Avatar?

I notice that my avatar is clipped as well and it's no longer animated. In my profile it shows the animation, but not in the threads.

This forum software lets you upload large images for your avatar. It will resize it to fit. And it lets you click and drag the image to position it after you have uploaded the image.

Animated avatars can be enabled by changing image libraries on the server. But I find that people who try animated avatars always end up changing back. Animated avatars are very distracting in this new forum software given the extent to which avatars are used (e.g. in the thread listing).

What is the actual dimension in pixels for the avatar? That would be more helpful to have listed for those that don't want to have their avatar resized.

I'm not understanding the library deal because they animate correctly in the user's profile setup. Shouldn't the choice be up to the user and not the overlords?

There are many different sizes used by the software. It takes the larger image that you upload and then resizes it for use in different areas:

small = 48px (used in the thread listing)
medium = 96px (used in posts)
large = 192px (used in the profile)

It automatically resizes any image you upload to fit these standard dimensions.

Well, strictly speaking the software doesn't disallow animated avatars. It's just that the default image library (GD) doesn't support animations while resizing, so the animation is lost everywhere except inside of your profile (as you have observed) because the profile displays the full-sized image that is not resized. If a different image library is installed on the server (ImageMagick) then avatars can be resized while preserving the animations.

Oh that's a group permission. I forgot about that. I just sent this to Craig so he can increase it if he wants.

I enlarged the allowable avatar - in the old forum you had to make it tiny in file size and in size.
In this forum, it does a resize.
As to the clipping, maybe your avatar needs to be square?
I notice that attached file not inserted into a post are also clipped......that is, if they are left at the bottom as attached instead of inserted. Let me do that with this post to illustrate...

Let me try same file as thumb in post. - Ah, that works correctly.
So, y'all - put the images into posts as thumbs when possible. That is done after they are uploaded.

Ah thanks. That's very helpful. If one does not want their avatar resized in the posts, then make it 96 px square correct?

FWIW, I vote for installing the ImageMagick library, especially if the resizing is also better and it offers more future options.

Hmm. That might work. I have never tested it. I don't have a 96px animated gif off hand.

Nope, I made my avatar 96px square and still no animation. But at least the aspect ratio now looks better.

Oh, I read up a bit.
The animation is lost because this software processes the avatars - which means that members can upload larger ones and they get resized. That messes up the animation...
BUT,
there is a different image processor that I may be able to install which would keep animations....but, sorry, it's way down on the to do list.
But there is hope......someday....to have them back,

Wow, good find...you are correct! Strange....

If the avatar is put in the body text it animates. Are they using a different lib for the body text and image preview?

Don't think so....I guess attachments are not resized at all when attached, but the avatar upload must always process the pic whether it is right sized or not.

I just looked - avatars appear to be processed into jpg, which is what does away with the animation.

That makes more sense. It's thwarted by design. Not a big deal for now. Put it on the back burner for a research project on a rainy summer day. Maybe the Xenforo crew will come up with a better solution. There seems to be demand from other sites as well.