Help with icons please

[BobS]

I am using the free version on Vista and although slightly unstable, isn't everything on Vista, very happy with it and will upgrade if I can have this one problem solved.

I have many icons with the extension .ico however most do not work and either give an error message "Not a valid Win 3.0 .ico file".

Does anyone either know how to identify icons that will work or a programme to convert existing files to valid .ico files.

Preferably a free programme. I am told Adobe photoshop works but do not want to buy this when I have other programmes that I am happy with but will not generate valid icons

Please HELP

[Mystery]

Welcome to the forums BobS

I have myself experienced some troubles with .ico files from time to time.
I'm still trying to figure out why certain .ico files were not accepted by AM, but haven't found any pattern yet.

I'm using GIMP (http://www.gimp.org/) and IrfanView (http://www.irfanview.com/) to save images as .ico files (or to save not accepted .ico files under another name), and in all cases I've been able to use .ico files saved by these two software (sometimes one of them worked better, other time the other).
Both are free (IrfanView only for non-commercial projects).

[mercedes]

Just wanted to add, this is a really easy and nice tool for making icons..but it strictly does icons.. You can make your own or convert any you have..and its free..~

http://www.blitzbasic.com/toolbox/toolbox.php?tool=159


Peace~

[BobS]

Thank you for your help.
I may have made some more progress, It seems that AM does not accept .ico files even if the correct format if made up of layers. I have found a way round this but no way of identifying which files will work except by trying to open files with the icon editor supplied as an external programme with AM.

Anyway this is what I do:-

1/Open .ico file with Infran View.
2/ Go to Options / Extract all frames.
3/ Copy and Paste so that all images are on one layer, Sometimes I do not need all layers to make an acceptable icon.
4/Resave the new one layer icon as a .ico file.
5/ It now works.

The one that I have not solved is when the icon seems to open correctly but there is no image, but I am working on this and if I find a solution will post it.

[mercedes]

Hi there:)

If there is no image in the dialogue box..it won't show in runtime either..from what I have seen..This is why i use Imagicon..its an icon editor made for Windows..I can't seem to make an icon with GIMP or save one in there either..for it doens't show in AM ...I'm probably doing it wrong..."
Also here is a place that has tons of icons for download...If you want to ever download~

http://www.iconarchive.com

Peace~

[BobS]

Sorry I did not explain very well.
Sometimes when I have an icon that looks perfectly good on any other graphics programme including Irfan View it will open in the icon editor supplied with AM but nothing is displayed, just a white background. If I use these in AM (Just as a test) it shows as displayed in Irfan View (a white square) I can edit and save the icon but the only thing displayed is the editing I have done.

[mercedes]

When you open an icon with the editor supplied with AM..do u go to File open..Then Drag it to the white square?

Am I still misuderstanding you.?lol..I'm assuming you mean the white square where the icon should display...

[BobS]

Using the supplied editor I go to open I then select the icon which then seems to open but only displays a white screen. Any other graphics program that I have displays it OK.

I must emphasize that this is rare when next I get one I will post it so that you can play with i

[mercedes]

Ok...But you have to drag it to the screen..not just select it..Either way yes post it next time..and I'm sure someone will look at it..


Peace

[BobS]

Found one but the forum does not allow the posting of .ico extensions.

Goodnight all will play some more tomorrow

[Mystery]

You can send me that .ico file by email if you like

[BobS]

Thank you Mystery I have sent one of the icons by e-mail.

[Mystery]

Hi BobS, I have received the .ico file.
At first sight, it's striking that it has a size of 640x480 pixels and has no transparency.
What did you want to use it for? If you want to use it on a regular frame as hotspot image, I'd make a .gif file out of it and add transparency.
If you wish to use it as inventory object, it's too big at the moment.

[BobS]

Mystery,
Thank you for yor reply,
I do not want this for anything in particular I was just trying to solve why some were like this. I would not use this in this size or without transparancy for use as an icon.
It is frustrating to pull an icon out of my files and find it does not work and am trying to identify easily which ones work and which ones do not. I have even pulled some apart and compared with the Win 3.0 standard and they should work.
I have so many icons it is not a real problem but just got curious.

If I want anything special I usually save a photo at very low resolution add a transparancy layer and save as an .ico file which always works.

[Mystery]

Oh I see
Yes, I'm also pretty curious why some icons don't get accepted, and keen on finding out more.
But I'd say, it's better to find some icons that could be used as inventory items (from their size and properties), and then compare those that work, and those that don't work. This could result in finding the cause.
Experimenting with "strange" .ico files (usually not used anyway because of untypical size etc.) won't be helpful in my opinion to find the cause

If you have any "normal" inventory items as .ico files that don't work with AM, please send them to me as email.
For a systematic comparison, I need quite a few icons (several that work, several that don't get accepted). I really hope that we'll be able to discover why AM accepts some icons and not others, while all seem to have similar properties.

[BobS]

I agree,
I just pulled this one out as it was the first one I found that did not work.
When I get some "real" examples I will send them to you. We may be able to solve the question between us.

[Mystery]

Okay, thank you
Yes, I hope we can figure out something

[mercedes]

Hi there..Bob..

I just recieved both icon and .jpg in the mail today..I was able to turn it into an icon..and it shows in AM..The only thing I can suggest..is saving the JPG as a 24bmp after making the transparency hotpink..--Thats what I used was 24bit color.. I find that jpgs don't make the best of icons compared to bmp's--and I would not use black for transparency. I just opened it in paint and changed color there--then resaved it.

I hope that helps.. I also used Imagicon..but there is no reason why this shouldn't work in any other Icon maker..I can't see why it woudn't ..Unless transparency was the issue, is all I can think of..



Peace

[BobS]

Mercedes,
Thank you for your help. I have learnt a lot.

I am fairly proficient with programming but know nothing about graphics.