EIKON is an icon editor for the Psion S3a. It is supplied as OPL source code, though a translated application is also included.
Installation is simple: just copy the EIKON.OPA file into any \APP directory, and install from the System screen using Psion-I. The EIKON.OPL and EIKON.PIC files are not necessary to run the program.
The default directory in which icons are stored is \OPD. This program will not work directly with non-icon bitmaps; if you wish to convert older S3 icons (24x24 monochrome), use the ICONVERT program included.
Unlike most icon editors, EIKON does not deal with the grey plane as a separate entity; rather, the current painting colour is always one of White, Grey or Black.
The main editing window is on the left of the screen. To the right are the preview windows, with the combined bitmap at the top, and the separate black and grey bitmaps below. The cursor is shown as a flashing box on the editing window.
Most of the editor's functions are accessed from the menu: the File and Special menus carry the standard items. The Edit menu holds the Copy and Insert commands; Effects holds Invert,Black > Grey, Brush size commands and Text; Settings controls scroll wrap.
Invert simply inverts the entire 48x48 bitmap; however, the planes to be inverted are chosen via a dialogue box. In Both and Black modes, the results are clear; however, in Grey mode, only those grey or white sections which are not under black pixels are inverted! All Invert operations are reversible.
Add Black > Grey copies the black bitmap onto the grey; this will not affect the appearance of the icon, but appears to be Psion's "house style". Brush brings up the brush size dialogue, allowing the selection of rectangular brushes up to the size of the bitmap. There are two further short cuts; Small brush resets the brush to 1x1 pixel, and paste brush sets the brush to the size of the current paste buffer.
Text brings up the text dialogue box, allowing the entry of text into the icon. Ensure that the preferred text colour is set first; the background is selected by a further dialogue box. All standard fonts are available, though user-defined fonts are not yet supported. Note that text is placed into the paste buffer, and should then be pasted into the icon.
Scroll wrap affects the behaviour of the icon when it is scrolled; with wrap OFF, pixels scrolled off the edge of the icon are lost. With wrap ON, they are added to the other side of the icon.
Other functions are accessed by use of cursor keys. The unshifted cursor keys are used to move around the editing window. With shift, they expand and contract the current brush; with control, they scroll the entire icon around in its window; with Psion, they move the cursor a distance equal to the size of the brush. Control and Psion may be combined for larger scrolls, though in this case scroll wrap should be turned on.
As is usual, I have to issue a disclaimer of liability; if anything you do with this program wrecks your love life, destroys your S3a, gets you arrested, starts World War III, or indeed does anything else you consider an adverse outcome, you have my sympathies but very little else.
On the other hand, comments and suggestions are always welcome.
If you don't feel your artistic talent is up to designing original icons, look for my program EXPIC, which strips bitmaps out of existing applications.
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