How do I get an animated gif to work in WPF?

Question

What control type should I use - Image, MediaElement, etc.?

Answer 1

Its very simple if you use <MediaElement>:

<MediaElement  Height="113" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="12,12,0,0" 
Name="mediaElement1" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="198" Source="C:\Users\abc.gif"
LoadedBehavior="Play" Stretch="Fill" SpeedRatio="1" IsMuted="False" />

Answer 2

Here is my version of animated image control. You can use standard property Source for specifying image source. I further improved it. I am a russian, project is russian so comments are also in Russian. But anyway you should be able understand everything without comments. :)

/// <summary>
/// Control the "Images", which supports animated GIF.
/// </summary>
public class AnimatedImage : Image
{
    #region Public properties

    /// <summary>
    /// Gets / sets the number of the current frame.
    /// </summary>
    public int FrameIndex
    {
        get { return (int) GetValue(FrameIndexProperty); }
        set { SetValue(FrameIndexProperty, value); }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Gets / sets the image that will be drawn.
    /// </summary>
    public new ImageSource Source
    {
        get { return (ImageSource) GetValue(SourceProperty); }
        set { SetValue(SourceProperty, value); }
    }

    #endregion

    #region Protected interface

    /// <summary>
    /// Provides derived classes an opportunity to handle changes to the Source property.
    /// </summary>
    protected virtual void OnSourceChanged(DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs aEventArgs)
    {
        ClearAnimation();

        BitmapImage lBitmapImage = aEventArgs.NewValue as BitmapImage;

        if (lBitmapImage == null)
        {
            ImageSource lImageSource = aEventArgs.NewValue as ImageSource;
            base.Source = lImageSource;
            return;
        }

        if (!IsAnimatedGifImage(lBitmapImage))
        {
            base.Source = lBitmapImage;
            return;
        }

        PrepareAnimation(lBitmapImage);
    }

    #endregion

    #region Private properties

    private Int32Animation Animation { get; set; }
    private GifBitmapDecoder Decoder { get; set; }
    private bool IsAnimationWorking { get; set; }

    #endregion

    #region Private methods

    private void ClearAnimation()
    {
        if (Animation != null)
        {
            BeginAnimation(FrameIndexProperty, null);
        }

        IsAnimationWorking = false;
        Animation = null;
        Decoder = null;
    }

    private void PrepareAnimation(BitmapImage aBitmapImage)
    {
        Debug.Assert(aBitmapImage != null);

        if (aBitmapImage.UriSource != null)
        {
            Decoder = new GifBitmapDecoder(
                aBitmapImage.UriSource,
                BitmapCreateOptions.PreservePixelFormat,
                BitmapCacheOption.Default);
        }
        else
        {
            aBitmapImage.StreamSource.Position = 0;
            Decoder = new GifBitmapDecoder(
                aBitmapImage.StreamSource,
                BitmapCreateOptions.PreservePixelFormat,
                BitmapCacheOption.Default);
        }

        Animation =
            new Int32Animation(
                0,
                Decoder.Frames.Count - 1,
                new Duration(
                    new TimeSpan(
                        0,
                        0,
                        0,
                        Decoder.Frames.Count / 10,
                        (int) ((Decoder.Frames.Count / 10.0 - Decoder.Frames.Count / 10) * 1000))))
                {
                    RepeatBehavior = RepeatBehavior.Forever
                };

        base.Source = Decoder.Frames[0];
        BeginAnimation(FrameIndexProperty, Animation);
        IsAnimationWorking = true;
    }

    private bool IsAnimatedGifImage(BitmapImage aBitmapImage)
    {
        Debug.Assert(aBitmapImage != null);

