What is the best icon set to use on A2000 with 3.1

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

You need FullPalette to lock the pens.  Mfilos's guide is really good, too:

http://www.mfilos.com/2012/01/guide-making-workbench-prettier-using.html

Although personally I wouldn't use Birdie on a 16-color screen (like he did), I still run the Rebel Palette on my A500.

And MagicWB is nice on the system specs OP posted about (2MB fast / 1MB chip / 3.1 / 68000).  Not going to be running 3.9 GlowIcons/Ken's Icons/etc. on that!  

[blakespot]

Interesting post...

So, I have an Amiga 2000 w/ an A2620 14.3MHz 68020 card (+FPU+MMU) with 2MB 32-bit FAST RAM, 4MB 16-bit FAST RAM, 1MB CHIP RAM.

I have an Indivision ECS out to a 19-inch Sony CRT. I use the flicker-fixed video out on that 19-inch when I'm doing anything on the Workbench. (I also have a 1084 on the unit, that I tend to look at for demos and games.)

Right now I am using an icon-set the name of which I can't perfectly recall. MWB? I am running in 640x400 with 8 colors. I spend most time using Workbench to launch games and demos via WHDLoad, and also to transfer them into the system with AmiTCP, ncftp, A-Web, etc (wired ethernet on the A2000) often tying to my OS X machine across the room where I download for the Amiga.

So what icon-set am I running?

http://torlus.com/floppy/forum/download/file.php?id=781
(I think this image is the 640x400 WB in PAL mode, as I switched with Degrader to run some demos thru CLI, so everything is slightly vertically squished.)

A Vine that shows a little of it:
https://vine.co/v/iq3ijdhzeJD

Which might be better? What is this about an icon.library? Is there a faster approach I can get than what comes w/ 3.1? Thanks.



bp

[giZmo350]

@Mike and Paul....

Thanks for the reminder of pallet locking and the links! I have been really spoiled by AGA for quite a few years. I never messed around with all the screen pallets and MWB on my OS2.1 setup as I just used it as is 'cause my AGA was great! I would like to get a good looking ECS WB screen till I can catch up to OM!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

@Blakespot....

I tried to use PeterK's icon.library last night with Indie ECS but it screwed up the pallet...

@Thread...

Is PeterK's icon.library primarily designed for AGA?

DangIt! gotta head off to the dentist!!!! Just when things are getting interesting! :furious:

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

A Vine that shows a little of it:
https://vine.co/v/iq3ijdhzeJD

@blakespot - those are MagicWB icons.

[scuzzb494]

Create your own. That is what I have always done and I have like disks full of them. I always know when I am on my home territory. Best thing about the Amiga has always been the icon.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Ah!  You guys!  You're killing me!  Probably almost as much as Gizmo's dentist is killing him right now.  

The Peter K. icon library is one of the most revolutionary enhancements to come out for Amiga in like, the past decade.  Seriously.    Obviously it's pointless if all you do is play floppy-based games, but it's great for folks who spend a lot of time in Workbench.

I'm paraphrasing the .readme, but just off-hand some of the features it adds:

• Completely rewritten icon-rendering routine for much faster performance
• Built-in support for NewIcons (no more having to run hacks or patches to display them)
• Built-in support for GlowIcons
• Built-in ghosting for def_icons (so they show at 1/2 the brightness of normal icons)
• Built-in support for neat little font tricks, like adding outlines and shadows to the text of icon fonts
• Built-in color reduction routines (able to dither and reduce truecolor and 256-color PNG icons so they look better on low-color screens)

TL;DR.  It makes your Amiga faster.  Of course some people don't care about that sort of thing.  


I think I've shared these before, but here's a few older (couple years ago) screenshots of my main A2000 running 16-color Workbench 3.9 with IndiECS/Peter K. library/VisualPrefs.  Maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but I thought it looked nice at the time.  I could probably do much better today.  

[Kernel]

This is a fantastic thread... there always seems to be a few programs that I can't find a good icon match for and the StandardMagicWB package is just what I've been looking for!

Not sure if what I do is unique but I like to first set a program icon to a choice MagicWB icon and then overlay a choice NewIcons icon over it.  This way I can switch back and forth depending on my mood and only need to do a few window cleanups and I'm off and running.

The question I have is for OS 3.1, what programs are out there that let you easily (i.e., via drag and drop) replace a programs icon image with a another image without changing the icons tool types?  As far as I can tell CopyNewIcon cannot be used for this as it is NewIcons image specific.

