ActiveX Shell.Explorer control and animated images

[RazorHalo]

I have tried using animated images in my GUI's. I would like to use animated PNG or WEBP files instead of GIF's
Using the code below the animated GIF plays fine, but animated PNG or WEBP only displays the first frame.

Code: Select all

URL = [PATH TO IMAGE]\731_128.gif

Gui Add, ActiveX, xm w128 h128 vWB, Shell.Explorer
wb.navigate("about:<meta charset='utf-8'><meta http-equiv='X-UA-Compatible' content='IE=Edge'>")
while (wb.readyState != 4 || wb.busy)
    Sleep -1
wb.document.body.innerHTML := "<style> * { border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; overflow: hidden; } </style><img src='" url "'>"
Gui Show

I know that IE and Chrome can play the animations, if I just drag the file into one of those windows it plays the file just fine.
If I take that same IE or Chrome window and set its parent to my AHK GUI it will embed the browser tab in the AHK GUI and the image still plays just fine - but then I have the whole browser in there and I really only want the animated image.

I guess I'm not sure why its different by loading it as an ActiveX control - I would think it would use the same method to render the image as it does by dragging the file into an open IE/Edge window does - but it doesn't seem to.

I was wondering if anyone could explain why its different or know how it may work? Attached some sample images i used for testing.

[Hellbent]

I know that IE and Chrome can play the animations, if I just drag the file into one of those windows it plays the file just fine.
If I take that same IE or Chrome window and set its parent to my AHK GUI it will embed the browser tab in the AHK GUI and the image still plays just fine - but then I have the whole browser in there and I really only want the animated image.

If you can't find an activeX solution you can use a window inside a window inside a window to only show the portion of the browser that you want.

Here is a script that uses nested windows.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=103165

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And here is where you can find a better explanation of how it works.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=103165&start=20#p528974

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[RazorHalo]

Thanks HellBent, thats some pretty cool stuff.

After more searching I found that the IE ActiveX does not support animated PNG or WEBP files.
I ended up writing a class to handle animated PNG (APNG) files completely though AutoHotkey.
It can be found here viewtopic.php?f=6&t=123979