GDI+ and png animation

[mikell]

Hello

I'm trying to make a desktop animation, which uses 1800 png files with transparency, around 20 Ko each.

Here is the piece of script :

_GDIPlus_Startup()
For $i = 0 to 1800
    $hImage = _GDIPlus_ImageLoadFromFile($path & $i & ".png")
    SetBitMap($hGUI, $hImage, 255)
    GUISetState()
    _GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hImage)
    Sleep(20)
Next
_GDIPlus_Shutdown()

It works, but I can see my HD working hard and the anim is slow.

But, when I play the anim a second time, then it plays correctly and my HD keeps quiet.

I suppose there is some kind of writing in a cache when the images "load" the first time, and a simple read of this cache the second time.

If before the script I put this :

For $i = 0 to 1800
    $hImage = _GDIPlus_ImageLoadFromFile($path & $i & ".png")
    _GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hImage)
Next

then there is a (long) silent loading and after this the anim plays correctly.

So my question is : is it possible to avoid this delay before playing, and to play the anim in a "progressive" way ? or, is there a way to reduce this caching delay ?

I found some things about using libpng.dll but I dont know how to put this to Autoit...

Thanks a lot for any information

Merry Xmas to all

[martin]

Hello

I'm trying to make a desktop animation, which uses 1800 png files with transparency, around 20 Ko each.

Here is the piece of script :

_GDIPlus_Startup()
For $i = 0 to 1800
    $hImage = _GDIPlus_ImageLoadFromFile($path & $i & ".png")
    SetBitMap($hGUI, $hImage, 255)
    GUISetState()
    _GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hImage)
    Sleep(20)
Next
_GDIPlus_Shutdown()

It works, but I can see my HD working hard and the anim is slow.

But, when I play the anim a second time, then it plays correctly and my HD keeps quiet.

I suppose there is some kind of writing in a cache when the images "load" the first time, and a simple read of this cache the second time.

If before the script I put this :

For $i = 0 to 1800
    $hImage = _GDIPlus_ImageLoadFromFile($path & $i & ".png")
    _GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hImage)
Next

then there is a (long) silent loading and after this the anim plays correctly.

So my question is : is it possible to avoid this delay before playing, and to play the anim in a "progressive" way ? or, is there a way to reduce this caching delay ?

I found some things about using libpng.dll but I dont know how to put this to Autoit...

Thanks a lot for any information

Merry Xmas to all

I would try something like (though I haven't)

expandcollapse popup

$frameTime = 20
$playTime = 1801 * $frametime
$TimeToload=0
$Frame = 0
OnAutoItExitRegister("clean")
Dim $hImage[1801] 
_GDIPlus_Startup()
$startTime = TimerInit()
$playing = false

For $i = 0 to 1800;should this really be from 0?
 $hImage[$i] = _GDIPlus_ImageLoadFromFile($path & $i & ".png")
 if not $playing and $i>10 then ; maybe 10 is too few?
 $Avtime = TimerDiff($startTime)/($i+1)
 $TimeToLoad = (1801-$1)*$Avtime
 if $TimeToLoad < $playTime then ; + $someSafetyMargin?
 AdlibRegister("Play",$frameTime)
 $playing = True
 endif
 endif
Next

while 1
 sleep(100)
 if $frame >= 1801 then exit
next

Func Play()
 SetBitMap($hGUI, $hImage[$frame], 255)
 GUISetState();is this needed?
 
 ;possibly dispose of last image here
 ;_GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hImage[$Frame])

 $frame += 1
wend

Func Clean()
For $i = 0 to 1800
 _GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hImage[$i])
 
Next

_GDIPlus_Shutdown()

EDIT: Welcome to the AutoIt forums mikell

Edited December 22, 2009 by martin

[mikell]

Thanks martin for your answer

"should this really be from 0?"

No, you're right, my first image is ' 0.png' but $hImage[0] doesn't work.

In fact my anim is 1875 images long, it begins (now) at '1.png' and ends at '1874.png'.

I could manage your script in this way :

expandcollapse popup

$frameTime = 20
$playTime = 1874 * $frametime
$TimeToload=0
$Frame = 0
;Opt("OnExitFunc", "clean")
 Dim $hImage[1875]
_GDIPlus_Startup()
$startTime = TimerInit()
$playing = false

For $i = 1 to 1874   ;should this really be from 0?
 $hImage[$i] = _GDIPlus_ImageLoadFromFile($path & $i & ".png")
 If not $playing and $i>10 Then ; maybe 10 is too few?
    $Avtime = TimerDiff($startTime)/($i+1)
    $TimeToLoad = (1875-$i)*$Avtime
    If $TimeToLoad < $playTime Then      ; + $someSafetyMargin?
        AdlibEnable("Play",$frameTime)
        $playing = True
    Endif
 Endif
 $frame += 1
Next

while 1
 sleep(100)
 If $frame >= 1874 Then 
    Clean()
    Exit
Endif
wend

_GDIPlus_Shutdown()

Func Play()
 SetBitMap($hGUI, $hImage[$frame], 255)
EndFunc

Func Clean()
For $i = 1 to 1874
 _GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hImage[$i])
Next
EndFunc

it's much better, but now there is a funny thing occuring : the first time the anim plays correctly, and the second time it runs like a rocket

Is there a way for the anim to "learn" if it is its first run or not, maybe by detecting if images are already loaded in cache ?

The problem is, I have absolutely no idea about how to do that...

