XnView Software

The current iconset provided in XnView 1.74 has some problems/issues:

- Transparency not correct (see topic 'Filetype icons: Wrong transparency'
- In detail view, 16x16 pixel icons do not look nice

A while back, Carlos Duarte has provided a new iconset, see topic 'Special icons developed exclusively for XnView'. Carlos' iconset has some new problems (including possible copyright issues, the small icons look much like ACDSee icons).

So I've decided to do some design work. The result is another iconset. The iconset contains icons for various graphic formats in
- 16x16
- 32x32
- 48x48 pixel

The 16x16 pixel icon all look the same for all formats (JPG, TIF, ...), so the format cannot be seen when looking at the icon (different to ACDSee). The 16x16 pixel icons are used in detail view of MS Explorer for example, in this view one can see the file type in a column, which I find sufficient. Please holler if you think it's important to see the format info in the small icons, too.

I'm not a graphic designer, perhaps some people can have a look and check whether
- Icons look o.k. both in "Symbol" and "Details" view of MS Explorer.
- Icons look o.k. on a PC with limited colours (256, 65536)

Also any other feedback is welcome.

helmut wrote:Please holler if you think it's important to see the format info in the small icons, too.

I think it is important - especially in every file manager (I can't live without it anymore )

Also the "right" colors would be nice - BMP, JPG, GIF ...

Here are some ideas how it could looks - BMP1, BMP2, BMP3, BMP4- it's not the final look, it's just the concept.

Better ideas are welcomed!

Dreamer,

thank you for your feedback and your draft icon.

Dreamer wrote:

helmut wrote:Please holler if you think it's important to see the format info in the small icons, too.

I think it is important - especially in every file manager (I can't live without it anymore

In the current iconset of XnView 1.74, one cannot read the format info at all, it's too tiny when viewing in detail view of MS Explorer. So I wonder which icons you use at the moment?

As written above the format cannot be seen in the 16x16 pixel size, only. In the other sizes the format can be seen.

Dreamer wrote:Also the "right" colors would be nice - BMP, JPG, GIF ...
...

What do you mean with "right" colours? The XnView browser uses colours for various format which could be used for the icons, too. But these colours are not part of the standard palette, so on computers with less colours available this might not look very nice or there might be no difference at all.

Nicely done helmut I like the especially the 16 x 16 icons but Dreamer haves also good idea and good looking icons. Maybe its time to create completely new icons for XnView

helmut wrote:

Dreamer wrote:

helmut wrote:Please holler if you think it's important to see the format info in the small icons, too.

I think it is important - especially in every file manager (I can't live without it anymore

In the current iconset of XnView 1.74, one cannot read the format info at all, it's too tiny when viewing in detail view of MS Explorer. So I wonder which icons you use at the moment?

Same as "detail view of MS Explorer"

helmut wrote:As written above the format cannot be seen in the 16x16 pixel size, only. In the other sizes the format can be seen.

I know, your icons are very nice, but I think it's still not enough - especially in the higher resolutions (e.g. LCD - 1280x1024, I want to buy one soon)

helmut wrote:

Dreamer wrote:Also the "right" colors would be nice - BMP, JPG, GIF ...
...

What do you mean with "right" colours? The XnView browser uses colours for various format which could be used for the icons, too. But these colours are not part of the standard palette, so on computers with less colours available this might not look very nice or there might be no difference at all.

I think it's not a big problem today (for most of XnView users)...
That users don't have the right colors also in XnView (browser) or do they? I'm not sure what you meant, could you explain please?

Also you could use the 'standard' (near) colors or not? How it is in ACDSee?

Another solution could be an option "Use single icon for all file types"

helmut wrote:The 16x16 pixel icon all look the same for all formats (JPG, TIF, ...), so the format cannot be seen when looking at the icon (different to ACDSee).

Why not? Most letters can probably be drawned within 5x5 pixels or even 5x4, which would be enough for 3 letters in the 16x16 icons.

I personnaly have never showed the 'type' column for... er... 6 years, to save screen space, therefore the icon in the detailled view is extremely convenient. I also believe that some standards Colors (depending on filetype) would help to handle quickly them as well.

