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FastIcns v3.1

Juna - 8 Sep 2006

5 March '07: the project has moved to our new site dedicated to our projects. Please refer to the new site for the documentation and the download. This page is going to be substituted soon or later with a more technical view of the project.

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With an innovative and easy–to–use interface, you can create your icons for Mac in only two steps.

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How does FastIcns works?

Pick your favourite file, folder or image and drag it over the cube; check the preview and then double-click the cube to save as an icns file or as a resource–fork–only file.

Which kind of image formats are supported?

FastIcns supports all common image formats, including transparent images and Windows’ icons. Just try it! ;)

What happens if I drag–in a generic file or folder?

Its icon is captured in order to proceed to icon generation. It can be useful if you want to convert icons from a format to the other.

What’s an icns file useful for?

You can provide it as an icon for a bundle. For example, Mac OS X applications use this format for their icons.

What’s an icon in a resource–fork–only file useful for?ï¿½

That is the kind of file you'll find for example on interfacelift.com to distribute icons, as these files provide an immediate preview in the Finder and are easy to copy icons from. So this is the format recommended to distribute your icons too!

I see my picture rotated in FastIcns. What can I do?

The Edit menu contains some simple editing functions to rotate or flip your image before the conversion.

Can I assign the icon to an already existing file or folder?

Yes. Saving as a resource fork doesn't overwrite an existing file: it only changes its icon. As a shortcut you can drag the target file or folder over the cube pressing the Command key: you'll be asked to confirm changing its icon.

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Changelog:

Version 2.0:
— Universal Binary
— Saving the resource fork doesn't overwrite an existing file
— Set icon for file or folder on command+drop
— Simple edit operations from menu
— Options to change cube's color and to show a direction reference
— Bugfixes

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Thanks to our friend Claudio that made the Universal binary release possible. As we haven't any Intel machine available, if you want to offer yourself as a beta–tester for our softwares, please send us an email!

Thanks to our host (link) that sustained the big bandwidth increase due to the FastIcns release!

Thanks to all the sites linking to FastIcns, especially Nitoc's Blog that expresses much enthusiasm in its review in traditional chinese and offers the taiwanese localization of the resources as a free download! The complete list is on our blog.

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YOU ROCK!

Sarah - 19 Sep 2006 03:27

I have searched high and low for a simple way to create icons that are easily copy-and-paste-able in the Info window. This is the first solution I've found that works like it promises.

Thanks Again!

pretty sweet

Jay French - 19 Sep 2006 06:11

Thanks this is exactly what I wanted.

Bloody good!!!

Jan-Ake - 1 Oct 2006 12:12

Incredibly good!!!
Thanks!

The best sofware

Nyko - 20 Oct 2006 16:04

a fantastic tool to create icons

Sooo-oh Happy!

vlady - 26 Oct 2006 12:25

i've tried soooo-oh much with other apps, but this has made it sooo-oh simple! love it! - thanks.

INUTILE?

sergio sisani - 5 Nov 2006 01:05

Non capisco a che serve: le stesse icone le faccio con Photoshop o qualsiasi altro programma che salvando il file crea le anteprime. Non gestisce le trasparenze: disegno una nuova icona 128x128 con Photoshop lasciando delle parti vuote, salvo in jpg, lo passo in Fasticns, lo salvo e perdo la trasparenza. Mah...

thank you!

christine - 5 Nov 2006 08:36

this is so perfect!! thank you lots for making a simple and easy-to-use program!!!

Per Sergio

Matteo - 5 Nov 2006 14:44

Caro Sergio, un conto ï¿½ creare la thumbnail di un'immagine e un conto ï¿½ creare icone da poter utilizzare nei bundle o da poter assegnare a qualunque cartella o file del sistema.

Ti ricordo inoltre che il formato jpg NON supporta la trasparenza: se provi a caricare la stessa jpg nel tuo programma di grafica ti accorgerai che la trasparenza sarï¿½ sparita. Per poter mantenere la trasparenza ï¿½ necessario salvare in un formato che la supporti: png, tiff, gif o lo stesso psd che FastIcns supporta a livello base.

Ci sono altri programmi per fare icone (anche molto meno costosi di PhotoShop, sei fortunato a potertelo permettere), ma FastIcns non vuole essere un programma per fare icone: vuole essere un programma per convertire immagini, fatte da zero in un qualunque programma (a noi piace Gimp) o a partire da foto, in icone per Mac.

