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IEdit
Version 3.0
Welcome to IEdit! This new version is a major revision of IEdit,
and I hope you enjoy it. New features include:
(Since IEdit 2.2)
* Line, box and filled box drawing modes
* Alt-H creates a hexadecimal icon text file for programmers
* New license numbering allows the full version of IEdit as Shareware
* Improved Help function is completely mouse driven
* IExtract now allows graphic selection of the icon to extract
* Significantly faster icon drawing during the LOAD function
* 80286 specific code for faster execution throughout
(Since IEdit 2.0)
* New icon-based function selection
* Invert Mask editing
* Icon scrolling in any direction
* A View function to preview your icon in a Windows-style dialog box
* Graphic Load function lets you pick your icon visually
* A "Best Guess" invert mask function
* An "Undo" function
* A built in file length check guards against viruses
* A "Change a Color" function to alter a color over an entire icon
* "Rotate" turns your icon 90° clockwise
* A Grid for precise icons
* A shell to DOS for quick jumps to the DOS command line
* "Mirror" function makes symmetric icons easier
* "Quick Help" for functions with a single mouse click
* A scroll "Chain" to link or unlink icon and invert mask scrolling
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│Quick Tip #1: │
│You will find IEdit's Help functions contain much of the information below.│
│ │
│IEdit's "Quick Help" pops-up when you click the right button on a │
│function icon. │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Introduction
IEdit is a full featured tool for creating and editing icons for the
Microsoft Windows environment. IEdit itself however, is a DOS application.
As many users know, IEdit was released in two versions, a Shareware version
(IEDIT.EXE), and an Enhanced version (IEDITE.EXE). Now IEdit is released as
a single version using License Numbers for registered users.
IEdit was originally created for my own use, but caught on with the
rapid growth of Windows 3.0, and now enjoys users from California to Austria!
If you're curious about the technical aspects of IEdit and icons, read the
Technical Information section at the end of this file.
System Requirements
* Dos 3.0 or greater
* A VGA system
* Approximately 150k disk space (depending on number of icons)
* At least 300k of free ram
* 300-500k free disk space for swapping if SHELL feature is used
* A Microsoft compatible mouse
* At least a '286 based computer (AT or better).
* Windows 3.0 (of course) to use your icons.
Users who have a different system setup may be able to obtain a special
version of IEdit from me (e.g. An 8088 (XT class) version).
Creating Icons
First, start IEdit by typing "IEDIT" at the DOS prompt, be sure that
you've loaded your mouse's driver program beforehand (Usually MOUSE.COM).
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│Quick Tip #2: │
│You can also load an icon into IEdit from the command line by typing: │
│ IEDIT <Icon-filename> │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
The left side of your screen will have the main icon editing box. The
icons you create are actually a square of dots 32 by 32. Each dot can be
one of 16 colors (including black). Icons also have another 32 by 32 square
of dots (at the right center of IEdit) called an "invert mask". You won't
need an invert mask for most icons so we'll cover them later.
Between the main icon area and the invert mask is a color bar
containing the 16 colors you can choose from. Select a color by moving the
mouse pointer over a color and clicking the left mouse button. Above the
icon area the upper "Current" color box will reflect your choice. You can
select a second color with the right button, it will appear in the lower
"Current" box. The idea here is pick a main (upper) color for drawing with
the left button, and a secondary (lower) color for drawing with the left
button. I like to choose my icon's background color for the lower color,
that way I can draw with the left button and erase with the right.
You can now move the mouse pointer over to the main icon area and use
the either mouse button to draw a single dot. You can also hold the button
and move the mouse to draw continuously. In the upper left corner you'll
notice a tiny version of the main icon area, this is the actual size of the
icon you're drawing. You'll want to check this box to insure that your
icon isn't too detailed to be seen when it's finished. If you're trying to
be precise you'll find the coordinate display (also above the main icon
area) helpful, as well as the GRID function which puts a grid over the icon
area (using your current upper color).
When you start drawing, the main icon area is black, so you can erase
any mistakes by choosing the color "Black" from the color bar. Later
you'll see that you can start with any color you choose as the background,
and then you'll need to use that color to "erase" a mistake.
Once you've created a suitable icon, choose VIEW from the function
icons at the bottom. You'll see a small Windows-like box in the center of
the screen. This is the way your icon (including the invert mask, if any)
will look inside Windows, click any mouse button to erase the View box.
Saving and Loading icons
You'll need to save your icon to a file in order to use it in Windows.
