Rating: 5
Version tested: 2.4
Imagicon is a small program that performs image to icon conversions as well as image conversions across all the supported formats (BMP, PNG, JPG and ICO). It features a simple drag and drop interface.
I was looking for a simple program to convert PNG’s and JPG’s into Icon (ICO) files and found this one. I chose to post this program over a number of others primarily because it supported converting a a number of popular image formats (BMP, PNG, and JPG), whereas most of the others I looked at typically converted a single format only (usually PNG). Here are some notes on this program:
- Simple interface: first define the output image settings you want (convert to icons by default), then simply drag and drop an image or multiple images onto the program dialog for the conversion to take place.
- Fast: very efficient conversions compared to other image-to-icon programs that I have tested.
- Icon settings: 32×32 by default, but can be set to any icon size setting (16×16, 48×48, 128×128, 64×64). You can also enable/disable transparency support within icons.
- Convert across formats: you can (a) set output format to any of BMP, PNG, or JPG instead of ICO, (b) set it to reduce image size to a percentage of the original, (c) set to custom pixel size instead of percentage, and choose whether or not to preserve proportions, (d) choose to flip the resulting image vertically or horizontally, and (e) a ni-filtering option can be selected that can "smooth out" image output.
- Customizable: the color of the program as well as the image used as background in the drag and drop dialog can be changed.
This program does what it does really well and has a nice efficient interface. My personal interest in it is as an image to icon converter but it can certainly be used as a small, easy to use image converter as well. Recommended.
Compatibility: Windows 98/2000/ME/NT/XP/Vista.
Go to the program home page to get the latest version (approx 944K).
Nice app but with a great limitation…
To generate only 1 icon size at a time lead to crappish icons at various sizes… Needed icons sizes in windows xp are 16×16(small icons), 32×32 (icons), 48×48 (titles) but we do need all three sizes to get a goodlooking icons!
Ficod — you’re right, I wasn’t aware of this when I wrote this review. I just reviewed IcoFX which can do exactly what you want (create a single icon with multiple supported icon sizes).
Unfortunately, this is no longer freeware.
Gin,
It is still free; the website somewhat strangely states: “Full version: FREE (Included in demo)”
I just downloaded and installed it no problem. It’s the full version not the demo.
I just purchased a digital frame but, after the purchase, I found it was a bit picky about what types of jpg files it would display. Most of the scans from my parents family albums that I made years ago were indicated as “invalid” files on the frame and wouldn’t display at all.
But running a “jpg-to-jpg” conversion on these files in Imagicon has remedied whatever the problem was and now ALL of the old scans display perfectly with no visible signs of degradation evident even when displayed on my new 15″ digital frame!
If it did nothing else but fix my problem scans, Imagicon has proven itself to be a valuable tool for my digital photo and scans collection.
And a big “PLUS” is that it is so easy to use.
The batch processing feature is a real timesaver!