        bool lResult = false;
        if (aBitmapImage.UriSource != null)
        {
            BitmapDecoder lBitmapDecoder = BitmapDecoder.Create(
                aBitmapImage.UriSource,
                BitmapCreateOptions.PreservePixelFormat,
                BitmapCacheOption.Default);
            lResult = lBitmapDecoder is GifBitmapDecoder;
        }
        else if (aBitmapImage.StreamSource != null)
        {
            try
            {
                long lStreamPosition = aBitmapImage.StreamSource.Position;
                aBitmapImage.StreamSource.Position = 0;
                GifBitmapDecoder lBitmapDecoder =
                    new GifBitmapDecoder(
                        aBitmapImage.StreamSource,
                        BitmapCreateOptions.PreservePixelFormat,
                        BitmapCacheOption.Default);
                lResult = lBitmapDecoder.Frames.Count > 1;

                aBitmapImage.StreamSource.Position = lStreamPosition;
            }
            catch
            {
                lResult = false;
            }
        }

        return lResult;
    }

    private static void ChangingFrameIndex
        (DependencyObject aObject, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs aEventArgs)
    {
        AnimatedImage lAnimatedImage = aObject as AnimatedImage;

        if (lAnimatedImage == null || !lAnimatedImage.IsAnimationWorking)
        {
            return;
        }

        int lFrameIndex = (int) aEventArgs.NewValue;
        ((Image) lAnimatedImage).Source = lAnimatedImage.Decoder.Frames[lFrameIndex];
        lAnimatedImage.InvalidateVisual();
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Handles changes to the Source property.
    /// </summary>
    private static void OnSourceChanged
        (DependencyObject aObject, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs aEventArgs)
    {
        ((AnimatedImage) aObject).OnSourceChanged(aEventArgs);
    }

    #endregion

    #region Dependency Properties

    /// <summary>
    /// FrameIndex Dependency Property
    /// </summary>
    public static readonly DependencyProperty FrameIndexProperty =
        DependencyProperty.Register(
            "FrameIndex",
            typeof (int),
            typeof (AnimatedImage),
            new UIPropertyMetadata(0, ChangingFrameIndex));

    /// <summary>
    /// Source Dependency Property
    /// </summary>
    public new static readonly DependencyProperty SourceProperty =
        DependencyProperty.Register(
            "Source",
            typeof (ImageSource),
            typeof (AnimatedImage),
            new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(
                null,
                FrameworkPropertyMetadataOptions.AffectsRender |
                FrameworkPropertyMetadataOptions.AffectsMeasure,
                OnSourceChanged));

    #endregion
}

Answer 3

I modified Mike Eshva's code,And I made it work better.You can use it with either 1frame jpg png bmp or mutil-frame gif.If you want bind a uri to the control,bind the UriSource properties or you want bind any in-memory stream that you bind the Source propertie which is a BitmapImage.

    /// <summary> 
/// Элемент управления "Изображения", поддерживающий анимированные GIF. 
/// </summary> 
public class AnimatedImage : Image
{
    static AnimatedImage()
    {
        DefaultStyleKeyProperty.OverrideMetadata(typeof(AnimatedImage), new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(typeof(AnimatedImage)));
    }

    #region Public properties

    /// <summary> 
    /// Получает/устанавливает номер текущего кадра. 
    /// </summary> 
    public int FrameIndex
    {
        get { return (int)GetValue(FrameIndexProperty); }
        set { SetValue(FrameIndexProperty, value); }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Get the BitmapFrame List.
    /// </summary>
    public List<BitmapFrame> Frames { get; private set; }

    /// <summary>
    /// Get or set the repeatBehavior of the animation when source is gif formart.This is a dependency object.
    /// </summary>
    public RepeatBehavior AnimationRepeatBehavior
    {
        get { return (RepeatBehavior)GetValue(AnimationRepeatBehaviorProperty); }
        set { SetValue(AnimationRepeatBehaviorProperty, value); }
    }

    public new BitmapImage Source
    {
        get { return (BitmapImage)GetValue(SourceProperty); }
        set { SetValue(SourceProperty, value); }
    }

    public Uri UriSource
    {
        get { return (Uri)GetValue(UriSourceProperty); }
        set { SetValue(UriSourceProperty, value); }
    }

