IconFactory - IconBuilder for Windows v2.0 For Photoshop
IconBuilder for Windows is a filter for use with Adobe Photoshop that makes creating icons a snap. By harnessing the professional power of Photoshop and Photoshop layers, IconBuilder provides icon artists with the most complete tool set possible for modern icon design and creation.


Support for 256x256 Vista icons
The new 256x256 icon resources used by Windows Vista are fully supported by IconBuilder.

Support for PNG compression
The 256x256 icon resource can be compressed with PNG compression. To enable or disable this feature, use the "Use PNG Compression on 256x256 Resource" in the IconBuilder Options menu.
Please be aware that icons created with PNG compression are ONLY compatible with Windows Vista. There are also cases where the PNG icons will cause problems while building the software in which they are used. These icons will also not display correctly in the Windows Photo Gallery (the default action when you double-click on them.)

Automatic color table generation
IconBuilder will now scan the Photoshop layer and automatically determine the best 256 colors to use in the 8-bit icon resource.
We recommend leaving this feature enabled, but if you have special requirements like a fixed color table, you can turn this option off using the "Generate Custom Color Table Automatically" item in the Options menu.
Standard grid locations built into filter
The icon resource locations in the Windows.psd file are now built into the filter. You can still use the Capture panel to adjust these locations, but the default positions make using the filter much quicker and easier.

New Photoshop actions to create small icon resources
Converting the 256x256 pixel resource into 48x48, 32x32, 24x24 and 16x16 pixel resources at all depths.
Converting smaller versions of all 48x48 icon resource depths.
Converting a selection from 32-bit color (RGB) to 8-bit color (indexed to 256 adaptive colors.)
Converting a selection from 32-bit color (RGB) to 4-bit color (indexed to 16 standard VGA colors.)
New verify mode to check icon resources
A new verify mode was added to IconBuilder that reports potential problems with the icon resources contained in the file. The verify mode shows a simple report that alerts you to situations where the icon will not display correctly and provides hints for increasing compatibility.

Improved capture mode
The capture panel allows you to view where IconBuilder is reading icon resources from the Photoshop layer. It has been improved significantly in this version:
The arrow keys can be used to nudge the capture position, making exact pixel alignment much simpler.
A zoom control allows you to view the smaller resources at 4x normal size, allowing for easier positioning.
The capture positions are locked by default, preventing accidental changes.
A reset button allows the grid positions to be moved back to their default positions.
There is also a new item in the Options menu: "Use Same Position for All Depths". When this mode is enabled, the 32-bit grid position will be used to automatically generate the lower bit depths (8-bit and 4-bit.)

Improved preview of icon resources
The resource grid area was made larger to provide a better preview of the resources in the file. Also, buttons to add or delete individual resources were added. The Insert and Delete keys are also available as keyboard shortcuts.

Updated web links
The links in the Web menu have been updated to go to the latest information on creating Windows icon. A visit to the new Vista User Experience Guidelines is highly recommended.