I pasted an icon onto a folder or file and set the window for list view, expecting to see a fantastic smaller version of the full size color Icon, but all I got was the same old measly black and white generic small Icon. What happened?
Several things are possible; If you copied the icon from one of the Icon Gallery documents, then you don't have your "Views" Control Panel on the correct setting for proper viewing of small color Icons. Open the Views Control Panel and select the middle button as shown below:
 
Alternatively, if you did the job from within Resedit, then it's possible you didn't copy over the entire 'Family' of icons.
I used ResEdit to install a fresh Icon "Family" onto one of my files, but the new one isn't visible in the Finder, just the old one.
You'll have to either restart your Mac and duplicate the file, or quit and re-launch the Finder in order to see the new icon.
Note: Quitting the Finder is easy if you use Adam Stein's "System 7 Pack!", a shareware product available from many on-line services.
In the extreme case you may have to rebuild your desktop file. To rebuild the desktop file, hold down the Command+Option keys when you startup— and keep them down all the way until the Finder itself loads.
I used ResEdit to replace "Application X's" icon set with Icon Gallery custom icons, but the only new one I see is the one that represents the application itself.
You may have to launch and use the application itself to update its supporting file's icons (i.e., plug-ins and the like.) In most cases, the new document icons won't show until you re-save the files with the customized version. MacPaint and MacDraw II however, will update all their files with your new icons. Holleran says, "I had to rebuild the desktop file on a friend's machine so that the icons we installed into his copy of one of these programs would show themselves."
I used ResEdit to replace "Application X's" icon set with Icon Gallery custom Icons, but when I gave a copy of a document to a friend to take home and enjoy on his own computer, the custom icon disappeared! Where'd it go?
You've brought up a good point about replacing an application's internal icon set. If you alter the icons that an application "spits out" when it creates or saves a file, these Icons will most likely not be shown when the files are transported to a different Mac—unless, of course, the copy of that application on the other Mac has the same icons installed or the altered application is traveling with the files.
This can be solved by pasting the custom icon into the Get Info window of the individual files in the Finder, allowing the custom icon to be seen on the other Mac, because it's pasted on the same way as any other custom icon.
Note: There are some sticky copyright issues here. You may not give a modified version of an application to a friend unless they own the application. You may give a document to a friend that contains inside it or as its custom icon, an Icon Gallery icon as long as that document isn't just the icon and the purpose for giving the document to a friend isn't to give him or her the icon. You may not give an Icon Gallery icon file to a friend—too much of that and we're not going to be able to produce more collections!
I use a grayscale monitor, and I noticed two copies of several of the folder Icons, as well as four or five of almost the same icon. What's the deal?
Icon Gallery was created on a color machine; in some cases we made a color and grayscale version of the same icon. While the difference is tangible on a color monitor, they look identical when running grayscale or black and white. As for four or five "almost the same" icons, we wanted to give you some of the more interesting icons in a variety of colors and patterns.
I know you say you took efforts to make these look good in all views and color modes, but doesn't ResEdit or the Finder do the hard part for you, converting them between depths? All you've got to do is drag 'n drop them into the appropriate boxes, right?
Ah, but were it that easy (they say wistfully...). You can get away with that in some cases, but in most cases you won't have a great looking icon. We've tweaked the vast majority of the collection, the small icons being the hardest to make clear. (If one isn't, let's just say we can tell when resistance is futile...)
I love the Icon Gallery Icons, but I don't see the ones I want most. You know, the set for "Application X" with the extremely green theme to them, or the System set that all looks like someone took a bite out of 'em. And what about making a custom set for MY frequently-flown application, so that all my colleagues will kneel in my presence at office parties and sell flowers for me at the airport, surrendering their free will to the task of my bidding. Well?
We can help you with icons, but not with your social life. Sorry. Got an idea for a cool, useful, or off-the-wall Icon? Just say the word. We're always open to new ideas and requests. So let's hear from you, OK?
Shameless commercial plug: We also do icon designs and custom interfaces for commercial projects. So if you need special icons for your new killer app or great screens for your next presentation, feel free to contact us.
