Copyright: Icon Customiser 2.0
Citation: Icon Customiser Copyright 1997 Brian Harper


 Overview of Icon Customiser

Welcome to one of the most versatile, and powerful, yet easy to use icon customiser programs available today! Icon Customiser allows you to customise features in Windows 95/NT 4.0 that are not accessible from the standard user interface. Some of these features may improve system performance, some may make your life with Windows a little easier, and others are purely cosmetic. Several features of Icon Customiser make it stand head and shoulders above most other icon programs that are currently available.

The Icon Customiser program provides you with the capability to replace icons on your system. The tabs on the program associate the icons, with the area that is affected when replacing a file.  The graphics on the different tabs, show you their true size, as they are displayed on your system.

Icon Customiser was originally inspired by a shareware program I saw on the Internet, which had a large proportion of its features disabled until the US $24.95 registration fee was paid. Since I already knew how to make most of these changes manually, I decided to write Icon Customiser for my own satisfaction and distribute it for free into the public domain.


What's New ?
What’s New in Icon Customiser 2.0 ?

New features in version 2.0 include some of the following:

The interface has been slightly redesigned.

Windows NT4.0 support

Beep on Errors.

Extended Sounds on Errors (Windows NT only).

Non-blinking Cursor.

Smooth scrolling.

Non-blinking cursor.

Windows Animation.

“Shortcut to” prefix on new shortcuts.

Explorer save settings on exit.

Explore From Here on folder context menu.

Edit default item on folder context menu.

MS-DOS Prompt From Here on directory context menu.

Quick View on context menu for all files.

Notepad on context menu for all files.

Swap Mouse Buttons.

Double Click width & height & speed.

Drag height & width.

Font Smoothing.

Full Window Dragging.

Stretch Desktop Wallpaper.

Hide Network Neighborhood.

Hide ‘Entire Network’ in Network Neighborhood.

Hide workgroup contents in Network Neighborhood.

Disable Desktop.

Hide Drives in ‘My Computer’.

Remove folders from ‘Settings’ on Start Menu.

Remove Taskbar from ‘Settings’ on Start Menu.

Remove ‘Find’ Command.

Remove ‘Run’ Command.

Disable Shut Down Command.

Add/remove shell folders to/from the Desktop and My Computer.

The Control Panel, Dial-Up Networking, and Printers folders on the Desktop and Start menu options have been incorporated into the ability to create shell folders at any location.

Start Menu show delay.

Menus delay until clicked.

Wallpaper origins.

Add Icon Customiser to the My Computer context menu.

Single Click Interface.


Disclaimer of Warranty

The software is provided on an "as-is" basis without any warranty of any kind. In no case shall Brian Harper be liable for any damage, either direct or indirect, which includes, but is not limited to loss of data, loss of profit or interruption of business, resulting from the usage or inability to use the software or denial of support.

Use this software entirely at your own risk.


Distributing Icon Customiser

The software is redistributed as freeware. Freeware is software that you may use or copy without paying license fees. You may also redistribute the software only in its original configuration, through any medium you want, as long as it is not sold. You may only charge for the medium on which the software is distributed.

If you wish to include Icon Customiser in a software collection, such as on a CD-ROM, you must inform me at  Ic@brianharper.demon.co.uk


Alternative Software

What?!   You don’t like Icon Customiser?   Here are some of the alternatives:

Microangelo by Impact Software (Shareware US $24.95). Available at http://www.impact.com


Beep On Errors

Turns the warning beep on or off. The warning beep is on by default, and the sound which is played can be customised under Sounds in the Control Panel.


Extended Sounds On Errors

Turns the warning beep on or off when an extended error has occurred. The warning beep is on by default, and the sound which is played can be customised under Sounds in the Control Panel.


Bitmap Thumbnail As Default Icon

This option controls whether the icon displayed for bitmaps in Explorer or My Computer is the Paint icon, or a thumbnail of the bitmap itself. Enabling this option may decrease performance if you have a slower computer and/or there are a lot of bitmaps in the folder being viewed. Bitmap Thumbnails are disabled by default.

This option will take effect the next time you open Explorer or the system icon cache has been rebuilt.