Just Posted New Release!

Ray Marotta - 7 Nov 2006 05:08

Hey there,

I just saw you had a new release and
It's already posted on my Site,

InTheMac.com...

Good Luck with the Release!

;; Ray

SUPERB

Andreas - 7 Nov 2006 19:21

Beautifully crafted.
***** for functionality.
***** for presentation.
***** for appearance.

Magnifico. Un capoloavoro.
Many thanks.

Im Confused

Someone - 16 Nov 2006 02:22

I still don't get it whenever i do it it just saves it as a file.. how do i get to be the icon of a file?

top notch

Martin Paling - 17 Nov 2006 03:25

brilliantly simple!

For the confused

Matteo - 17 Nov 2006 15:06

Someone: save as resource fork and choose the existing file / type the name of the existing folder. Or you can drop the file / folder on the cube while keeping the Command key pressed. You'll be asked to confirm the overwrite of the old icon and then it will be replaced.

Excelente

Adriï¿½n Schuierer - 18 Nov 2006 19:58

Excelente prrograma

Gracias !!

Got It Now

citizenbfk - 18 Nov 2006 20:25

I didn't 'get it,' right away, although the rotating cube is fantastic! Your info, above, about saving it as a Resource Fork, though, did it.

For me it made an icon that -- for some reason - openned Text Edit when I double clicked on it.

But since it was an icon I was able to copy it and then paste it onto the folder I wanted, using Get Info.

It's excellent! Thanks.

thanks it's what I was lookin

folha - 22 Nov 2006 23:27

This is just great! Thanks a lot!

wooooow

GoGo - 28 Nov 2006 15:11

ï¿½ fantasticooooo! semplice veloce e geniale!!!
grazieeeeeee =)

AWSOME!

Mitch - 5 Dec 2006 22:07

Just what I was looking for!

Set face color

Macvid - 21 Dec 2006 00:58

I am new to this stuff and have been wondering is there a program that makes icons form images. FastIcons is great. Can you tell me what is "Set face color"in edit menu and how do I use it?

thanks

I don't get it

John - 21 Dec 2006 21:30

What am I doing wrong. I have a Mac, Tiger 10.4. I drag the picture (Spiderman) over the rotating cube, nothing happens, and it's a alias. I click on the original, open info, than preview the picture is there. I double click on the cube, save, and a picture shows up named with .icn. I open info. and the icon on the top, left corner is a file named icon, not the picture.? HELP

re: face color

Matteo - 22 Dec 2006 01:23

"set face color" should make you choose a color for the face (instead of the default blue color) to check your image against different backgrounds. It makes no difference for the exported file, tho.

John I'm sorry but I don't know how to help you, we've not received any other complaint like that before. It seems to work nicely: drag a file / image / folder in the cube or in the application's icon, double click the cube and save as a .icns file you can open in Preview.app.

Fixed

John - 22 Dec 2006 07:26

I figured it out. All I had to do was to choose resource fork. Once I did, I was able to use the icons.
Thank you

OMG

CletusInternational - 24 Dec 2006 16:05

been looking at a lot of different icon tools, and yours was one of the ones i found... and while i have used it to make some icons, i actually am keeping it primarily as a distraction on my desktop. i have a collection of little images, i choose one that suits my mood, drop it on and leave it running. it's sort of hypnotic, this cube rotating on my desktop... great distraction, and helps clear my thoughts when i'm looking for new ideas. Thanx!

128x128 Mask?

tfindlay - 27 Dec 2006 05:59

In the icns that FastIcn creates there doesn't seem to be any 128x128 mask generated. When I open the file in Preview there is a 128 image but no 128 mask. All of the other sizes seem to have masks. Am I missing something?

re: 128x128 mask

Matteo - 27 Dec 2006 10:58

As per specification, OSX' icons have no 128x128 mask, as it is included in the 32bit image data as the alpha channel. The other sizes include both the 8-bit mask in the image's alpha channel and the 1-bit mask as a separate layer.
Note however that 1-bit masks should be used only on legacy Classic systems and are included by FastIcns only as to create completely legal icon files.

Bravi!

Alejandra - 27 Dec 2006 20:07

This is by far the most beautiful application on my mac. The fact that it works so well is almost obscured by the sheer beauty of it.

