[xico]

Hi!

I'm trying to download some free icons. Some of them can be zipped and unzipped with ease, but others wind up asking me what kind of a program do I want them to open in. Once, I tried notepad, and then I was stuck with that until I realized I didnt't have WinZip. But WinZip isn't working with these.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

[BillC]

I have no idea if this will work, but I'd try another application to unzip the files. Here is a link to some freeware , one of which might help. Don't ask me which one!

[marie500]

I think they’re Mac icons, with the .hqx extension? They're not for Windows. Lots of icon sites offer icon sets in both Mac and Windows formats. The Windows versions are indicated by the Windows logo. They open with Winzip.
See here for instance:
http://www.iconfactory.com/show.asp.
The Mac download version is next to the Windows format. Probably you got a few of those, instead of Winzip files.

(The Stuffit For Windows program will unzip files in Mac formats. For icons, it's not worth bothering with, though - they won't look good. I went though this too,,,after wrangling them open, they just looked like black blobs. Couldn't tell what they even were supposed to be.)

EDITED TO ADD: Just occured to me - did you in fact get them unzipped, but when the folder opens, there's just a single icon, asking which program to Open With? If so, that is an Icon Library, and does need a separate program to open it. Is that what happened?

[xico]

Yes, that's what happened. And what program do you use?
Thanks for the info, Marie! I've been careful not loading the Mac link; but some of these other won't open with winzip. And other suggestions?

[xico]

Originally Posted by BillC

I have no idea if this will work, but I'd try another application to unzip the files. Here is a link to some freeware , one of which might help. Don't ask me which one!

Thanks, Bill! I think that's a good idea!

[marie500]

I'm not really sure if you mean you actually cannot unzip them, or if you have unzipped them but don't know what to do with the resulting folder, because it contains no icons. Just to be clear:
You downloaded icon files, with the *.zip extension, used Winzip to unzip the file, Winzip created a folder with just one icon in it (plus maybe a Read Me file), but basically you have no icons displaying yet? Does the file it created have the file extension *.icl ("Icon Library")? If so, you're almost there!

If the above happened, your file DID unzip, you're done unzipping! Now you just have to open the Icon Library(*.icl) file and export the icons inside as .ico (icon) files. I use Axialis Icon Workshop for opening icon libraries, but there are tons of freebie "icon editor" software out there.
Since Axialis has a free 30-day trial, you might as well try that..plus it's the only one I use so it's the only one I can explain!
http://axialis.com/iconworkshop/

I like to make a new folder for each icon library file I open before I start opening them..create a new folder on your Desktop (or wherever).

Open Icon Workshop, click File > Open. Browse to the icon library file, Select it. (When highlighted, you'll see its icons appear on the preview window.) Click Open.

On toolbar: Icon Library > Select All > Icon Library(again) > "Export As ICO (Windows Icons) > Select the folder to save them in > Click OK. There's a progress bar that shoots by (it's fast) to show you it's done. Go to folder you saved them in, they should all be there. They're now in Windows .ico format, and are viewable & usable like any of your other icons.

On the other hand..if I got this wrong and they're zip files (not Mac) that won't unzip with Winzip..,then BillC's advice is all you can really do, keep trying various unzip programs. At least you'll know an Icon Library if you ever run into it. I had no idea what they were when I first encountered one, just baffled me.

[xico]

Wow! Thank you Marie!

What's happened is the file unzips, but it unzips into a folder that I can't open without some sort of a program.
For instance, I downloaded AllIcons from PCWorld. So, in my icon folder I have 17 folders. I click on one, setup or whatever, it asks what program do I want to use to open it. Once I chose Notepad (seemed harmless enough), and I got something akin to something between Chinese and Greek. And after that, everything that wouldn't unzip properly, came up in Notepad.
I have to reread what you wrote carefully and work from there. I just wanted to respond to let you know I really appreciate the effort you're putting in to helping me.
Thanks, Marie, hope I can return the favor some time.

xico

[marie500]

You'll certainly get that chance! I'm usually the one with problems coming out my ears, LOL!

[marie500]

You know what, instead of beginning in Axialis, start the way you were already doing it: Right-click>Open With>etc....that way you can set the file association right away and things will move faster. I wasn't thinking about associations since I was already in the program.

[xico]

Ahhh! But what's the right file association? That's been my problem. I've downloaded Axialis, but it's going to taking a little reading and doing to figure it out--however your guide will help tremendously.

I never really paid much attention to jpeg or ico, etc, cos I could never figure out what they really meant. I suppose I should have gone to google; but yes, those files are ico--or ic--that won't open properly.

[marie500]

From what you explained, I'm getting more uncertain that they ARE icon library files..and you're not sure what the file extension even is. Hmmm... well, you could try, so, assume for the moment they ARE icon library files and see what happens. (By the way, ".icl" stands for for "ICon L ibrary.")

Your new Axialis Icon Workshop is the program you want to associate that file type with.
Instead of my directions from yesterday, try this: (this sets the file association too):

1.) Get back to the "Choose the program you want to use to open this file" box.
2.) You want to choose Axialis IconWorkshop..
>If you DO SEE Axialis Icon Workshop on the list...select it ...then put a check in the box that says "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file" ...click OK.
>If you DON'T SEE Axialis Icon Workshop on the list, hit Browse...navigate to the Axialis folder...locate the Icon Workshop.exe file...select it ...then put a checkmark in the box that says "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file"...click OK..

After you click OK, your icon library should open and display its icons.
Just a couple more steps will make them into usable Windows icon (.ico) files. You can use just the last part of yesterday's post to do that...in fact, I'll paste it in below.
(....you are in Axialis with icon library open...)
Create a folder to save the icons in,
then, On toolbar: click Icon Library > Select All > click Icon Library(again) > "Export As ICO (Windows Icons) > Select the folder to save them in > Click OK. There's a progress bar that shoots by (it's fast) to show you it's done. Go to folder you saved them in, they should all be there. They're now in Windows .ico format, and are viewable & usable like any of your other icons.

P.S. Sorry if I said things about file associations, file extensions, etc, that you already know. Just wanted to be really clear, is all!

[xico]

Okay, Marie!

The last instructions'll do the job! Thank you so much for all the time you put in to this. Wow! Much appreciated!
Thanks,

Xico

[marie500]

it worked?

[xico]

Unfortunately not. Thought I had it licked. What it says is that this file is not supported by Axialis workshop. Hmmm

Marie, I got this file from

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/bro...,1,pg,1,00.asp

it's called The Best Icons, right at the head of the list.

Wait. I'm rereading the second part of your instructions.
Lewt me go back and do what I didn't do. Didn't go to the Library.

[xico]

Well, let me try some other files that I had a hard time opening. I'll be back!