    #endregion

    #region Protected interface

    /// <summary> 
    /// Provides derived classes an opportunity to handle changes to the Source property. 
    /// </summary> 
    protected virtual void OnSourceChanged(DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        ClearAnimation();
        BitmapImage source;
        if (e.NewValue is Uri)
        {
            source = new BitmapImage();
            source.BeginInit();
            source.UriSource = e.NewValue as Uri;
            source.CacheOption = BitmapCacheOption.OnLoad;
            source.EndInit();
        }
        else if (e.NewValue is BitmapImage)
        {
            source = e.NewValue as BitmapImage;
        }
        else
        {
            return;
        }
        BitmapDecoder decoder;
        if (source.StreamSource != null)
        {
            decoder = BitmapDecoder.Create(source.StreamSource, BitmapCreateOptions.DelayCreation, BitmapCacheOption.OnLoad);
        }
        else if (source.UriSource != null)
        {
            decoder = BitmapDecoder.Create(source.UriSource, BitmapCreateOptions.DelayCreation, BitmapCacheOption.OnLoad);
        }
        else
        {
            return;
        }
        if (decoder.Frames.Count == 1)
        {
            base.Source = decoder.Frames[0];
            return;
        }

        this.Frames = decoder.Frames.ToList();

        PrepareAnimation();
    }

    #endregion

    #region Private properties

    private Int32Animation Animation { get; set; }
    private bool IsAnimationWorking { get; set; }

    #endregion

    #region Private methods

    private void ClearAnimation()
    {
        if (Animation != null)
        {
            BeginAnimation(FrameIndexProperty, null);
        }

        IsAnimationWorking = false;
        Animation = null;
        this.Frames = null;
    }

    private void PrepareAnimation()
    {
        Animation =
            new Int32Animation(
                0,
                this.Frames.Count - 1,
                new Duration(
                    new TimeSpan(
                        0,
                        0,
                        0,
                        this.Frames.Count / 10,
                        (int)((this.Frames.Count / 10.0 - this.Frames.Count / 10) * 1000))))
            {
                RepeatBehavior = RepeatBehavior.Forever
            };

        base.Source = this.Frames[0];
        BeginAnimation(FrameIndexProperty, Animation);
        IsAnimationWorking = true;
    }

    private static void ChangingFrameIndex
        (DependencyObject dp, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        AnimatedImage animatedImage = dp as AnimatedImage;

        if (animatedImage == null || !animatedImage.IsAnimationWorking)
        {
            return;
        }

        int frameIndex = (int)e.NewValue;
        ((Image)animatedImage).Source = animatedImage.Frames[frameIndex];
        animatedImage.InvalidateVisual();
    }

    /// <summary> 
    /// Handles changes to the Source property. 
    /// </summary> 
    private static void OnSourceChanged
        (DependencyObject dp, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        ((AnimatedImage)dp).OnSourceChanged(e);
    }

    #endregion

    #region Dependency Properties

    /// <summary> 
    /// FrameIndex Dependency Property 
    /// </summary> 
    public static readonly DependencyProperty FrameIndexProperty =
        DependencyProperty.Register(
            "FrameIndex",
            typeof(int),
            typeof(AnimatedImage),
            new UIPropertyMetadata(0, ChangingFrameIndex));

    /// <summary> 
    /// Source Dependency Property 
    /// </summary> 
    public new static readonly DependencyProperty SourceProperty =
        DependencyProperty.Register(
            "Source",
            typeof(BitmapImage),
            typeof(AnimatedImage),
            new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(
                null,
                FrameworkPropertyMetadataOptions.AffectsRender |
                FrameworkPropertyMetadataOptions.AffectsMeasure,
                OnSourceChanged));

    /// <summary>
    /// AnimationRepeatBehavior Dependency Property
    /// </summary>
    public static readonly DependencyProperty AnimationRepeatBehaviorProperty =
        DependencyProperty.Register(
        "AnimationRepeatBehavior",
        typeof(RepeatBehavior),
        typeof(AnimatedImage),
        new PropertyMetadata(null));

    public static readonly DependencyProperty UriSourceProperty =
        DependencyProperty.Register(
        "UriSource",
        typeof(Uri),
        typeof(AnimatedImage),
                new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(
                null,
                FrameworkPropertyMetadataOptions.AffectsRender |
                FrameworkPropertyMetadataOptions.AffectsMeasure,
                OnSourceChanged));

    #endregion
}

This is a custom control. You need to create it in WPF App Project,and delete the Template override in style.

