icon problem

[wonderworm2000]

I used to could copy and paste a picture to my desktop that was say a .gif or .bmp image and then change the extension to .ico and it would convert to an icon. Now it does not convert to the image anymore just stays as a file. Can you help me with this? Has something gone missing that I might have had before?

Thanks

 

[MdSalih]

I don't believe this is an inbuilt feature of Windows XP... haven't come across it before while doing my errands.

Quite possibly a 3rd party application I'm guessing.

MdSalih

 

[wonderworm2000]

I'm not sure it is either. It used to work that way, but it might have been because of a program I had installed. If anyone is aware of an icon program that might get this feature back please let me know.

Thanks

 

[Khayman]

Hmmm, odd. I looked around abit. There are many many icon convertors that change pictures to icons but can't find one that converts it on renaming though. Sounds pretty good if its out there

 

[Khayman]

On second checking. I do belive it does work but only on bitmap files

 

[muzikool]

I wouldn't be surprised it it works on BMPs, but I'd really be surprised if there was a program that converted on-the-fly when you changed the extension.

 

[SPeedY_B]

Only works on bitmaps (.bmp) I remember doing it on Windows 95 (You could open .ico's in paint back then..), but it wouldn't look too nice on Windows XP's Alpha Blended Icons, and I don't think it even works anymore?

 

[Khayman]

It does work, i said i worked, i tried it. it works 🙄 They never listen 🙂

 

[SPeedY_B]

Shaddap you! 😛 Do they need to be proportional size though? 128/64/32/16 ?

 

[Khayman]

windows will resize them to 16x16. when you use it (not when you change the ext)
of course they won't be the groovy funky ones, liek you said

 

[wonderworm2000]

Now that everyone has found out that it works can you tell me if you are only getting it to work with .bmp files. That maybe my problem and I just forgot that it won't convert .gif files.

Thanks

 

[wonderworm2000]

Never mind everyone I got enough from what you've said to remember now.
I change the file extension of any image I drag to the desktop to a .bmp first. Then open it in paint, (with edit), and save it back to it's original location on the desktop with the drop down menu for file types to save when I go to "save as", still as a .bmp again. This time when you change the file ext. on the desktop to .ico it turns into the icon image I want. I presume you could shoreten all this by saying if it's saved in paint as a .bmp to the desktop it will then convert to an icon image simply by changing the file extension to .ico .

Thanks again everyone

 

[Optikal]

Never mind everyone I got enough from what you've said to remember now.
I change the file extension of any image I drag to the desktop to a .bmp first. Then open it in paint, (with edit), and save it back to it's original location on the desktop with the drop down menu for file types to save when I go to "save as", still as a .bmp again. This time when you change the file ext. on the desktop to .ico it turns into the icon image I want. I presume you could shoreten all this by saying if it's saved in paint as a .bmp to the desktop it will then convert to an icon image simply by changing the file extension to .ico .

Thanks again everyone

Maybe send something to Microstiff and suggest it as a feature in Windows Longhorn? 😀

 

[Grandmaster]

Yeah I too remember being able to create .ico files using Paint on Win 95/98. Haven't really felt the need to use Paint to make icons on XP though, as there are other apps that make that easier.