected byte[] block = new byte[256]; // current data block
    protected int blockSize = 0; // block size last graphic control extension info
    protected int dispose = 0; // 0=no action; 1=leave in place; 2=restore to bg; 3=restore to prev
    protected int lastDispose = 0;
    protected boolean transparency = false; // use transparent color
    protected int delay = 0; // delay in milliseconds
    protected int transIndex; // transparent color index
    // LZW decoder working arrays
    protected short[] prefix;
    protected byte[] suffix;
    protected byte[] pixelStack;
    protected byte[] pixels;
    protected Vector<GifFrame> frames; // frames read from current file
    protected int frameCount;

    private static class DixieMap extends Pixmap {
        DixieMap(int w, int h, Pixmap.Format f) {
            super(w, h, f);
        }

        DixieMap(int[] data, int w, int h, Pixmap.Format f) {
            super(w, h, f);

            int x, y;

            for(y = 0; y < h; y++) {
                for(x = 0; x < w; x++) {
                    int pxl_ARGB8888 = data[x + y * w];
                    int pxl_RGBA8888 =
                            ((pxl_ARGB8888 >> 24) & 0x000000ff) | ((pxl_ARGB8888 << 8) & 0xffffff00);
                    // convert ARGB8888 > RGBA8888
                    drawPixel(x, y, pxl_RGBA8888);
                }
            }
        }

        void getPixels(int[] pixels, int offset, int stride, int x, int y, int width, int height) {
            java.nio.ByteBuffer bb = getPixels();

            int k, l;

            for(k = y;  k < y + height; k++) {
                int _offset = offset;
                for(l = x; l < x + width; l++) {
                    int pxl = bb.getInt(4 * (l + k * width));

                    // convert RGBA8888 > ARGB8888
                    pixels[_offset++] = ((pxl >> 8) & 0x00ffffff) | ((pxl << 24) & 0xff000000);
                }
                offset += stride;
            }
        }
    }

    private static class GifFrame {
        public GifFrame(DixieMap im, int del) {
            image = im;
            delay = del;
        }

        public DixieMap image;
        public int delay;
    }

    /**
     * Gets display duration for specified frame.
     *
     * @param n
     *          int index of frame
     * @return delay in milliseconds
     */
    public int getDelay(int n) {
        delay = -1;
        if ((n >= 0) && (n < frameCount)) {
            delay = frames.elementAt(n).delay;
        }
        return delay;
    }

    /**
     * Gets the number of frames read from file.
     *
     * @return frame count
     */
    public int getFrameCount() {
        return frameCount;
    }

    /**
     * Gets the first (or only) image read.
     *
     * @return BufferedPixmap containing first frame, or null if none.
     */
    public Pixmap getPixmap() {
        return getFrame(0);
    }

    /**
     * Gets the "Netscape" iteration count, if any. A count of 0 means repeat indefinitely.
     *
     * @return iteration count if one was specified, else 1.
     */
    public int getLoopCount() {
        return loopCount;
    }

