INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEWICONS-SYSTEM by Nicola Salmoria
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Note: this is not an 'official' info about NewIcons, but
more what I would like to tell you about it.
If you want specific/technical information please
check the documentation of NewIcons.
General info - important if you don't know NewIcons
Features - what it can and why you must have it
Where you get it - have I made you curious? :->
NEWS - version 3 around the corner...
GENERAL INFO
Most important thing first: This is *NOT* another icon-
package with cute icons for every possible purpose you
could imagine, BUT it is a totally _new_ approach wich
is both *powerful* and easy to use - you won't even no-
tice that you use NewIcons once it is installed - what
you WILL notice however is that your icons look *good*
in every colour-resolution because the colour-data is
stored _within_ the icon (actually as 'ToolTypes', but
you will only see that if you don't have NewIcons in-
stalled - yes, that's why some icons have these weird
characters and a line which says "Don't change ..." ,
these are *NewIcons* ).
I think this had to be said, because many people don't
understand why it is a good idea to use NewIcons, they
are detracted by the isometric-styled icons included
in the package, but the _Style_ of the icon is TOTALLY
pointless - you can of course use ANY style, only the
*format* has to be NewIcons, sothat you can take advan-
tage of the many features mentioned below.
To all MagicWB-freaks out there: Why oh why don't you
save your good work as NewIcons?? I don't like the pa-
lette of MagicWB and I don't want to be bound to it,
so all MagicWB-icons look really *crap* on my WB.
If you used the NewIcons-format, they would look just
as you intended them to look, rather than being distor-
ted and all over pink/blue/green.
FEATURES
* enables you to use icons with up to 256 colours-icons
and remaps them in real-time (no overhead noticable)
->no more distorted and wrong-coloured icons, but al-
ways the *original* / best-possible palette. (on AGA-
systems, you will always have the original colours!)
* you can simply make a brush into a newicon - imagine
using digitised pictures as Icons..!
* works even on Kick 2.04
* totally _transparent_ - for the user, everything re-
mains the same, but gets much more powerful
* DefIcons-system: part of the NewIcons-package, allows
you to select default-tools and -icons for files with-
out icons. Very efficient and FAST, *many* filetypes
are recognised.
You can for example define viewers for GIF-files,....
which will automagically appear in the 'Execute'-Box
when you doubleclick the fake-icon.
* Enables you to change the CrossDOS-icon which really
looks a bit too 'peeCee' (DOS-look:( )
* Unique icons for RAM-Disk, CD-ROMs etc. included.
* FREE-Ware. <- propably the best:)
WHERE YOU GET IT
I got it from Aminet (also on CD #11), but there should
be other (disk-based?) sources, too. Please get in con-
tact with the author / newsgroups if you don't find it.
*NEWS*
I read there is a version *3* to be out in summer, but I
don't know anything more precise...