css - Can you control GIF animation with Javascript?

Question

Is it possible to use javascript to control which frame of a GIF image is showing and/or stop the animation. I want to be able to load a GIF with several frames and only show one of them.

I know I could do it with lots of separate images, but if I can do what I want with a GIF, it will only be one file to worry about.

Answer 1

You can use the libgif library.

It allows you to start/stop the gif and control which frame the gif is on.

<script type="text/javascript" src="./libgif.js"></script>
<img src="./example1_preview.gif" rel:animated_src="./example1.gif"
 width="360" height="360" rel:auto_play="1" rel:rubbable="1" />

<script type="text/javascript">
    $$('img').each(function (img_tag) {
        if (/.*.gif/.test(img_tag.src)) {
            var rub = new SuperGif({ gif: img_tag } );
            rub.load(function(){
                console.log('oh hey, now the gif is loaded');
            });
        }
    });
</script>

(most of the code is taken directly from their example)