Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Software Issues and Discussion => Topic started by: beltrixx on January 13, 2009, 02:25:58 PM
-
Hi,
I know this must be a newbie question, but I do need help because I've tried all known (to me) methods to change my drive and ram icons and I don't know how to do it.
I don't like the appearance of the "glowicons" so I've tried to replace them with newicons versions, whose appearance I like most.
If I use the CopyNewIcon prog directly over the icons on the workbench screen I get no result (icons don't change): My drive and ram disk icons are the default icons that come with OS 3.9.
I've only succeded in changing the "def_drawer" icon by the one in Newicons package, copying it to prefs/env-archive/sys and overwriting the "glowicon" version, but still don't know how to change drives icons and ram disk icons and get rid of the nasty glowicon appearance.
The curious thing is that If I use Scalos instead of Workbench, I get the appearance I want so there must be something in OS 3.9 that updates automatically icon appearance to show "glowicons" instead of "newicons". How can I bypass this??
Thanks in advance,
Manel.
-
If I remember correctly....and someone fix this if I am wrong!
For ramdisk, find one you like - it will be disk.info
Copy this file to ENVARC:
in startup-sequence add a line at the end
copy ENVARC:disk.info ram:disk.info
On reboot, the ramdisk icon will be changed
On hard drives, just copying the desired disk.info to the drive should do he trick.
Not sure if Newicons interferes in any way..
-
I still haven't tried the ramdisk icon method, and as for the drives icons I can tell you that it worked on OS 3.1 but doesn't work on OS 3.9.
Thanks anyway for your answer!
Regards,
Manel.
-
You can use CopyIcon in the OS3.9 contributions folder (I think that's where it is,) or you can open the Information for a drive and drag in the icon that you want over the one in the Info window.
But, yes, the disk.info for the particular drive will work, though you may have to reboot or get Workbench to refresh or redraw icons (Reset WB might work, too.) I'm playing from memory, so please forgive my unsurity. :-) (It might be a word.)
-
@LoadWB
Uncertainty ? :)
-
Yes, the icon information method works. If open "icon information" from "icon" menu and drag a new icon over the icon that is displayed (on the left) side of icon information window, icon is changed.
However I can't change the ramdisk icon. It seems impossible.
I've tried to copy another icon to envarc:sys/ but when I try to rename it as "def_ram" the system does not allow me to change the icon name. I've also tried to edit sys:s/startup-sequence and add a line like :
copy sys:c/ramdisk_icon.info to ram:disk.info
But still the ramdisk icon is not changed. How can I fix this??
Regards,
Manel (beltrixx).
-
Is it too early in the s-s? I had mine launched from the user-startup I think.
-
Make sure you put the line to copy the new icon to RAM: before the loadwb command in the startup-sequence.
-
I've recovered the ramdisk icon from the OS 3.9 CD.
This icon is a special one, you are not able to view it from within workbench when you open the envarc:sys/ drawer !!!
I'll try to find a replacement icon on Aminet.
Thanks anyway.
-
Hi beltrixx,
I had no problem with changing my icons in OS3.9....
(http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o164/Cyberstorm604e/CF-icon.jpg)
I used CopyIcon44 (http://aminet.net/search?query=copyIcon44) for my disk icons and the great program DirectoryOpus4 to replace the hidden file Workbench:Prefs/Env-Archive/Sys/def_ram.info with one of my own choice.
Good luck :-)
-
beltrixx wrote:
This icon is a special one, you are not able to view it from within workbench when you open the envarc:sys/ drawer !!!
That's quite normal for icons of type "Disk" - and always has been. The only time you'll see them normally is when they are in the root of a mounted volume (floppy, hard, ram, whatever), and then they show up on the Workbench screen itself. Have you tried playing with IconEdit?
-
Im just going to necro this thread.
Workbench 3.1
So, Ive been changing all the icons, for my harddrives and folders. The icons Ive taken from Amiga Forever (bought the program ofcourse).
But Im unable to locate the RAM disk icon that AF uses.
I know how to change the RAM disk, by editing the startup sequence, and renaming random disk.info to def_ramdisk.info.
I just want that Ram icon from AF, since its the best looking icon for the job.
-
You should be able to test the icon change in place by copying the icon you want to ram:disk.info and then invoking 'diskchange ram:' from the CLI
-
Ever since OS3.9 got a new ram-handler that copes with soft links, all I did was (in startup-sequence)
MakeLink RAM:Disk.info ENVARC:Sys/def_RAM.info SOFT
I see this is how OS4.1FE does it too. Personally I think ram-handler should do this on its own.
-
Im just going to necro this thread.
Workbench 3.1
So, Ive been changing all the icons, for my harddrives and folders. The icons Ive taken from Amiga Forever (bought the program ofcourse).
But Im unable to locate the RAM disk icon that AF uses.
I know how to change the RAM disk, by editing the startup sequence, and renaming random disk.info to def_ramdisk.info.
I just want that Ram icon from AF, since its the best looking icon for the job.
