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aseprite-tags skill

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This skill extracts animation tag metadata from .aseprite files and lists actions, frame ranges, directions, and colors without Aseprite.

npx playbooks add skill chen19007/my_skills --skill aseprite-tags

Review the files below or copy the command above to add this skill to your agents.

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SKILL.md

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---
name: aseprite-tags
description: Extract animation tag metadata (names, frame ranges, directions, colors) from .aseprite files without Aseprite; use when asked to list actions/animations, frame tags, or audit tags across multiple Aseprite assets.
---

# Aseprite Tag Extraction

## Quick start
- Run `python scripts/extract_aseprite_tags.py <file-or-folder-or-glob> [...]`.
- Directories are scanned for `*.aseprite`.
- Output is Markdown by default; use `--json` for structured output.

## Workflow
1. Identify target `.aseprite` files.
2. Run the script with a file, folder, or glob.
3. Use tag names and inclusive frame ranges (`from-to`) as animation actions.

## Notes
- Frame ranges are **inclusive**.
- Tag chunks may appear multiple times; the script de-duplicates identical tags.
- If no tags exist, it prints `(no tags found)` for that file.

## Examples
```bash
python scripts/extract_aseprite_tags.py d:\project\godot\blockking\assets
python scripts/extract_aseprite_tags.py "d:\project\godot\blockking\assets\*.aseprite"
python scripts/extract_aseprite_tags.py d:\project\godot\blockking\assets\Knight Templar.aseprite --json
```

## scripts/
- `scripts/extract_aseprite_tags.py`: Parse Aseprite binary format and output tag lists.

Overview

This skill extracts animation tag metadata (names, inclusive frame ranges, directions, and colors) directly from .aseprite files without requiring Aseprite. It scans files, folders, or glob patterns and returns deduplicated tag lists in Markdown or JSON for integration into pipelines. Use it to quickly enumerate actions and audit tag consistency across multiple assets.

How this skill works

The script parses the Aseprite binary format to locate tag chunks and reads each tag's name, from-to frame range (inclusive), direction, and color. It scans a single file, recurses a directory for *.aseprite files, or accepts glob input. Output is Markdown by default and can be emitted as structured JSON for automation.

When to use it

You need a machine-readable list of animations/actions from Aseprite files without installing Aseprite.
Auditing or validating animation tag consistency across many assets.
Generating animation maps or clips for game engines using tag names and frame ranges.
Batch-processing assets in CI to detect missing or malformed tags.
Converting tag metadata into animation definitions for importers or tools.

Best practices

Pass a folder or glob to process many .aseprite files at once and capture summarized output.
Use the --json option when integrating with build scripts or asset pipelines.
Treat reported frame ranges as inclusive when mapping to engine frame indices.
Check for duplicate tag entries; the tool de-duplicates identical tags but flags files with no tags.
Name tags consistently in your art pipeline to simplify automatic mapping to actions.

Example use cases

Generate an animations list for a character folder and feed JSON into an engine importer.
Run nightly CI checks to ensure every sprite asset includes required action tags.
Create a report of tag colors and directions to verify naming conventions across artists.
Quickly list frame ranges for a specific .aseprite file when writing animation code.
Audit an asset pack to find files that lack any tags and need artist attention.

FAQ

Does this require the Aseprite application?

No. The script parses the Aseprite binary format directly and does not need the Aseprite app.

Are frame ranges inclusive or exclusive?

Frame ranges are inclusive; treat both endpoints as part of the animation.