If you're editing a previous icon, just choose SAVE and IEdit will
replace the old icon file with the new one you're editing. If you choose
SAVE TO, or if you haven't previously saved the current one, you'll be
prompted for a file name. Type a name for your icon and press enter. IEdit
will give your file name the extention "icn". Don't choose a different
extention since IEdit's LOAD function won't be able to find it if you do.
When you want to edit an icon, choose LOAD from the function bar.
You'll be presented with a screen with all the icons in the current
directory. Just click on the icon you want to edit. You can choose
CANCEL to go back without loading an icon. You can also choose NEW DIR
and you'll be prompted for a new directory path. BE SURE and give the full
path (i.e. Drive etc.) such as "C:\Windows" or "C:\Icons". If you know the
name of the icon you want to edit, choose LOAD FROM, it will prompt you for a
specific file name to edit.
More editing functions
IEdit has four drawing modes, DRAW, LINE, BOX and FILLED BOX. A
summary of each mode is below:
┌───────┬───────────────┬──────────────┬──────────────┬───────────────────┐
│MODE ->│ DRAW │ LINE │ BOX │ FILLED BOX │
├───────┼───────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼───────────────────┤
│ │ │ │ │ ┌─┼─┐ │ ┌─┼─┐ │
│Pointer│ (Arrow) │ ────┼──── │ ──┼─┼─┼── │ ──┼─█─┼── │
│ │ │ │ │ └─┼─┘ │ └─┼─┘ │
├───────┼───────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼───────────────────┤
│Draws │ Freestyle │ Line between │ Box between │ Filled box between│
│ │ │ two points │ two corners │ two corners │
├───────┼───────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼───────────────────┤
│Button │ Left or Right │ Left │ Left │ Left │
│to use │ │ │ │ │
└───────┴───────────────┴──────────────┴──────────────┴───────────────────┘
The DRAW mode allows you to draw single dots wherever you move the
mouse. You may use the left button to draw with the upper current
color, or the right button to use the lower current color. You can also
hold either button to draw continuously.
The LINE mode lets you draw lines by selecting two points, the first
point will be marked when you click the left button. When you click the
left button a second time, a line will be drawn between the two points.
The BOX mode lets you draw boxes similar to the line mode except
that instead of selecting points with each mouse click, you are
selecting the corners of a box.
The FILLED BOX mode works exactly like the box mode except that the
box drawn is filled in with the current (upper) color.
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│Quick Tip #3: │
│You may change your color choice in the middle of drawing a line, box │
│or filled box by simply selecting the new color before clicking on the│
│second point or corner. │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
The "buttons" along the edges of the main icon area will scroll the
icon toward that edge, click on them to scroll your icon. Likewise, the
buttons below the invert mask are used to scroll it. The CHAIN function
allows you to link the two so that when you scroll either the icon or the
invert mask, both will scroll. Click on the CHAIN icon and you'll see
tiny links appear on it, click again to unlink.
The INVERT function lets you invert the colors in your icon. The
invert function is easier to use than to explain, so just try it. You can
un-invert the colors by simply selecting INVERT a second time.
The CLEAR function will clear both the icon and the invert mask,
and start over. IEdit won't let you lose your work by clearing or loading
without prompting you. You'll see the message "Abandon this icon ([Y]/N)",
you can press the right button for "Yes" or the left for "No", or press Y
or N. The CLEAR TO function is similar to the clear function except that it
clears the icon to the "Current" selected color (instead of black). The
MOUSE icon lets you increase or decrease the sensitivity of your mouse.
Click and hold on the right button to increase the sensitivity, or on the
left button to decrease it. You'll hear a rising or falling tone also.
You may need to experiment to find the proper setting.
The CHG A CLR ("Change a color") function is simple. First, click on
the color in the color bar that you wish to change. Second click on the
CHG A CLR icon, then click on your new color choice. The first color will be
replaced by the second throughout the icon.
The ROTATE function simply rotates your icon 90° clockwise.
The MIRROR function erases the right side of your icon and replaces it
with a mirror image of the left side. By using ROTATE and MIRROR you can make
icons that are symmetric horizontally, vertically or both.
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│Quick Tip #4: │
│If your planning to draw an icon with a symmetric border around it,│
│the rotate and mirror functions can save time. │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
The UNDO function returns your icon to its state before the last
function was executed (except LOAD). You cannot undo manual drawing you have
done. You can use UNDO again to go back to the state before the first UNDO.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│Quick Tip #5: │
│Whenever you see the "Abandon this icon (Y/N)?" prompt, you can click│
│the RIGHT mouse button for "Yes" or the LEFT for "No". │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
About Invert Masks
Invert masks are a smaller version of an icon. They do not use
colors, each dot in an invert mask is either on (white) or off (black).
