CODEWITHSUNDEEP
windowsvisual-studio
HelloWorld
HelloWorld

Reputation: 1863

Icons for Windows Executable with multiple resolutions

When I add a multi-resolution-icon file to my Windows application in Visual Studio 2013 it seems Windows and/or VS ignores the resolution and it seems the 32x32x24bit icon is used for the task-bar. My icon file contains the following resolutions: 16x16,32x32,48x48,256x256 with 8-bit and 24-bit each. The application itself is DPI-unaware but expected that an appropriate icon is used though. Ideas?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1825

Answers (1)

user700390
user700390

Reputation: 2339

There are very particular specifications for what formats should be present in your icon resources if you want Windows to use them properly. If you don't follow their recommendations you will get very inconsistent results from your application.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dn742485(v=vs.85).aspx has the guidelines you will want.

Application icons and Control Panel items: The full set includes 16x16, 32x32, 48x48, and 256x256 (code scales between 32 and 256). The .ico file format is required. For Classic Mode, the full set is 16x16, 24x24, 32x32, 48x48 and 64x64.

List item icon options: Use live thumbnails or file icons of the file type (for example, .doc); full set.

Toolbar icons: 16x16, 24x24, 32x32. Note that toolbar icons are always flat, not 3D, even at the 32x32 size.

Dialog and wizard icons: 32x32 and 48x48.

Overlays: Core shell code (for example, a shortcut) 10x10 (for 16x16), 16x16 (for 32x32), 24x24 (for 48x48), 128x128 (for 256x256). Note that some of these are slightly smaller but are close to this size, depending on shape and optical balance.

Quick Launch area: Icons will scale down from 48x48 in Alt+Tab dynamic overlays, but for a more crisp version, add a 40x40 to .ico file.

Balloon icons: 32x32 and 40x40.

Additional sizes: These are useful to have on hand as resources to make other files (for example, annotations, toolbar strips, overlays, high dpi, and special cases): 128x128, 96x96, 64x64, 40x40, 24x24, 22x22, 14x14, 10x10, and 8x8. You can use .ico, .png, .bmp, or other file formats, depending on code in that area.

Upvotes: 2

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