Ico2BMP

by Tony Howat


Ico2BMP converts Microsoft Windows ICO files into the more commonly used BMP format, which can be read by programs such as ChangeFSI and Translator under RISC OS.

In the PC world there are many free ICO files available, thanks to the need to give millions of iconless DOS applications an identity under Windows. For those of us who can't draw, these libraries are very handy when producing new Acorn icons; after a bit of munging with Paint they can look rather good under RISC OS. Of course, there are good and bad Windows icons; many are terrible, so you have to use discretion!

Using Ico2BMP
When the ICO files are on your Acorn machine, make sure that the !Ico2BMP application icon has been seen by the filer and set their filetype to "ICO" in the usual RISC OS manner. (This step won't be necessary if the DOS type mapper recognizes the extension.) To convert an ICO file, simply double-click on it. Ico2BMP will convert the file automatically into a sequence of files according to how many icons are in the file, appending a number to each output filename as they are converted.

Masochists may wish to know that Ico2BMP can also be used through the command line. Use:
	ico2bmp <icofile> [-verbose]
Specifying -verbose causes the program to print details of the icons as they are converted.

Compatibility issues
Ico2BMP has been tested with the new style of ICO files from Windows 95 and Windows NT 4, as well as with the normal Windows 3.1 form. It works correctly with both versions.

Copyright  RISC User magazine 1997
