private static void checkAnimationSettings() {
        try {
            File settingsFile = new File(ANIMATION_FILE_NAME);
            if (settingsFile.exists()) {
                Scanner input = new Scanner(settingsFile);
                String animationSaveFileName = input.nextLine();
                input.close();
                // *** TODO: delete the file
                System.out.println("***");
                System.out.println("*** DrawingPanel saving animated GIF: " + 
                        new File(animationSaveFileName).getName());
                System.out.println("***");
                settingsFile.delete();

                System.setProperty(ANIMATED_PROPERTY, "1");
                System.setProperty(SAVE_PROPERTY, animationSaveFileName);
            }
        } catch (Exception e) {
            if (DEBUG) {
                System.out.println("error checking animation settings: " + e);
            }
        }
    }