> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/set-up-your-production/chapter-index-6/output-graphics-as-an-image-sequence.md).

# Output graphics as an image sequence

{% hint style="info" %}
Formerly called "PNG Sequence" in older versions of Captivate.
{% endhint %}

If your Captivate license includes the Image Sequence output, you can write rendered graphics frame-by-frame to a folder. Streaming and compositing tools that read sequential image frames can pick up the files as Captivate writes them.

Each rendered frame becomes one file. Animations are captured as a sequence — for a 50-frame animation, Captivate writes 50 images.

## File format

The output format is determined by your project settings:

* **Alpha on** — files are written as **PNG** with transparency.
* **Alpha off** — files are written as **PNG** by default. To request **JPG** instead, give the setup file a `.jpg` (or `.jpeg`) extension. JPG is smaller but does not support transparency.

For more on the alpha and premultiplied alpha settings, see [Set the project format](/set-up-your-production/set-up-your-project.md).

## Set up the output

1. Create a folder on your computer where Captivate should write the image sequence.
2. In the Captivate playout window, click the **Program Out** menu and choose **Image Sequence Setup**.
3. In the **Set File Name for Image Sequence** dialog, navigate to your folder and type a filename. The filename you type is used only to choose the folder and (for non-alpha projects) the file extension — the actual files Captivate writes are numbered (see below).
4. Click **Save**.
5. From the **Program Out** menu, choose **Image Sequence** to enable the output.

## Run the output

In the Project List, click a graphic’s **Play** button. Captivate writes one image per rendered frame to your folder, named:

```
00001.png
00002.png
00003.png
...
```

The numbering is 5 digits, zero-padded. (`.jpg` if you requested JPG.)

## Notes

* All open Project List tabs render into the same sequence. You get one sequence, not one per tab.
* If two consecutive frames are identical, Captivate skips writing the second one and removes any stale file at that index left over from a previous run. Gaps in the file numbering are normal and indicate frames that did not change.
* The frame index restarts at `00001` each time you enable the output. Previous files at the same index will be overwritten.
* The filename you typed during setup is **not** used as a prefix on the output files — only the folder and (for non-alpha projects) the file extension matter.

## See also

* [Set the project format](/set-up-your-production/set-up-your-project.md)
* [Output graphics to a watch folder](/set-up-your-production/chapter-index-6/output-graphics-to-a-watch-folder.md) — write a single, continuously updated image instead of a numbered sequence.


---

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