I have been looking for a possibly the best the Icon Resource Editing Tool. With the Release of Windows Vista, The Icons Contain a Special format which contains a 256 x256
There are many Icon Editors Available. Most are commercial softwares and some are freewares. This ICOFX is totally free software and it can be obtained from here (http://icofx.xhost.ro/downloads.html).
Features of IcoFX
- Support for Vista icons with PNG compression
- Create icons for Windows 98 / ME / 2000 / XP / Vista
- Support for alpha channel
- Batch processing
- More than 40 effects, including Drop Shadow
- Create custom filters
- Multiple language support (Included translations: Catalan, English, German, Hungarian, Japanese, Romanian, Spanish and many more available as a separate download )
- Resolutions up to 256x256
- Data types: 2, 16, 256, True Color, True Color + Alpha
- Extract icons (including Vista icons) from 32 bit exe and dll
- Import / export images (transparency also)
- Many useful drawing tools like brush, line, rectangle and more
- Transparent, Brighten/Darken, Blur/Sharpen tools for retouching
- Create icon from an image with a single click
- Adjust the contrast, brightness, hue, saturation, transparency and color balance of icons
- Change the dimension of images
- Images can be faded using the fadeout dialog
- Increase / decrease the opacity of an image
- Easy shadow handling
- RGB and HSB color modes
- History of recently opened files
- Window menu for easy window switching
- Possibility to store favorite colors
- Capture image from the desktop
- Grid for precision work
- Side bar for easy image switching
- File Explorer window for easy import
- Full drag and drop support
- Sizable preview window
- Multiple undo
- Blur the edge of the brush
- Rotate the image at any angle
As far as the ICON EDITORS I used Axialis Iconworkshop was the best Professional Icon Editing Tool. Axialis Supports both Windows and Mac type icons. You may convert one format to another using Axialis.
I would first develop images in 256 x 256 PNG format in Photoshop or Related Applications and Design the Icons. Using Batch Process it is possible to create different size of icons from the image.
Axialis Iconworkshop does not extract 256 x 256 icons from the resources, such as shell32.dll of Windows Vista. But with ICOFx you may extract icons of 256 x 256 pixels from any resources. Also you may batch create Images from the Icons Extracted. It Creates Images for all sizes that is extracted.
BATCH PROCESS DIALOGUES
Sample of 256 px Icons vs Windows XP Icons
Now with the release of leopard apple has introduced 512 x 512 px icons. This is not supported in ICOFx. The Fonts of size greater than 256 x 256 is not supported in ICO Fx.
Final Words
An excellent Icon Editing tool. Exellent Features and on Top of that it is free. I personnaly thank Attila Kovrig for developing a wonderfull tool.
Pros :
1. Batch processing and other Excellent Feature sets.
2. 256 x 256 Pixel format support.
3. Free.
Cons:
1. Does not support 512 x 512 px Icons or Icons greater than 256 x 256 px Size.
2. Do not have a provision to crate Icon Library or Icon Resource DLL.
3. Not a great User Interface. (Desn't Matter though).
