Apng Creator

APNG Creator

Create an animated PNG from an indexed PNG frame sequence. Use the bundled helper script for validation and assembly so filename handling and output naming stay deterministic.

Workflow

1. Check dependencies first. Run which apngasm.
   • If apngasm is missing, explain that it is needed to assemble individual PNG frames into a valid APNG container without reimplementing APNG encoding by hand.
   • Then directly install it with brew install apngasm.
2. Identify inputs. Accept either one input directory or an explicit list of frame files.
3. Validate filenames before generating output.
   • PNG frame names must contain a numeric prefix or suffix, such as 001-frame.png, frame-001.png, or frame001.png.
   • If a name has both prefix and suffix indexes, use the suffix index.
   • If duplicate indexes exist, stop and ask the user to rename files.
4. Handle validation decisions.
   • If some files are missing indexes, ask whether to ignore unindexed files or stop.
   • If indexes are not consecutive, ask whether to continue or stop.
   • If the inputs include files that are not .png, ask whether to ignore them or stop.
   • If no usable .png file has an index, tell the user and stop.
5. Choose frame rate and output.
   • Use 60 fps unless the user specifies a target frame rate.
   • If no output path is specified, write <input-folder-name>.png beside the input folder.
   • If that default output path already exists, auto-number as <input-folder-name>-1.png, <input-folder-name>-2.png, and so on.
   • If the user provides an explicit output path that already exists, stop unless the user explicitly requested overwrite behavior.
6. Generate the APNG. Run:

python3 scripts/create_apng.py <input-dir-or-files> --fps 60

Use --output <path> when the user specifies an output file. Use --overwrite only when the user explicitly says to overwrite an existing explicit output path.

Helper Script

scripts/create_apng.py performs filename validation, prompts for required decisions, creates a temporary consecutive frame sequence, and invokes apngasm <output.png> <first-frame.png> 1 <fps>.

Useful options:

• --fps <integer>: target frame rate; defaults to 60.
• --output <path>: explicit APNG output path.
• --overwrite: allow replacing an explicit existing output path.
• --ignore-unindexed: ignore PNG files without numeric prefix or suffix indexes.
• --ignore-non-png: ignore non-PNG inputs.
• --allow-gaps: continue when numeric indexes are not consecutive.
• --dry-run: validate inputs and print the command without invoking apngasm.