Is there a way to save turtle's drawing as an animated GIF?

Question

I like what the turtle module does in Python and I'd like to output the entire animation of it drawing the shape. Is there a way to do this? GIF/MP4/anything that shows the animation. Note, I know that an external screen recorder will do the job, but I'm looking for a way for the turtle module to do this itself.

Answer 1

Make an animated GIF from Python turtle using Preview on OSX

1) Start with a working program

As obvious as that seems, don't be debugging your code while trying to generate the animated GIF. It should be a proper turtle program with no infinite loops that ends with mainloop(), done(), or exitonclick().

The program I'm going to use for this explanation is one I wrote for Programming Puzzles & Golf Code that draws an Icelandic flag using turtle. It's intentionally minimalist as it is PP&GC:

from turtle import *
import tkinter as _
_.ROUND = _.BUTT
S = 8
h = 18 * S
color("navy")
width(h)
fd(25 * S)
color("white")
width(4 * S)
home()
pu()
goto(9 * S, -9 * S)
lt(90)
pd()
fd(h)
color("#d72828")
width(S + S)
bk(h)
pu()
home()
pd()
fd(25 * S)
ht()
done()

2) Have your program save snapshots on a timed basis

Repackage your program with draw(), save() and stop() timed events roughly as follows:

from turtle import *
import tkinter as _
_.ROUND=_.BUTT

def draw():
    S = 8
    h = 18 * S
    color("navy")
    width(h)
    fd(25 * S)
    color("white")
    width(4 * S)
    home()
    pu()
    goto(9 * S, -9 * S)
    lt(90)
    pd()
    fd(h)
    color("#d72828")
    width(S + S)
    bk(h)
    pu()
    home()
    pd()
    fd(25 * S)
    ht()

    ontimer(stop, 500)  # stop the recording (1/2 second trailer)

running = True
FRAMES_PER_SECOND = 10

def stop():
    global running

    running = False

def save(counter=[1]):
    getcanvas().postscript(file = "iceland{0:03d}.eps".format(counter[0]))
    counter[0] += 1
    if running:
        ontimer(save, int(1000 / FRAMES_PER_SECOND))

save()  # start the recording

ontimer(draw, 500)  # start the program (1/2 second leader)

done()

I'm using 10 frames per second (FPS) as that will match what Preview uses in a later step.

3) Run your program; quit after it completes.

Create a new, empty directory and run it from there. If all goes to plan, it should dump a series of *.eps files into the directory.

4) Load all these *.eps files into Preview

Assuming Preview is my default previewer, in Terminal.app I would simply do:

open iceland*.eps

5) Select-All the PDF (were EPS) files in the Preview sidebar and File/Export... (not Export as PDF) as GIF

Set the export type under the Options button, save them into our temporary directory. You need to hold down the Option key when selecting a format to see the GIF choice. Pick a good screen resolution. We should now have *.gif files in our temporary directory. Quit Preview.

6) Load all the *.gif files into Preview

open iceland*.gif

7) Merge all but first GIF file into the first GIF file

Select All the GIF files in Preview's sidebar. Unselect (Command Click) the first GIF file, e.g. iceland001.gif. Drag the selected GIF files onto the unselected GIF file. This will modify it and it's name. Use File/Export... to export the modified first GIF file to a new GIF file, e.g. iceland.gif

8) This is an animated GIF!

Convince yourself by loading it into Safari, e.g.:

open -a Safari iceland.gif

9) Converting to a repeating animated GIF

For a repeating animated GIF, you'll need some external tool like ImageMagick or Gifsicle to set the loop value:

convert -loop 0 iceland.gif iceland-repeating.gif

And again convince yourself that it works:

open -a Safari iceland-repeating.gif

10) Animated GIF result. Good luck!

Answer 2

Main concept

Here is my solution, the step as below,

1. Get the frame (you need use turtle.ontimer -> turtle.getcanvas().postscript(file=output_file) )

2. Convert each EPS to PNG. (since turtle.getcanvas().postscript return EPS, so you need use PIL to convert EPS to PNG)

   you need download ghostscript: https://www.ghostscript.com/download/gsdnld.html

3. Make a GIF with your PNG list. (use PIL.ImageFile.ImageFile.save(output_path, format='gif', save_all=True, append_images=, duration, loop)

Script

Here is my script (maybe I will publish to PyPI if I have time...)

import turtle
import tkinter

from typing import Callable, List

from pathlib import Path
import re
import os
import sys
import functools

import PIL.Image
from PIL.PngImagePlugin import PngImageFile
from PIL.ImageFile import ImageFile
from PIL import EpsImagePlugin


def init(**options):
    # download ghostscript: https://www.ghostscript.com/download/gsdnld.html
    if options.get('gs_windows_binary'):
        EpsImagePlugin.gs_windows_binary = options['gs_windows_binary']  # install ghostscript, otherwise->{OSError} Unable to locate Ghostscript on paths

