There's no such thing as a stupid question, but they're the easiest to answer.
JoinTour
Login
 
Tag Cloud
acer bios black screen boot computer connection crash css dell display driver drivers email error excel firefox firefox 3 freeze hard drive internet internet explorer itunes laptop lcd linux malware monitor network networking nvidia outlook outlook 2003 outlook express partition password printer problem router security slow software sound trojan usb video virus vista windows windows xp wireless
Digital Photography & Imaging
Search
Search in:
 
Advanced Search
Tech Support Guy Forums > Software & Hardware > Digital Photography & Imaging >
Solved: Creating Icons


HELLO AND WELCOME! Before you can post your question, you'll have to register -- it's completely free! Click here to join today! We highly recommend that you print a copy of our Guide for New Members. Enjoy!

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
caraewilton's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 993 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: South Africa
Experience: Intermediate
06-Dec-2007, 07:19 AM #1
Solved: Creating Icons
Hi everyone
I need to create a few icons for windows.
I am currently using windows vista.
I have corel photoshop and the gimp. Are either of these programmes capable of creating an icon, and if so how.
Alternatively does anyone know of a good free programme that I could use instead. I have the picture I want to turn into icons in .gif and . jpg format already.
Many thanks
Cara
__________________
Truly gifted people are not the people who know all the answers, but the people who ask the questions

I have recently been playing around and have created a website for my students. If you have a little time I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a look and let me know what you think and give me some ideas.
Noyb's Avatar
Computer Specs
Distinguished Member with 8,454 posts.
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kokomo
Experience: More Input Please
06-Dec-2007, 09:57 AM #2
Since you said "free" ... I'd use ... http://www.irfanview.com/
and save as an ico file.

Irfaniew makes a very good default replacement for Vista's Photo Gallery
Why gif or jpg ??
caraewilton's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 993 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: South Africa
Experience: Intermediate
06-Dec-2007, 03:26 PM #3
Hi Noyb. I like your christmas hat
I already have Irfanview and use it as my default browser. I just forgot it has some nifty editing and saving options. Worked ever so easily. Just press "s" and off you go. It also offers a couple of different icon formats.
Grand idea. Many thanks.
Oh, experimented a little, gimp, save as also has icon formats, which can be accessed from save as. But a lot more effort required in order to produce a good quality, clear icon.
__________________
Truly gifted people are not the people who know all the answers, but the people who ask the questions

I have recently been playing around and have created a website for my students. If you have a little time I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a look and let me know what you think and give me some ideas.
lister's Avatar
Senior Member with 1,941 posts.
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Belfast, UK
06-Dec-2007, 03:33 PM #4
This may suit ... @icon sushi
http://www.towofu.net/soft/e-aicon.php
Noyb's Avatar
Computer Specs
Distinguished Member with 8,454 posts.
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kokomo
Experience: More Input Please
06-Dec-2007, 03:53 PM #5
I use Microangleo and "On Display" .. but it's been awhile.
Made some custom Irfanview Icons for the plugins .. but don't think Vista will let you use them.

Seems like Vista's engineers forgot there's a difference between Icons and Thumbnails ..
and your gonna get thumbnails .. like it or not.
Attached Files
File Type: zip Icons.zip (39.1 KB, 7 views)
caraewilton's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 993 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: South Africa
Experience: Intermediate
06-Dec-2007, 04:08 PM #6
Hi Noyb. Well, I run a programme called rocket docket, which has a docker that pops up on mouse over. On this I have short cuts to programmes I use regulaly. Rocket docket uses png icons. Irfanview makes super png is a jiffy, so I now have the shortcut to the company letter head template as the companies logo instead of W. Looks cool.
As for regular icons working in vista?
I will need to experiment further. I can't get a .gif or .jpg to work as an icon, had hoped it might with the new operating system. So I think the old windows icon format is still used.
__________________
Truly gifted people are not the people who know all the answers, but the people who ask the questions

I have recently been playing around and have created a website for my students. If you have a little time I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a look and let me know what you think and give me some ideas.
caraewilton's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 993 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: South Africa
Experience: Intermediate
06-Dec-2007, 04:12 PM #7
Your Icons seem to work in vista. I changed the icon of a short cut on my desktop to a cat eye tattoed with BMP
Noyb's Avatar
Computer Specs
Distinguished Member with 8,454 posts.
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kokomo
Experience: More Input Please
06-Dec-2007, 04:22 PM #8
Do they show on the desktop as labeled Icons ???
gif .. bmp .. jpeg ... etc ... for an Image file on the desk top ... not shortcut ???

