DIV visibility and Animated gifs

[ctrl+alt+delete]

I have a DIV on my webpage that is set to be hidden (style="display: none").
Within the DIV is an animated gif that's simply a graphic that simulates
data flowing from the clients PC to the server. This a form page
(self-submitting). When the user submits the form, I have some Javascript
that sets the DIV to be displayed. The problem is that the animated gif does
not "play". It's displayed in it's static state. WHY? And if I used a Flash
movie, would I have the same problem?

 

[Ivo]

I have a DIV on my webpage that is set to be hidden (style="display: none").
Within the DIV is an animated gif that's simply a graphic that simulates
data flowing from the clients PC to the server. This a form page
(self-submitting). When the user submits the form, I have some Javascript
that sets the DIV to be displayed. The problem is that the animated gif
does not "play". It's displayed in it's static state. WHY? And if I used a
Flash movie, would I have the same problem?

It is common that gif's stop animating the moment you click to go to a new
page. Submitting a form is the same as that: going to a new page.
You could try a workaround popping up a separate window onsubmit with the
'waiting' gif, that you close with some script on the new page. Or just
trust the user to understand that he has to exercise some patience when he
submits his form. Most people are used to that by now.

 

[ctrl+alt+delete]

Thanks, that's what I suspected was happening. I used a small Flash
animation instead and now it works great. BTW: It's for a file upload page,
so it can take a while and I just want it to be idiot proof.