    /**
     * Creates new frame image from current data (and previous frames as specified by their disposition codes).
     */
    protected void setPixels() {
        // expose destination image's pixels as int array
        int[] dest = new int[width * height];
        // fill in starting image contents based on last image's dispose code
        if (lastDispose > 0) {
            if (lastDispose == 3) {
                // use image before last
                int n = frameCount - 2;
                if (n > 0) {
                    lastPixmap = getFrame(n - 1);
                } else {
                    lastPixmap = null;
                }
            }
            if (lastPixmap != null) {
                lastPixmap.getPixels(dest, 0, width, 0, 0, width, height);
                // copy pixels
                if (lastDispose == 2) {
                    // fill last image rect area with background color
                    int c = 0;
                    if (!transparency) {
                        c = lastBgColor;
                    }
                    for (int i = 0; i < lrh; i++) {
                        int n1 = (lry + i) * width + lrx;
                        int n2 = n1 + lrw;
                        for (int k = n1; k < n2; k++) {
                            dest[k] = c;
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
        // copy each source line to the appropriate place in the destination
        int pass = 1;
        int inc = 8;
        int iline = 0;
        for (int i = 0; i < ih; i++) {
            int line = i;
            if (interlace) {
                if (iline >= ih) {
                    pass++;
                    switch (pass) {
                        case 2:
                            iline = 4;
                            break;
                        case 3:
                            iline = 2;
                            inc = 4;
                            break;
                        case 4:
                            iline = 1;
                            inc = 2;
                            break;
                        default:
                            break;
                    }
                }
                line = iline;
                iline += inc;
            }
            line += iy;
            if (line < height) {
                int k = line * width;
                int dx = k + ix; // start of line in dest
                int dlim = dx + iw; // end of dest line
                if ((k + width) < dlim) {
                    dlim = k + width; // past dest edge
                }
                int sx = i * iw; // start of line in source
                while (dx < dlim) {
                    // map color and insert in destination
                    int index = ((int) pixels[sx++]) & 0xff;
                    int c = act[index];
                    if (c != 0) {
                        dest[dx] = c;
                    }
                    dx++;
                }
            }
        }
        image = new DixieMap(dest, width, height, Pixmap.Format.RGBA8888);
        //Pixmap.createPixmap(dest, width, height, Config.ARGB_4444);
    }

    /**
     * Gets the image contents of frame n.
     *
     * @return BufferedPixmap representation of frame, or null if n is invalid.
     */
    public DixieMap getFrame(int n) {
        if (frameCount <= 0)
            return null;
        n = n % frameCount;
        return ((GifFrame) frames.elementAt(n)).image;
    }

    /**
     * Reads GIF image from stream
     *
     * @param is
     *          containing GIF file.
     * @return read status code (0 = no errors)
     */
    public int read(InputStream is) {
        init();
        if (is != null) {
            in = is;
            readHeader();
            if (!err()) {
                readContents();
                if (frameCount < 0) {
                    status = STATUS_FORMAT_ERROR;
                }
            }
        } else {
            status = STATUS_OPEN_ERROR;
        }
        try {
            is.close();
        } catch (Exception e) {
        }
        return status;
    }

    /**
     * Decodes LZW image data into pixel array. Adapted from John Cristy's BitmapMagick.
     */
    protected void decodeBitmapData() {
        int nullCode = -1;
        int npix = iw * ih;
        int available, clear, code_mask, code_size, end_of_information, in_code, old_code, bits, code, count, i, datum, data_size, first, top, bi, pi;
        if ((pixels == null) || (pixels.length < npix)) {
            pixels = new byte[npix]; // allocate new pixel array
        }
        if (prefix == null) {
            prefix = new short[MAX_STACK_SIZE];
        }
        if (suffix == null) {
            suffix = new byte[MAX_STACK_SIZE];
        }
        if (pixelStack == null) {
            pixelStack = new byte[MAX_STACK_SIZE + 1];
        }
        // Initialize GIF data stream decoder.
        data_size = read();
        clear = 1 << data_size;
        end_of_information = clear + 1;
        available = clear + 2;
        old_code = nullCode;
        code_size = data_size + 1;
        code_mask = (1 << code_size) - 1;
        for (code = 0; code < clear; code++) {
            prefix[code] = 0; // XXX ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException
            suffix[code] = (byte) code;
        }
        // Decode GIF pixel stream.
        datum = bits = count = first = top = pi = bi = 0;
        for (i = 0; i < npix;) {
            if (top == 0) {
                if (bits < code_size) {
                    // Load bytes until there are enough bits for a code.
                    if (count == 0) {
                        // Read a new data block.
                        count = readBlock();
                        if (count <= 0) {
                            break;
                        }
                        bi = 0;
                    }
                    datum += (((int) block[bi]) & 0xff) << bits;
                    bits += 8;
                    bi++;
                    count--;
                    continue;
                }
                // Get the next code.
                code = datum & code_mask;
                datum >>= code_size;
                bits -= code_size;
                // Interpret the code
                if ((code > available) || (code == end_of_information)) {
                    break;
                }
                if (code == clear) {
                    // Reset decoder.
                    code_size = data_size + 1;
                    code_mask = (1 << code_size) - 1;
                    available = clear + 2;
                    old_code = nullCode;
                    continue;
                }
                if (old_code == nullCode) {
                    pixelStack[top++] = suffix[code];
                    old_code = code;
                    first = code;
                    continue;
                }
                in_code = code;
                if (code == available) {
                    pixelStack[top++] = (byte) first;
                    code = old_code;
                }
                while (code > clear) {
                    pixelStack[top++] = suffix[code];
                    code = prefix[code];
                }
                first = ((int) suffix[code]) & 0xff;
                // Add a new string to the string table,
                if (available >= MAX_STACK_SIZE) {
                    break;
                }
                pixelStack[top++] = (byte) first;
                prefix[available] = (short) old_code;
                suffix[available] = (byte) first;
                available++;
                if (((available & code_mask) == 0) && (available < MAX_STACK_SIZE)) {
                    code_size++;
                    code_mask += available;
                }
                old_code = in_code;
            }
            // Pop a pixel off the pixel stack.
            top--;
            pixels[pi++] = pixelStack[top];
            i++;
        }
        for (i = pi; i < npix; i++) {
            pixels[i] = 0; // clear missing pixels
        }
    }

