ANI (file format)

Infobox file format
name = ANI
extension = .ani
mime =
owner = Microsoft
genre = cursor graphics file format
containerfor =
containedby =
extendedfrom =
extendedto = The ANI file format is a graphics file format used for animated cursors on the Microsoft Windows operating system.

The format is based on the Microsoft RIFF file format, which is used as a container for storing the individual frames (which are standard Windows icons) of the animation.

File structure

Animated cursors contain the following information: (in order of position in the file)

* Name (optional)
* Artist information (optional)
* Default frame rate
* Sequence information
* Cursor hotspot
* Individual frame(s)., in ICO format
* Individual frame rates (optional)

Frames rates are measured in jiffies, with one jiffy equal to 1/60 of a second, or 16.666 ms.

Sequencing

"Sequence information" present in the file determines the sequence of frames, and allows frames to be played more than once, or in a different order than in which they appear in the file. For example, if the animation contains three different images numbered 1, 2 and 3, and the sequence is 1-2-3-2-1, (five frames) then only three icons need to be stored in the file, thereby saving storage space.

See also

*Cursor (computers)
*ICO (icon image file format)

External links

* [http://www.gdgsoft.com/anituner/help/aniformat.htm Description of the ani file format]
* [http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=2534&dshield=4a9058b3b27bec39517b255884c25591 Vulnerability in Windows Animated Cursor Handling]