    # https://anzeljg.github.io/rin2/book2/2405/docs/tkinter/cap-join-styles.html
    # change the default style of the line that made of two connected line segments
    tkinter.ROUND = tkinter.BUTT  # default is ROUND  # https://anzeljg.github.io/rin2/book2/2405/docs/tkinter/create_line.html


def make_gif(image_list: List[Path], output_path: Path, **options):
    """
    :param image_list:
    :param output_path:
    :param options:
        - fps: Frame Per Second. Duration and FPS, choose one to give.
        - duration milliseconds (= 1000/FPS )  (default is 0.1 sec)
        - loop  # int, if 0, then loop forever. Otherwise, it means the loop number.
    :return:
    """
    if not output_path.parent.exists():
        raise FileNotFoundError(output_path.parent)

    if not output_path.name.lower().endswith('.gif'):
        output_path = output_path / Path('.gif')
    image_list: List[ImageFile] = [PIL.Image.open(str(_)) for _ in image_list]
    im = image_list.pop(0)
    fps = options.get('fps', options.get('FPS', 10))
    im.save(output_path, format='gif', save_all=True, append_images=image_list,
            duration=options.get('duration', int(1000 / fps)),
            loop=options.get('loop', 0))


class GIFCreator:
    __slots__ = ['draw',
                 '__temp_dir', '__duration',
                 '__name', '__is_running', '__counter', ]

    TEMP_DIR = Path('.') / Path('__temp__for_gif')

    # The time gap that you pick image after another on the recording. i.e., If the value is low, then you can get more source image, so your GIF has higher quality.
    DURATION = 100  # millisecond.  # 1000 / FPS

    REBUILD = True

    def __init__(self, name, temp_dir: Path = None, duration: int = None, **options):
        self.__name = name
        self.__is_running = False
        self.__counter = 1

        self.__temp_dir = temp_dir if temp_dir else self.TEMP_DIR
        self.__duration = duration if duration else self.DURATION

        if not self.__temp_dir.exists():
            self.__temp_dir.mkdir(parents=True)  # True, it's ok when parents is not exists

    @property
    def name(self):
        return self.__name

    @property
    def duration(self):
        return self.__duration

    @property
    def temp_dir(self):
        if not self.__temp_dir.exists():
            raise FileNotFoundError(self.__temp_dir)
        return self.__temp_dir

    def configure(self, **options):
        gif_class_members = (_ for _ in dir(GIFCreator) if not _.startswith('_') and not callable(getattr(GIFCreator, _)))

        for name, value in options.items():
            name = name.upper()
            if name not in gif_class_members:
                raise KeyError(f"'{name}' does not belong to {GIFCreator} members.")
            correct_type = type(getattr(self, name))

            # type check
            assert isinstance(value, correct_type), TypeError(f'{name} type need {correct_type.__name__} not {type(value).__name__}')

            setattr(self, '_GIFCreator__' + name.lower(), value)

    def record(self, draw_func: Callable = None, **options):
        """

        :param draw_func:
        :param options:
                - fps
                - start_after: milliseconds. While waiting, white pictures will continuously generate to used as the heading image of GIF.
                - end_after:
        :return:
        """
        if draw_func and callable(draw_func):
            setattr(self, 'draw', draw_func)
        if not (hasattr(self, 'draw') and callable(getattr(self, 'draw'))):
            raise NotImplementedError('subclasses of GIFCreatorMixin must provide a draw() method')

        regex = re.compile(fr"""{self.name}_[0-9]{{4}}""")

        def wrap():
            self.draw()
            turtle.ontimer(self._stop, options.get('end_after', 0))

        wrap_draw = functools.wraps(self.draw)(wrap)

        try:
            # https://blog.csdn.net/lingyu_me/article/details/105400510
            turtle.reset()  # Does a turtle.clear() and then resets this turtle's state (i.e. direction, position etc.)
        except turtle.Terminator:
            turtle.reset()

        if self.REBUILD:
            for f in [_ for _ in self.temp_dir.glob(f'*.*') if _.suffix.upper().endswith(('EPS', 'PNG'))]:
                [os.remove(f) for ls in regex.findall(str(f)) if ls is not None]

        self._start()
        self._save()  # init start the recording
        turtle.ontimer(wrap_draw,
                       t=options.get('start_after', 0))  # start immediately
        turtle.done()
        print('convert_eps2image...')
        self.convert_eps2image()
        print('make_gif...')
        self.make_gif(fps=options.get('fps'))
        print(f'done:{self.name}')
        return