When Windows is DISPLAYING (not moving) an icon, it uses the dots as a mask
to determine where on the main icon to invert the colors. My experience
has been with VGA systems, other (particularly monochrome) systems may
behave differently. Most often you'll want to make the black portions of
your icon inverted, this will make them the same as the background color
in Windows.
For example: Suppose you create two icons, both with red blocks at
the center. You make them nearly identical two different ways. You can
put a white background on one (example 1 below), and leave the other black,
but give it an invert mask around the block (example 2). This will invert the
black to white in Windows. So, you wind up with two icons that look
identical; until you move them. Then you'll see that the one without the
invert mask has a white area that runs over whatever you're moving over, in
contrast the invert mask icon won't. In addition, the inverted icon will
change its background to the same as Windows', while the uninverted one will
stay white. In some cases, the invert mask icon will invert the colors behind
it. I realize this is difficult, I suggest you make a few icons for yourself
and try them out.
The red tracer will appear to guide you if you manually edit an invert
mask (it moves with you over the main icon). Be sure and try the GUESS INV
function first. Also be sure to use the VIEW function, it uses the invert
mask information in its display (The icon in the upper left corner does not).
Example 1 ║ Example 2
║
┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ║ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐
│██White██│ │ │ ║ │ │ │██White██│
│█▒▒▒▒▒▒▒█│ │ │ ║ │ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ │ │█ █│
│█▒▒RED▒▒█│ │ │ ║ │ ▒▒RED▒▒ │ │█ █│
│█▒▒▒▒▒▒▒█│ │ │ ║ │ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ │ │█ █│
│█████████│ │ │ ║ │ │ │█████████│
└─────────┘ └─────────┘ ║ └─────────┘ └─────────┘
icon invert mask ║ icon invert mask
┌──┴─────────────┘ ║ └────────────┴──┐
│ ║ │
│ ║ │
│ ┌─────────┐ ║ ┌─────────┐ │
│ │██White██│ ║ │██White██│ │
│ │█▒▒▒▒▒▒▒█│ ║ │█▒▒▒▒▒▒▒█│ │
└─> │█▒▒RED▒▒█│ ║ │█▒▒RED▒▒█│ <─┘
│█▒▒▒▒▒▒▒█│ ║ │█▒▒▒▒▒▒▒█│
│█████████│ ║ │█████████│
└─────────┘ ║ └─────────┘
resulting ║ resulting
icon ║ icon
(in Windows or with VIEW) ║ (in Windows or with VIEW)
║
∙ Background always white ║ ∙ Background same as screen's
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│Programmer's Tip: │
│Pressing Alt-H will create a hex text file of the current icon (with the│
│extention ".HEX"). This may be useful for including an icon within │
│source code. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
About License Numbers
IEdit has changed it's style, instead of distributing a Shareware
version freely and an Enhanced version to registered users, a single
version is distributed and registered users obtain a License number that
removes the "annoyware" displays (and relieves their conscience).
Registered users should be aware that the License number is unique to
them and "pirated" versions found will identify the offender. In
addition, the License number is permanently "installed" in IEdit, and
cannot be changed.
How to order
First print out the file "ORDER.FRM" and fill it out. Mail it to
me with a check for $8 (or $10 if you want IEdit shipped). BE SURE TO
INCLUDE YOUR PHONE NUMBER! I'll need it (as well as a best-time-to-call)
in order to give you your License number.
If you no longer have the order form, simply send me your name,
address, telephone number and (heh heh) a check, so I can call you and give
you your License number.
Pricing Information
Product Price
─────── ─────
IEdit $8 (Add $2 S&H if you don't wish to have
Updates $4 me call for your License number.)
Dollar amounts are U.S. funds. Checks or money orders only; not
responsible for cash lost in shipping. Add $2 to total for shipping to UK
and Europe.
Minor revision updates (e.g. from 2.0 to 2.2) are free by modem to
registered users. Registered users are notified when the next major version
is available. Most orders shipped within 48 hours. Checks are not cashed
until product is shipped or License number given. IEdit is guaranteed to
perform reasonably, if you have a problem that cannot be solved, return
any shipped materials within 10 days for a full refund of purchase amount.
Using IExtract
You can use IExtract to "rip" the icon out of an application. The
result is an icon file that you can edit and use like any other. IExtract
works with most, but not every Windows application. The syntax is as
follows from the DOS command line:
IEXTRACT <Windows-application-filename> <Target-icon-filename>
You must specify both the source (application) and the target (.icn filename).
IExtract will create the icon file at the path specified or in the current
directory. Typing "IEXTRACT" by itself will also give the command syntax.
