New icon for XnView

VuDu · Post by **VuDu** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:32 pm

yoh have to understand that there's no way to make a perfect 16x16 transparent icon with no background.

it might look good on light backgrounds, but it will lock awefull on dark ones and vice-versa.

the "page" was an alternative to not using a plain background, for example, check photoshop's main icon, it has some sort of page on the background too.

Dreamer · Post by **Dreamer** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:54 pm

VuDu wrote:v2.0

in action:

robc wrote:Why the document page on the back? it's the main app icon, not the document icon... follow the standards, please

A agree with robc this time.

xnview wrote:

Not too bad on dark background, but perhaps a simple white background will be good for the 16x16 icon...

I'm talking about it all the time...

Same background as here (1st and 3rd icon).

Post by **xnview** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 4:40 pm

Dreamer wrote:Same background as here (1st and 3rd icon).

So perhaps the 3rd as 16x16 icon??

Dreamer · Post by **Dreamer** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 4:47 pm

xnview wrote:
Dreamer wrote:Same background as here (1st and 3rd icon).

So perhaps the 3rd as 16x16 icon??

Yes, I think it would be the best - and later someone could make 'pro' looking transparent icon maybe...

BTW Pierre, could you add deluxe icon(s) to xnview.exe too please?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 5:41 pm

VuDu wrote:yoh have to understand that there's no way to make a perfect 16x16 transparent icon with no background.

No way? for me, true, I'm not a graphics professional, but if you have just a quick glance on the net there are TONS of professional-looking icons with transparent (I'd say alpha-blended currently under XP) background and completely irregular shapes. It just seems that there's not even ONE single forum member able to draw icons, that's all

robc · Post by **robc** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 5:48 pm

The above was me again, sorry... the forum "losing" the login and the guests allowed to post are driving me mad: I'm always logged on, when I want to reply to a post I just press "reply", then the next time I browse the forum I see that my post was made as guest... why don't we ban guest posting from everywhere apart from the bug forums?

The following is just a sample of the icons I'm currently using for shortcuts, all 16x16 in size and all with a transparent background, with a very few exceptions... it doesn't seem to me it's impossible to make such icons

Danny · Post by **Danny** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 7:08 pm

I like the current program icon.

helmut · Post by **helmut** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 9:41 pm

Anonymous wrote:
VuDu wrote:yoh have to understand that there's no way to make a perfect 16x16 transparent icon with no background.
No way? for me, true, I'm not a graphics professional, but if you have just a quick glance on the net there are TONS of professional-looking icons with transparent (I'd say alpha-blended currently under XP) background and completely irregular shapes. It just seems that there's not even ONE single forum member able to draw icons, that's all

Rob, thank you for your open words. Actually I've similar thoughts - even if I really appreciate the efforts by Voodoo, Dreamer, and other.

In this discussion we should first be clear about which icon size we are talking: Is it the program icon in all sizes or is it just the 16x16 icon?

A program icon represents an application and should never look like a document. (Refering to VooDoos latest draft).

A new card in the game: It's very likely that next XnView version will use the icon and logo of XnView DeLuxe:

The DeLuxe icon looks pretty modern, but I think it would be an adequate icon for XnView.

robc · Post by **robc** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:02 pm

I do appreciate everybody else's efforts too, of course... only it seems we've got different tastes

Just to summarize up the thread, at least from my point of view

the point is finding a good, transparent 16x16 icon for title bar and taskbar use; this, of course, because it's the icon we look at for most of the time. Often we don't realize that 16x16 is at the same time the WORST icon (it's the smallest available, with no room for fancy effects etc. due to its size) and the MOST used, since it's the size used in (1) the taskbar, (2) the application title bar, (3) the start menu shortcuts and (4) the list and detail views in Explorer. It's the most despised format but all efforts should be devoted to it, since the "big" icon (32x32, 48x48 or bigger) is used at most in a desktop shortcut, just one place, compared with five for the small

For the above reasons, sometimes (I remember noticing it several times) the 16x16 icon is altogether different from the 32x32 and up, since in many cases just reducing the bigger image yields disastrous results... If the deLuxe icon (which I had never seen) is going to be used, that's fine, it looks nice to me: we just need to find out if it scales down well and can be made transparent (I assume the whitespace behind it is transparent in the sample you provided), otherwise we need to design a simpler image, just for the 16x16 format. I believe whoever designed the deLuxe icon is perfectly able to come out with a nice, transparent 16x16 image suitable to be used as the main application icon.

BTW Dreamer... it has just occured to me: is that you in the Avant Browser forum? guess so... nice to meet you

VuDu · Post by **VuDu** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:20 pm

http://clientes.netvisao.pt/killers/vudu/ico3.ico

give it a try...

edit: helmut do u have that deluxe image on a transparent background? maybe like the xnview .eps?

Dreamer · Post by **Dreamer** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 11:07 pm

robc wrote:BTW Dreamer... it has just occured to me: is that you in the Avant Browser forum? guess so... nice to meet you

Yes. Hi.

VuDu wrote:http://clientes.netvisao.pt/killers/vudu/ico3.ico

Nice, it's better, but still... needs more orange (as test2.ico, just orange instead of white border maybe).

What about this, just transparent...

Helmut, I want transtarent icon too, but on dark background it looks bad, therefore I want rather nice icon with background and - I don't like deluxe icon, as alternative icon maybe, but not as main xnview icon.

There is also 24x24 (guess) icon in xnview (Viewer), it looks a bit better, but we need also 24x24 icon IMO. Larger icons looks better, but could even better IMHO - and all icons should look the same (style...).

robc · Post by **robc** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 8:28 am

Good work, VuDu... it's the best until now IMHO. It's not so bad on a dark background.

BTW, I forgot a SIXTH place in which 16x16 icons are used... the FavIcon for web sites: we shouldn't forget to replace the "gray square" there also.

VuDu · Post by **VuDu** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 9:46 am

i'll try makin one like your avatar later.

suggestions for the background color?

ckv · Post by **ckv** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:52 am

XnView 1.82.1 is out and it haves a new main icon, but the 16x16 256 color icon looks piece of s*!

And once again I am forced to use my super powers and make a new shiny icon. *cough* arrogant bastard *cough*

On the left is 1.82.1 and on the right is my creation

ckit · Post by **ckit** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:57 am

I have to agree with ckv,

I've returned to using the old icon by changing it in the shortcut properties, so no big deal

Update, the second icon in XnView's EXE is awesome or the icon next to the next default one!