Main Window

When you start IcoFX you will see the main window.

Main Window
The main window of IcoFX

The main window of IcoFX consists of a Canvas window, panels and a menu bar. The work areas display the images you are working on. Panels contain tools for creating and editing images as well as helping you monitor your work. IcoFX contains also other windows that can be opened using the main menu.

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Main Menu

This is where you can access the various menu items. Commands accessible from this location will be referenced using Menu/Command notation. For example, File/Exit means to click on the File menu, and then click on the Exit command.

There are ten top-level menus in IcoFX:

  • File
    • New - Creates new image, icon, cursor, toolbar image strip, icon or cursor library
    • Open - Opens a file from the disk
    • Open Recent - The list of the last ten files opened with IcoFX
    • Save - Saves the actual file to the disk in a given format
    • Save As - Saves the actual file using another name or format
    • Close - Closes the current edit window
    • Close All - Closes all edit windows
    • Capture - Capture a portion from the screen
    • Extract - Extracts icons or cursors from an exe, dll, ocx, icl file
    • Exit - Exits IcoFX
  • Edit
    • Undo - Undo the last modification
    • Redo - Redo an undo step
    • Delete - Deletes a selection
    • Cut - Copies a selection to the clipboard, and the selection will be deleted
    • Copy - Copies a selection to the clipboard
    • Copy Merged- Copies a selection to the clipboard (all layers of the image)
    • Paste - Pastes the content of the clipboard to the image as a selection
    • Paste As New Image - Pastes the content of the clipboard to a new image
    • Paste As New Layer- Pastes the content of the clipboard in a new layer of an image
  • Selection
    • Select All - The current image will be selected
    • Deselect - The current selection will be dropped
    • Invert Selection - Inverts the selection
    • Fit To Canvas - The selection will be resized to the size of the image
    • Original Size - The selection will be resized to it's original size
    • Bring To Front - The selection will be in the front of the image
    • Send To Back - The selection will be behind the image
    • Load Selection - Save the current selection
    • Save Selection - Load a previously saved selection
  • Effects
    • A collection of filters and effects, which can be applied to the image. Using the Last Effect you can reapply the last used effect. You can create custom filters using the Custom Filter dialog.
  • Adjustments
    • Brightness and Contrast - Changes the brightness and contrast of the image or selection
    • Hue and Saturation - Changes the hue, saturation and brightness of the image or selection
    • Color Balance - Changes the color balance of the image or selection
    • Levels - Adjust the tonal range and color balance of an image or selection
    • Curves - Adjust the tonal range of an image or selection
    • White Balance - Adjust the temperature and tint of an image or selection
    • Bevel - Creates a bevel effect
    • Opacity - Changes the opacity of the image or selection
    • Fade Out - Fades out the current image or selection
    • Shadow - Creates drop shadow for the image
    • Replace Color - Replaces a color on the image
    • Replace Pixels - Replaces pixels on the image
    • Transparent Color - Makes a color transparent
    • Corner Rounding - Rounds the corner of an image
    • Image Size - Changes the size of the file, the content is not changed
    • Canvas Size - Changes the size of the canvas, resizing also the content
    • Expand Canvas - Increases the size of the image
    • Trim - Trims the sides of the image
    • Rotate - You can rotate the image or selection at 90° left or right, or at 180°. You can flip your image or selection horizontally or vertically. Using the Rotate dialog you can rotate them at any angle.
    • Data Type - Changes the data type of the image
  • Image
    • Add New Image - Adds a new image to the icon or cursor. In the case of images it adds a new layer.
    • Delete Image - Deletes the selected image or layer
    • Import Image - Creates a new image inside the icon based on a picture
    • Replace Image - Replaces the selected image with a newly selected image
