Icons in VFP Form Controls Toolbar

[AndrewMozley]

I have been altering the icons for some form classes that I have created so that each can be identified when the toolbar is displayed. I have chosen icons from Microsoft Visual Foxpro 9\Graphics\Icons\Industry.

I find that the resultant icon in VFP is not quite the same as it was in the original icon. For example rocket.ico is originally a 16*16 icon of a spaceship, but when it is moved into the Form controls Toolbar I get a magnified version of the centre of that icon, still 16*16 as far as I can see.

Am I doing something wrong?

 

[Mike Lewis]

Andrew,

An ICO file contains several copies of the image. In the case of the icons in the VFP9 graphics directory, there are two images in each file: 16 x 16 and 32 x 32.

When you add an icon to a button, VFP doesn't necessarily choose the image that's best suited for the size of the button. It might take a different size image, and rescale it to fit. That's probably what's happening in your case.

The solution is to create a new ICO file, with only one image in it. Then make sure the button is large enough to hold that image.

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro tips, advice, training, consultancy
Custom software for your business

 

[AndrewMozley]

Thanks Mike. There were indeed two icons, 16*16 and 32*32 in each .ico file.

When, however, I create a .ico file with just a single image, either 16*16 or 32*32, VFP appears to take the central portion (Rows 5-12 or Rows 9-24) and use this as the image to display; In the case where I provide a 16*16 icon, it takes that central bit and scales it up.

It is not that important! but it would be good to know if that is other people's experience.

Andrew M.

 

[Mike Lewis]

Andrew,

I think the behaviour you described might be specific to the built-in toolbars. But that doesn't make it any less annoying.

One thing you could try is to convert the ICO to a BMP. I've never tried to add custom images to the Forms Controls toolbar, so I don't know if that would solve the problem. But, in general, I've found that BMPs are less troublesome in VFP than ICOs.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro tips, advice, training, consultancy
Custom software for your business