I need a good PNG-to-ICO image converter.  By "good" I mean that it can 
convert multiple PNG images of various sizes into a single .ico file 
while preserving 24-bit color.  (This is to produce an application's 
icon that should have multiple sizes and just just a "favicon" for a web 
site.)

All the PNG-to-ICO converters I've tried so far either only convert a 
single PNG to a single .ico file or reduce to 256 colors.

Command-line is best, freeware is always nice, but a reasonably-priced 
(<$50) GUI app would be OK.

Thanks in advance.

- Paul

The GIMP can save as ICO files, but it will require some manual labor.

If you are looking to drop some cash, Axialis IconWorkshop is a great 
product, and only $49.95 (5 cents under budget!) It can automatically resize 
the source image into all the various formats you want, and you can apply 
smoothing/sharpening filters before resizing too. Not only that, it supports 
the Vista PNG-compressed ICOs too. And of course, you can manually import 
files for specific sizes if you desire to do so as well. There is a free 
trial so you can see if it meets your needs. I tried various icon apps, free 
and trial, but Axialis was by far worth the money if you are planning to do 
any significant work with icons. It even comes with a nice basic library of 
images you can compose together for quick modifications of icons (or add some 
parts to there yourself -- for example, adding a star to the icon can be only 
a few clicks away).

-- 
Adzm


"Paul J. Lucas" wrote:

> I need a good PNG-to-ICO image converter.  By "good" I mean that it can 
> convert multiple PNG images of various sizes into a single .ico file 
> while preserving 24-bit color.  (This is to produce an application's 
> icon that should have multiple sizes and just just a "favicon" for a web 
> site.)
> 
> All the PNG-to-ICO converters I've tried so far either only convert a 
> single PNG to a single .ico file or reduce to 256 colors.
> 
> Command-line is best, freeware is always nice, but a reasonably-priced 
> (<$50) GUI app would be OK.
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> - Paul
>

Hi,

there is a free online converter  to convert png to ico.

http://www.convertico.com

if you want free tool for the same, check out.

http://www.vistaico.com/software/AveIconifier2.exe

Online converter should be fine. Beware while downloading the .exe. As I did 
not check it personally, scan it for viruses. 

But I did check the online tool. Works reasonably.


"Paul J. Lucas" wrote:

> I need a good PNG-to-ICO image converter.  By "good" I mean that it can 
> convert multiple PNG images of various sizes into a single .ico file 
> while preserving 24-bit color.  (This is to produce an application's 
> icon that should have multiple sizes and just just a "favicon" for a web 
> site.)
> 
> All the PNG-to-ICO converters I've tried so far either only convert a 
> single PNG to a single .ico file or reduce to 256 colors.
> 
> Command-line is best, freeware is always nice, but a reasonably-priced 
> (<$50) GUI app would be OK.
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> - Paul
>

Pradeep wrote:

> there is a free online converter  to convert png to ico.
> 
> http://www.convertico.com

This doesn't do what I said, specifically, it doesn't do multiple PNG to a 
single ICO.

- Paul

> This doesn't do what I said, specifically, it doesn't do multiple PNG to a 
> single ICO.

The format is trivial:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc546571.aspx


-- 
Mihai Nita [Microsoft MVP, Visual C++]
http://www.mihai-nita.net
------------------------------------------
Replace _year_ with _ to get the real email

Mihai N. wrote:
>> This doesn't do what I said, specifically, it doesn't do multiple PNG to a 
>> single ICO.
> 
> The format is trivial:
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc546571.aspx

I never said it wasn't, but that doesn't mean I'm interested in taking my time 
to write and debug a program to do it when there exist perfectly good programs 
to do it.  It would cost my company more time to pay me that to buy a ready-made 
program.

- Paul

Paul J. Lucas wrote:
> Mihai N. wrote:
>>> This doesn't do what I said, specifically, it doesn't do multiple PNG 
>>> to a single ICO.
>>
>> The format is trivial:
>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc546571.aspx
> 
> I never said it wasn't, but that doesn't mean I'm interested in taking 
> my time to write and debug a program to do it when there exist perfectly 
> good programs to do it.  It would cost my company more time to pay me 
> that to buy a ready-made program.