    • Images Manager - Opens the image manager
    • Duplicate - Duplicates the whole work area
    • Previous image - Shows the previous image in the icon
    • Next Image - Shows the next image in the icon
    • Cursor
      • Hot Spot - Sets the hot spot of the cursor
      • Test Cursor - Allows you to test the cursor on a window
    • Animation
      • Author And Name - Sets the author and name of an animated cursor
      • Frame Rate - Sets the frame rate of the animated cursor
      • Duplicate Frame - Duplicates the selected frame of the animated cursor
      • Move Frame Up - Moves the selected frame up one position
      • Move Frame Down - Moves the selected frame down one position
      • Reverse Frames - Reverses the order of frames in the animated cursor
    • Image Strip
      • Transparent Color - Sets the background color of the toolbar image strip
      • Duplicate Image - Duplicates the selected image of the toolbar image strip
      • Move Image Up - Moves the selected image up one position
      • Move Image Down - Moves the selected image down one position
      • Reverse Images - Reverses the order of Images in the toolbar image strip
    • Create Windows Icon From Image - Creates an icon containing all the needed formats from the image
    • Create Macintosh Icon From Image - Creates a Macintosh icon containing all the needed formats from the image
    • Create Cursor From Image - Creates a cursor from the image
    • Create Mobile Icon From Image - Create icon images for mobile devices from an image(Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows)
    • Create Snapshot - Opens the Snapshot dialog
  • Options
    • Preferences - Opens the Preferences dialog
    • Languages - Changes the language of the user interface
    • Searc - Search and execute IcoFX commands
    • Use filter on alpha - If selected then all effects will be applied also to the alpha channel
    • Antialiasing On/Off - Enables/Disables the antialiased drawing
    • Transparent Selection - Enables/Disables the transparent areas of a selection
    • Apply Adjustments to All Layers/Images - If enabled the adjustments and effects will be applied to all images inside an icon or to all layers inside an image
  • Tools
    • Batch Create Icons or Cursors - Creates icons or cursors from images
    • Batch Create Images - Exports icons and cursors to images
    • Batch Extract Icons or Cursors - Extracts icons or cursors from files
    • Batch Group Images To Icons - Groups images with similar names to icon files.
    • Batch Process - Apply actions to image files.
    • Create Mobile Icon From Image - Create icon images for mobile devices
    • Run Script - executes icofx script files
    • Icon Resource Editor - Changes icons in files. Creates icon libraries.
    • Cursor Resource Editor - Changes cursors in files. Creates cursor libraries.
    • Icon Customization - Customize Windows folder icons
  • View
    • Zoom In - Zooms in the current image
    • Zoom Out - Zooms out the current image
    • Fit to Screen - Zooms so that the image will fit the screen
    • Actual Pixels - Zooms to 100%
    • Automatic Zoom - If checked the image will be always zoomed to fit the screen
    • Ruler - Shows / hides the ruler
    • Grid - Shows / hides the grid
    • Side Bar - Shows / hides the side bar
    • Full Screen - Shows / hides the UI
  • Window
    • Arrange - Arranges the open files
    • Toolbar And Panels - Shows/Hides the toolbars and panels
    • Workspace - Saves/Loads workspaces
    • Keyboard Shortcuts - Saves/Loads and defines custom shortcut keys
  • Help
    • IcoFX Help - Opens this help
    • Tutorials - Opens the online tutorials of IcoFX
    • Welcome Window - Shows a window with tips and shortcuts to the most frequently used actions
    • IcoFX Home Page - Opens the web site of IcoFX
    • Purchase Image Objects - Here you can purchase image objects for IcoFX
    • Purchase Full Version - Here you can purchase a license key to unlock IcoFX
    • Register - Opens the Register window where you can enter the purchased license key and unlock IcoFX
    • Check For Update - Checks for newer versions of IcoFX
    • About - Opens the About window

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Canvas Window

The canvas window displays the file you are working on. You can draw and edit your image in this window.

