• Easily add custom Icons to files, folders or disks using "Drag and Drop" technology.
• Add custom Icons to multiple files in one operation.
• Use the same "Drag and Drop" technique to completely remove custom Icons.
IconSwapper handles all the Macintosh Icon formats including the new 32 bit and icns families. And what's best, it does it transparently, so that you end up with the custom Icons in the right format for Your Macintosh.
How does it work:
IconSwapper is a "Drag and Drop" application. That means that if you want to give something a custom Icon, simply drag it over on top of IconSwapper, let go of the mouse, and IconSwapper gives it a new Icon. If you want to change the Icons of 100 different files, simply select them all in the Finder, drag them over to IconSwapper,
and let go. They'll all get the same Icon as IconSwapper, whatever that may be.
IconSwappers' usual Icon is a tad on the ugly side, so it's pretty important to know how to change it to something else. To change IconSwappers Icon, simply select a file that has an Icon you like, hold down the option key, drag the file on top of IconSwapper, and release the mouse button. IconSwappers' Icon will change to that of the file you just dropped on it. You can also double click on IconSwapper to bring up a window that will let you pick the icons out of any file or application. Like option-dragging, the Icon you select in the dialog will replace IconSwappers' usual Icon.
Sometimes its useful to be able to get rid of custom Icons. IconSwapper can do that too. Simply engage the caps-lock key, and then drag a file onto IconSwapper. Its' custom Icon will instantly be removed.
The next paragraph is relevant only to people using both OS 8.5 AND OS 8.1 or lower. If you always use the same System software, just leave the "Compatibility Mode" box unmarked.
If you frequently switch between OS 8.5 and lower versions, or you want to share icons with someone using OS < 8.5, check the "Compatibility Mode" box in the setup dialog. This will cause IconSwapper to save custom Icons in both the new (icns) and old (ics#,ics4,ics8,ICN#,icl4,icl8) formats. If you don't plan to use OS < 8.5, or can live without seeing custom Icons in system 7.1, DON'T select the "Compatibility Mode". It'll just waste disk space saving the same Icons in two different formats. The "Compatibility Mode" is not available under OS < 8.5, since these systems do not know how to interpret icns data. For more on this, see the "Technobabble" section below.
Caution: Some versions of the otherwise excellent TechTool pro (notably 2.1.1) do not properly recognize the new (icns) format for custom Icons, and will report that the custom Icon bit is set improperly after you give a file a custom Icon. This is NOT true, and if you allow TechTool to "fix" the problem, all your custom Icons will disappear!!! Micromat has been informed of the problem. Selecting "Compatibility Mode" in the IconSwapper dialog will convince TechTool that all is well.
If you do inadvertantly manage to "Dissapear" your custom Icons, you can use IconSwapper to get them back.
Engage the caps-lock key AND hold down the option key while dragging files onto IconSwapper in order to reset their custom Icon bit to what it should be. IconSwapper looks directly at the Icon resources, and sets the custom bit depending on whether custom Icons are actually present.
Since hardly anyone actually reads "ReadMe" files, IconSwapper is set up so that if you double click on it, it will show you a summary of how it works...
Quick Summary:
Drag files, folders, or disks onto IconSwapper to change their custom Icon.
Hold down the option key while dragging to change IconSwappers' Icon.
Or, double click on IconSwapper, and press the "Grab an Icon" button to select an Icon contained in a file or application, but not visible in the Finder.
Engage the caps-lock key before dragging to remove custom Icons.
Engage the caps-lock key AND hold down the option key while dragging to get back any custom Icons that have "gone missing".
If you forget, double click on IconSwapper to get a quick summary of these operations.
Here's a screen shot of the "Grab an Icon" dialog:
System Requirements:
IconSwapper requires a PowerPC Mac with OS 8 or higher to run. This includes most of the Macs sold since 1997. If you are still using System 7, IconSwapper won't work. If you are using an old Quadra,Centris, or 512KE, IconSwapper won't work. If you have cleverly modified your LCII so that it's got a 600 MHz G3 processor and OS 8.5.1, IconSwapper MIGHT work (but then you know that already !!!).
How Much does IconSwapper Cost:
IconSwapper is Shareware. The cost of a single copy is $10. Site licenses are also available. You may use a copy of the program for up to two months for evaluation purposes, after that either throw it away or register it. Once you have a registration number, double click on IconSwapper, and enter your name and registration number in the spaces provided.
Registering IconSwapper:
Registration is handled by Kagi Software, and can be done online at http://order.kagi.com/?Q81. Online registration is the quickest way to get your registration number, but requires a credit card.
You can also register by e-mail, fax, or post by using the Register application that comes with IconSwapper. Payment may be made by by Credit Card, Check, P.O's etc . Once your payment is received, you will be e-mailed, faxed, or mailed a unique registration number within 4-5 days.
Either:
•Get online, point your web browser to http://order.kagi.com/?Q81 and fill in the form.
Or:
• Run the Register program that comes with IconSwapper and fill out the form. The cost for a single copy is US$10. You'll need to enter your name and email or postal address (as applicable). The form accepts many different payment methods such as: US Check, Money Order, Cash (in many different currencies), Visa, Mastercard, American Express, First Virtual, and Invoice (to be given to your accounts payable department). If your copy of Register has gone missing, you can get another one at http://members.aol.com/halfhill/.