If you are talking about the ram icon in that image, why not [ with a pc PrtScr ] edit out the icon with a paint package, I use Photoshop. Interrogate the ram icon you have and work out the size using Iconian say. Create the image in a paint package and edit the size. I use a handy tool called Thumbs for resizing on the PC. Save as say gif. Copy to the Amiga. Open PPaint and save as lbm or iff. And then fire up Iconian and create your image. Iconian also lets you save as the specific tool.
Over the last 25 years I have created all my own icons. On the desktop I keep the tool 'IconCopy' its brilliant. I also hate the new icons and os3.9 style icons. I use a lot of images that I transfer from the PC and between the paint packages I can generally create anything. Also PaintShopPro[not Photoshop] lets you save in iff format if you can get a copy but gifs will generally do.
What you can see on a pc screen you can always take. PrtScr. Magic.
Making your own is way more fun. All my disks have there own sexy images. Classic.
Also... from this thread it highlights a simple failure to use say DOpus to carry out file management. Why folk struggle with open drawers I will never know. You are forever switching the menu options to seeing hidden stuff. Dopus not only lets you see all the hidden files, but lets you look at both the tool and the 'info' icon. And better, lets you move, copy, rename etc.
Essential tools for the desktop. DOpus, ADFBlitzer, SnoopDOS, IconCopy, Shell, Edit [CED] or just have ToolsDaemon and drop them from a menu. Also Fastview assigned through DOpus for looking at images. Plus paint packages DPaint and PPaint. Iconian is OK I guess. There are others.
I also use a handy tool for defining icons and their images and keep a large library of defining icon images. The customisation of the desktop is still the greatest joy of the Amiga and something modern computers fail to provide.
One last comment.... A base Amiga 1200 has limited graphics resources and that is why 3.0 and 3.1 are little gems. Jumping to OS3.9 without a powerful computer is a big mistake. And staying with 3.1 and using a more refined and memory efficient environment teaches you how to play with a limited palette of colours to get the most imaginative of style and appearance. So no backdrop workbench images or drawer images. And small and effective limited colour icons. Can be done... I do. I can render a colour image taken from the PC and make into a very effective icon style with just a few colours on the Amiga.
When you find a locked door try another way round. The journey may be longer but the path more rewarding.
-
Also PaintShopPro[not Photoshop] lets you save in iff format if you can get a copy but gifs will generally do.
Photoshop can save in .iff, I used to use it all the time when I wanted to quickly make custom wallpapers to fit a "high res overscan laced" Workbench screensize. Hard to find native 702x482 images otherwise, lol. ;) It's right in the dropdown, might depend on your version, dunno.
You make a lot of work for yourself with all those steps, but to each their own. Can't say I didn't do similar, back in the day. ;) These days Ken's Icons are good enough for me, but obviously those only look good on 16-bit screenmodes or better.
3.9 will run with 6MB fast/2MB chip, but personally I wouldn't do it with less than 16MB.
-
3.9 will run with 6MB fast/2MB chip, but personally I wouldn't do it with less than 16MB.
And I happily run OS3.9 on Mimimig with 2MB Chip and 1.5MB Slow, and it even has 2MB spare after boot :laughing:
(https://kolla.egnyte.com/dd/29WT9vQgzY?thumbNail=1&w=800&h=800&type=proportional&preview=true)
-
Thanks for the replies :)
SO today, I just started up my A1200 to muck around with Workbench. Managed to crash my computer, and restarted it via powersupply On/off.
Nothing happened. No light, no nothing.
So I am assuming its the PSU failing, which is the original PSU I got for my A500 back in...1990 or somesuch.
Will have a look at it later today when I have the time.
-
Photoshop can save in .iff, I used to use it all the time when I wanted to quickly make custom wallpapers to fit a "high res overscan laced" Workbench screensize. Hard to find native 702x482 images otherwise, lol. ;) It's right in the dropdown, might depend on your version, dunno.
You make a lot of work for yourself with all those steps, but to each their own. Can't say I didn't do similar, back in the day. ;) These days Ken's Icons are good enough for me, but obviously those only look good on 16-bit screenmodes or better.
3.9 will run with 6MB fast/2MB chip, but personally I wouldn't do it with less than 16MB.
I made the reference to PaintShopPro and not Photoshop cus it found its way onto so many cover discs as a freebee I would be surprised if you don't have one knocking around. My copy of Photoshop predates the current subscription based software [5.5]. Not sure I would ever recommend someone do that just to make icons.
The difference is whether you want your own customised icons or use someone elses. Personally I like sampling images and designing and drawing icons. Always have. And when you are stumped and can't progress just cus you can't find something, isn't it about time you used the computer for what it is very good at and that is a design tool. Always been easier to create my own stuff and then I get just what I want.
PS I have my bits of paper in front of me that give me all the screen resolutions I need to generate on the PC images to transfer onto the Amiga. I don't use Photoshop I use ThumbsPlus cus its superior in every way for file management of images. Always has been.
Personally I try to avoid using Adobe products. Apple - Adobe... the scurge of the computing world.
Anyway.. back to my uploading of my PD Disks to the website. Magic. Not that anyone here appears to be interested. Odd that.