Non-blinking Cursor

This option allows you specify that the cursor should not blink. This applies to every application. Non-blinking Cursor is disabled by default.


Smooth Scrolling

This option controls whether Windows common controls operations are animated. This option requires the latest version of COMCTL32.DLL supplied with either of the following:

Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or later.

Microsoft Plus!

Windows NT 4.0 or later.

Smooth Scrolling is disabled by default.


Windows Animation

Window Animation

This option controls whether minimize, maximize and restore window operations are animated. Disabling window animation may improve performance if you don't have a fast video card. Window animation is enabled by default.


Save Settings On Exit

This option controls whether Explorer saves its settings on exit. For example, turning this option off will mean that Explorer will not reload at start-up if it was running when Windows was last shut down. Explorer saves its settings by default.


"Shortcut to" Prefix On New Shortcuts

This option controls whether new shortcuts are prefixed with “Shortcut to”. Shortcuts are prefixed by default. You need to restart your computer for this change to take effect. If you create a shortcut after changing this setting without restarting your computer, it will be undone. The prefix is enabled by default.


Explore From Here

This option allows you to specify whether Explore From Here appears on the context menu for all folders, which launches a new instance of Explorer with the selected folder as the root. Explore From Here is disabled by default.


Default Menu Item

This allows you to specify which item on the context menu for folders is the default item. The default item in Explorer is Explore, and on the Desktop is Open.


Command Prompt From Here

This option allows you to specify whether Command Prompt From Here appears on the context menu for all directories, which opens a command prompt in the selected directory. Command Prompt is disabled by default.


Quick View

This option allows you to specify that Quick View should appear on the context menu for all files. Quick View does not work on all file types. Quick View is disabled by default.


Notepad

This option allows you to specify that Notepad should appear on the context menu for all files. This allows you edit all files as text, including un-associated files, bypassing the Open With… dialog. Notepad is disabled by default.

This option is known to conflict with the Microsoft Office shortcut bar.


Large Icons

This option allows you to specify whether Windows should use large icons (48X48 pixels) in Explorer and on the Desktop. The default icon size is 32X32 pixels. The icon size can be adjusted in the Control Panel, under the Appearance tab in the Display Properties dialog, but Windows optimal display sizes are 32X32 or 48X48 pixels. Large Icons are disabled by default.


Show Icons Using All Possible Colours

Displays system icons using all the colours supported by your current display and your colour-palette settings. Your monitor may support a larger colour palette than you are using. Use all colours is disabled by default.

Note

Using all possible colours to display icons takes up more memory, and it may take Windows longer to refresh your icons if you are using a 486-based computer. If you want to improve performance, make sure this box is unchecked.


Wrap Icon Titles

This option controls whether icon titles are wrapped or appear on one line, truncated with “…” if necessary. Icon titles are wrapped by default.


Swap Mouse Buttons

Assumes that your right mouse button is the one you use most often. You generally click this button by using your index finger on your left hand. Swap Mouse Buttons are disabled by default.


Double Click Sensitivity

Double Click Sensitivity (Width & Height)

This option sets the width and height of the rectangle in which two clicks must fall (within the double click time) to be considered a double click. The default width and height is 4 pixels.


Double Click Time

This option sets the time that may pass between clicks for a double click to be registered. Double click time is 500 milliseconds by default.


Drag Sensitivity

Drag Sensitivity (Width & Height)

This option sets how far an object must be dragged horizontally and vertically before Windows recognises that it is being dragged. Drag width and height is 2 pixels by default.


Font Smoothing

Smooths the jagged edges of large fonts on the screen. This only works if you monitor is capable of displaying 256 colours, for best results, high colour is required. This option is only available in the following cases:

Windows 95 with Microsoft Plus!

Windows NT 4.0 or later.

Internet Explorer 4.0 or later.

Font Smoothing is disabled by default.


Full Window Dragging

This option controls whether the entire contents of windows are displayed when moving or resizing them, as opposed to just an outline of the window. This option is only available in the following cases:

Windows 95 with Microsoft Plus!

Windows NT 4.0 or later.

Internet Explorer 4.0 or later.

