Icon Scale, use 40x40 icons in real 1:1 scale, UI problem

[acmbs]

Hi, I have a problem with the icon size, I have designed a nice view for my shortcuts and functions:

Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xmjya0mpgrx9vkv/1.png?dl=0

Exported each as 40px .ico file and used in menu:

Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8a6h22q1poautsm/2.png?dl=0

But they are pixelated. Are they compressed/upscaled somehow? How can I get them to look 1:1 as the Ico file they are using?

Here is my bar setup using 40px:

Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6upf83a05k4auq2/3.png?dl=0

Please help

[Dalai]

Your images are apparently not publicly viewable; they require a login.

From your description I guess the icons are scaled up or down, not sure.

Regards
Dalai

[acmbs]

Thank Dalai for pointing this out, I've placed the file on my dropbox instead. Links edited

Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xmjya0mpgrx9vkv/1.png?dl=0

Exported each as 40px .ico file and used in menu:

Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8a6h22q1poautsm/2.png?dl=0

But they are pixelated. Are they compressed/upscaled somehow? How can I get them to look 1:1 as the Ico file they are using?

Here is my bar setup using 40px:

Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6upf83a05k4auq2/3.png?dl=0

[acmbs]

BTW. Windows scale of desktop/view is set to 100% so the problem is not there, screen resolution: 5120x2160 if that has anything to do with scaling...

[MaxX]

2acmbs
Try "Small icons" 32.

[beb]

Cannot confirm.
When I'm making custom icons, I prefer to make them of images of five native sizes 16x16, 24x24, 32x32, 40x40, and 80x80.
If I set 40 in TC for the icons, all the icons that come natively in that size are rendered perfectly.
Only the icons which don't have native 40x40 entries become pixelated (including the closest ones such as 32x32, and 48x48).
On the other hand, if I set, e.g., 48 in TC for the icons, all my icons of the above size range (not having 48x48 as native) become pixelated.
Could you please share one of your icons in question to check what it looks like from the inside?

[MaxX]

Native size is 48x48 or 32x32, not 40x40. I don't know any program with these 40x40...

[beb]

Native size is 48x48 or 32x32, not 40x40. I don't know any program with these 40x40...

That is not the issue. If an icon does have its native size 40x40 it is rendered perfectly.

My example: Image: https://i.imgur.com/hRBh6BO.png

[acmbs]

Here are the icons, made pixel perfect 42x42
Image: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e3bx12dsif0dtm4/AACwG7xuv_FXQruLKZHJPSfFa?dl=0

So it should look like this in 1:1 scale:
Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zogohh3i47xg32u/PREVIEW.png?dl=0

But in reality it looks overscaled and messed up:
Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/j66xgt79brip43i/REALITY.png?dl=0

Any ideas of what might be the problem?

Thanks!
Adrian

[ghisler(Author)]

Please use the checkbox "small icons" and set it to the actual icon size.

[acmbs]

Hi ghisler, I did set it to 42 but the result is even worse:

Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/d8e9fduua90q5q9/WORSE.png?dl=0

Can this be fixed manualy in the code someplace?

[Dalai]

Try a size larger than the icon size (mabe 42 or 48) and set the small icons size to the actual icon size (40).

Regards
Dalai

[beb]

Here are the icons, made pixel perfect 42x42...

2acmbs
I just took one of your icons (namely, KFC.ico).

My conclusion. The icon doesn't have a native 42x42 resolution.
It is, at best, I suppose, based on a bitmap image, that had been in one or another way scaled, and upon resizing its small details were irrecoverably lost.
In no way such an icon would be rendered as "anyhow close to ideal".
No matter what related settings you would apply within the TC or any other app, the icon will always be pixelated because it's been made as such by the designer, with all respect.

Now, I'm trying to make a similar icon myself for the comparing purpose:
- I'm googling "KFC", going to their Wikipedia page, and downloading from there their publicly available logo in vector format.
- Then, using the vector image I'm obtaining a multiformat icon file where each format is native (each bitmap of a certain size obtained from vector image granting to keeping as many original details as possible).

How it looks close to yours:
Image: https://i.imgur.com/abjD6vo.png
Image: https://i.imgur.com/YcB1bT0.png

Feel free to test it in your environment, whether it makes any difference to you:
https://www.upload.ee/image/15244712/KFC_logo_MULTI_v2.ico

Cheers

[acmbs]

I assure you, I've explored every avenue; even at 514x514, the effect appears distorted.

Let me clarify, the icon file is flawlessly designed at 42x42, in line with all other icons:
Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fph2i4gc3jik99u/KFC.png?dl=0

Please, let's not point fingers at the designer - I happen to be the designer, boasting over 20 years of experience. I wouldn't be raising these queries if the issue lied in the file size.

Nevertheless, I appreciate your screenshot. It further corroborates the issue with the icons not maintaining a 1:1 aspect ratio as they were originally designed to.

In this screenshot you shared, I've copied the 42x42 icon from the right side of your Lister and juxtaposed it with the icons you've utilized. As you can see, the resolution doesn't hold up to the sharpness of the original 42x42 from the right side menu.

Here's the upscaled version for a better view:
Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0t1ptx5atjhax0d/1b.png?dl=0

So, let's set the design discussions aside for a moment and concentrate on determining why the icons are not preserving their intended 1:1 aspect ratio.

Also why the KFC icon with the black KFC text inside it looking while after using as an icon?

I can take a closer look into icons you are using vs total commader view and check if those are scaled correctly, but my problem is having them look 1:1 as designed.

Thanks guys and have a nice day/night
Adrian

[Dalai]

2acmbs
I'm not entirely sure if this has something to do with the icon's dimensions, or if it's something else. Did you try with 32-bit or 8-bit color depth? I'm not sure if 24-bit color depth is supported. TC's own icons are either 8-bit or 32-bit. Neither the ICLView plugin nor the Imagine plugin nor TC Lister itself deliver a fully black text for your KFC icon. IrfanView seems to be the only program that does.

[ADD]
Looking the the icon in GIMP with a massive zoom seems to suggest that the text isn't fully black but transparent inside, the characters only have a black outline. That might be the issue.

Regards
Dalai