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Dynamic / changing images on your web page

Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2009-09-01 14:47:43 - Graham Ellis

There are a number of different ways to provide dynamic (changing) images within a web page ... but as they're mostly client side technology based, they're not something I commonly get involved in. However, just yesterday I was thinking of using exactly such a dynamic image in my post telling you about the new "Of Course", and this morning, completely disconnected, I have a question on the subject in my mailbox.

So ... there are a number of ways to produce dynamic images:
• using animated .gif files where the various frames are built into one image (but note that the .jpg standard does NOT have the capability)
• using JavaScipt (see source and running example
• using Flash (Example here on Well House Manor site)
• using a server push or client pull slide show ... you can see that sort of thing source code here and running here.

I'm not going to start putting working copies of each of those techniques in this article ... too many moving images can make for a somewhat annoying page, and I have yet to find a manufacturer of dynamic paper on which you can print them and keep the movement ;-) ...