Off Topic - Changing task bar icons

[BetterRed]

If an icon can be attached to a MacOS alias file, like they can to a Windows shortcut file, then a user could launch via that. I do it with a couple of applications; including Sigil, its stock icon is a bit hard to see on my dark olive green taskbar (dock).

BR

[Comfy.n]

What I do for programs that I want to display distinct icons on taskbar is add Resource Hacker to Send To menu (shell:sendto) then replace icon and save new .exe.

This method won't survive updates, but works fine for my custom portable browsers that I use with different settings.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Comfy.n

What I do for programs that I want to display distinct icons on taskbar is add Resource Hacker to Send To menu (shell:sendto) then replace icon and save new .exe.

This method won't survive updates, but works fine for my custom portable browsers that I use with different settings.

My method survives updates.

I have two shortcuts to calibre in %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo, "calibre Books" has --with-library D:\Calibre\Libraries\Books, and "calibre Media" has --with-library D:\Calibre\Libraries\Media. I could give them different icons but the name difference is adequate.

BR

[Comfy.n]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

My method survives updates.

I have two shortcuts to calibre in %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo, "calibre Books" has --with-library D:\Calibre\Libraries\Books, and "calibre Media" has --with-library D:\Calibre\Libraries\Media. I could give them different icons but the name difference is adequate.

BR

That doesn't work well for me on taskbar, I remember you mentioned that method before, see:



I've changed the icon for Sumatra shortcut, pinned it, but as you see, the taskbar icon remains the one in the executable... For distinct library icons, I just use the 'Change the icon for this library" menu in Calibre (and it reflects on taskbar, thankfully)

[BetterRed]

I ran into same thing when I tried to assign a different icon to command.com… I assumed it was a case of 'just because'. My failed attempt lingers still



BR

[Comfy.n]

This has become one of my favourite programs:

https://github.com/AlexanderPro/Smar...es/tag/v2.30.0

He just added a new menu item "Change Icon" (support of .ico, .bmp, .png, .gif, .jpg, .tiff, .wmf files).

I think this specific feature is not ready yet, though. It's taking too long to open the explorer dialog to choose the icon and only applies to current window state. Reflects on taskbar but doesn't save the setting across program restarts.

[BetterRed]

@Comfy.n - I moved our OT chatter out of redbreasts icon pack thread.

I have no idea why my different icon for Command Prompt suddenly decided to work as I wanted… after maybe 5 years of not working. But after a restart this morning it was there.… maybe your Sumatra one will get the same mail



The difference being the red Apple command icon is showing on the taskbar.

SmartSystemMenu overlaps with ActualTitleButtons… apart from the buttons.

BR

[Comfy.n]

Nice! How you managed to get that is mystery to me as well... Anyway I don't like pinning anything on taskbar unless I need the recent files popup for some application. Currently I have only NP++, Word, Excel, Notepad3 and Xchange Editor. But I have clickable shortcuts all around with True Launch Bar (main one in Quick Launch classic position, bottom of window; and also standalone TLBs sets on left and right).

At one point I had Winstep Nexus running all the time then I had a top toolbar too

Now I'm implementing one-click icons for everything in Calibre using the second toolbar on bottom BTW

[fogice]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

If an icon can be attached to a MacOS alias file, like they can to a Windows shortcut file, then a user could launch via that.

This almost, but not quite, works on MacOS.

You can make a shortcut on the Desktop with a custom icon as simply as this:

1. In Finder, right-click the file you want the alias to point to and select "Make Alias"
2. Move the alias to the Desktop and give it whatever name you want (using Finder)
3. Assuming the icon you want to set is a PNG, open the image file in Preview and select Edit > Copy. This might work with many other image types too.
4. Right-click the alias and choose Get Info, then click the icon in the top left, and in Finder's menu bar select Edit > Paste. This will paste the image in as the file's icon.

Now you have an alias that has a custom icon.

This works, until you drag the alias to the Dock, at which point the icon reverts to the standard icon.

Alternately, you can create a Shortcut, and change the icon there. But when you click on the Shortcut in the dock, a second Icon appears, with the old Calibre icon.

I don't know why Kovid is so set against adopting a Mac-standard icon design with a curved-square background.