'No icon' Icon (blank)

[palmuse]

Not sure how to make icons...

I would like a "blank" icon that I can assign to an app. I would use ZLauncher to assign the "empty" icon.

My 'home' screen is clean, but I would like to add an app to it without it showing. I am thinking a "blank" or transparent icon would do the trick. Anyone willing to make one?

[FerdFerd]

Most icons these days have at least some transparent territory that one could probably extend to the entire icon. So might be able to do this with PFCD. Disassemble, edit icon, reassemble and done.

If your device can use AppIcon, you could then capture the icon with its Get feature and assign it to any other application you like. That way would only work so long as AppIcon is installed. The other way would be permanent.

If you aren't up for giving that a spin, what is the application you want to do this with?

[palmuse]

FerdFerd~ Thanks for the PFCD tip. I will give that a try.

I would be looking for a temp icon to replace the original. I generally use the ZL method with an icon set. I am hoping I can do this with PFCD.

I may use this (assuming it works) with a few apps. I have my icon column set to show only two in a row in portrait on my TX. I figure I can memorize where to tap on the screen to open each app.

Specifically, I might use this on Pruss' CryptDrive for starters. That way I can turn it on quickly from my 'home' screen and maintain a clean look.

Thanks again for the tip. If I get it to work, I'll post it if anyone cares to try it.

[Schtunks]

ZL doesn't permit to hide a tab ? If yes, it's will be simple to hide the app you want, no ?

[FerdFerd]

I would be looking for a temp icon to replace the original. I generally use the ZL method with an icon set. I am hoping I can do this with PFCD.It won't help you add an icon to an application that doesn't have one at all. And it also isn't any help in substituting a high resolution icon for a low res one. At least these are my experiences.

Specifically, I might use this on Pruss' CryptDrive for starters. That way I can turn it on quickly from my 'home' screen and maintain a clean look.CryptDrive has no icon at all. So this won't work. I use AppIcon to select an icon to assign to such applications. You need version 1.0, not 1.3, to work on a TX, and version 1.0 will crash if you try to edit an icon. Version 1.0 is embedded in a file in the freeware section here at 1src, but I can't remember which. I'm sure you can find it using the search feature in the forums.

Finally, if you edit an existing icon and then insert it in an existing application that has its own icon with PFCD, that will be permanent, not temporary.

[PinCushionQueen]

Hey!! I think a transparent blank icon would be nice too. I use iSpin launcher and am unable to remove ''Favorites'' icon from my desktop (it's a limitation of the launcher). Presently, it's the only icon on my desktop because I too prefer my main screen to be clean (just wallpaper) and I use IconsPlus to change it because AppIcon won't change builtin app icons.

Anyways if you get this to work in a ZLauncher iconset, please do share! IconsPlus will change the builtin icons & uses ZL iconsets :D

[palmuse]

Done! :)

I was able to accomplish my goal. Thanks for your interest. It is hard to explain so I posted a pic here. I give the details of how to use it to virtually hide an app in the Freeware/Skins section here (http://www.1src.com/freeware/fileinfo.php?id=1732).

Check it out if you are interested.

Pic Explanation: I normally uncheck the "Show Name" in ZL Tab Preferences. I showed the name here so you could see where my "hidden" app really is. Without the name it is virtually hidden yet accessible. :D

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t216/palmuse/ZlI_Blank1_scr.jpg

Special thanks to FereFerd for the tip! Also to "jaki good photography" for the background. :o

[sopgent7]

aww man thats a good idea..hmm i wonder could you make a icon with ZLIconset and set it (if your pda doesnt go fatal) to all apps..or just sit there at your pc and copy paste the icon..neat idea!!

[FerdFerd]

Done!Good for you! Fun isn't it?

I disassembed your icon file and I noticed something that interests me. Icon bitmaps use color conventions to signal transparent areas. I've noticed that mostly they use a kind of sickly yellow-green for this. I also have noticed that some skinners, at least for ZLauncher skins, are using an upleasant hot pink color for the same thing. In your file your large "icon" uses the yellow-green and the small one uses the hot pink. Can you or someone else shed some light on this choice? Are these two colors univseral signals for tranparency? Are they interchangeable?

[palmuse]

aww man thats a good idea..hmm i wonder could you make a icon with ZLIconset and set it (if your pda doesnt go fatal) to all apps..or just sit there at your pc and copy paste the icon..neat idea!!

sopgent7~ Thanks! I don't think I want to do a whole icon set this way. It is possible, but I would not use it. Have at it if you like. :)

I currently use icons from several sets. I like being able to set them individually. This blank one can be used more than once if you manually choose it as described in the download page for each app.

[palmuse]

Good for you! Fun isn't it?

Hi FerdFerd~ Yes it was fun. It took a couple of tries, but I was satisfied once it worked.

I basically took an existing icon and edited it with the transparency color removing the original icon pic. Seems I ended up using the "Contacts" icon somehow. I then deleted all of the remaining references to icons and recompiled. Pretty slick with PFCD.

I disassembed your icon file and I noticed something that interests me. Icon bitmaps use color conventions to signal transparent areas. I've noticed that mostly they use a kind of sickly yellow-green for this. I also have noticed that some skinners, at least for ZLauncher skins, are using an upleasant hot pink color for the same thing. In your file your large "icon" uses the yellow-green and the small one uses the hot pink. Can you or someone else shed some light on this choice? Are these two colors univseral signals for tranparency? Are they interchangeable?

I have worked with Launch-Anywhere skins a bit and I have seen the different transparency colors used there too. I do not know if one is better than the other in terms of use. I think that either is fine, but it has to be set as the transparency color and you have to be consistent with that color in that icon. I have also seen red used. For the iconset I compiled, one happened to be green and the other magenta (purple/pink). Other icons used the same color for both.

If you dig into the coding, each color is probably set up in there as the transparent color. I suppose if you wanted to use a certain color in the actual icon (not transparent), you would have to set another color as the transparent color. This might explain the use of different colors. (?)

Anyway, thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

[PinCushionQueen]

I'm glad you got this working for ZL :D Unfortunately, I cannot get it working with IconsPlus. Don't know why it won't work as every other ZL iconset will work with IP.

Ah well, at least you've proven it can be done and if I ever decide to finally make the switch to ZL, I know this is there. :-)

[Sjweise]

You can set any RGB color as the transparent color while making icons. Depending on the colors in the icons, I will use different colors, but I will usually stick with green or pink. I usually use HP SkinStudio now and while it does default to a certain rgb color (that hot pink I think) you can go back with the "eye-dropper" and select a new color. The "blank" icon has ben asked for before, users wanted to be able to just display the name of the application. I myself like the glitz of the icons, though with my Treo now I find myself rarely in the launcher screen that much since I can launch my most used apps with the buttons, Zlauncher quicklaunch and shortcuts on the keyboard now.

[palmuse]

I'm glad you got this working for ZL :D Unfortunately, I cannot get it working with IconsPlus. Don't know why it won't work as every other ZL iconset will work with IP.

Ah well, at least you've proven it can be done and if I ever decide to finally make the switch to ZL, I know this is there. :-)

Hi PCQ~ Sorry to hear it did not work for you. I did it in a bit of a hurry and I don't think I got it right. It was a hack job and I'm not a great hack.

I will take a look at how to clean it up and will let you try it again with IconPlus. Not sure when, but I will post when I have it.

[PinCushionQueen]

That would be cool! Thanks PalmUse! :-)

[palmuse]

PinCushionQueen~ I emailed a new version of the blank icon to test in IconPlus. Let me know if it works and I will post it. Thanks!