topic Re: Animated graphics to a PDF in Graphics Programming

Animated graphics to a PDF

Reeza — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 23:46:38 GMT

Does anyone by chance have an example of generating an animated graphic directly into a PDF report?

I know it's possible and can manually insert one via InDesign or automated in R via gganimate but looking to see if I can stay within my SAS processes.

Re: Animated graphics to a PDF

ChrisNZ — Sat, 13 Oct 2018 05:06:59 GMT

Doesn't this or this (page 11) work?

Re: Animated graphics to a PDF

Reeza — Sun, 14 Oct 2018 00:04:50 GMT

Sadly no. Those create a gif file that is animated and a PDF with an image for each portion of the animation. I’ll run an example from gganimate and include it when I’m at a computer later tonight.

Re: Animated graphics to a PDF

Reeza — Sun, 14 Oct 2018 19:27:16 GMT

Here's an example that's a bit over the top, but definitely a possibility. Open the PDF in Adobe not a different PDF viewer.

I think this example is using JS behind the scenes.

Re: Animated graphics to a PDF

ChrisNZ — Sun, 14 Oct 2018 22:16:11 GMT

Very interesting, thank you.

Why would someone write a paper describing a process that doesn't work? Sigh..

I guess this feature is but a new entry to be added in the sasware ballot for now.

Re: Animated graphics to a PDF

Reeza — Sun, 14 Oct 2018 22:52:30 GMT

I suspect it's a matter of embedding an image within the PDF with the correct options. So creating a GIF or MOV file and then somehow embedding that within a PDF. I know we can add/embed images, so just not sure what settings I may need to embed that specifically. I was hoping someone had already figured it out but I guess I can

Re: Animated graphics to a PDF

ChrisNZ — Sun, 14 Oct 2018 23:29:36 GMT

A variation of embedding images in a title or some other object might work.

Re: Animated graphics to a PDF

PGStats — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 04:04:21 GMT

I tried the method given in @Cynthia_sas message to embed a GIF in a PDF document. It worked, but the resulting image wasn't animated.

Re: Animated graphics to a PDF

Cynthia_sas — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 14:01:32 GMT

Hi:
My understanding of PDF was that graphs were converted to an internal image format. I don't know what happens with animated graphics. However, I found this:

It does look like you have to convert the GIF into a MOV. I don't think SAS will do that, so you might have to take the animated GIF from SAS and do something with it with a 3-rd party product to make it a MOV.

Cynthia

Re: Animated graphics to a PDF

Reeza — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 14:33:35 GMT

I found that one too, but think its a few years old. I believe Adobe now allows gifs but you need to have pro to do it. I'll verify that today at the office. Is there some reason SAS couldn't generate a mov file instead of a gif?

Re: Animated graphics to a PDF

djrisks — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 15:28:50 GMT

I usually export the SAS animation as a GIF. Then convert the GIF to a movie file with a free converter online. Then use Adobe Pro to insert the animation (movie file) into the PDF. This is similar to @Reeza's suggestion.

Many thanks,

Kriss

Re: Animated graphics to a PDF

ChrisNZ — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 22:27:43 GMT

So if we had a mov graphics driver it night work? One for R&D @Jay54?

Re: Animated graphics to a PDF

Reeza — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 22:34:50 GMT

I don't think a mov file is a requirement. The file attached has no mov file, it's from latex, but not sure how it works...it's possible it's a mov file I suppose.

Re: Animated graphics to a PDF

ChrisNZ — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 22:39:32 GMT

Or JS takes care of displaying the single images in turn.