I liked my Cat's blue eye better than Irfan's red bandit.

You anywhere near .. Wierda Park, Centurion

Last edited by Noyb : 06-Dec-2007 04:28 PM.
caraewilton's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 993 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: South Africa
Experience: Intermediate
06-Dec-2007, 04:34 PM #9
Sorry Nyob, not quite sure what you are asking. Your file is a dll. I created a a short cut on my desktop of a random word document. I then right clicked, went to properties and clicked on change icon. I then browsed to your file and opened it. Took the first icon, the blue eyed cat and said okay. Now the icon for that short cut is the one you made.
By the same token, I tried to use a gif and jpeg as an icon, but vista would not accept these.
In other words, it behaves exactly like xp does. Hope this sort of answers your question.
__________________
Truly gifted people are not the people who know all the answers, but the people who ask the questions

I have recently been playing around and have created a website for my students. If you have a little time I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a look and let me know what you think and give me some ideas.
caraewilton's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 993 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: South Africa
Experience: Intermediate
06-Dec-2007, 04:38 PM #10
What I have noticed that if I paste a jpeg file on my desktop, it shows the thumbnail. Personally I prefer this, as I have a lot of things I am working with so it is easy to find the correct picture. The only drawback is, if I have different formats of the same picture. To get around that, I have set vista to show known file extensions.
__________________
Truly gifted people are not the people who know all the answers, but the people who ask the questions

I have recently been playing around and have created a website for my students. If you have a little time I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a look and let me know what you think and give me some ideas.
caraewilton's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 993 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: South Africa
Experience: Intermediate
06-Dec-2007, 04:42 PM #11
Quote:
Originally Posted by Noyb
You anywhere near .. Wierda Park, Centurion
Yes PTA. Why?
Noyb's Avatar
Computer Specs
Distinguished Member with 8,454 posts.
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kokomo
Experience: More Input Please
06-Dec-2007, 04:43 PM #12
I hate this .. If I wanted Thumbnails .. I'd ask for them
If Thumbnails make good icons for images ...
then why not Thumbnails for word docs, pdfs ... etc ??

Life sure is easier in XP .. IMHO
Attached Thumbnails
solved-creating-icons-clipboard01.gif  
caraewilton's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 993 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: South Africa
Experience: Intermediate
06-Dec-2007, 04:48 PM #13
You have a point. It would be nice if one could set this. But I have always worked in thumbnail view on xp, so had not even noticed until now
Noyb's Avatar
Computer Specs
Distinguished Member with 8,454 posts.
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kokomo
Experience: More Input Please
06-Dec-2007, 04:55 PM #14
Thumbnails are great .. But not as an icon on the desktop.
I see that Vista still is not able to show Thumbnails for PSD files.
If they can't do it right then why force it ??

OK .. I'll quit complaining about Vista.
caraewilton's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 993 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: South Africa
Experience: Intermediate
07-Dec-2007, 12:22 AM #15
Thanks to Noyb I have discovered an annoying quirk in Vista. The MS gods have elected to disable thumbnail view of wmf files. Apparently they are a security threat and it has been decided than rather than fix the threat, the function will just be diabled. Good and well, except wmf is MS own format for vector graphics. I also have about 500000 of the damb things. Will have to use irfanview.
On another side, it is possible to dissable the thumbnail view of other picture formats. If you interested Nyob, will let you know how it is done
__________________
Truly gifted people are not the people who know all the answers, but the people who ask the questions

I have recently been playing around and have created a website for my students. If you have a little time I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a look and let me know what you think and give me some ideas.
Closed Thread

Tags
gimp

THIS THREAD HAS EXPIRED.
Are you having the same problem? We have volunteers ready to answer your question, but first you'll have to join for free. Need help getting started? Check out our Welcome Guide.


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
WELCOME TO TECH SUPPORT GUY! Are you looking for the solution to your computer problem? Join our site today to ask your question -- for free! Our site is run completely by volunteers who help people like you solve computer problems. See our Welcome Guide to get started.



Thread Tools


You Are Using:
Server ID
Advertisements do not imply our endorsement of that product or service.
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:18 PM.
Copyright © 1996 - 2008 TechGuy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Powered by vBulletin, Copyright © 2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.1.0
Powered by Cermak Technologies, Inc.