Answer 4

Previously, I faced a similar problem, I needed to play .gif file in your project. I had two choices:

• using PictureBox from WinForms

• using a third-party library, such as WPFAnimatedGif from codeplex.com.

Version with PictureBox did not work for me, and the project could not use external libraries for it. So I made it for myself through Bitmap with help ImageAnimator. Because, standard BitmapImage does not support playback of .gif files.

Full example:

XAML

<Window x:Class="PlayGifHelp.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525" Loaded="MainWindow_Loaded">

    <Grid>
        <Image x:Name="SampleImage" />
    </Grid>
</Window>

Code behind

public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
    public MainWindow()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
    }

    Bitmap _bitmap;
    BitmapSource _source;

    private BitmapSource GetSource()
    {
        if (_bitmap == null)
        {
            string path = Directory.GetCurrentDirectory();

            // Check the path to the .gif file
            _bitmap = new Bitmap(path + @"\anim.gif");
        }

        IntPtr handle = IntPtr.Zero;
        handle = _bitmap.GetHbitmap();

        return Imaging.CreateBitmapSourceFromHBitmap(handle, IntPtr.Zero, Int32Rect.Empty, BitmapSizeOptions.FromEmptyOptions());
    }

    private void MainWindow_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
    {
        _source = GetSource();
        SampleImage.Source = _source;
        ImageAnimator.Animate(_bitmap, OnFrameChanged);
    }

    private void FrameUpdatedCallback()
    {
        ImageAnimator.UpdateFrames();

        if (_source != null)
        {
            _source.Freeze();
        }

        _source = GetSource();

        SampleImage.Source = _source;
        InvalidateVisual();
    }

    private void OnFrameChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        Dispatcher.BeginInvoke(DispatcherPriority.Normal, new Action(FrameUpdatedCallback));
    }
}

Bitmap does not support URI directive, so I load .gif file from the current directory.

Answer 5

Small improvement of GifImage.Initialize() method, which reads proper frame timing from GIF metadata.

    private void Initialize()
    {
        _gifDecoder = new GifBitmapDecoder(new Uri("pack://application:,,," + this.GifSource), BitmapCreateOptions.PreservePixelFormat, BitmapCacheOption.Default);

        int duration=0;
        _animation = new Int32AnimationUsingKeyFrames();
        _animation.KeyFrames.Add(new DiscreteInt32KeyFrame(0, KeyTime.FromTimeSpan(new TimeSpan(0))));
        foreach (BitmapFrame frame in _gifDecoder.Frames)
        {
            BitmapMetadata btmd = (BitmapMetadata)frame.Metadata;
            duration += (ushort)btmd.GetQuery("/grctlext/Delay");
            _animation.KeyFrames.Add(new DiscreteInt32KeyFrame(_gifDecoder.Frames.IndexOf(frame)+1, KeyTime.FromTimeSpan(new TimeSpan(duration*100000))));
        }            
         _animation.RepeatBehavior = RepeatBehavior.Forever;
        this.Source = _gifDecoder.Frames[0];            
        _isInitialized = true;
    }

Answer 6

Basically the same PictureBox solution above, but this time with the code-behind to use an Embedded Resource in your project:

In XAML:

<WindowsFormsHost x:Name="_loadingHost">
  <Forms:PictureBox x:Name="_loadingPictureBox"/>
</WindowsFormsHost>

In Code-Behind:

public partial class ProgressIcon
{
    public ProgressIcon()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
        var stream = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetManifestResourceStream("My.Namespace.ProgressIcon.gif");
        var image = System.Drawing.Image.FromStream(stream);
        Loaded += (s, e) => _loadingPictureBox.Image = image;
    }
}