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  3. A tool to make .ico files?

A tool to make .ico files?

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  • D Offline
    D Offline
    daniilzol
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    Hi, Got a question. I've been developing my homebrew apps and it has occurred to me that when I put shortcut to an executable they are all represented by an ugly standard blue and white window rectangle. I want to make them prettier, whipping something up is not really a problem, however, converting is. Can anyone recommend a free tool to convert images to .ico format? Something that preferably supports transparency, and can embed several images in one .ico file so that the same file could be used for the shortcut and the application icon. Thanks.

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    • D daniilzol

      Hi, Got a question. I've been developing my homebrew apps and it has occurred to me that when I put shortcut to an executable they are all represented by an ugly standard blue and white window rectangle. I want to make them prettier, whipping something up is not really a problem, however, converting is. Can anyone recommend a free tool to convert images to .ico format? Something that preferably supports transparency, and can embed several images in one .ico file so that the same file could be used for the shortcut and the application icon. Thanks.

      D Offline
      D Offline
      Dario Solera
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      Axialis IconWorkshop[^] is way cool.

      ________________________________________________ Personal Blog [ITA] - Tech Blog [ENG] - My Photos Developing ScrewTurn Wiki 2.0 (2.0 RC is out)

      J A 2 Replies Last reply
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      • D daniilzol

        Hi, Got a question. I've been developing my homebrew apps and it has occurred to me that when I put shortcut to an executable they are all represented by an ugly standard blue and white window rectangle. I want to make them prettier, whipping something up is not really a problem, however, converting is. Can anyone recommend a free tool to convert images to .ico format? Something that preferably supports transparency, and can embed several images in one .ico file so that the same file could be used for the shortcut and the application icon. Thanks.

        T Offline
        T Offline
        toxcct
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        Visual Studio does it you know


        [VisualCalc][Flags Beginner's Guide][CommDialogs new! ] | [Forums Guidelines]

        A 1 Reply Last reply
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        • D daniilzol

          Hi, Got a question. I've been developing my homebrew apps and it has occurred to me that when I put shortcut to an executable they are all represented by an ugly standard blue and white window rectangle. I want to make them prettier, whipping something up is not really a problem, however, converting is. Can anyone recommend a free tool to convert images to .ico format? Something that preferably supports transparency, and can embed several images in one .ico file so that the same file could be used for the shortcut and the application icon. Thanks.

          D Offline
          D Offline
          DavidNohejl
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          I am not sure but I think good ol' ms paint can do that :) Aren't .ico actualy bitmaps? Edit: " Something that preferably supports transparency, and can embed several images in one .ico file so that the same file could be used for the shortcut and the application icon." :doh: OK forget mspaint.


          "Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. " - Morpheus

          T 2 Replies Last reply
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          • D Dario Solera

            Axialis IconWorkshop[^] is way cool.

            ________________________________________________ Personal Blog [ITA] - Tech Blog [ENG] - My Photos Developing ScrewTurn Wiki 2.0 (2.0 RC is out)

            J Offline
            J Offline
            Jonathan Darka
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            I second Axialis, bought it a month or so ago. It's very nice and you get free upgrades for life.


            Jonathan Wilkes Darka [Xanya.net]

            1 Reply Last reply
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            • D DavidNohejl

              I am not sure but I think good ol' ms paint can do that :) Aren't .ico actualy bitmaps? Edit: " Something that preferably supports transparency, and can embed several images in one .ico file so that the same file could be used for the shortcut and the application icon." :doh: OK forget mspaint.


              "Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. " - Morpheus

              T Offline
              T Offline
              toxcct
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              dnh wrote:

              Aren't .ico actualy bitmaps?

              certainly not. .ico actually contains several devices, of different sizes and colors depth...


              [VisualCalc][Flags Beginner's Guide][CommDialogs new! ] | [Forums Guidelines]

              D F 2 Replies Last reply
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              • D daniilzol

                Hi, Got a question. I've been developing my homebrew apps and it has occurred to me that when I put shortcut to an executable they are all represented by an ugly standard blue and white window rectangle. I want to make them prettier, whipping something up is not really a problem, however, converting is. Can anyone recommend a free tool to convert images to .ico format? Something that preferably supports transparency, and can embed several images in one .ico file so that the same file could be used for the shortcut and the application icon. Thanks.

                K Offline
                K Offline
                kubben
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                I actually wrote a code project article on it. It is a really basic way of doing it, but it seems to work ok for me. http://www.codeproject.com/useritems/HowToIcon.asp[^] Ben

                1 Reply Last reply
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                • T toxcct

                  dnh wrote:

                  Aren't .ico actualy bitmaps?

                  certainly not. .ico actually contains several devices, of different sizes and colors depth...


                  [VisualCalc][Flags Beginner's Guide][CommDialogs new! ] | [Forums Guidelines]

                  D Offline
                  D Offline
                  DavidNohejl
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  Well, make 16x16 bitmap. Save. Rename to .ico. It now appears as icon instead of bitmap. Can be used as icon for shortcuts. Just tested. I've made some icons for my app waaaay back in time this way.


                  "Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. " - Morpheus

                  T E 2 Replies Last reply
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                  • D daniilzol

                    Hi, Got a question. I've been developing my homebrew apps and it has occurred to me that when I put shortcut to an executable they are all represented by an ugly standard blue and white window rectangle. I want to make them prettier, whipping something up is not really a problem, however, converting is. Can anyone recommend a free tool to convert images to .ico format? Something that preferably supports transparency, and can embed several images in one .ico file so that the same file could be used for the shortcut and the application icon. Thanks.

