Icon developer "stretching images"

Published on January 28, 2006 By Brokensquare In Icons

Help!

I'm trying to break out of my current ObjectDock mode i've been in for a while...when i try to create an icon from a png file Icon Developer stretches the image...if I work with a square image, all is well, but if the image is oblong, then i run into the distortion problem, but when i place my 256x85 image onto a 256x256 trans background, the icon is unacceptably small...anyone have any ideas, or am I SOL?

yuck!

Comments

BlueDev

on Jan 28, 2006

The easiest thing (I can think of) would be to make a transparent 256x256 image in something like Photoshop, PSP or The GIMP. Then just paste your 256x85 image into there and get it how you want. Save that .png and then use IconDeveloper to create the icon from that. No stretching.

Brokensquare

on Jan 28, 2006

Well, that does work, but as I said it tends to make a very small icon!

BlueDev

on Jan 28, 2006

Doh! Didn't read for comprehension.

I don't really understand why that would make a small icon. Can't you just tell ID what size to make the icon?

Cavan1

on Jan 28, 2006

You will have to find and use images that are more symmetrical, icons for desktop and png for objectdock are always apllied 32x32 48x48 128x128 etc. The 256x85 png you are working with, apply it as image for a dock entry and you will see it will be stretched to be a square image. It would be like, for 1024x768 screen res, using a 1024x250 image as a wall, it will fit the 1024 but will be stretched to fit 768 and look ugly.
Use images that fit icon sizing as it will not change to accomadate off size images.

Bichur

on Jan 28, 2006

in icon developer - try checking constrain proportions

Brokensquare

on Jan 28, 2006

what happens is that my 256x85 image resides in a larger 256x256 image...
Windows shows a 256x256 image, but my actual icon is much smaller inside it...
Also ObjectDock does the same thing...
maybe i'm not explaining it well!
I think the bottom line is - Do I have to work in square backgrounds, even if my image is not square?!?

I find it odd that Icon Developer, Icon Packager, and ObjectDock seem to require square images, but DesktopX does not!

Brokensquare

on Jan 28, 2006

I think Cavan1 answered my question - square image it must be, eh?!

Sooo, does anyone have an idea as to how to go about making a 256x85 image look decent without pasting it into a square background and displaying very small?

I suppose I could do away with ObjectDock and create docks with DesktopX, but damn! I paid for OD!

Aahhh...the worries of a chronic "futser" (as my wife calls me!)

Brokensquare

on Jan 28, 2006

I will try Bichur's suggestion, though...he solved an sdmcp problem i was having a while back!

Bichur

on Jan 28, 2006

I just tried it, it worked for me - I just forgot to pick a transparent color so ended with a white background where I wanted transparency

PoSmedley

on Feb 01, 2006

Gotcha

Bichur

on Feb 01, 2006

Shoulda stayed home

Bichur

on Feb 01, 2006

Did you try the 'constrain' yet?

Brokensquare

on Feb 01, 2006

Ah ha!
Sir Bichur - once again thanks!
constraining the proportion was the key...I never even noticed that option before!

Bichur

on Feb 01, 2006

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