Full Window Dragging is enabled by default.


Stretch Desktop Wallpaper

Stretches a centered wallpaper so that it covers the entire screen. For this option to take affect, make sure your wallpaper is centered by using the Display icon in Control Panel. If you are using a 486-based computer and want to improve system performance, make sure this option is disabled. Stretch Desktop Wallpaper is disabled by default.


Hide Network Neighborhood

This option controls whether the Network Neighborhood is available or not. Hiding the Network Neighborhood will disable shell support for Universal Naming Convention (UNC) notation. In order to access network resources from Explorer, they will have to be mapped to a drive letter. In addition, Direct Cable Connection will be unable to display the contents of the host computer. Network Neighborhood is displayed by default.


Hide 'Entire Network' in Network Neighborhood

This option controls whether the Entire Network icon located Network Neighborhood is available or not. Hide 'Entire Network' in Network Neighborhood is disabled by default.


Hide workgroup contents in Network Neighborhood

This option controls whether the Entire Network icon located Network Neighborhood is available or not. Hide workgroup contents in Network Neighborhood is disabled by default.


Disable Desktop

This option controls whether the Desktop is enabled. If you check this option, all Desktop icons will be hidden, including shortcuts, and the context menu will not be available. The Desktop is enabled by default.


Hide Drives in 'My Computer'

This option controls whether Windows should display drive icons in My Computer. This option affects all programs. Drives are displayed by default.


Remove folders from 'Settings' on Start Menu

With this option you can control whether Windows displays the two folders, Control Panel and Printers on your Start Menu Settings item. The folders will only be removed from the Start Menu, and will still be visible from My Computer. The folders are displayed as default.


Remove Taskbar from 'Settings' on Start Menu

With this option you can control whether Windows displays the Taskbar settings option on your Start Menu Settings item. If you have Internet Explorer 4.0 installed on your system, then this option may be called Taskbar & Start Menu. The Taskbar item is displayed by default.


Remove 'Find' Command
Remove ‘Find’ Command

With this option you can control whether Windows displays the Find command in your system. This includes the Find option found on the Start Menu, and the Find option found in Windows Explorer. In any other view, the command will also have been removed. The Find command is displayed in all views by default.


Remove 'Run' Command
Remove ‘Run’ Command

With this option you can control whether Windows displays the Run command in your system. This includes the Run option found on the Start Menu, and the Run option found in Windows Explorer. In any other view, the command will also have been removed. The Run command is displayed in all views by default.


Disable Shut Down Command

This option controls whether Windows should disable the Shut Down command for your system. With this option, you will not beable to Shut Down Windows from both the Start Menu and the Task Manager dialog. The Shut Down command is enabled by default.


Desktop & My Computer Icons

Click on a check-box to add or remove a special desktop icon to or from the desktop or My Computer. Icons with check-boxes that are disabled cannot be placed on the desktop or My Computer as special desktop icons, but you can still use Create As File to put them on the desktop, or anywhere else for that matter.

Special desktop icons are a system-wide setting. Removing a special desktop icon removes it from everybody's desktop. The one exception is the Network Neighborhood, which is a per-user setting.

Removing the desktop icon merely removes the icon. Any software associated with the desktop icon remains installed.


Create As File

This command allows you to create a special file for the selected icon in the list, which then behaves like the highlighted special desktop icon, but which can be dragged and dropped anywhere you want. Only the following can be created as special icons:

The Internet.

In Box.

Recycle Bin.

Control Panel.

Printers.

Internet Cache Folder.

Url History Folder.


Menu Show Delay

This option sets the delay after a menu is selected before the menu is opened and displayed. This option effects all menus including menu items, and the Start Menu. The default delay is 400 milliseconds.


Menu Delay Until Clicked

This option controls whether a menu must be clicked before it is opened and displayed. Enabling this setting will disable the menu show delay. By default, menus do not delay until clicked.


Horizontal & Vertical Origin

Wallpaper Origin

These options allow you to specify an offset at which the wallpaper is painted on the Desktop. If your wallpaper is tiled, the offset area will contain a clipped portion of the bitmap. These values may be positive or negative. The defaults for both these settings are 0 pixels.


