desk top icons

when i try to change a shortcut icon on my desktop I get a message that there
are no icons in that folder. I am used to being able to use any item for an
icon when using XP. Vista will not let me use downloaded clip art etc. any
suggestions.
Dean

Use Paint to open the file you want to use as an icon. Resize it to 32x32
and save it in the folder in question as a BMP file. Rename it to
filename.ico.

"DeanC" <> wrote in message
news:B691ED79-6CD7-4E88-A6C2-...
> when i try to change a shortcut icon on my desktop I get a message that
> there
> are no icons in that folder. I am used to being able to use any item for
> an
> icon when using XP. Vista will not let me use downloaded clip art etc.
> any
> suggestions.
> Dean

Thanks Bob
I followed your instructions (I think) when I got to the resize it gave me
choices of percentage and I used 32 X 32 and followed the rest of the trail,
however when the icon came up on my desktop it was very faint and grainy.
Did I screw up in the resize?

"Bob" wrote:

> Use Paint to open the file you want to use as an icon. Resize it to 32x32
> and save it in the folder in question as a BMP file. Rename it to
> filename.ico.
>
> "DeanC" <> wrote in message
> news:B691ED79-6CD7-4E88-A6C2-...
> > when i try to change a shortcut icon on my desktop I get a message that
> > there
> > are no icons in that folder. I am used to being able to use any item for
> > an
> > icon when using XP. Vista will not let me use downloaded clip art etc.
> > any
> > suggestions.
> > Dean
>
>

You resized it correctly. Did you save it as a 256 color bitmap?

"DeanC" <> wrote in message
news:745317A4-85FA-40BB-A5E2-...
> Thanks Bob
> I followed your instructions (I think) when I got to the resize it gave me
> choices of percentage and I used 32 X 32 and followed the rest of the
> trail,
> however when the icon came up on my desktop it was very faint and grainy.
> Did I screw up in the resize?
>
> "Bob" wrote:
>
>> Use Paint to open the file you want to use as an icon. Resize it to 32x32
>> and save it in the folder in question as a BMP file. Rename it to
>> filename.ico.
>>
>> "DeanC" <> wrote in message
>> news:B691ED79-6CD7-4E88-A6C2-...
>> > when i try to change a shortcut icon on my desktop I get a message that
>> > there
>> > are no icons in that folder. I am used to being able to use any item
>> > for
>> > an
>> > icon when using XP. Vista will not let me use downloaded clip art etc.
>> > any
>> > suggestions.
>> > Dean
>>
>>

Yes

"Bob" wrote:

> You resized it correctly. Did you save it as a 256 color bitmap?
>
> "DeanC" <> wrote in message
> news:745317A4-85FA-40BB-A5E2-...
> > Thanks Bob
> > I followed your instructions (I think) when I got to the resize it gave me
> > choices of percentage and I used 32 X 32 and followed the rest of the
> > trail,
> > however when the icon came up on my desktop it was very faint and grainy.
> > Did I screw up in the resize?
> >
> > "Bob" wrote:
> >
> >> Use Paint to open the file you want to use as an icon. Resize it to 32x32
> >> and save it in the folder in question as a BMP file. Rename it to
> >> filename.ico.
> >>
> >> "DeanC" <> wrote in message
> >> news:B691ED79-6CD7-4E88-A6C2-...
> >> > when i try to change a shortcut icon on my desktop I get a message that
> >> > there
> >> > are no icons in that folder. I am used to being able to use any item
> >> > for
> >> > an
> >> > icon when using XP. Vista will not let me use downloaded clip art etc.
> >> > any
> >> > suggestions.
> >> > Dean
> >>
> >>
>
>

Maybe it was the quality of the image you used. Try a different one.

"DeanC" <> wrote in message
newsD743790-4EF5-4421-95AC-...
> Yes
>
> "Bob" wrote:
>
>> You resized it correctly. Did you save it as a 256 color bitmap?
>>
>> "DeanC" <> wrote in message
>> news:745317A4-85FA-40BB-A5E2-...
>> > Thanks Bob
>> > I followed your instructions (I think) when I got to the resize it gave
>> > me
>> > choices of percentage and I used 32 X 32 and followed the rest of the
>> > trail,
>> > however when the icon came up on my desktop it was very faint and
>> > grainy.
>> > Did I screw up in the resize?
>> >
>> > "Bob" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Use Paint to open the file you want to use as an icon. Resize it to
>> >> 32x32
>> >> and save it in the folder in question as a BMP file. Rename it to
>> >> filename.ico.
>> >>
>> >> "DeanC" <> wrote in message
>> >> news:B691ED79-6CD7-4E88-A6C2-...
>> >> > when i try to change a shortcut icon on my desktop I get a message
>> >> > that
>> >> > there
>> >> > are no icons in that folder. I am used to being able to use any
>> >> > item
>> >> > for
>> >> > an
>> >> > icon when using XP. Vista will not let me use downloaded clip art
>> >> > etc.
>> >> > any
>> >> > suggestions.
>> >> > Dean
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>

On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:16:01 -0800, DeanC
<> wrote:

> when i try to change a shortcut icon on my desktop I get a message that there
> are no icons in that folder. I am used to being able to use any item for an
> icon when using XP. Vista will not let me use downloaded clip art etc. any
> suggestions.


Click the Browse button, and you can browse to and use any compatible
icon file anywhere on the drive.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

There are two pop ups when I hit 'properties' on an icon. When the 'change
icon' tab is in the middle I have no problem. But when the first screen that
comes up has the 'change icon' on the right side ... when I try to change the
icon it won't change, it only flickers and stays the same.
Is it possible I chose 'Use windows icons' at some time in the past when I
was first setting up my Vista? I have a fuzzy memory of something like that &
thought perhaps that is my problem. I've searched for a place that gives that
choice so I can undo it but can't find it.
These are all icons I've created and used in the past; and some SnagIt
icons.
--
judy crayton


"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:

> On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:16:01 -0800, DeanC
> <> wrote:
>
> > when i try to change a shortcut icon on my desktop I get a message that there
> > are no icons in that folder. I am used to being able to use any item for an
> > icon when using XP. Vista will not let me use downloaded clip art etc. any
> > suggestions.
>
>
> Click the Browse button, and you can browse to and use any compatible
> icon file anywhere on the drive.
>
> --
> Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
> Please Reply to the Newsgroup
>