Icon sizing in ObjectDock
Thursday, June 28, 2007 by Olaf Gazze | Discussion: Docks
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.
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.
Olaf Gazze
Reply #2 Thursday, June 28, 2007 3:14 PM
Reply #2 Thursday, June 28, 2007 3:14 PM
thanks but i am making them in png.
my original image looks perfect but that doesn't seem to translate onto ObjectDock.
my original image looks perfect but that doesn't seem to translate onto ObjectDock.
messiah1
Reply #5 Friday, June 29, 2007 3:27 PM
Reply #5 Friday, June 29, 2007 3:27 PM
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.
Bichur
Reply #6 Saturday, June 30, 2007 12:07 AM
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)
Reply #6 Saturday, June 30, 2007 12:07 AM
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)
Olaf Gazze
Reply #7 Saturday, June 30, 2007 9:44 AM
Reply #7 Saturday, June 30, 2007 9:44 AM
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.
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.
messiah1
Reply #8 Saturday, June 30, 2007 10:44 AM
Reply #8 Saturday, June 30, 2007 10:44 AM
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.
Bichur
Reply #9 Saturday, June 30, 2007 11:02 AM
Reply #9 Saturday, June 30, 2007 11:02 AM
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?
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?
Cavan1
Reply #10 Saturday, June 30, 2007 1:29 PM
Reply #10 Saturday, June 30, 2007 1:29 PM
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.
For image quality, I would suggest Top Quality.
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.
Olaf Gazze
Reply #11 Saturday, June 30, 2007 3:38 PM
Reply #11 Saturday, June 30, 2007 3:38 PM
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?
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?
Cavan1
Reply #12 Saturday, June 30, 2007 4:58 PM
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.
Reply #12 Saturday, June 30, 2007 4:58 PM
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.
Olaf Gazze
Reply #13 Sunday, July 1, 2007 12:48 PM
Reply #13 Sunday, July 1, 2007 12:48 PM
ok then.
i know what to try now.
thanks very much for your help.
i know what to try now.
thanks very much for your help.
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Reply #1 Thursday, June 28, 2007 1:14 PM
If you have only icon file's convert them to png.
Use axialis iconworkshop , recommend.