Visually yours

This week's software picks deal with tools that help you do a lot more with your picture files than you thought possible.

They can be used by beginners and experts alike. Have fun with these tools, and season's greetings.

AniToAvi Wizard

AniToAvi Wizard is a powerful tool that allows you to convert all of your animated cursors into little animations like video for Windows, animated GIF files or even single bitmaps containing all cursor frames.

You can insert these animations in your documents, Web pages or presentations.

The wizard lets you define the settings for your conversion with an intuitive and visual interface. With AniToAvi Wizard, you can easily click and convert your animated cursors.

Purchase Info: Purchase Info: Freeware

Platform: Windows 95/98

Download Location:

www.gdgsoft.com/

anitoavi/index.htm

GifSpecialist

GifSpecialist is a useful tool for Web site developers as it helps them optimise GIF files.

Before loading the site, users can optimise the GIF files; in doing so, the site will load faster for visitors.

Purchase Info: Freeware

Platform: Windows 95/98

http://members.tripod.com/

QuinqSoft/products/gifspecialist.htm

Headcase Player

Headcase is designed to complement existing audio streaming technologies by allowing the user to put a face to the audio that is being played.

This provides an alternative to Webcam type software by eliminating the need to transfer images as well as sound.

It thus allows the entire bandwidth to be used for quality audio streaming.

Purchase Info: Freeware

Platform: Windows 95/98/NT

Download Location:

www.redted.com/headcase.htm

Bodies

Bodies is a 3D objects viewer and rotator. Features include copy to clipboard, change lighting, various shapes and view as wireframe or solid.

Purchase Info: Freeware

Platform: Windows 95/98

http://jans.hypermart.net/

jfgraphics.htm

pjBmp2Avi

bmp2avi is a 32-bit Windows console program designed to stitch sequentially numbered bitmap files into a Windows RIFF .avi file.

Purchase Info: Freeware

Platform: Windows 95/98

Download Location: www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/

cherryjam/utilities.html

RETAS! Pro

RETAS! Pro is an animation tool that combines three tools which replace such works as tracing, painting, finishing and shooting. It handles not only 2D drawings but also live video and 3D computer graphics.

Purchase Info: Freeware

Platform: Windows 95/98

Download Location:

www.retas.com/home.html

Advanced GIF Animator 2.2

This is a powerful tool for creating animated GIF images. With this program, you can create pictures, banners, buttons, and even movies. You can also use the built-in image editor or any stand-alone graphics editor to create image files that will be assembled into GIF animation. Main features include built-in image editor, palette optimisation, image size reduction and multi-language support.

Purchase Info: Shareware

Platform: Windows 95/98/NT/2000

919 KB

http://gif.creabit.com/download/

KoolMoves 1.67

This Web animation authoring software creates Flash movies and frames for animated GIFs. You can choose from over 100 animated text effects, import vector clipart, fill shapes with colour gradients or images, add actions and sounds to buttons and frames and create mouse-over effects.

Purchase Info: Shareware

Platform: Windows 95/98/NT/2000

1.33 MB

Download Location:

www.koolmoves.com/kmsetup.exe

Movies 11 Pro

Movies 11 Pro is a GIF animator using which you can create animated GIF files from readymade picture files or from image frames created within movies. Features include backgrounds tool and effects, animate from effects, drawing tools, free floating text tool and smart gadget with 50 shapes, image scrolling and free rotation, image filters and 25 animation wizards.

Purchase Info: Shareware

Platform: Windows 95/98

Download Location:

http://jansfreeware.com/jfshareware.htm

Compiled by C.Ramesh