Which GIF-file formats are supported by the SBC S-Web technologies and how can I generate such GIFs?

FAQ #101409

 

In general there is a differentation between the GIF-file formats "87a" and "89a". The version "89a" includes all features from the version 87a but adds new features such as the possibility to provide animated graphics.
On all SBC products the format "87a" is fully supported while some features from the format "89a" are not supported on all devices (e.g. PCD7.D4xx).

Supported features on a MB Panel PCD7.D4xx

• Transparent GIF, if within the GIF less than 256 separate colours are used.
• GIF interlaced and non-interlaced – The GIF is drawn however in one go after full reception.

Restrictions related to *.gif files on the MB Panel

• Due to hardware relations, the QVGA Panel will not be able to display transparent GIFs
  
• Only the VGA Panel supports transparent GIFs in which case on the transparent pixel either the background or the inner colour setting is shown if this is configured. This inner colour drawing is also drawn on the full painter area and shown on the transparent pixel in the GIF image part that is below the outline under a dotted/dashed outline.
• A 3D border is not used.
• No split canvas / background and image frame handling (single full frame). For the canvas size the frame size is taken.
• No multi frame / image GIF file support (no animated / sequenced GIF). 
  For sequenced GIF file the first frame is taken. This may only partly display the wanted image.
  Note: The animated GIF macro from the S-Web Editor bases on a sequenced display of GIF files. The single gif files are not animated.
• No full colour support of the used 24 bit colours out of the given colour table.
  - On the VGA 16 Bit in a RGB 5-6-5 bit scheme is used, on the QVGA 8 Bit in a 3-3-2 Bit scheme is used.
  - For the colour rounding a grey scale nearest value is taken.
  - On the VGA the GIF uncompressing and this rounding can be checked using the screen dump feature
    that dumps the used RGB16, 5-6-5 code pixel code in an uploadable  uncompressed BMP16 file.
• No GIF meta information support, no GIF coded text support.

When using a GIF-files in format "89a" (incl. animation) the following phenomenons can be observed:

• everything works fine in the Applet 5.14.27 displayed on a PC

• display works, but no animation is done on a VGA MB Panel PCD7.D4xxV with firmware 1.12.11 and newer
  

• display doesn't work at all and only a rectangle with a red cross is displayed on a VGA MB Panel PCD7.D4xxV with firmware 1.12.11 and newer

Here are some possibilities how to generate or convert any type of picture into GIF format "87a"

• "GIMP": use the free graphical editor "GIMP" and save any picture as *.gif. If necessary select "fit picture" to not save an animated GIF when you're prompted. Just to be sure to generate a GIF file of format "87a".
  Get the most actual version of "GIMP" from the download website www.gimp.org/downloads/
  
• "Imagemagick": use the portable version of the conversion tool "Imagemagick" and run a batch-file to convert a whole directory of GIF-files into "87a" formatted GIF files.
  Download the portable version from www.imagemagick.org/script/binary-releases.php
  Copy the attached batch-file and the expanded zip file of "Imagemagick" into one directory. Also copy all *.gif files to be converted into the same directory.
  Start the batch file with a doubleclick. The converted GIF-files will be stored in a new directory named "gif87".