Olaf Gazze

Join Date 05/2006

Icon sizing in ObjectDock

hello.
i'd like to understand just how the settings for icon size & magnified size actually works because i'm designing my own icons for the dock only they appear to display incorrectly.
i thought i would design at a larger size than i would really need so as to improve quality.
could someone explain how the OD sizing works?
i have the normal size set at 48 pixels which seems about right for me but upon zooming the icon doesn't seem to benefit from the high resolution i used to design it (512 pixels) ...it looks blurry.
i don't understand what OD is doing to it!

many thanks for any help.

docks

Locked Post

Advanced Search

Watch this post

Do not email me updates for this post Email me updates for this post

Successfully updated karma reason!

Try use png, not icon. Png's look better.
If you have only icon file's convert them to png.

Use axialis iconworkshop , recommend.

Successfully updated karma reason!

thanks but i am making them in png.
my original image looks perfect but that doesn't seem to translate onto ObjectDock.

Successfully updated karma reason!

what size is your png?

Successfully updated karma reason!

Sign Up or Login and this ad disappears!
There are many great features available to you once you register. Sign Up for a free account and browse the forums without ads.

i did say...512 pixels (512 x 512).

Successfully updated karma reason!

messiah1

Join Date 10/2005

+434

512x512 is just the size of the image, if I'm not mistaken, what is the actual resolution of the icon? i.e. 72 dpi etc. 300 is considered "High" resolution. The higher the resolution, the less loss when the icon/png is reduced in size.

Successfully updated karma reason!

i did say...512 pixels (512 x 512).

yes you did... my bad

you're leaving as png for use, yes?

as Messiah1 mentioned what dpi?

what are your setting in performance options?

is just the one's you're doing? or all? (not counting the crappy default exe ico that shows when you create a shortcut)

Successfully updated karma reason!

aaaaaaaah.that's a good point chaps.
i didn't think about the resolution!
it was at 72 (screen res.)
does it apply just the same as it does for print?
if so...i never knew that.
i thought you couldn't improve upon screen resolution which is why i was only thinking about the size.

i'm intending making a whole suite for my needs,Bichur.
however i was just testing 1 icon before continuing & that's when i noticed how shite it was looking!
performance wise i have it optimized for performance with all the default (recommended) settings which frankly should be fine as they show other icons very nicely.

Successfully updated karma reason!

messiah1

Join Date 10/2005

+434

When you go to create a new icon (new canvase) set the dpi to 300. That will increase the quality of the icon. Also the actual size (mb) will be increased. Which is a trade off of having the quality.

Successfully updated karma reason!

open up your graphics
create one at at 200 dpi or higher

see if it looks better

72? my default is 96 - isn't 72 the basic website dpi?

Successfully updated karma reason!

Cavan1

Join Date 08/2004

+173

Since max zoom for OD is 256 it is best to make icons at 256x 256 (or 196x196, even 128x128 if well made will hold up well at full zoom). With a 512x512 icon when zoomed image is scaled down 2-1, any fine detail may get blurry. Lets say you have some fine details that are 20 pixels, when zoomed at 256 that detail will be scaled down to 10 pixels, which will cause some lose of detail thus making it look blurry compared to the full 512 image.
Think of it just like a wallpaper, if you used a 1600x1200 wall at 800x600 res it may not look good being scaled down that much.

optimized for performance with all the default (recommended) settings

For image quality, I would suggest Top Quality.

Successfully updated karma reason!

thanks guys.

what you say makes good sense Cavan1.
still a bit unclear as to resolution...we didn't seem to reach a consensus.

am i right to think i should begin again by designing a 256 x 256 icon at 300DPI?

Successfully updated karma reason!

Cavan1

Join Date 08/2004

+173

300DPI?

For logon buttons etc, OD backgrounds, icons, cursors, basically any image, I always create at 300 dpi.
Even an image for a bootskin will stay at 300 dpi even after being decreased to 16 color.

Successfully updated karma reason!

ok then.
i know what to try now.

thanks very much for your help.

Successfully updated karma reason!