CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++windowsicons
jack excell
jack excell

Reputation: 141

Changing program icon dynamically

In C++, is there anyway to let the user chose the icon of the app? For example, Winamp lets you select which icon you wish to use from a list of icons in it's preferences. How is it done?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 4104

Answers (2)

sharkin
sharkin

Reputation: 12498

For Visual Studio 2010 in an MFC dialog based app

A. In the resource view, rightclick Icon folder and add icon. Give it an ID like IDI_MYICON. Leave it as is or draw something nice.

B. Go to OnInitDialog. Add the following two lines of code:

HICON hMyIcon = LoadIcon( AfxGetInstanceHandle(), MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDI_MYICON) );
SetIcon( hMyIcon, FALSE ); // FALSE == use as small icon

You can read about these functions in the help to understand what is happening.

This sets the icon as icon for the sysmenu (topleft) and in the taskbar. This is however not automatically reflected in all situations. E.g. for a systray icon you need to explicitly specify the icon again in the call to Shell_NotifyIcon().

Upvotes: 1

GolezTrol
GolezTrol

Reputation: 116100

There is the icon that you see in explorer. This is a resource in your executable. You could change that, but I wouldn't advise you too. Virus scanners can get nervous if executables are modified, and in Windows Vista you will not even be allowed to write in the Program Files folder.

But the icon that is displayed on the task bar or in the system tray can be changed. This is actually the icon of your application window and it can be set by sending a WM_SETICON message.

And there are shortcuts. They can be changed too, and in a shortcut you can specify which icon should be used.

I found a discussion on changing icons that has information about the first two options.

Upvotes: 5

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