Notifications: GIFs only rendering the first frame

[SeraphimSerapis]

Home Assistant Android version:
3.0.2-full

Android version:
11

Phone model:
Pixel 5

Home Assistant version:
2020.12.2

Last working Home Assistant release (if known):

Description of problem:
When using the mobile notification feature with a GIF instead of a PNG or JPEG, it seems like only a single frame of the received GIF is rendered.

Traceback (if applicable, to get the logs you may refer to: https://companion.home-assistant.io/docs/troubleshooting/faqs/#android-crash-logs):

Screenshot of problem:

Additional information:
Example code to trigger the push notificiation:

message: "Test GIF"
data:
  image: "https://media1.tenor.com/images/aba522811b497086c5d35757d6cfb269/tenor.gif"

[dshokouhi]

android notifications do not support GIF https://stackoverflow.com/a/58482901 so this would not be a bug but maybe an enhancement request (if at all possible)

[SeraphimSerapis]

Got it. Thanks!

[dshokouhi]

they only take bitmap which is what the app provides

https://developer.android.com/reference/android/app/Notification.BigPictureStyle

[SeraphimSerapis]

Reopening for a potential feature request.

I know the Nest app shows a brief animation for camera notifications. Is that a custom implementation?

[dshokouhi]

yes those are all custom implementations and override the default android notifications, they need to be built from the ground up, even then I am not sure if a URL gif will work I believe the app has to create it and store it locally in order to display it instead of real time rendering like we do today

[dshokouhi]

Found something that might be usable however it has serious limitations such as the user will need to supply the list of image URLs to flip through so a GIF wont work here. This might be how the other camera apps do it.

https://nishi-emedstore.medium.com/notification-with-image-slider-example-in-android-2758b6d43d38

[dshokouhi]

if you have updated to Android 12 it seems they now natively supported animated images. Curious to see if this just "works" now?

https://developer.android.com/about/versions/12/features#enriched_image_support_for_notifications

[SeraphimSerapis]

I gave this a try and it doesn't seem to just work automatically (that would've been too nice ;-)):

service: notify.notify_tim
data:
  message: Test GIF
  title: Test GIF
  data:
    image: "https://media1.tenor.com/images/aba522811b497086c5d35757d6cfb269/tenor.gif"

Same result as in the initial post.

[dshokouhi]

Thanks for running that quick test :) Seems now they want us to convert the animated picture to an Icon in order to support this

https://developer.android.com/reference/android/app/Notification.BigPictureStyle#bigPicture(android.graphics.drawable.Icon)

[jpelgrom]

Just putting the existing Bitmap in the Icon won't work, looks like this will require the app to temporarily download and store the image (because only content:// and file:// uri's are supported) and creating an Icon from that local Uri, which will then provide the system with the required AnimatedImageDrawable.

However, before all that NotificationCompat actually needs to catch up and support the new function with Icon as a parameter. Google issue for status: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/215583339

[Minglarn]

Hi folks!
So if I understand this correct... Sending a GIF wont show all the frames, just the first one?
Because im trying to send GIF and only the first frame is shown.

service: notify.mobile_app_sm_g998b
data:
  message: TESTING
  title: GIF TEST
  data:
    icon_url: /local/img/frigate/gif/1650374131.922721-o98gqz.mp4.gif
    image: /local/img/frigate/gif/1650374131.922721-o98gqz.mp4.gif
    tag: '919191'

[dshokouhi]

So if I understand this correct... Sending a GIF wont show all the frames, just the first one?

correct, if you are trying to send a video you can have the app create a GIF for you though.

just use the video parameter detailed here: https://companion.home-assistant.io/docs/notifications/notification-attachments

[Minglarn]

Ok, thanks for clearing that out... :)
Been using the mp4->GIF function, but I wanted a lite more control over the produced GIF.
The generated GIF is a lite to low on frames. Wanted more. :P

[Rogue136198]

The generated GIF is a lite to low on frames. Wanted more. :P

Exactly this. I came across this while looking for a way to increase the FPS of GIFs. The ideal option would be a parameter to set the FPS as part of the notify service.

[dshokouhi]

The generated GIF is a lite to low on frames. Wanted more. :P

Exactly this. I came across this while looking for a way to increase the FPS of GIFs. The ideal option would be a parameter to set the FPS as part of the notify service.

That would be a separate request from this feature request. This feature request is to display a gif by URL.

If you want to control the amount of frames for the video parameter that creates it's own gif, please open a new request to enhance that feature.