[martin]

Thanks martin for your answer

"should this really be from 0?"

No, you're right, my first image is ' 0.png' but $hImage[0] doesn't work.

In fact my anim is 1875 images long, it begins (now) at '1.png' and ends at '1874.png'.

I could manage your script in this way :

expandcollapse popup

$frameTime = 20
$playTime = 1874 * $frametime
$TimeToload=0
$Frame = 0
;Opt("OnExitFunc", "clean")
 Dim $hImage[1875]
_GDIPlus_Startup()
$startTime = TimerInit()
$playing = false

For $i = 1 to 1874 ;should this really be from 0?
 $hImage[$i] = _GDIPlus_ImageLoadFromFile($path & $i & ".png")
 If not $playing and $i>10 Then ; maybe 10 is too few?
    $Avtime = TimerDiff($startTime)/($i+1)
    $TimeToLoad = (1875-$i)*$Avtime
    If $TimeToLoad < $playTime Then ; + $someSafetyMargin?
        AdlibEnable("Play",$frameTime)
        $playing = True
    Endif
 Endif
 $frame += 1
Next

while 1
 sleep(100)
 If $frame >= 1874 Then 
    Clean()
    Exit
Endif
wend

_GDIPlus_Shutdown()

Func Play()
 SetBitMap($hGUI, $hImage[$frame], 255)
EndFunc

Func Clean()
For $i = 1 to 1874
 _GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hImage[$i])
Next
EndFunc

it's much better, but now there is a funny thing occuring : the first time the anim plays correctly, and the second time it runs like a rocket

Is there a way for the anim to "learn" if it is its first run or not, maybe by detecting if images are already loaded in cache ?

The problem is, I have absolutely no idea about how to do that...

I don't see how you run the second time. If you simply run the whole script again for th esecond time then I think that Windows is caching the data read from the disc. If the $frametime value is the same then I don't see how it runs faster the second time, unless you mean it starts sooner in which case I do understand. But to run again it would be better just to set the frame count to 0 and let the adlib carry on, then it would also be very quick to start providing you hadn't disposed of the graphic handles.

This will make the animation run 3 times.

expandcollapse popup

$frameTime = 20
$playTime = 1874 * $frametime
$TimeToload=0
$Frame = 0
;Opt("OnExitFunc", "clean")
 Dim $hImage[1875]
_GDIPlus_Startup()
$startTime = TimerInit()
$playing = false
For $jj = 1 to 3
For $i = 1 to 1874 ;should this really be from 0?
 $hImage[$i] = _GDIPlus_ImageLoadFromFile($path & $i & ".png")
 If not $playing and $i>10 Then ; maybe 10 is too few?
    $Avtime = TimerDiff($startTime)/($i+1)
    $TimeToLoad = (1875-$i)*$Avtime
    If $TimeToLoad < $playTime Then ; + $someSafetyMargin?
        AdlibEnable("Play",$frameTime)
        $playing = True
    Endif
 Endif
 $frame += 1
Next
$frame = 0
Next
while 1
 sleep(100)
 If $frame >= 1874 Then 
    Clean()
    Exit
Endif
wend

_GDIPlus_Shutdown()

Func Play()
 SetBitMap($hGUI, $hImage[$frame], 255)
EndFunc

Func Clean()
For $i = 1 to 1874
 _GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hImage[$i])
Next
EndFunc

[mikell]

martin, to play the anim I run the whole script, and this script automatically exits at the end of the anim.

At the first run, the anim plays well but I see my HD at work, so I suppose that Windows is loading the images "somewhere" and memorizing "something", because if I run the script a second time (or more) then the anim plays much quicker.

If I reboot my PC and run the script, it works as a first run. I think the "somewhere" and the "something" has been cleaned up during the reboot.

If I could know about these "somewhere" and "something" then I should include in the script a condition for playing the anim in 2 different ways.

My english is approximative so forgive me if my explanations are not very clear

[mikell]

Pfff impossible to learn where GDI+ memorizes these data

There is a solution, it is tricky and not satisfying but I tested it several times and it works

expandcollapse popup

$frameTime = 30
$playTime = 1874 * $frametime
$TimeToload=0
$Frame = 0
 Dim $hImage[1875]
_GDIPlus_Startup()
$startTime = TimerInit()
$playing = false

For $i = 1 to 1874 
$test = TimerInit()
$hImage[$i] = _GDIPlus_ImageLoadFromFile($path & $i & ".png")
If TimerDiff($test) < 5 Then        ; <---------------------------- here is the trick
    SetBitMap($hGUI, $hImage[$i], 255)
    _GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hImage[$i])
    Sleep(20)
Else
    If not $playing and $i>10 Then 
        $Avtime = TimerDiff($startTime) /($i+1)
        $TimeToLoad = (1875-$i)*$Avtime
        If $TimeToLoad < $playTime Then    
            AdlibEnable("Play",$frameTime)
            $playing = True
        Endif
     Endif
 Endif
 $frame += 1
Next

while 1
 sleep(100)
 If $frame >= 1874 Then 
    Clean()
    Exit
Endif
wend

_GDIPlus_Shutdown()

Func Play()
 SetBitMap($hGUI, $hImage[$frame], 255)
EndFunc

Func Clean()
For $i = 1 to 1874
 _GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hImage[$i])
Next
EndFunc

something like :

If (ImageLoadingTime < 5) then

my original script

else

martin's script

endif

thank you martin, have nice Xmas and new year