                    Z Offline
                    Z Offline
                    zoid
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    The GIMP can open and save .ico files.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • D DavidNohejl

                      Well, make 16x16 bitmap. Save. Rename to .ico. It now appears as icon instead of bitmap. Can be used as icon for shortcuts. Just tested. I've made some icons for my app waaaay back in time this way.


                      "Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. " - Morpheus

                      T Offline
                      T Offline
                      toxcct
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      wow i didn't know we could do that. for your side, open the default icon provided with a new project you create within Visual Studio, and see, there are 16x16, 24x24, 32x32, 64x64.... all these into a same .ico file


                      [VisualCalc][Flags Beginner's Guide][CommDialogs new! ] | [Forums Guidelines]

                      D 1 Reply Last reply
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                      • T toxcct

                        dnh wrote:

                        Aren't .ico actualy bitmaps?

                        certainly not. .ico actually contains several devices, of different sizes and colors depth...


                        [VisualCalc][Flags Beginner's Guide][CommDialogs new! ] | [Forums Guidelines]

                        F Offline
                        F Offline
                        Fernando A Gomez F
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        Usually I use MS Paint, make either a 16x16 or 32x32 bitmap and save it with the .ico extension. Never had problems.

                        A polar bear is a bear whose coordinates has been changed in terms of sine and cosine. Personal Site

                        T R 2 Replies Last reply
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                        • F Fernando A Gomez F

                          Usually I use MS Paint, make either a 16x16 or 32x32 bitmap and save it with the .ico extension. Never had problems.

                          A polar bear is a bear whose coordinates has been changed in terms of sine and cosine. Personal Site

                          T Offline
                          T Offline
                          toxcct
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          yes that certainly works for a 1 device icon... not for more complex ones


                          [VisualCalc][Flags Beginner's Guide][CommDialogs new! ] | [Forums Guidelines]

                          1 Reply Last reply
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                          • T toxcct

                            wow i didn't know we could do that. for your side, open the default icon provided with a new project you create within Visual Studio, and see, there are 16x16, 24x24, 32x32, 64x64.... all these into a same .ico file


                            [VisualCalc][Flags Beginner's Guide][CommDialogs new! ] | [Forums Guidelines]

                            D Offline
                            D Offline
                            DavidNohejl
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            Just run mspaint in "expert" mode. :-D


                            "Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. " - Morpheus

                            T 1 Reply Last reply
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                            • D DavidNohejl

                              Just run mspaint in "expert" mode. :-D


                              "Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. " - Morpheus

                              T Offline
                              T Offline
                              toxcct
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              dnh wrote:

                              Just run mspaint in "expert" mode

                              rotfl. do we have some undocumented command line switch for that ? :laugh:


                              [VisualCalc][Flags Beginner's Guide][CommDialogs new! ] | [Forums Guidelines]

                              A 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • F Fernando A Gomez F

                                Usually I use MS Paint, make either a 16x16 or 32x32 bitmap and save it with the .ico extension. Never had problems.

                                A polar bear is a bear whose coordinates has been changed in terms of sine and cosine. Personal Site

                                R Offline
                                R Offline
                                Rama Krishna Vavilala
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                How do you get transparency in the icon then?

                                F 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • D DavidNohejl

                                  I am not sure but I think good ol' ms paint can do that :) Aren't .ico actualy bitmaps? Edit: " Something that preferably supports transparency, and can embed several images in one .ico file so that the same file could be used for the shortcut and the application icon." :doh: OK forget mspaint.


                                  "Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. " - Morpheus

                                  T Offline
                                  T Offline
                                  toxcct
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  i found this excelent description by the way : Icon vs Bitmap[^]


                                  [VisualCalc][Flags Beginner's Guide][CommDialogs new! ] | [Forums Guidelines]

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • R Rama Krishna Vavilala

                                    How do you get transparency in the icon then?

                                    F Offline
                                    F Offline
                                    Fernando A Gomez F
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    Don't know. I assumed that Windows took care of it. Can't remember for sure, but most likely my icons used all the bitmap space.

                                    A polar bear is a bear whose coordinates has been changed in terms of sine and cosine. Personal Site

                                    A 1 Reply Last reply
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                                    • T toxcct

                                      dnh wrote:

                                      Just run mspaint in "expert" mode

                                      rotfl. do we have some undocumented command line switch for that ? :laugh:


                                      [VisualCalc][Flags Beginner's Guide][CommDialogs new! ] | [Forums Guidelines]

                                      A Offline
                                      A Offline
                                      Anton Afanasyev
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      Yes, called Shift+Delete on the exe file. And then replace with Paint.net


                                      :badger:

                                      T 1 Reply Last reply
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                                      • D daniilzol

                                        Hi, Got a question. I've been developing my homebrew apps and it has occurred to me that when I put shortcut to an executable they are all represented by an ugly standard blue and white window rectangle. I want to make them prettier, whipping something up is not really a problem, however, converting is. Can anyone recommend a free tool to convert images to .ico format? Something that preferably supports transparency, and can embed several images in one .ico file so that the same file could be used for the shortcut and the application icon. Thanks.

                                        C Offline
                                        C Offline
                                        Clickok
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        Free and very good: AWIcons Lite[^]


                                        Engaged in learning of English grammar ;)
                                        For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.(John 3:16) :badger:

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                                        0
                                        • A Anton Afanasyev

                                          Yes, called Shift+Delete on the exe file. And then replace with Paint.net


                                          :badger:

                                          T Offline
                                          T Offline
                                          toxcct
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          Anton Afanasyev wrote:

                                          Paint.net

                                          :~ X| are you mad ? leave me my native Paint please


                                          [VisualCalc][Flags Beginner's Guide][CommDialogs new! ] | [Forums Guidelines]

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