Is it possible to use an animated gif to make a side of an object animate as it is in the gif? can Sketch-up do this or is there any other program that can do this? or is it not possible
The SC4BAB or SC4 Bitmap Animation Builder by OverPoP which you can make animated props with, may be what you are looking for ...
http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2082
:)