    def convert_eps2image(self):
        """
        image extension (PGM, PPM, GIF, PNG) is all compatible with tk.PhotoImage
        .. important:: you need to use ghostscript, see ``init()``
        """
        for eps_file in [_ for _ in self.temp_dir.glob('*.*') if _.name.startswith(self.__name) and _.suffix.upper() == '.EPS']:
            output_path = self.temp_dir / Path(eps_file.name + '.png')
            if output_path.exists():
                continue
            im: PIL.Image.Image = PIL.Image.open(str(eps_file))
            im.save(output_path, 'png')

    def make_gif(self, output_name=None, **options):
        """
        :param output_name: basename `xxx.png` or `xxx`
        :param options:
            - fps: for GIF
        :return:
        """

        if output_name is None:
            output_name = self.__name

        if not output_name.lower().endswith('.gif'):
            output_name += '.gif'

        image_list = [_ for _ in self.temp_dir.glob(f'{self.__name}*.*') if
                      (_.suffix.upper().endswith(('PGM', 'PPM', 'GIF', 'PNG')) and _.name.startswith(self.__name))
                      ]
        if not image_list:
            sys.stderr.write(f'There is no image on the directory. {self.temp_dir / Path(self.__name + "*.*")}')
            return
        output_path = Path('.') / Path(f'{output_name}')

        fps = options.get('fps', options.get('FPS'))
        if fps is None:
            fps = 1000 / self.duration
        make_gif(image_list, output_path,
                 fps=fps, loop=0)
        os.startfile('.')  # open the output folder

    def _start(self):
        self.__is_running = True

    def _stop(self):
        print(f'finished draw:{self.name}')
        self.__is_running = False
        self.__counter = 1

    def _save(self):
        if self.__is_running:
            # print(self.__counter)
            output_file: Path = self.temp_dir / Path(f'{self.__name}_{self.__counter:04d}.eps')
            if not output_file.exists():
                turtle.getcanvas().postscript(file=output_file)  # 0001.eps, 0002.eps ...
            self.__counter += 1
            turtle.ontimer(self._save, t=self.duration)  # trigger only once, so we need to set it again.

USAGE

init(gs_windows_binary=r'C:\Program Files\gs\gs9.52\bin\gswin64c')

def your_draw_function():
    turtle.color("red")
    turtle.width(20)
    turtle.fd(40)
    turtle.color("#00ffff")
    turtle.bk(40)
    ...


# method 1: pass the draw function directly.
gif_demo = GIFCreator(name='demo')
# gif_demo.configure(duration=400)  # Optional
gif_demo.record(your_draw_function)

# method 2: use class
# If you want to create a class, just define your draw function, and then record it.
class MyGIF(GIFCreator):
    DURATION = 200  # optional

    def draw(self):
        your_draw_function()


MyGIF(name='rectangle demo').record(
    # fps=, start_after=, end_after=  <-- optional
)

demo

init(gs_windows_binary=r'C:\Program Files\gs\gs9.52\bin\gswin64c')


class TaiwanFlag(GIFCreator):
    DURATION = 200
    # REBUILD = False

    def __init__(self, ratio, **kwargs):
        """
        ratio: 0.5 (40*60)  1 (80*120)  2 (160*240) ...
        """
        self.ratio = ratio
        GIFCreator.__init__(self, **kwargs)

    def show_size(self):
        print(f'width:{self.ratio * 120}\nheight:{self.ratio * 80}')

    @property
    def size(self):  # w, h
        return self.ratio * 120, self.ratio * 80

    def draw(self):
        # from turtle import *
        # turtle.tracer(False)
        s = self.ratio  # scale
        pu()
        s_w, s_h = turtle.window_width(), turtle.window_height()
        margin_x = (s_w - self.size[0]) / 2
        home_xy = -s_w / 2 + margin_x, 0
        goto(home_xy)
        pd()
        color("red")
        width(80 * s)
        fd(120 * s)
        pu()

        goto(home_xy)
        color('blue')
        goto(home_xy[0], 20 * s)
        width(40 * s)
        pd()
        fd(60 * s)

        pu()
        bk((30 + 15) * s)
        pd()
        color('white')
        width(1)
        left(15)
        begin_fill()
        for i in range(12):
            fd(30 * s)
            right(150)
        end_fill()

        rt(15)
        pu()
        fd(15 * s)
        rt(90)
        fd(8.5 * s)
        pd()
        lt(90)
        # turtle.tracer(True)
        begin_fill()
        circle(8.5 * s)
        end_fill()

        color('blue')
        width(2 * s)
        circle(8.5 * s)

        # turtle.tracer(True)
        turtle.hideturtle()


taiwan_flag = TaiwanFlag(2, name='taiwan')
turtle.Screen().setup(taiwan_flag.size[0] + 40, taiwan_flag.size[1] + 40)  # margin = 40
# taiwan_flag.draw()
taiwan_flag.record(end_after=2500, fps=10)