Thanks!

[giZmo350]

@OM... See to me, your WB looks great! Just what I want! WB optimization is the area where I have always lacked for knowledge. I.E., spoiled by AGA. I always knew that PeterK's Icon Library made WB much speedier and always used it with AGA but, I really don't know how to take advantage of it. Is Visual Prefs the program to interface with PK's icon library? So, where do I start to copycat your desktop Mike? 1) Install PK's library. 2) Use FullPallet in some manner. 3) Use Rebel's Pallet in some manner? 4) Read Mfilos' blog. 5) Use GlowIcons/Ken's Icons/etc.? 6) Enjoy great looking WB?

Sorry for lack of knowledge here..... :hammer: Took me quite awhile to understand Amiga Icons - once I did, wow, it was an eye-opener! Just never took the time to put all this WB stuff together. This is where I wish A.O had a knowledge base or stickies.

BTW, Yea.... HATE the DENTIST!

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

The question I have is for OS 3.1, what programs are out there that let you easily (i.e., via drag and drop) replace a programs icon image with a another image without changing the icons tool types?  As far as I can tell CopyNewIcon cannot be used for this as it is NewIcons image specific.

I've been a big proponent of 3.9 for years, since it integrates this functionality (being able to drag & drop a new icon image).  For 3.1 try SwazInfo:

http://aminet.net/package/util/wb/SwazInfo18b

http://www.amiga.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-59449.html

It's also a part of BetterWB:  http://lilliput.amiga-projects.net/BetterWB.htm

Enjoy!  

[Thorham]

With 3.5 and 3.9 they "look on the disk" to see if there's a newer version first, as opposed to automatically using the version that's on the ROM.

The setpatch command from those versions does that. Works on 3.0 too.

[paul1981]

This is a fantastic thread... there always seems to be a few programs that I can't find a good icon match for and the StandardMagicWB package is just what I've been looking for!

Not sure if what I do is unique but I like to first set a program icon to a choice MagicWB icon and then overlay a choice NewIcons icon over it.  This way I can switch back and forth depending on my mood and only need to do a few window cleanups and I'm off and running.

The question I have is for OS 3.1, what programs are out there that let you easily (i.e., via drag and drop) replace a programs icon image with a another image without changing the icons tool types?  As far as I can tell CopyNewIcon cannot be used for this as it is NewIcons image specific.

Thanks!

I'm not by my Amiga at the moment, so I can't be sure that this is the program I use, but it may be:

http://m68k.aminet.net/package/util/wb/IconImage

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

@Is Visual Prefs the program to interface with PK's icon library? So, where do I start to copycat your desktop Mike? 1) Install PK's library. 2) Use FullPallet in some manner. 3) Use Rebel's Pallet in some manner? 4) Read Mfilos' blog. 5) Use GlowIcons/Ken's Icons/etc.? 6) Enjoy great looking WB?

Um, no, yes, yes, yes, yes, no.  VisualPrefs lets you fancy-up your window gadgets - the stuff in the corners - and the sliders, and whatnot.  See any of the screenshots of mine I've posted in the past few years.  It's got tons of options, personally I kind of made mine to resemble 4.1.  There's still a couple things I could do to make it closer, but I'm good with it for now.

And I wouldn't use Ken's Icons with anything less than a 16-bit (not 16-color) screen.  But otherwise, go for it.  

PS - now I want to see that movie again, lol.  


Attached files:
1 - Plain, boring, ugly Workbench.jpg
2 - Workbench with MagicWB icons.jpg
3 - Mike's Workbench 1.7.2016.jpg

[blakespot]

Attached files:
1 - Plain, boring, ugly Workbench.jpg
2 - Workbench with MagicWB icons.jpg
3 - Mike's Workbench 1.7.2016.jpg

Quite nice.

What would you with a system like mine as far as making it gussied up a bit in the WB? I am running 3.1 in A2000 w/ 14MHz 68020, 6MB FAST, 1MB CHIP, Indivision ECS. I am currently using MagicWB icons.

I used to have an '060 and a Picasso II in this '060, but I sold them, thinking I'd just not be spending much time on the WB. But...your setup has me wanting to spend lots of time with the A2000. I should've kept that '060!

