Script to split GIF into left / right - help!

[pshoebri]

Hi all!

I'm working on a large number of GIF animations which will end up in an online flip book.

I'm creating them as single layered images, since many background elements are shared across the spread.

What I need now is a script to allow me to to have both right and left sides exported as separate gifs, retaining all layers. 

Ideally, I end up with the undisturbed original file, and two layered GIF files with _left.gif and _right.gif suffixes.

Can anyone point me to a script that might do such a thing? Everything I've found so far has layers being merged, which doesn't help me with the required animation layers!

Thanks in advance.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Save As or Export As GIF(89) does not support layers.

If you have a frame based animation timeline and Save for Web with GIF(89a) and re-open the GIF, then each each frame is treated as a layer. So, do you perhaps mean that your final GIF files need to keep the animation? Technically, the GIF file is flat without layers, it is just that when opening into Photoshop the animation frames are shown as layers as this is the mechanism that Photoshop uses for frames.

It is easy enough to do what you require in a two step approach using a simple batch action.

1) Record an action to reduce the canvas width 50% anchored at the centre left. This would also include a save for web to GIF command.

2) Record an action to reduce the canvas width 50% anchored at the centre right. This would also include a save for web to GIF command.

Use the File > Automate > Batch command to run the first action against the full size originals. Then repeat again using the second action. You can setup a sufix of _left or _right in the batch screen to match the particular action being run on the folder or open originals.