Version reviewed:
v1.10
Software description as per GOTD:
Icon Commander converts images of any format into Windows icons. You can find many images on the Internet and convert them to icons for use on your desktop, in applications and much more. Icon Commander have rich collection of icon styles. With IconCommander you can create Windows Icon with a single action. It supports Windows Vista 256×256 icons with alpha channel.
-------------------------
Table of Contents
Quick Pros and Cons
The Good
|
The Bad
|
Rating (out of 10)
Features as Described
Won't let me create icons in any size but 256x256 but everything else works fine.
|
7 |
Ease of Use
Very easy to use.
|
10 |
Performance
A little on the heavy side on computer resource usage but otherwise works well.
|
8 |
Usefulness
While I do like this program, I also understand that many people have no need to create icons.
|
6 |
Final Score |
8 |
Quick Verdict
Full Review
Registration and installation went fine.
Icon Commander is an elegant program to do a simple task: create icons. Icon Commander works in a fairly straightforward way: load the image you want to turn into an icon, crop the image to select the content that you want to become the icon (you may use the whole image), add a frame to your icon (if you wish), select the size of your icon, save your icon, and done.
This is what Icon Commander looks like:
Whatever image you load (according to the developer all image formats can be used and so far I have been unable to prove the developer wrong in my testing) will be displayed in the middle where the koala is now; you will then be able to crop the image as you desire (you may use the whole image or just a select part), rotate it, or flip it; there are also zoom controls to help you along the way:
In addition to the cropping, rotating and flipping, you can also chose from many different frames to add to your icon:
To the right of the program window notice the "icon panel":
This icon panel allows you to preview what the icon will look like (as you make changes the changes appear in live time) and chose the icon size. You may make the look of each individual icon size different than the look of the other sizes.
After you are satisfied with how your icon looks, you need to save it. Click on the icon size you want to save the icon as from the "icon panel". Then go to the top of the program window and change the "Format" from "Max OS X Icon" to "Windows Icon" (you may also choose "PNG Image") and click save:
The one annoying thing I discovered is by default the "Format" will always be "Mac OS X" instead of "Windows" so you will need to change it every time.
So overall this program is very easy to use, and does its job very well. I especially like the frames. However there is one major bug I have run into. This may be a Vista only issue, I don't know since I don't have an XP machine to run it on, but I am only able to create 256x256 icons/PNG images. No matter what I try the program just won't let me create anything but 256x256. This is a huge con because it cuts into the main functionality of the program. I am hoping this is a Vista only issue - someone with XP please confirm or deny.
Another con with this program the program is fairly computer resource intensive. It uses 35-45 MB of RAM depending on what you are doing and CPU fluctuates between 0-20%.
The last two cons are minor ones:
- You can't control the color type - only 32 bit
- There is no documentation/help section
All that being said, I still give this program a thumbs up. I really like it. It is simple, easy to use and adds a nice twist to things with the frames feature.
This review was conducted on a laptop running Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit. The specs of the laptop are as follows: 3GB of RAM, a Radeon HD 2600 512MB graphics card, and an Intel T8300 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor.
Free Alternatives
Easy Picture2Icon is a nice program that will turn any JPG, PNG, GIF or BMP image into 16x16, 32x32, and 48x48 icon files.
IcoFX is an excellent icon creator/editor. It can do all that Icon Commander can do (bare the icon frames) + a lot more. It is, however, a lot more complicated to use.
Tim
Great review! So nice to see you back Ashraf. GOTD wasn’t the same without your reviews.
Ashraf
@Tim: Thanks Tim.
Bella
Good Day,My Friend. Great to have ya back!! Thanks for the review,and the free alternatives. I am off to download this program……Ah so good to wake up to you again Ashraf..:) [heehe]
Dan
Ashraf,
It’s nice to have your reviews showing on GAOTD again… Been a while since I’ve seen them, have you been okay?
Your reviews are always to the point and very helpful, thank you!
Thanks again
Dan
Dan
I hope you enjoyed your vacation. It is good to have you back doing reviews. You make it a lot easier for people to decide whether a program is worth the bother or not. Thanks!
Dan
jumbi
Welcome baaaaaaaack !
secret2008
“One major bug: only creates 256×256 icons/PNG images – won’t let me create any other size.”
I’m using Win XP and I CAN change the ICON sizze but NOT the PNG size.
secret2008
“Not very light on computer resources.”
It doesn’t use a lot of resources for me.
0 – 5% CPU
1,000 – 42,000 RAM (not a lot to me)
CPU: Intel E8400 3.00 GHz Core 2 Duo
RAM: 2.00 GB
Edit: ??? Why can I only edit my last comment ???
Kev93
You’ll have to verify this yourself, but as far as I know vista only accepts 256×256 PNG’s in its icon format. I do know that icon makers are supposed to have 16×16 16 color, 16×16 32bit, 32×32 32bit, 256×256 32bit/256×256 PNG in their icons, I don’t know of any icons I have that have PNG’s smaller then 256×256.
Hope this helps!
P.S. Remember, I haven’t verified any of this yet.
Ashraf
@Kev93: I also thought so but then I also have 16×16 and 32×32 icons on my computer.
@secret2008: *Shrug*. I told you my experience.
Mohammed Sarhan
Welcome Back, Ashraf
I really missed you
Pat
What a great summary of GAOTD. Thank you
Wheezer
I’m finding it works good in XP too. I can save any size as a windows icon.
Some of the frames don’t show up very well when I actually use them. But that could be because my choice was a thinner frame and my eyes aren’t as good as they were when I was young.
Overall I think I’m gonna have some fun playing with this one.
Wheezer
Now that I’ve played with it and tried changing icons for a few different files, I’d have to give this program a thumbs down.
For me, it won’t save any of the frames it shows as available. It’ll save the ones that aren’t really a frame, the ones that look like a colored sheet of paper under the photo. But that’s it.
I’ve already changed the icons back to the ones I had set up using Folderico and plan on uninstalling Icon Commander within a day or two.
I’m waiting to uninstall in case I’m missing something in how I’m using it and somebody wants to straighten me out. I do like the idea of how this says it works, it just doesn’t work that way.
I’m using XP Home.
Ashraf
@Wheezer: The frames work just fine for me.
Wheezer
@Ashraf:
I ended up getting the frames to save by saving the icon in all sizes. Which still only got me one icon. ???
Anyway, decided it just wasn’t doing what I hoped it would (I’m not sure any icon program could), so I’ve uninstalled it.
TK
The program as given away was infected from build time with the Delphi development system virus win32/Induc
Binerus Delphi develpment environment was infected and as long as they leave it that way, everything the build will contain the win32/Induc virus. VirusTotal report set as my homepage to avoid it getting trashed due to its length.
http://www.sophos.com/blogs/gc/g/2009/08/19/w32induca-spread-delphi-software-houses
http://www.sophos.com/sophos/docs/eng/rb120-about-induc.mp3
TK
There is one unmentioned BAD which is it is infected with win32/Induc
report on it is is the website URL asociated with my name on this comment
http://www.sophos.com/blogs/gc/g/2009/08/19/w32induca-spread-delphi-software-houses
TK
A serious “The Bad” is it came pre-infected with win32/Induc virus, currently impossible to clean since the viral code was built into the compiled code because it is the Delphi development environment that is the target of this infection.