The Canvas Window
The canvas window

You can open multiple Canvas windows. Each one has a local toolbar with shortcuts to different actions. The background has a texture that you can configure in the Preferences dialog or by right clicking on the border of the canvas window.. This texture helps us to have a better control over the transparency of the image. On the left side there is the Side Bar, with thumbnails of all the images of the icon. Using the Side Bar you can easily switch between the images.

IcoFX supports 5 types of canvas windows. The icon of the window represents its type.

  • image IcoFX image - a layered image. In this case the sidebar shows the layers of the image.
  • image Icon - an icon containing different image formats.
  • image Cursor - a cursor containing different image formats.
  • image Animated Cursor - an animated cursor containing frames.
  • image Image Strip - a toolbar image strip.

Note: You can quickly zoom the canvas using Ctrl + mouse scroll wheel. Also vertical panning is possible using the muse scroll wheel. For horizontal panning use Shift + mouse scroll wheel.

Local Toolbar

On the local toolbar we have shortcuts to commands regarding the currently edited image.

Local Toolbar
Local Toolbar

There are three buttons: one to add a new image and another to delete the current image and the third to import an image into the icon.

On the zoom combo box you can select the level of the image's zoom. With the two buttons located on the sides of the zoom combo box you can increase/decrease the zoom level.

Grid Grid Button

With this button pressed a grid is shown over the working area. This helps us to identify pixels easier. The look of the grid can be set at the preferences dialog. This button will show / hide the grid only on the current work area. If you wish to show/hide the grid on all work areas then use the following menu: View / Grid.

Side Bar Side Bar

This button shows/hides the side bar. This button will show / hide the side bar only on the current work area. If you wish to show / hide the side bar on all work areas then use the following menu: View / Side Bar. Right clicking the side bar you can change the size of the thumbnails.

Hot Spot Hot Spot

This button is visible only if you are working with cursors. It opens the Hot Spot window where we can set the hot spot of the cursor.

Test Test

The test button is visible only if you are working with cursors. It opens a test window where you can test your cursor.

Frame Rate Frame Rate

The frame rate button is available only for animated cursors. It opens the Frame Rate window, were you can set the frame rate of each frame in the cursor.

Author Author

This button visible only for animated cursors. It allows you to set the author name and cursor name.

Transparent Color Transparent Color

This button is visible only for toolbar image strips. It allows you to set the background color of a toolbar image strip. This color will be used to fill the transparent area when saving 1, 4, 8 or 24 bit toolbar image strips that do not support transparency.

Compress Compress

This button is visible only for Windows icons. It allows you to easily toggle the PNG compression of 256x256 images (or larger) for Windows Vista.

If the compression is enabled for an image, a small vise symbol is visible on the top right corner of the image's preview in the sidebar.

Compressed image
Symbol for a compressed image

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Workspaces

IcoFX comes with many predefined workspaces to make certain tasks easier. For example it has a predefined workspace for working with palette based images. You can select the desired workspace from the Window/Workspace menu item.

You can even customize the workspace of IcoFX. IcoFX can save the position and visibility state of the panels. To save the workspace use the Window/Workspace/Save Workspace menu item. This will open the Save Workspace Window.

Save Workspace
The Save Workspace Window

In the Save Workspace window you can define the workspace name. After saving the workspace it will be available under the Window/Workspace menu. You can delete the selected workspace using the Window/Workspace/Delete Workspace menu item.

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Shortcuts

To customize the keyboard shortcuts use the Window/Keyboard Shortcuts/Keyboard Shortcuts menu item. This will open the Keyboard Shortcuts window.

Keyboard Shortcuts
The Keyboard Shortcuts Window

On this window you can configure the shortcut of menu items, Tools and actions available from the panels.

Note: The menu and panel shortcut keys must include Ctrl and/or Alt and/or an F key while tool shortcut key can contain only a letter.

Using the Window/Keyboard Shortcuts/Summarize menu item you can export the current keyboard shortcuts to a html file.