Olivier

These icons look ok but you need a different background colour in the box around the filename extension. The same method as IrfanView except the overall design is still different.

ckit wrote:These icons look ok but you need a different background colour in the box around the filename extension. The same method as IrfanView except the overall design is still different.

You're talking about my or Helmut's icons?

Dreamer,

Dreamer wrote:

helmut wrote:In the current iconset of XnView 1.74, one cannot read the format info at all, it's too tiny when viewing in detail view of MS Explorer. So I wonder which icons you use at the moment?

Same as "detail view of MS Explorer"

I don't understand: If you use the standard icons of XnView 1.74, you will not be able to see the format?

Dreamer wrote:

helmut wrote:As written above the format cannot be seen in the 16x16 pixel size, only. In the other sizes the format can be seen.

I know, your icons are very nice, but I think it's still not enough - especially in the higher resolutions (e.g. LCD - 1280x1024, I want to buy one soon)

"still not enough" - not enough of what?

Dreamer wrote:I think it's not a big problem today (for most of XnView users)...
That users don't have the right colors also in XnView (browser) or do they? I'm not sure what you meant, could you explain please?

Don't understand. You're answering my question with a question.

Dreamer wrote:Also you could use the 'standard' (near) colors or not? How it is in ACDSee?

What do you mean with standard colours? Which standard? ACDSee uses the 16 colours of the standard 16 colour map (yellow, red, blue, green, lightgreen, grey, lightgrey, ...). Have a look at the iconset provided by Carlos (see above), this is pretty much what ACDSee's 16x16 pixel icons look like.

Dreamer wrote:Another solution could be an option "Use single icon for all file types"

Perhaps a way to solve the "problem", but before introducing another option we always should try to find a solution that is suitable for all people. If we don't find any we still can introduce an option.

Dreamer, could you please be a bit more precise in your reply? I really liked to understand what you mean.

Greetings,

Helmut

Hello ckv,

ckv wrote:Nicely done helmut I like the especially the 16 x 16 icons

thank you for the feedback. Actually, only the 16x16 icons are done by me. Not sure who designed the 32x32 and 48x48 ones. I've corrected the latter ones a bit, only.

ckv wrote:... but Dreamer haves also good idea and good looking icons. Maybe its time to create completely new icons for XnView

As written before, I'm not a graphic designer. If someone reads this and wants to volunteer, please go for it.

Perhaps support for several iconsets is a good idea, but this will not happen in near future, I think.

Hello Olivier,

Olivier_G wrote:

helmut wrote:The 16x16 pixel icon all look the same for all formats (JPG, TIF, ...), so the format cannot be seen when looking at the icon (different to ACDSee).

Why not? Most letters can probably be drawned within 5x5 pixels or even 5x4, which would be enough for 3 letters in the 16x16 icons.

Yes, three leters fit into 16x16 (see iconset of Carlos). The question is whether the three letters are sufficient or whether colour is also needed for distinction.

Olivier_G wrote:I personnaly have never showed the 'type' column for... er... 6 years, to save screen space, therefore the icon in the detailled view is extremely convenient. I also believe that some standards Colors (depending on filetype) would help to handle quickly them as well.

There's still the extension in the file name (assuming that you haven't activated the option "Hide file extension for known file types" in MS Explorer).

Please note that I'm not pro or con having various 16x16 icons. I'm just collecting good arguments for the one or the other to make a decision.

Dreamer wrote:

ckit wrote:These icons look ok but you need a different background colour in the box around the filename extension. The same method as IrfanView except the overall design is still different.

You're talking about my or Helmut's icons?

We have several threads in this topic. So please try to be "extra clear" in your answers. This will make our life easier...

helmut wrote:(see iconset of Carlos)

Helmut: please note that the iconset by Carlos cannot be downloaded anymore.
(link referred in the other thread: http://1337.radioglobal.org/xnicons/)

Olivier

Hello, bonjour !
- The link above is dead : “404 Not found”, even removing the innoportune parenthesis at the end...

K R, cordialement,
Claude
Clo

Olivier, Clo, et al,

didn't know that the link to Carlos' iconset was broken.

I've just uploaded Carlos' Iconset, again.

Greetings,

Helmut