Dr. Gizmo: Changing the appearance of icons

The doctor hates it when his icons get messed up.

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Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

Dr. Gizmo: Changing the appearance of icons

Jan. 23, 2001

By Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2002, Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2002, The Post-Standard

   I have come to recognize all my image files by the little colored icons that represent the type of file. GIF pictures looks very different from JPG, for example. When I installed Irfan View, I lost all my icons! Now all I see is a red roadkill animal icon apparently supplied by Irfan View. How do I get mine back? -- S.G., via Northnet
   The doctor hates it when his icons get messed up. The free Irfan View (www.irfanview.com) is a wonderful image viewer, but even good software needs to be considerate about changing icons without permission. Fortunately, Windows provides a way to undo such damage.
   Windows shows icons for various files by looking up the file's "type" in a hidden list and checking to see which icon has been assigned to that type. The hidden list is stored in the Windows registry, but you can view it and even change it without touching the registry itself.
   This works differently in various versions of Windows, so the doc will explain it generally, based on how Windows 98 does it. Open the "View" or "Options" menu in a file-and-folder window and open a menu usually called "Folder Options." Click "File Types."
   Find the file type whose icon you want to change and highlight it. Click "Edit" and click "Change Icon." Windows probably will show you the icons it stores in its main icon file. Double click any icon among the ones you see to assign it, or click "Browse" in the button at the bottom of the window and find other icons.
   "Stealing" icons in this manner doesn't actually take them. The doc would never let his patients commit theft. When you choose an icon from another Windows program, you're merely borrowing a copy of the icon.
   The doc tried a few special programs that do all the work of picking (and even making) different icons, and it was a lot of fun. The best software (despite the awful pun) is Microangelo, from www.impactsoft.com.
   Dr. Gizmo likes to customize the icons on Al Fasoldt's main PC (but only when his pal isn't looking, of course). You can send an icon or just a letter to the doctor or his buddy at Technology, Box 4915, Syracuse, NY 13221. Or send e-mail to afasoldt@twcny.rr.com.