    /**
     * Returns true if an error was encountered during reading/decoding
     */
    protected boolean err() {
        return status != STATUS_OK;
    }

    /**
     * Initializes or re-initializes reader
     */
    protected void init() {
        status = STATUS_OK;
        frameCount = 0;
        frames = new Vector<GifFrame>();
        gct = null;
        lct = null;
    }

    /**
     * Reads a single byte from the input stream.
     */
    protected int read() {
        int curByte = 0;
        try {
            curByte = in.read();
        } catch (Exception e) {
            status = STATUS_FORMAT_ERROR;
        }
        return curByte;
    }

    /**
     * Reads next variable length block from input.
     *
     * @return number of bytes stored in "buffer"
     */
    protected int readBlock() {
        blockSize = read();
        int n = 0;
        if (blockSize > 0) {
            try {
                int count = 0;
                while (n < blockSize) {
                    count = in.read(block, n, blockSize - n);
                    if (count == -1) {
                        break;
                    }
                    n += count;
                }
            } catch (Exception e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
            if (n < blockSize) {
                status = STATUS_FORMAT_ERROR;
            }
        }
        return n;
    }

    /**
     * Reads color table as 256 RGB integer values
     *
     * @param ncolors
     *          int number of colors to read
     * @return int array containing 256 colors (packed ARGB with full alpha)
     */
    protected int[] readColorTable(int ncolors) {
        int nbytes = 3 * ncolors;
        int[] tab = null;
        byte[] c = new byte[nbytes];
        int n = 0;
        try {
            n = in.read(c);
        } catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        if (n < nbytes) {
            status = STATUS_FORMAT_ERROR;
        } else {
            tab = new int[256]; // max size to avoid bounds checks
            int i = 0;
            int j = 0;
            while (i < ncolors) {
                int r = ((int) c[j++]) & 0xff;
                int g = ((int) c[j++]) & 0xff;
                int b = ((int) c[j++]) & 0xff;
                tab[i++] = 0xff000000 | (r << 16) | (g << 8) | b;
            }
        }
        return tab;
    }

    /**
     * Main file parser. Reads GIF content blocks.
     */
    protected void readContents() {
        // read GIF file content blocks
        boolean done = false;
        while (!(done || err())) {
            int code = read();
            switch (code) {
                case 0x2C: // image separator
                    readBitmap();
                    break;
                case 0x21: // extension
                    code = read();
                    switch (code) {
                        case 0xf9: // graphics control extension
                            readGraphicControlExt();
                            break;
                        case 0xff: // application extension
                            readBlock();
                            String app = "";
                            for (int i = 0; i < 11; i++) {
                                app += (char) block[i];
                            }
                            if (app.equals("NETSCAPE2.0")) {
                                readNetscapeExt();
                            } else {
                                skip(); // don't care
                            }
                            break;
                        case 0xfe:// comment extension
                            skip();
                            break;
                        case 0x01:// plain text extension
                            skip();
                            break;
                        default: // uninteresting extension
                            skip();
                    }
                    break;
                case 0x3b: // terminator
                    done = true;
                    break;
                case 0x00: // bad byte, but keep going and see what happens break;
                default:
                    status = STATUS_FORMAT_ERROR;
            }
        }
    }

