January 2nd, 2007 --
By popular demand, VirtualLNK announces the addition of multi-size (Embedded) .ICO
files, to be included with each of our (non-vector based) icon libraries.
Each library will be updated individually, so announcements will be sent to customers
as they become available for download. Note that our customers will only receive
notifications for libraries they have purchased licenses for.
Where will find I find these new files?
Once an update is available for download, the new files can be obtained by downloading
the 'ICO (24-bit Color)' or 'Full Package' files. Downloading the full package is
highly recommended, as other important updates are also available.
After extracting the ICO files, you will notice that new folders are now available
under the Regular/Hot/Disabled sub-directories.
We have also made the following changes to pave the way for Windows Vista:
- All 256x256 files (and embedded resolutions) have been updated to include the
new Windows Vista compression.
- All XP collections will now include the resolution 256x256.
- All XP collections are being completely redesigned with a new color palette to
make them great for use in both Windows XP and Windows Vista. A separate announcement
will be going out regarding this.
Why was this a major undertaking?
Since VirtualLNK creates separate artwork for each resolution, standard
icon development tools would not work well with our icons. Although these tools allow
you to create the various resolutions we provide automatically, you are only permitted
to provide one source image. For quality reasons, this was not a viable
solution for us. This made the process of creating the ICOs clumsy and incredibly
time consuming. We have since made advances to simplify this process
and are pleased to announce this addition.
Will your icon libraries still include the separate resolution files? My platform
does not support selecting a specific size...
Yes, we will still be supporting our customers who need the resolutions in separate
files. Another added bonus is that these files are much more compact, as they do
not have the overhead of the additional (unused) sizes.
You can view a screenshot using a sample ICO by
clicking here.