The discussion revolves around customizing desktop icons, specifically the desire to create rectangular icons instead of the standard square ones. Participants explore the technical limitations and possibilities across different operating systems, particularly Windows, while addressing the implications for graphical user interfaces (GUIs).
Participants generally agree that desktop icons are square in nature, but there is disagreement on the implications of this limitation and the potential for visual customization. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best approach to achieve the desired rectangular appearance.
Limitations include the inherent square format of icons in Windows and the potential confusion regarding the distinction between the visual appearance of icons and their functional click areas. The discussion also reflects varying levels of understanding about GUI design and icon creation.
AHAHAHA (oh, you weren't delivering that deadpan?)rootone said:It's undesirable for an OS to be spending it's CPU cycles excessively on stuff that is essentially eye candy glitz.
Dear phinds,phinds said:What do you mean, make them square? Desktop icons ARE square. You can make and area in each side or an area in the top and bottom be transparent and the icon will LOOK rectangular but it really will still be square. You can't get away from that, at least if you are running Windows.
window 7 and 8,phinds said:what operating system are you using? You seem to be saying that you think a button is a GUI. A button is just an icon and as has already been said, those are square in all known GUI operating systems. If you are planning on writing an entire GUI operating system, you have a LOT bigger problems than just the size of your icons.
You really have not been paying attention to what has already been said. You CANNOT get away from the fact that Windows uses square icons. This has already been explained to you. You can make it LOOK rectangular, as has ALSO already been explained to you in post #3. Please pay attention to what people are telling you.Nate Duong said:window 7 and 8,
I've been thinking the GUI button , but there will need time to create it, and i do not know what kind of software should be to create that button quickly?
that is why I am trying to think simple way that is to resize icon on the desktop to rectangle.
Actually, I think he just cut/pasted the exact same response to a post of mine into a response to another from someone else, but yeah, it was confusing.jtbell said:Note: I've deleted some duplicate posts which were probably accidental.
You can use Microsoft Visual Studio to create and edit an icon file - with icons any shape that you want. You just have to make part of it transparent to change them from square. Or you can use an icon editor (google icon editor).Nate Duong said:window 7 and 8,
I've been thinking the GUI button , but there will need time to create it, and i do not know what kind of software should be to create that button quickly?
that is why I am trying to think simple way that is to resize icon on the desktop to rectangle.
No, as has already been explained, the icon is NOT anything other than square, it can just be made to LOOK other than square. The area in which Windows will recognize a click is still square..Scott said:You can use Microsoft Visual Studio to create and edit an icon file - with icons any shape that you want. You just have to make part of it transparent to change them from square.
This is semantics.phinds said:No, as has already been explained, the icon is NOT anything other than square, it can just be made to LOOK other than square. The area in which Windows will recognize a click is still square.
I didn't catch this the first time. At least for Windows 7, the width of the "click" area includes the full region available to the title text. The height includes a margin above the icon and below the last line of text - so it can be different for different shortcuts.phinds said:The area in which Windows will recognize a click is still square.