    /**
     * Reads Graphics Control Extension values
     */
    protected void readGraphicControlExt() {
        read(); // block size
        int packed = read(); // packed fields
        dispose = (packed & 0x1c) >> 2; // disposal method
        if (dispose == 0) {
            dispose = 1; // elect to keep old image if discretionary
        }
        transparency = (packed & 1) != 0;
        delay = readShort() * 10; // delay in milliseconds
        transIndex = read(); // transparent color index
        read(); // block terminator
    }

    /**
     * Reads GIF file header information.
     */
    protected void readHeader() {
        String id = "";
        for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++) {
            id += (char) read();
        }
        if (!id.startsWith("GIF")) {
            status = STATUS_FORMAT_ERROR;
            return;
        }
        readLSD();
        if (gctFlag && !err()) {
            gct = readColorTable(gctSize);
            bgColor = gct[bgIndex];
        }
    }

    /**
     * Reads next frame image
     */
    protected void readBitmap() {
        ix = readShort(); // (sub)image position & size
        iy = readShort();
        iw = readShort();
        ih = readShort();
        int packed = read();
        lctFlag = (packed & 0x80) != 0; // 1 - local color table flag interlace
        lctSize = (int) Math.pow(2, (packed & 0x07) + 1);
        // 3 - sort flag
        // 4-5 - reserved lctSize = 2 << (packed & 7); // 6-8 - local color
        // table size
        interlace = (packed & 0x40) != 0;
        if (lctFlag) {
            lct = readColorTable(lctSize); // read table
            act = lct; // make local table active
        } else {
            act = gct; // make global table active
            if (bgIndex == transIndex) {
                bgColor = 0;
            }
        }
        int save = 0;
        if (transparency) {
            save = act[transIndex];
            act[transIndex] = 0; // set transparent color if specified
        }
        if (act == null) {
            status = STATUS_FORMAT_ERROR; // no color table defined
        }
        if (err()) {
            return;
        }
        decodeBitmapData(); // decode pixel data
        skip();
        if (err()) {
            return;
        }
        frameCount++;
        // create new image to receive frame data
        image = new DixieMap(width, height, Pixmap.Format.RGBA8888);
        setPixels(); // transfer pixel data to image
        frames.addElement(new GifFrame(image, delay)); // add image to frame
        // list
        if (transparency) {
            act[transIndex] = save;
        }
        resetFrame();
    }

    /**
     * Reads Logical Screen Descriptor
     */
    protected void readLSD() {
        // logical screen size
        width = readShort();
        height = readShort();
        // packed fields
        int packed = read();
        gctFlag = (packed & 0x80) != 0; // 1 : global color table flag
        // 2-4 : color resolution
        // 5 : gct sort flag
        gctSize = 2 << (packed & 7); // 6-8 : gct size
        bgIndex = read(); // background color index
        pixelAspect = read(); // pixel aspect ratio
    }

    /**
     * Reads Netscape extenstion to obtain iteration count
     */
    protected void readNetscapeExt() {
        do {
            readBlock();
            if (block[0] == 1) {
                // loop count sub-block
                int b1 = ((int) block[1]) & 0xff;
                int b2 = ((int) block[2]) & 0xff;
                loopCount = (b2 << 8) | b1;
            }
        } while ((blockSize > 0) && !err());
    }

    /**
     * Reads next 16-bit value, LSB first
     */
    protected int readShort() {
        // read 16-bit value, LSB first
        return read() | (read() << 8);
    }

