How can I create my own Icon sets?

[jpolz]

I want to start creating my own icons set so I can change some of the ugly low-res program icons. Either SilverScreen or Zlauncher sets will work. Any on-line guides or first-hand experience?

[the_iceman]

might want to download the festus440 zlauncher thememaker program from his website www.festus440.happypalm.com

This program will allow you to compile new ICON SETS. It will install and give you the default icons. This may aid you in what to change... and how to about compiling new iconsets (for zlauncher) to be used with the apps.

Great proggie!

[jpolz]

hmmmm....

whenever I try to generate a new set, it tells me that the .RCP file cannot be found. What am I doing incorrectly?

[Festus440]

jpolz,
A couple of questions:

1) What Windows OS are you using? (98, 2000, XP)

2) Can you generate any theme files?

3) Do you get a message box that pops up, or is the error in one of the PilRc troubleshooting screens? The message box would say "Error! The rcp file "ZLauncher IconSet.rcp" is missing. This file must be replaced before a theme can be made.)

If you are using the default bitmap location, the "ZLauncher IconSet.rcp" file should be located in the "Bitmaps" folder, below where the program is installed.

[jpolz]

Festus,

I'm running Windows 2000.

I tried to make a quick theme, and got the same error message, can't find the RCP file.

I am getting the error in the pop-up box.

[Festus440]

I've had occasional problems on Win98, but never on Win2000. Hope you don't mind helping me troubleshoot this.


In the "Bitmaps" folder under the folder where the program is installed, there should be 7 files with the extension "rcp". (There will also be a bunch of other files also.)

**********
ZLauncher IconSet.rcp
ZLauncherThemeTemplate_Hi_64K.rcp
ZLauncherThemeTemplate_SonyHR_16.rcp
ZLauncherThemeTemplate_SonyHR_256.rcp
ZLauncherThemeTemplate_SonyHR_64K.rcp
ZLauncherThemeTemplate_Std_16.rcp
ZLauncherThemeTemplate_Std_256.rcp
ZLauncherThemeTemplate_Std_64K.rcp
**********

Can you check to see if these files exist in the "Bitmaps" folder?

Thanks.

[jpolz]

Acyually...I tried it on my XP Machine at home and it works fine, must be a missing file on my work PC.

I guess my last question is what is the best way to remove the white background of the Icon bitmaps I'm working with and make the backgrounds transparent?

[Festus440]

The transparent color is set in the rcp file for the iconset.

"ZLauncher IconSet.rcp"

There's two ways you can do it.

1) Paint the background color of your new image the same as the original icon.

For 8 bit icons, this is called out as an index number and is usually either:

index 5 (RGB 255,0,255) OR
index 210 (RGB 0,255,0)

There is also a list of all the index numbers and the equivalent RGB (Red,Green,Blue) values in the utils folder.

2) Change the color in the rcp file to the background color of your icon.

Open the rcp file "ZLauncher IconSet.rcp", with note pad and find your icon.

Again, if it's 8-bit, the color is an index number, but you can change it to RGB by changing the key word from TRANSPARENTINDEX to TRANSPARENT. The only catch to doing this is that the RGB color must be in the list of valid index numbers.

Example:

ICONFAMILYEX ID 3002
BEGIN
BITMAP "Bitmaps/IconSet/tAIB0BBA-8.bmp" BPP 8
TRANSPARENTINDEX 5 NOCOMPRESS
END

[Festus440]

The transparent color is set in the rcp file for the iconset.

"ZLauncher IconSet.rcp" This file is located in the "Bitmaps" folder.

NOTE: If your not using the default image folders, use the file in the "Bitmaps" folder where you created your "project" folder.


There's two ways you can do it.

1) Paint the background color of your new image the same as the original icon.

2) Change the color in the rcp file to the background color of your icon.

Open the rcp file "ZLauncher IconSet.rcp", with note pad and find your icon.

16 bit icons call out an RGB color.

If it's 8-bit, the color is an index number, but you can change it to RGB by changing the keyword from TRANSPARENTINDEX to TRANSPARENT. The only catch to doing this is that the RGB color must be in the list of valid index numbers or it won't work.

(There is a list of all the index numbers and the equivalent RGB (Red,Green,Blue) values in the utils folder.)

Example:

ICONFAMILYEX ID 3002
BEGIN
BITMAP "Bitmaps/IconSet/tAIB0BBA-8.bmp" BPP 8
TRANSPARENTINDEX 5 NOCOMPRESS
END

Works the same as:

ICONFAMILYEX ID 3002
BEGIN
BITMAP "Bitmaps/IconSet/tAIB0BBA-8.bmp" BPP 8
TRANSPARENT 255 0 255 NOCOMPRESS
END

So if you wanted to change this to white, it could either be:

ICONFAMILYEX ID 3002
BEGIN
BITMAP "Bitmaps/IconSet/tAIB0BBA-8.bmp" BPP 8
TRANSPARENTINDEX 0 NOCOMPRESS
END

Or

ICONFAMILYEX ID 3002
BEGIN
BITMAP "Bitmaps/IconSet/tAIB0BBA-8.bmp" BPP 8
TRANSPARENT 255 255 255 NOCOMPRESS
END


Many of the icons listed in the rcp file are in "families" where the first icon is the high res 16-bit icon and the second is the 8-bit icon:

ICONFAMILYEX ID 3100
BEGIN
BITMAP "IconSet/tAIB0C1C-16-d144.bmp" BPP 16
TRANSPARENT 255 0 255 NOCOMPRESS DENSITY 2
BITMAP "IconSet/tAIB0C1C-8.bmp" BPP 8
TRANSPARENTINDEX 5 NOCOMPRESS
END

These work the same way. You can change either one, or both.

I hope I didn't wind up making this sound more complicated than it really is.

[Festus440]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ :(

I'll be the first to admit this stuff is a pain!

This is why I'll mention that I'm working on a separate program for ZLaucher icons called ZL Icon Factory.

It will eliminate any manual editing like this.

I may even put in an option to get the transparent color automatically by looking at the colors in the corners of the icon.

The best part is you will also be able to change ANY icon, not just the Palm system icons.

[honolulu]

Originally posted by Festus440
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ :(

I'll be the first to admit this stuff is a pain!

:rolleyes: :D

[yaniv79]

http://www.palmgear.com/software/answer.cfm?sid=3FBACA7F-97CF-433D-9F52638694F92590&userIDsel=1000278340&searchtitle=Applications%20by%20yaniv%20koren


yaniv