( Also, didn't you sell me an Indivision AGA a few years ago? I'm in Alexandria, VA. )

Thanks.


bp

[Kernel]

Mike, what settings are you using on VisualPrefs to get that 4.1 look?  I'd be interested in trying that out without too much fuss

Also, for anyone... is it me or does the version information for icon.library for PeterK's respond differently once it's in the LIBS: folder and made resident?  Like check it out in the install folder and you get

icon.library 46.4.409
(68020)

vs.

icon.library 46.4
(68020)

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Quite nice.

What would you with a system like mine as far as making it gussied up a bit in the WB? I am running 3.1 in A2000 w/ 14MHz 68020, 6MB FAST, 1MB CHIP, Indivision ECS. I am currently using MagicWB icons.

I used to have an '060 and a Picasso II in this '060, but I sold them, thinking I'd just not be spending much time on the WB. But...your setup has me wanting to spend lots of time with the A2000. I should've kept that '060!

( Also, didn't you sell me an Indivision AGA a few years ago? I'm in Alexandria, VA. )

Hiya buddy!  No, it wasn't an Indivision AGA, but I did sell a DCE ScanMagic for an A1200 to someone on here... geeze, 13 years ago?  Don't think it was you though, it was somebody else local though.  They actually just popped back up on here a few weeks ago, danged if I can remember who it was though!

Or, heck,  it might've been you.  Did you buy a ScanMagic and a completely taken apart A1200 from someone local back 13 or so years ago?  

In any case, one of my favorite "hacks" for a low spec system back in the day was Urouhack:

http://aminet.net/package/util/wb/urouhack17

I remember you could just run this thing in the right place of your Startup-Sequence (it was tricky since it had to be run before some things, and after others), and it would give you these nice gradient window buttons.

It's mentioned here, as well:  http://www.geocities.ws/dsmatthews_99/html/towb16.html

(in fact, that whole "This Old Workbench" site is pretty good)

I ditched Urouhack when it didn't work with 3.9 and moved on to things like VisualPrefs, Birdie, etc.  But I remember it was good for a low to mid-spec system to sort of "gussy it up".

I'm also a big fan of the sort of "do everything in one" commodities, MultiCX and MCP.  I know MultiCX is the older of the two and doesn't have as many features, but in my experience I found it to be a bit more stable.

MultiCX:  http://aminet.net/package/util/cdity/MCX280
MultiCX prefs editor:  http://aminet.net/package/util/cdity/mcxp337
MultiCX prefs editor option #2:  http://aminet.net/package/util/cdity/MCXPrefs

I know MCP changed hands a few times and continued to be developed beyond the version that's on Aminet.  Might poke around a little but it looks like there's versions here:

http://aminet.net/package/util/cdity/MCP130
http://mcp.a1k.org/

Also MagicMenus should work fine on a system of your spec.  Just don't try to turn on transparency, or any of the advanced features.  

The latest version AFAIK is 2.35.  Get the main archive here:
http://aminet.net/package/util/wb/MagicMenu_II
or here:  http://sourceforge.net/projects/magicmenu/

Then the update here:  http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=54702

There's also a lot of goodies consolidated into BetterWB, which you can get here:  http://lilliput.amiga-projects.net/BetterWB.htm

I am *not* a fan of the ClassicWB packs, IMHO they change your Amiga too much and make it feel "not like an Amiga" anymore, but I know some people swear by 'em.  Looked at a recent screenshot last night and it made me want to throw a monitor through a wall, lol, but they're out there if you want 'em.  ( http://classicwb.abime.net/ )  Just make sure you check your system specs against the charts on the page.  You'd probably want "68K", "LITE", or "FULL" versions, nothing more than that.

But, enough rambling.  Go have fun!  

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Mike, what settings are you using on VisualPrefs to get that 4.1 look?  I'd be interested in trying that out without too much fuss

Also, for anyone... is it me or does the version information for icon.library for PeterK's respond differently once it's in the LIBS: folder and made resident?  Like check it out in the install folder and you get

icon.library 46.4.409
(68020)

vs.

icon.library 46.4
(68020)

I typically use "VersionWB" now, instead of just "version" or "version xxx.library full".

With VisualPrefs, I started with a template, then I basically deleted every bit of it except for the Boing Ball logo.  Then made a bunch of changes in the GUI settings.  Then added Birdie (with mostly default settings).  It was an iterative process over a period of time.  Someone here from AmigaKit actually has a much better (as in, it looks more like 4.1) setup, I asked them once what they ran but never implemented it all, myself.  It's somewhere here in a thread though, if you want to dig it up.

Anyhow, some screenshots.  Don't be all "copying me" though.  Go make up your own stuff!