[JS4]

I was wondering if it was possible to add animated text to an already made signature without the animated text showing on a white background? I made a simple one for practice and when I play it back it shows the way I want. However when I save it and open it again, the background shows and then when the text comes up, the background turns white and then the animated text shows. Can this white background be avoided? I did make the animated text with the transparent background.

Here are some examples of what I mean--

This is the text I am practicing with. I did make this using Animated text

I put it on this background by dragging it from the layers dialog right onto it.


This is what my layers dialog looked like.


Now, when I start to drag, if that's what I'm supposed to do, do I add a new layer and then start to drag? Or just drag straight onto the background?

I would like to have the background I want and then the letters to appear on it. Is that possible?

I'd appreciate any help! :)

[ccbarr]

JS4,

What you want to do is very possible. Did you drag your Background into your multilayered image (the animation)? The best way to go about it is in the Layers Dialog window, select the very bottom layer of the animation. That way it becomes the active layer. Then drag the Background Image that you want to add to the animation from it's Layer Dialog window on to the Animation's Image window. Then using the Arrow keys in your Animation's Image Layers Dialog window, move your Background Image (the one you want behind the animation) to the very bottom of the Layer stack.

Next go grab this excellent script by saulgoode and install it:

http://www.flashingt.../combine-bg.scm

Just right-click on the link above and select Save Target As or Save Link As or something similar (depending on your browser) and save it into your Gimp scripts folder. Then refresh your scripts by selecting:

Xtns | Script-Fu | Refresh Scripts

You will now have two new entries under Filters | Animation. They will be Combine Background and Overlay Background.

In this case, you want to select Combine Background menu selection since you are wanting to add your Background to the animation.

What the script does is make a copy of your Background Image Layer (make sure it is the very bottom layer in the Layers Dialog window layerstack) for each of your animation layers. It then places each Background Layer copy behind each Animation Layer and merges each Animation Layer onto each of the Background Layers.

Once you have applied the script, remove that very bottom Background Image layer from your Animation Image Layer Dialog window.

Go ahead and select:

Filters | Animation | Playback

If all went well, you will see your animation playing with your chosen Background Image.

Now you can choose to first Optimize (for Gif) (sometimes this helps reduce the final file size) or just save it to a GIF file. Oh, don't forget when the Export Dialog comes up to select Save As Animation. By default, it will combine all the layers into one, which will effectively ruin the animation. Make sure you select the Save As Animation option. You can leave the other option's default alone in that Window.

Hope this helps some.

:)

[JS4]

ccbarr, you rock! Thanks so much for your help! Here's what I came up with when practicing--



Again, thank you for helping me! :D