Copy-paste from MSDN samples, it's done in 2 hours..

Lexus wrote:
> Paul J. Lucas wrote:
>> Mihai N. wrote:
>>>> This doesn't do what I said, specifically, it doesn't do multiple 
>>>> PNG to a single ICO.
>>>
>>> The format is trivial:
>>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc546571.aspx
>>
>> I never said it wasn't, but that doesn't mean I'm interested in taking 
>> my time to write and debug a program to do it when there exist 
>> perfectly good programs to do it.  It would cost my company more time 
>> to pay me that to buy a ready-made program.
> 
> Copy-paste from MSDN samples, it's done in 2 hours..

Purchasing off a web site takes 3 minutes.  Look: if you can't or won't answer 
my question, then just remain silent.

- Paul

> Purchasing off a web site takes 3 minutes.

You bought nothing in 3 minutes, but you
wasted 3 days on this newsgoup.


> Look: if you can't or won't answer 
> my question, then just remain silent.

"Just answer exactly to what I ask or shut up" is the
mark of someone who cannot recognize a solution, and
this tone is something you can use with your kids
(although this attitude might damage them long term)

In general I assume that people asking a
question have a problem they want to solve.
If the solution solved the problem fast and
cheap (free), that should be enough.
You don't like it, learn to use Google.


-- 
Mihai Nita [Microsoft MVP, Visual C++]
http://www.mihai-nita.net
------------------------------------------
Replace _year_ with _ to get the real email

Mihai N. wrote:
>> Purchasing off a web site takes 3 minutes.
> 
> You bought nothing in 3 minutes, but you
> wasted 3 days on this newsgoup.

I didn't sit here idle for 3 days.  I used my time for other things.  (Duh.)

> In general I assume that people asking a
> question have a problem they want to solve.

My problem was precisely as I stated it: I wanted either a free of inexpensive 
application to convert multiple PNGs to a single ICO.  I don't know how I could 
have been any more precise.  I am not interested in the answer to any other 
question.

> If the solution solved the problem fast and
> cheap (free), that should be enough.

Please don't assume anything other than the poster knows how to ask a precise 
question.  Personally, I only ever answer the question somebody asks.  If it 
doesn't answer their question, they're free to clarify their original question 
or ask a follow-up question.  It's a waste of everybody's time to try to figure 
out what somebody meant and answer questions you think they asked.

- Paul

I tried the second link (http://www.vistaico.com/software/AveIconifier2.exe) 
and my antivirus went crazy.  I don't recommend anyone using it, at least 
from vistaico.com.

"Pradeep" wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> there is a free online converter  to convert png to ico.
> 
> http://www.convertico.com
> 
> if you want free tool for the same, check out.
> 
> http://www.vistaico.com/software/AveIconifier2.exe
> 
> Online converter should be fine. Beware while downloading the .exe. As I did 
> not check it personally, scan it for viruses. 
> 
> But I did check the online tool. Works reasonably.
> 
> 
> "Paul J. Lucas" wrote:
> 
> > I need a good PNG-to-ICO image converter.  By "good" I mean that it can 
> > convert multiple PNG images of various sizes into a single .ico file 
> > while preserving 24-bit color.  (This is to produce an application's 
> > icon that should have multiple sizes and just just a "favicon" for a web 
> > site.)
> > 
> > All the PNG-to-ICO converters I've tried so far either only convert a 
> > single PNG to a single .ico file or reduce to 256 colors.
> > 
> > Command-line is best, freeware is always nice, but a reasonably-priced 
> > (<$50) GUI app would be OK.
> > 
> > Thanks in advance.
> > 
> > - Paul
> >

> I tried the second link 
(http://www.vistaico.com/software/AveIconifier2.exe) 
> and my antivirus went crazy.  I don't recommend anyone using it, at least 
> from vistaico.com.

Axialis has a free lite version of their IconWorkshop for VS2008 users:
   http://www.axialis.com/download/iwlite.html


-- 
Mihai Nita [Microsoft MVP, Visual C++]
http://www.mihai-nita.net
------------------------------------------
Replace _year_ with _ to get the real email