Topic: Default icons

[abhirupmanna]

Isn't it possible to change all the default icons like post icons and thread icons ?

Why dont I find a theme with custom icons. Can I just manually change the icons.

[Xenocidius]

Of course it's possible. Simply navigate to the Themes directory, enter your theme's folder, then change any images you want in the images folder.

[abhirupmanna]

No my question is why dont i see themes like that ?

[Jade Elizabeth]

LOL because changing the default icons is a pain in the ass, and people can't be bothered doing that for every free theme .

[abhirupmanna]

But seriously these default icons look so bad. Another doubt. How do I make them png icons instead of gif because gif loses all its quality.
If possible how do I do it ?

[Jade Elizabeth]

It's a lengthy and irritating process, and some can't be.

Search the theme files for .gif and change them all to .png .

[LFrancke]

But seriously these default icons look so bad. Another doubt. How do I make them png icons instead of gif because gif loses all its quality.
If possible how do I do it ?

Depends in part on your skill, your vision and your tools.

Gimp can be your friend and it is free ....    www.gimp.org

You can make your own or edit what is available. Take the basic icon and add bump or shading or bevels to it or what ever you feel the need to do and you have an enhanced appearance from the original.

It is a long and weary task to do so and that is why most folks just use the default icons.

[abhirupmanna]

Icon making isn't the trouble editing the files is my trouble -.-
I'm no good at that stuff

[Jade Elizabeth]

Yeah, recolouring them is also horrible. I remember desaturating and then adjusting the contrast on every one of them for a black theme. OH MY GOD. I am so glad I can do that in 5 minutes as opposed to the 4 or more hours it took me back then!


For editing files fry notepad++. I don't know what searching capabilities it might have but you may be able to do a mass find and replace on the themes directory of .gif to .png .

[ARG]

I converted both RC3 and RC5 to 100% png. It was a very long and tedious process so I gave up when 2.0 was released. It's simply not worth the time to do it for every major upgrade. 

[abhirupmanna]

I dont really mind doing it. But I need to know which file to edit and what to edit

[K@]

For editing files fry notepad++.

You'll need a frying pan, to do that, of course.

[Jade Elizabeth]

I dont really mind doing it. But I need to know which file to edit and what to edit

Which is why I said use something to search the files for .gif .

Also it would help if you told me where the icons are, because all the templates are pretty much self explanatory except display is for inside the topics.

Just go to the theme directory and all the files are there .

For editing files fry notepad++.

You'll need a frying pan, to do that, of course.

LOL what a typo! XD

[K@]

I thought it was kinda cute, for some reason.

[ARG]

I dont really mind doing it. But I need to know which file to edit and what to edit

For starters:

Themes\default\Stats.template.php
Themes\default\Notify.template.php
Themes\default\Themes.template.php
Themes\default\ManageMembergroups.template.php
Themes\default\SendTopic.template.php
Themes\default\Reports.template.php
Themes\default\PersonalMessage.template.php
Themes\default\SplitTopics.template.php
Themes\default\Recent.template.php
Themes\default\ManageSmileys.template.php
Themes\default\Reminder.template.php
Themes\default\Errors.template.php
Themes\default\GenericMenu.template.php
Themes\default\Memberlist.template.php
Themes\default\MessageIndex.template.php
Themes\default\ManageNews.template.php
Themes\default\Register.template.php
Themes\default\Post.template.php
Themes\default\Help.template.php
Themes\default\ManageMaintenance.template.php
Themes\default\ManageSearch.template.php
Themes\default\Search.template.php
Themes\default\Admin.template.php
Themes\default\Calendar.template.php
Themes\default\ManagePermissions.template.php
Themes\default\GenericList.template.php
Themes\default\ManageAttachments.template.php
Themes\default\Login.template.php
Themes\default\Packages.template.php
Themes\default\GenericControls.template.php
Themes\default\ModerationCenter.template.php
Themes\default\ManageBoards.template.php
Themes\default\Profile.template.php
Themes\default\BoardIndex.template.php
Themes\default\Who.template.php
Themes\default\Display.template.php
Themes\default\css\rtl.css
Themes\default\css\compat.css
Themes\default\css\admin.css
Themes\default\css\editor_ie.css
Themes\default\css\index.css
Themes\default\css\editor.css
Themes\default\scripts\suggest.js
Themes\default\scripts\script.js
Themes\default\scripts\register.js
Themes\default\languages\Profile.english.php
Themes\default\languages\Profile.english.php
Themes\default\languages\Admin.english.php
Themes\default\languages\Help.english.php

Let me know when you find and change the 390 entries in those files and we can move on to the Source files.  Once the Source files are done then you will need to replace every .gif image with .png images of the same names. 

Oh, and good luck.

[abhirupmanna]

Damn..that is so less :/

[Jade Elizabeth]

Which is another reason....a lot of the images are in the sources files and themes cannot edit the sources.

Seriously find and replace .gif with .png and you'll be fine .

[abhirupmanna]

Wish me luck fellas..I'm gonna need it..

[AAAAAAAA]

You can't just replace all gifs as some of them are outside the template files.. well you can, but then you are not just editing the theme.
There are lots of themes that has other images than the defaults.
And by the way, on a 18*18 image, it doesn't matter a lot if it's gif or png. Most images aren't bigger. A gif at 18*18 can only contain 324 colors in theory and gifs can have 256. So converting to .png is not nessescary for most files, unless you want more options with the transparancy.

[Antechinus]

There's another old trick you can use. Just make .png images and rename them to .gif. People used to do that when they couldn't be bothered editing all the templates.

[Jade Elizabeth]

Never thought of that Ant, good tip!

[Antechinus]

Can cause problems in some browsers IIRC, but generally seemed to work ok. Worth a shot.