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Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: nasty on December 09, 2005, 11:42:31 AM

Title: Converting icons
Post by: nasty on December 09, 2005, 11:42:31 AM
I've made quite afew PC icons over the years, and was wondering how I would go about converting my PC icons to use on my Amiga?

Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: motorollin on December 09, 2005, 12:16:19 PM
Take a screenshot on your PC. Save as a JPEG. Copy to your Amiga. Load in to PPaint. Cut out brushes and save as IFF. Import in to Iconian and save as .info files.

Alternatively, install PowerIcons from Aminet. Take screenshot on PC. Load in to Photoshop or similar app that can save as PNG. Cut out images and save as individual PNG images with .info extension. Copy files to Amiga and they will automatically display as icons.

--
moto
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: Piru on December 09, 2005, 12:17:47 PM
@motorollin

You lose the transparency with that method though.
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: nasty on December 09, 2005, 12:21:43 PM
So how about if put the images in gif format would that still support transparency?

Cause my icon are like this
(http://www.amiga.org/gallery/images/1071/1_1080.jpg)
So i'll need to try and keep the transparency for them to look good!
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: motorollin on December 09, 2005, 12:44:57 PM
@Piru
Doesn't Iconian support transparency then? I haven't used it in years as I now use PowerIcons.

@Nasty
Most decent image processing tools would be able to open a transparent gif and save it as a transparent PNG. If the gifs aren't already transparent, then you could cut around them and delete the border to make the outside transparent, then save as a transparent PNG.

--
moto
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: cecilia on December 09, 2005, 09:24:42 PM
my PDF (http://www.geocities.com/ceciliafx/new/png/png.html) explaining how to make PNG icons using IFX. even if you don't have IFX, look at the explaination and you (hopefully) will understand how transparency works with PNG's.
I do this all the time. PNG icons are great!

also, if you make screen shots, don't save to jpg's. you will end up with ugly artifacts, jpgs being looosy.

save as PNG, iff, any format that has no compression.
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: Amigaz on December 09, 2005, 09:45:05 PM
use directory opus for windows, I use it to convert any icon format (.ico etc) to .png without loosing anything.
I think Xnview does the trick too www.xnview.com
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: nasty on December 09, 2005, 10:46:27 PM
Thanks for the hints guys,

Code: [Select]
Copy PowerIcons executable in C: or wherever you want.

  PowerIcons should be launched in your Startup-Sequence with RUN (it doesn't
  detach itself) JUST BEFORE LoadWB.
  A typical line would look like:

   ...
   Run >NIL: PowerIcons >NIL: [options]
   LoadWB
   EndCLI >NIL:


I tryed installing powericons , I put the exe in C then added the command to the startup-sequence but then wen I reboot it asks me to insert env in any drive? Any ideas to what I'm doing wrong?
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: cecilia on December 09, 2005, 11:44:57 PM
that's very odd. at first I thought you had placed the command too early, but just in front of LoadWB is exactly where I have it.
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: nasty on December 10, 2005, 12:01:43 AM
Yip it was my dumb mistake, how do I change all the default icons to the new powericons.  I tryed iconcopy to replace the def_ icons but no joy.
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: cecilia on December 10, 2005, 12:37:19 AM
It would be nice to explain your "dumb mistake" so others could learn for your boo boo.

And, frankly, I'd be afraid to change all icons all at once. unless you have a script that you know for sure completely works.
but, i guess i'm a scardy-cat!   :kitty:
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: nasty on December 10, 2005, 12:43:52 AM
the dumb mistake was adding it slightly to high in the startup-sequence, the main icom im having a problem replacing is the RAM icon.

I've got a complete backup incase anything goes wrong, its one thing i've learnt from a pc :-)
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: amigadave on December 10, 2005, 02:28:35 AM
I want new cool icons and a great workbench background, with transperency and all that good stuff.  Where is the easy to install, preconfigured, easily editable, one package/program to do all this?  I have seen some awesome screen shots over the last two years and thought to myself "I have got to get me some of that" on my Amiga.  With AOS3.9 what other programs do I need to install?

Creatively challenged, but willing to learn.
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: cecilia on December 10, 2005, 04:06:57 AM
aminet (http://www.aminet.net/search.php?desc=png+icons) - use PowerIcons to be able to use PNG icons and the rest of the searce has a bunch of png icons you can use.

a png icon is a png image which uses the name "blah.info" with PowerIcons installed, it's automatic!
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: Amigaz on December 10, 2005, 08:19:20 AM
Quote

nasty wrote:
the dumb mistake was adding it slightly to high in the startup-sequence, the main icom im having a problem replacing is the RAM icon.

I've got a complete backup incase anything goes wrong, its one thing i've learnt from a pc :-)


The ram icon is in prefs/env-archive/sys

it's called def_ram

good luck  :-)
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: nasty on December 10, 2005, 10:15:29 AM
Thanks AMIGAZ :-)
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: nasty on December 11, 2005, 12:22:24 PM
I had another problem with the ram icon, the problem was I was using magic workbench so the default MW icon would always show, but I found its icon in the S drawer.  Since I've replace my standard 3.9 icons my Ram,CD'S AND Floppys drives icon keep appearing halfway down the screen is there anyway i can get them to stay lined up like my other partitions, ive tryed snapshot of all and icons but they just dont want to stay lined up!
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: motorollin on December 11, 2005, 12:24:09 PM
Yes, just put the icons where you want them, then do a snapshot, then copy the volumes' disk.info to envarc:sys/def_floppy.info, def_ram.info etc.

--
moto
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: nasty on December 11, 2005, 12:47:02 PM
Quote
put the icons where you want them, then do a snapshot, then copy the volumes' disk.info to envarc:sys/def_floppy.info, def_ram.info etc


I've lined all the icons up perfect and then took a snapshot, But I cant move the disk.info to the envarc:sys/ drawers as they just dont showup! unless I'm using a icon program. So am I mssing someway to get this info files to display on there volumes?
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: motorollin on December 11, 2005, 01:01:39 PM
Icons with type "disk" will not show up. They will automatically become the volume icon and will not be visible in the volume's window. If you want to copy it you have to use the shell, like this:

1.>copy df0:disk.info envarc:sys/def_floppy.info

(Check the destination filename as I'm not 100% it's def_floppy.info)

--
moto
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: nasty on December 11, 2005, 01:04:22 PM
Ah thank you Moto! I'll never get the hang of all those commands :-D
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: motorollin on December 11, 2005, 01:10:34 PM
Heh, you'll get the hang of it, it just takes time  :-)

I learned about AmigaDOS when I was younger and had my A500 (my first ever computer) and used to make compilation floppies with my favourite games. I used to make menus to show what games were on there and load them when a key was pressed.

It's amazing that I can still remember all those commands after all these years!

You'll get there  :-D

--
moto
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: nasty on December 11, 2005, 01:42:43 PM
I hope so :-D And thank you to you and all the other guys that have helped me on this thread :-)
Title: Re: Converting icons
Post by: motorollin on December 11, 2005, 01:50:50 PM
BTW, I forgot to mention, you cannot snapshot a CD (it is read only). So you could do this:

1.>copy cd.info ram:disk.info
to make your desired CD icon the disk.info for RAM. Then put the RAM icon where you want the CD to appear. Do a snapshot, then do
1.>copy ram:disk.info envarc:sys/dev_ram.info

--
moto