Remember that the resulting icon is still under the copyright of the software
company, and you may violate some software agreements by using IExtract.
Check with your software manufacturer for details.
I'm afraid I had to discontinue IInject. The danger of accidentally damaging
a Windows program was too great - I wouldn't want to be responsible for it.
Notes on recovering from errors and bugs
* If you crash or run a TSR during a SHELL, the IEdit swap file will remain
on your disk, it's a hidden file called "$IEDSWAP.AAA". IEdit places it in
the directory specified by your TEMP environment variable (in your autoexec),
or in the current directory if a TEMP is unavailable. Be sure and delete this
file if this happens as it will take up quite a bit of disk space and will
cause errors the next time you use SHELL. Use Norton Commander, PC Tools or
a similar product to delete it. * Be carefull! * You will lose your work if
you crash the system during a SHELL.
* If you're running IEdit from a DOS Window in Windows 3.0 *DO NOT* use the
SHELL feature. DOS applications from Windows are shakey enough. You WILL
loose any unsaved work, but Windows won't crash.
* It's possible that you have just enough free memory to load IEdit itself,
but not enough for one of IEdit's functions. IEdit traps for this, but I've
been unable to test it. In any case your current icon should be saved as
"IEDITERR.ICN".
* Please let me know if you find any other annoyances/bugs.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Technical and Miscellaneous Information
* IEdit itself was created with Microsoft's QuickPascal and now stands at
roughly 2600 lines of code. Despite the fact that IEdit had to overcome
at least three bugs in QP, I still can't recommend it more highly. The
editor is very similar to Notepad (and indeed all MS products) and the
Help is amazing (the manual rarely leaves the shelf).
* The 766 byte icon file format is tricky at best, it is in three parts.
A 126 byte header tells Windows what it is and color info, bitmap size, etc.
Next is the "main" icon, 512 bytes (2 pixels per byte x 1024 pixels).
Then a 128 byte block (32 x 32 x 1 bit/pixel) defines the invert mask.
An early bug that made it's way into several icon editing programs, and
one icon distributed with IEdit v 0.9 (beta) actually caused Windows
to give an "Unrecoverable Application Error" immediately after it was
used, but only in '386 Enhanced mode. This has been eliminated by the
offending programs, and IEdit's icons are fine.
* Why VGA only? Well not entirely due to a lack of EGA graphic
capabilities, but more due to a lack of similar TEXT modes between the
two. Keeping 640x480 and 640x350 straight is tricky enough without
dealing with text as well. Ignoring that, EGA simply looks bad with
25% less resolution. Also, most Windows users have a VGA anyway. The
same applies to mice and '286 specific code.
* Astute readers may have figured out that IEDIT3.OVL is really just the
upper menu bar. It is never executed, but I named it with the .ovl extention
to insure it would be included if someone was copying files around their
hard disk. IEdit will crash without it. Also, IEDITMEN.OVL is actually a
screen image of the icon function bar.
* Why is it so cheap? I'm a college student (Computer Information
Sciences major, wanna hire me next year? Please?) and I've done more than
my share of "leeching" the Shareware market, so I priced IEdit so that I
could have afforded to register it. Also, I love writing software. But
the best result so far has been getting letters (and checks) from all over
the WORLD(!). I'd also like to thank people who called and wrote with
comments and suggestions, they are reflected in this version.
* What else have I written? Not much, IEdit is my first semi-serious
venture into Shareware, but I did write an autoexec.bat multi-utility
called Autoit. It let's you speed up the keyboard rate, turn off the Num
Lock, adjust the ram refresh rate, and check for a keystroke since boot-up
(to branch out of the autoexec), all in one 5k program.
* My address: James Bell 4511 Sherwood Trace Gainesville, Fl 32605.
or call me at (904) 372-3695.
* Windows and QuickPascal are TM's of Microsoft Corp.
* Many thanks to Tom Wagner and (of course) Dr. Dobbs for the swap-to-
disk ideas and examples.
What's next?
Any other features added to future versions of IEdit will depend
completely on user suggestions. As-is IEdit has more features than any
other icon program I've seen, and about all that's left is to make it a
Windows application. But (sigh) I simply don't have the $315 for the
Windows SDK. So, if you wanted to instantly become my best friend in
the entire world....
I am working on a graphic-based manual viewer. The idea is to let a
program's doc file include instructions for drawing EGA graphics. The
result will be a doc file with pictures for better explanation, all within
a nice graphic, mouse-aware environment.
Thanks again, good luck, and happy Windows-ing!
James Bell 1/4/91