Professional Toolbars
Axialis Object Pack #10 for Toolbar Icons (Tryout Package)
Copyright ©2011 Axialis Software - All Rights Reserved
Description
Object Pack #10 is a collection of 1296 objects (read more about objects) designed to to create icons for toolbars in 48x48, 32x32, 24x24 and 16x16 formats. Using drag & drop, you can create icons by associating basic objects and action overlays. The style is clean and professional which make them suitable for commercial applications. Here are examples of icons that can be done with this pack:
324 objects are provided in 4 different sizes. With the pack, you can create 48x48, 32x32, 24x24 and 16x16 icons as required in modern applications (standard toolbars, ribbons ...). The original drawings of the objects are larger and aligned on a 4-pixel boundary to produce perfect looking icons. When you add an object in an icon, the image is scaled down as follows:
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How to get the full pack?
Only a limited set if objects is provided with this Tryout Package of the pack. The full pack is reserved to registered customers. A valid product key is required to download the full version containing all the objects (1296 objects). You can download the full set of object from our website: https://www.axialis.com/objects/ip_icon_10.shtml
Working with overlays
Overlays are small image objects that are used to add an action to an icon. For example to illustration the creation of a new document, you use the "Document" object, and place the "Add" object on top of it. The overlay is smaller than the final icon and is generally placed in a corner. But you place it where you want based on your design. Here are examples of overlays added to the document object to illustrate actions associated to documents:
How to use the icons in toolbars?
If you want to add icons in application toolbars, we don't recommend to make individual ICO files. It is possible but all the GUI SDK tools use image strips instead. An image strip is a large image containing all the icons placed side-by-side. Accepted file format are BMP and PNG. Here is an example of an image strip used to populate a toolbar:
Once the image strip is programatically loaded in the application GUI, the toolbars and menus are populated with the icons. See below the professional result with RGB/A 32x32 icons in an application with ribbon:
If you want to learn more about the ability of IconWorkshop to open and edit image strips for toolbars, we recommend to read these topics:
How to create Icons for Toolbars using Image Strips?
Contents of the pack
The pack contains 1296 image objects (324 objects in 4 sizes). Objects are optimized for 48x48, 32x32, 24x24 and 16x16 icon creation but they can be used for other sizes. Large objects are provided in PNG formats. A set of ready-to-use images at scale 1:1 is also provided (folder "SCALE 1"). Click this link to get a complete description of the pack: Object Pack #10 - Professional Toolbars
License Agreement
All the object remains properties of Axialis Software. You can use them royalty-free to create icons and use them in personal and commercial projects as long as you respect the terms of the User License Agreement.
How to create a filmstrip for a toolbar?
We'll create a 32x32 RGB/A (32 BPP) filmstrip. Latest versions of the GUI SDKs such as MFC (version included in Visual C++ 2008 SP1 of Feature Pack) support toolbar icons in 32 BPP RGB with alpha channel. The alpha channel permits to create icons with smooth borders, shadows and transparency. This is the state-of-the art in professional icon creation.
To create the icons, we'll use the objects included in folder 32x32 of the pack "Rinoa". The procedure is strictly similar with 24x24 or 16x16 icons frequently used in toolbars too.
IMPORTANT: You need Axialis IconWorkshop 6.30 or more to follow this tutorial.
1. Choose File > New > Filmstrip for Toolbar or press Ctrl+T. A Dialog box opens, choose "RGB/A with Alpha Channel" and "32x32" in size of images. Specify also the number of images you wish to add in the filmstrip, 8 for example.
2. The new document is created. At the top of the window is displayed a list containing 8 blank entries. You can select the images to edit in this list. Using this feature you'll be able to edit each image separately (even if they share the same bitmap). IconWorkshop separes them virtually to help you working on the filmstrip.
3. Select the first image in the list "Image 0". Note that image numbers start at 0 to match the way they're handled in source codes. Make sure the Librarian is displayed and the object pack folder is selected. Select subfolder "32x32". This is where the image objects for 32x32 toolbars are located.
4. First let's create our first icon: A document icon with a "plus" overlay. In folder 32x32, select the object "Document.png" and drag & drop it in the editor window. The object is added. Redo the same operation with "Overlay - Add.png". The first icon is done!
5. Now this is a child's play: redo the same for the other icons using the various objects available in the list.
6. Note that you can change the order of the images in the list using drag & drop, copy images using Ctrl key or clipboard, add and remove images.
7. Once the toolbar filmstrip is finished, just save it by selecting the appropriate image format (BMP and PNG support RGB/A).
Enjoy :)