Rotation cube as flash

Lars - 9 Jan 2007 12:16

thanks for the beauty and simplicity of it. I wish I could save the rotating cube as a flash movie and use it on my web-site. Any tips as to how I could do this?

re: Rotation cube as flash

Matteo - 9 Jan 2007 13:47

I guess you would do that with some tool like Quicktime Pro or Adobe Flash. You can find the animation inside FastIcns' package, it's called cube.qtz and you can open it with Apple's Quartz Composer.

re: Rotation cube as flash

Lars - 9 Jan 2007 14:20

Thanks are in order, again. It revives my respect for things Italian.

THANK YOU!

Theo - 21 Jan 2007 12:06

I was looking everywhere for some sort of utility so I could convert the images I made in Photoshop, to mac compatible icons.

It was a relief to find your easy, simple application and best of all it was free =)

FINALLY!

BigN - 22 Jan 2007 08:19

This program kicks ass! So f*%#?^! simple! Brilliant.

AMAZING

Kraig - 23 Jan 2007 06:45

Im thrilled to finally have an icon creating program. And I love how fast and easy it is.

Useless

The Valiant One - 27 Jan 2007 03:19

Simply does'nt work. Obeyed instructions - Nothing!

Thank You!

Scampi - 31 Jan 2007 18:35

This works beautifully for me--it's very easy to use and the rotating cube is so attractive I leave it on my desktop with an image du jour! Can't wait to see your next release...Best Wishes!

Cube is distracting

Darryl - 1 Feb 2007 18:26

The cube is cute but doesn't give any indication what it's for. Does it save the icon to look like the current view of the cube? No, it just saves a flat icon for the dropped file.

It would be much more helpful to have a small window (maybe with the cube in a corner) that you can see the resulting icon in, along with a 2-sentence explanation of what happens and why.

re: distracting

Matteo - 1 Feb 2007 21:53

Thanks for your feedback. I understand your point but we wanted to make something nice to see and use.
What would a classic window offer more than the cube for this little, simple, basic tool? The source image should be edited in a proper editing program anyway.

damï¿½good

sodajoda - 2 Feb 2007 23:47

just 2 klick for a new nice folder icon!!!
thx a lot!

Magistralement simple

Montambo - 10 Feb 2007 09:23

Tellement beau que mes neurones klaxonnent!

Best Icon app ever

MACscreencast - 11 Feb 2007 03:00

Thats it!
Just two clicks, or drag&drop of a file/folder and you've got a new icon.
Thanks for this great application!

Previous versions

Giles - 3 Mar 2007 18:51

V2 does not work with my OSX v10.2.8. Do you do another version that will?

re: previous version

Matteo - 5 Mar 2007 03:05

@Giles: sorry but no, unfortunately FastIcns has always used Quartz Composer's technology that wasn't available on 10.2.

Good application!

Jesse - 20 Apr 2007 11:59

Thx, digital waters!

All right!

thebrat - 22 Jun 2007 03:35

That's so slick. And so simple. I like to put a picture it, then just leave the cube rotating on my desktop--watching one of my cute great niece/nephews tumble and tumble. Thank you!

Marvellous

fla - 17 Aug 2007 23:42

This program is just great, very essential.
Wanted to add anyway, that same as John, if I save the file straight as .icns when I open Infos to copy-paste I get a simple "icon" doc instead of the image I used as an icon. However if I save it as resource fork it just saves it the correct way.
Thanks!

re: Marvellous

Matteo - 18 Aug 2007 00:08

@fla: thanks for your kind feedback. Anyway the effect you describe it's completely normal. The ICNS format is not supposed to show anything in the Finder's info, that instead uses a file's resource fork or the associated application's icon. The content of the ICNS files is only viewable in the preview tab of the Info panel or enabling the files preview in the Finder's view options.

Non funziona

fabio - 21 Sep 2007 19:02

io le trascino ma mi da un anteprima vuota e se uso l'icona creata nn me la fa vedere...

Condividere il file .icns

elena grattacapo - 29 Dec 2007 17:46

Ehm scusate ma sono tarda su queste cose.
Creo l'icona usando l'estensione icns e fin qui tutto bene :) figo.
Appiccico l'icona nelle cartelline e diventano tutte belline e fin qui tutto bene. Ma poi quando scarico l'icona su un altro mac...non funzia piu'. Posso vederla solo se la apro in anteprima. Me ignorante. Insomma in poche parole come posso condividere le icone create?
ehm. grazie!