• Send the form to Kagi Shareware.
Either email the data generated by the registration program or print it and mail or fax it to Kagi. Credit card information is encrypted by the Register program.
The address to send the form to is printed by the Register application when you Print or Copy the completed form. The addresses are:
Email: <shareware@kagi.com>
FAX: +1 510 652 6589
Snail-mail:
Kagi Software
1442-A Walnut Street #392-Q81B
Berkeley, California, 94709-1405
USA
Cost:
Single copy: US$ 10
Site license: US$ 150
World-wide license: US$ 900
Site licensing covers all machines in an organization which are within a 100 mile radius of some central point.
Once you have a registration number, double click on IconSwapper, and enter your name and registration number in the spaces provided.
Support:
For the latest version of IconSwapper, as well other fine software, check out the support site at:
You MAY NOT DISTRIBUTE this program on any disk, CD etc. costing more than $20 without my explicit permission.
Warranty:
This software should behave as described in this manual. It should never cause any damage, but you’re using it at your own risk. As an independent software developer, I can make no warranties whatsoever on it.
US Government:
If you are acquiring the Software and fonts on behalf of any unit or agency of the United States Government, the following provisions apply. The Government agrees:
(i) if the Software and fonts are supplied to the Department of Defence (DoD), the Software and fonts are classified as "Commercial Computer Software" and the Government is acquiring only "restricted rights" in the Software, its documentation and fonts as that term is defined in Clause 252.227-7013(c)(1) of the DFARS; and
(ii) if the Software and fonts are supplied to any unit or agency of the United States Government other than DoD, the Government's rights in the Software, its documentation and fonts will be as defined in Clause 52.227-19(c)(2) of the FAR or, in the case of NASA, in Clause 18-52.227-86(d) of the NASA Supplement to the FAR.
Trademarks:
"Macintosh," "Apple", "Finder" and "ResEdit" are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
Holding down command period will stop IconSwapper in its tracks.
Custom Icons for folders and disks, are stored in invisible files on the disk. The file holding the custom Icon for a folder is called "Icon " and is found inside the folder. If IconSwapper deletes a custom Icon from a folder or disk it will check to see if the "Icon" file is empty. If it is, IconSwapper will delete the unneeded "Icon" file too.
Because the Finder resolves Aliases before sending IconSwapper instructions to change a files Icon, IconSwapper cannot be used to add/remove custom Icons to/from Aliases. IconSwapper will perform its operations on the Target of any alias that gets dropped on it.
On Macs running OS 8.0, 8.1, IconSwapper saves custom Icons using the old ICN#,icl4,icl8,ics#,ics4,ics8 format. On Macs running 8.5 and up it stores the icons in icns families. If the "Compatibility Mode" checkbox is selected, IconSwapper will save the Icons in both the old ICN# etc. and ne icns forms. This can be useful if you want to give a disk or CD to someone running OS 8.1 or lower. Here's a picture showing why you may want to select "Compatibility Mode".
I created a 32x32 image, and pasted it onto a folder while running OS 8.0 or OS 8.5 (the CP Icons), and then looked at them under both OS 8 and 8.5. Then I used IconSwapper in "Compatibility Mode" to move the same Icons around (the IS Icons). The numbers in the name of each Icon give first the OS that I was running when I created the Icon, and then the OS with which the icon is viewed. As seen in the last column, Icons look a lot better under OS 8.5. It's the third column that shows why you might want to use "Compatibility Mode". Under OS 8.5, the Finder saves Icons only in icns format, which is fine, until you move the file to a Mac running OS 8.1 or less. These Macs can't interpret the icns data, so instead of a custom icon, all that is visible is the default folder Icon. With "Compatibility Mode" turned OFF, IconSwapper will behave just like the Finder.
The "Grab an Icon" dialog gives ALMOST the same result as getting an Icon by dragging it onto IconSwapper, but there is a difference with a few Icons:
Option dragging the System folder onto IconSwapper will give the Icon on the left, while getting the same Icon by "Grabbing" it from the System file will give the more darkly shadowed Icon on the right. The icl8 in the System looks like the version on the right, and there is no additional icns, or il32 resource for the Icon. Yet somehow Apples "Icon Services", is adding more information to the Icon when it's associated with a particular folder. As
far as I can tell, this only affects Icons grabbed from System files, but if Apple ever makes their Icon Services documentation sufficiently clear I will fix the problem.
When IconSwapper fixes a files custom Icon flag, it will set it based on whether a custom Icon can be recognized by the System Software. Thus, if you are running OS 8.0, and have a file with a custom icns resource, which you can't see anyway, IconSwapper will mark the file as NOT having a custom Icon.
If you intend to write the next great piece of Icon utility software, be aware that most of the GOOD NAMES are already taken. IconDropper, DropIcon, Iconizer, iContact and Icon-O-Matic are all used for something or other. Still, no one seems to have used Iconoclast, MaxIcon, Icon-O-Rama, or Iconomizer. I was seriously tempted to call this work "The Iconulater" simply because the english language needs a word like "iconulation" to describe the natural process by which Icons tend to accumulate. -- "The Iconulation had gone on for so long that even the bean counters where clamoring to hire an Iconoclast or two."
Thanks:
Andy B. and M. Piovanelli for keys to that bit of code which let me ferret the last hidden Icons from their dens.