    /**
     * Resets frame state for reading next image.
     */
    protected void resetFrame() {
        lastDispose = dispose;
        lrx = ix;
        lry = iy;
        lrw = iw;
        lrh = ih;
        lastPixmap = image;
        lastBgColor = bgColor;
        dispose = 0;
        transparency = false;
        delay = 0;
        lct = null;
    }

    /**
     * Skips variable length blocks up to and including next zero length block.
     */
    protected void skip() {
        do {
            readBlock();
        } while ((blockSize > 0) && !err());
    }

    public Animation<TextureRegion> getAnimation(PlayMode playMode) {
        int nrFrames = getFrameCount();
        Pixmap frame = getFrame(0);
        int width = frame.getWidth();
        int height = frame.getHeight();
        int vzones = (int)Math.sqrt((double)nrFrames);
        int hzones = vzones;

        while(vzones * hzones < nrFrames) vzones++;

        int v, h;

        Pixmap target = new Pixmap(width * hzones, height * vzones, Pixmap.Format.RGBA8888);

        for(h = 0; h < hzones; h++) {
            for(v = 0; v < vzones; v++) {
                int frameID = v + h * vzones;
                if(frameID < nrFrames) {
                    frame = getFrame(frameID);
                    target.drawPixmap(frame, h * width, v * height);
                }
            }
        }

        Texture texture = new Texture(target);
        Array<TextureRegion> texReg = new Array<TextureRegion>();

        for(h = 0; h < hzones; h++) {
            for(v = 0; v < vzones; v++) {
                int frameID = v + h * vzones;
                if(frameID < nrFrames) {
                    TextureRegion tr = new TextureRegion(texture, h * width, v * height, width, height);
                    texReg.add(tr);
                }
            }
        }
        float frameDuration = (float)getDelay(0);
        frameDuration /= 1000; // convert milliseconds into seconds
        Animation<TextureRegion> result = new Animation<TextureRegion>(frameDuration, texReg, playMode);

        return result;
    }

    public static Animation<TextureRegion> loadGIFAnimation(Animation.PlayMode playMode, InputStream is) {
        GifDecoder gdec = new GifDecoder();
        gdec.read(is);
        return gdec.getAnimation(playMode);
    }
} 

As a side note, using animated .gifs might not be the best format to use for a game, but if you already have all the animations done in .gif-format then I guess it could be a way to get quickly up and running.

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3
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ Thanks, this piece of code was unreachable for me and pretty informative \$\endgroup\$ Commented Feb 1, 2017 at 16:17
  • \$\begingroup\$ How to add event listener to the button Sir? \$\endgroup\$
    – Lynob
    Commented Feb 1, 2017 at 16:43
  • \$\begingroup\$ This is the related question gamedev.stackexchange.com/questions/136664/… \$\endgroup\$
    – Lynob
    Commented Feb 1, 2017 at 18:25
4
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You can't use .gif in libgdx. But you can make yours. A .gif is a list of images displayed frame by frame at a fixed framerate.

You could decompose the .gif into several .png which can be loaded as textures and then animate them like below. I won't cover the .gif decomposition here.

This is an example of implementation as Sprite (same way to do it from an actor). This is not THE solution, but this is one.

public class AnimatedSprite extends Sprite
{
    // Attributes
    private Texture[] frames; // Your frames
    private int currentFrame; // This value will iterate over frames to display the right frame
    private float fps; // Your frame rate in frame per second
    private float timer; 

    // Constructor
    public AnimatedSprite(Texture[] frames, float framePerSecond)
    {
        super(frames[0]); // Init your sprite with the first frame texture

        fps = framePerSecond;
        currentFrame = 0;
        timer = 0;
    }

    public void update(float elapsedTime)
    {
        if (timer < 1.0 / fps)
            timer += elapsedTime;
        else
        {
            timer -= 1.0 / fps;
            nextFrame();
        }
    }

    public void nextFrame()
    {
        // Change frame
        if (currentFrame < frames.length)
            currentFrame++;
        else
            currentFrame = 0;

        // Set the good frame texture
        setTexture(frames[currentFrame]);
    }
}

You could also override the draw method of sprite to draw texture[currentFrame] instead of texture

This subject is also covered in the libgdx's wiki

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