Exporting specific frame of ListAnimate

Question

Imagine I have a certain list of Graphics-type objects that I then incorporate into ListAnimate

ListAnimate[
 Table[Graphics[Circle[RandomReal[1, 2], RandomReal[1, 2]]], {j, 20}],
  ImageSize -> Tiny, ControlPlacement -> Top]

Now, I want to define a Button, so that, upon clicked, it prints the current frame on ListAnimate. How do I do that? I was wondering if it's possible to track the current iterator in a dynamic way, perhaps by accessing the Animator within ListAnimate. Any ideas?

Answer 1

t = Table[Graphics[Circle[RandomReal[1, 2], RandomReal[1, 2]]], 20];

We can add a button in Manipulate to paste the current content in the next cell:

pasteButton = Button[Pane["Paste", ImageSize -> {250, Automatic}, 
     Alignment -> Center],
    SelectionMove[EvaluationNotebook[], Next, Cell];
    NotebookWrite[EvaluationNotebook[], ToBoxes@#]; 
    SelectionMove[EvaluationNotebook[], Previous, Cell]; 
    SelectionMove[EvaluationNotebook[], After, CellContents]] &;

Manipulate[t[[i]], 
 {{i, 1}, Range[20], Animator, AnimationRunning -> False, 
  ImageSize -> 250,
  AppearanceElements ->
   {"ProgressSlider", "StepLeftButton", "StepRightButton", 
    "PlayPauseButton", "DirectionButton"}},
 Dynamic @ pasteButton[t[[i]]],
 ContentSize -> {250, 200}, Alignment -> Center]

Update: Organize buttons in a row:

pasteButton2 = 
  Button[Style["Paste", 10], 
    SelectionMove[EvaluationNotebook[], Next, Cell];
    NotebookWrite[EvaluationNotebook[], ToBoxes@#];
    SelectionMove[EvaluationNotebook[], Previous, Cell];
    SelectionMove[EvaluationNotebook[], After, CellContents]] &;

Manipulate[t[[i]], 
 Row[{Control @ {{i, 1}, Range[20], Animator, AnimationRunning -> False,
      ImageSize -> 250, 
     AppearanceElements -> {"ProgressSlider", "FasterSlowerButtons", 
       "PlayPauseButton", "DirectionButton"}}, 
   Dynamic @ pasteButton2[t[[i]]]}], ContentSize -> {300, 200}, 
 Alignment -> Center]

Answer 2

t = Table[Graphics[Circle[RandomReal[1, 2], RandomReal[1, 2]]], 20];

You can use DynamicSetting and EvaluateInPlace to turn the code into a Manipulate object that works like a button to paste the current content in the next cell.

DynamicSetting @ Manipulate[t[[i]], 
 {{i, 1}, Range[20], Animator, AnimationRunning -> False}, 
 ContentSize -> {300, 300}, Alignment -> Center]

Highlight the code and hit Control+Shift+Enter. Then, you can paste the current content in the next cell by using Shift+Enter.

Answer 3

Try the following code, and think about it some more. You don't need both the ListAnimate and Manipulate.

ListAnimate[
 t = Table[
   Graphics[
    Circle[RandomReal[1, 2], RandomReal[1, 2]]],
   20
   ],
 ImageSize -> {200, 200},
 ControlPlacement -> Top,
 AnimationRunning -> False
 ]

I have made a few minor changes. 't' is a table that contains "Graphics" for the 20 frames. You can move t=Table[ ... ] outside the ListAnimate and evaluate it first and later use only t inside the ListAnimate.

OR you could use Manipulate on the table directly..

Manipulate[
 t[[i]],
 {{i, 1}, Range[20]},
 ContentSize -> {400, 200},
 ControlType -> Setter
 ]

Investigate other ControlType options. I hope it helps.