Add Icon Customiser to My Computer Context Menu

This option allows you to specify that Icon Customiser should appear on the context menu when you right click the My Computer icon. Adding this option to My Computer is disabled by default.


Display Splash Screen

This option allows you to specify whether the splash screen is displayed while Icon Customiser is loading. Displaying the program splash screen is enabled by default.


Single Click Interface

This option allows you to specify whether actions usually initiated with a double-click or initiated with a single click. Single clicking is disabled by default.


Restore Active Tab

This option allows you to specify whether Icon Customiser remembers the active tab and item between sessions. Restore settings on start-up is enabled by default.


Restore Window Position

This option allows you to specify whether Icon Customiser remembers its window position between sessions. Restore settings on start-up is enabled by default.


Changing Icons

When this button is clicked, the Browse for Icons dialog will prompt you to choose a new icon. The highlighted icon shown in the dialog is the one currently being used. If you want to change this icon, click on another icon. If you want to browse through icons contained in other files, click  “Browse”. When you have finished making the necessary selections, click “OK” and the new icon will be displayed in Icon Customiser.

Renaming


Restoring Icons

When this button is clicked, Icon Customiser will return your selected icon to its Microsoft Windows set-up default.

If you have Microsoft Plus! Installed on your system then the default Plus! Icon will be used.


Restoring All Icons

When this button is clicked, Icon Customiser will return ALL your system icons to Microsoft Windows set-up defaults.

If you have Microsoft Plus! Installed on your system then the default Plus! Icon will be used.


Renaming Icons

When this button is clicked, the Rename Icon dialog will prompt you to type a new name for the current icon. When you have finished making the necessary changes, click “OK” and the new name will be displayed.


Icon themes Overview

Icon Theme Overview

Icon Customiser includes a variety of icon themes that can enhance the look of your entire desktop. An icon theme includes Desktop, Start Menu, Folder, Drive, and Others icons. You can use a theme as it is, or you can modify it by changing one or more of its icons.

Note

Some icon themes require a video card and monitor that support at least 256 colours. Other icon themes may require a video card and monitor that support high colour (16-bit or greater).


Open Icon Theme

To open an icon theme from within Icon Customiser do the following:

1 Select “Open Icon Theme” from the File menu.

2 Navigate to the required folder.

3 Select & open the theme file.

The icons located in the theme file will now be shown in the program.


Save Icon Theme

To save icon themes from within Icon Customiser do the following:

1 Select “Save Icon Theme” from the File menu.

2 Navigate to the required folder where the theme will be saved.

3 Type a name for the theme in the Filename label.

4 Select Save.

All current icons on your system will be saved to the theme file.


Rebuild Icon Cache

The original releases of Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 contain a few flaws, which can cause updates to icons to be ignored under certain conditions. In a few of these cases the icon may be updated if you reboot your system. However you can always select the Rebuild Icon Cache option from the programs File menu to force Windows to rebuild its image list using the correct icons. This option has been made available to be used only as required so that the program will work best on all versions of Windows, including any future versions that may correct these problems.

More About Icon Caching and Updating

Windows caches icon images as you work. What this means is that the icon is examined the first time Windows needs to display it. At this time Windows chooses or creates an appropriate image size and colour format for your computer. This prepared format is placed in a cache file for quick access whenever the icon must be displayed in the future.

The current Windows caching system is limited because it operates by filename only. If you have more than one icon on your system named “My Computer”, Windows will think that they are all the same icon. If you attempt to change an icon on your desktop from one of these to another, Windows will think that it already has the My Computer icon and will not read in the image that it is requested to. Also, if you edit an icon, Windows will not recognise the fact that it has changed and will continue to display the image that it has in its cache file.

There are a few other instances when an update requested is not properly processed. If you have the Briefcase option configured on your computer, it will not properly update a new desktop icon unless you rebuild the icon cache OR reboot your computer.

It is normal for Windows to display a default icon if you accidentally delete an icon file that is currently being used to represent objects on your system. If you ever do accidentally remove an icon file that is supporting your current display, Windows also appears to have trouble accepting an update request once a new icon has been selected.