How to change Windows folder icon for my business & home folders?

How do we change Windows folder icon for my business & home folders?

I keep an icon shortcut in my quick launch bar for
1. C:\data\business
2. C:\data\residence

The only way I know of to change the icon so that they're different from
each other is to right click on the shortcut and press "Change Icon..." and
then to select from the icons in the file C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll

But I don't want any of *those* stock icons.

I want these specific custom icons that I made myself:
1. Business: http://i.cubeupload.com/jRFcAi.jpg
2. Residence: http://i.cubeupload.com/sKd85S.jpg

I'm on Windows XP & Windows 7 & want the same setup on both.
How do we change Windows folder icon for my business & home folders?

--
PS: Which is the windows XP newsgroup to crosspost to?

On 11/18/2016 03:46 PM, Abel Jones wrote:

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/creat...jpg-54591.html


PS: Which is the windows XP newsgroup to crosspost to?

microsoft.public.windowsxp.general

"Abel Jones" wrote

| How do we change Windows folder icon for my business & home folders?
|


| I keep an icon shortcut in my quick launch bar for
| 1. C:\data\business
| 2. C:\data\residence
|
| The only way I know of to change the icon so that they're different from
| each other is to right click on the shortcut and press "Change Icon..."
and
| then to select from the icons in the file C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll
|
| But I don't want any of *those* stock icons.

Browse for another. If it only lets you browse
for icon libraries and DLLs, but not ico files, just pick
anything. Then, with hidden files visible, open
the desktop.ini file created in that folder, in
Notepad. It should say something like the following:

[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=46

Change it like so to point to your choice:

[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=C:\customicons\bus.ico
IconIndex=0

I don't know whether you can use JPG on Win7. I
don't think you can on XP. Either way, it's easy to
convert with a program like IrfanView, and that
allows you to also select a transparent color.

You don't actually need to use the Windows
method at all, but I think that on Win7 you do need
to set the folder with system attribute, which
requires DOS, VBScript, or some other programmatic
approach. so using the right-click option is probably
easier.

If you want to do it yourself you can write the
desktop.ini file and use the following to set the
system attribute on the folder. Just save this in
Notepad as a .vbs file and drop your folder onto it.

Dim Arg, FSO, oFol
Arg = WScript.Arguments(0)
Set FSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set oFol = FSO.GetFolder(Arg)
oFol.Attributes = oFol.Attributes + 4
Set oFol = Nothing
Set FSO = Nothing

On 11/18/2016 6:15 PM, Mayayana wrote:
"Abel Jones" wrote

| How do we change Windows folder icon for my business & home folders?
|


| I keep an icon shortcut in my quick launch bar for
| 1. C:\data\business
| 2. C:\data\residence
|
| The only way I know of to change the icon so that they're different from
| each other is to right click on the shortcut and press "Change Icon..."
and
| then to select from the icons in the file C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll
|
| But I don't want any of *those* stock icons.

Browse for another. If it only lets you browse
for icon libraries and DLLs, but not ico files, just pick
anything. Then, with hidden files visible, open
the desktop.ini file created in that folder, in
Notepad. It should say something like the following:

[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=46

Change it like so to point to your choice:

[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=C:\customicons\bus.ico
IconIndex=0

I don't know whether you can use JPG on Win7. I
don't think you can on XP. Either way, it's easy to
convert with a program like IrfanView, and that
allows you to also select a transparent color.

You don't actually need to use the Windows
method at all, but I think that on Win7 you do need
to set the folder with system attribute, which
requires DOS, VBScript, or some other programmatic
approach. so using the right-click option is probably
easier.

If you want to do it yourself you can write the
desktop.ini file and use the following to set the
system attribute on the folder. Just save this in
Notepad as a .vbs file and drop your folder onto it.

Dim Arg, FSO, oFol
Arg = WScript.Arguments(0)
Set FSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set oFol = FSO.GetFolder(Arg)
oFol.Attributes = oFol.Attributes + 4
Set oFol = Nothing
Set FSO = Nothing






You might like " Folder marker 4.2" its also free.

Rene

rENE

On Fri, 18 Nov 2016 19:47:57 -0600, Rene Lamontagne wrote:

You might like " Folder marker 4.2" its also free.

Thanks for that suggestion.
It is different from the original question but it's nice.

It seems overly marketed (which is always scary)
http://foldermarker.com/en/download/


1. I downloaded the program and disconnected the network
(which is what I do before I install anything nowadays)
2. I installed the suggested Folder Marker program
3. I ran the suggested folder marker program
4. I checked settings and unchecked the phone home stuff for checking for
updates
6. I then right clicked on the Business icon in the quicklaunch bar
7. I selected Mark Folders Colors Red
8. Nothing happened (but I noticed a phoning home in Process Hacker's
network tab)
9. In the Windows file explorer, the folder was red so that part worked.
10. So I deleted the old quicklaunch icon and put in the new (red) one

That works.
If I can't figure out how to use the custom icons, that will be a good
workaround.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Abel Jones wrote:
How do we change Windows folder icon for my business & home folders?

I keep an icon shortcut in my quick launch bar for
1. C:\data\business
2. C:\data\residence

The only way I know of to change the icon so that they're different from
each other is to right click on the shortcut and press "Change Icon..." and
then to select from the icons in the file C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll

But I don't want any of *those* stock icons.

I want these specific custom icons that I made myself:
1. Business: http://i.cubeupload.com/jRFcAi.jpg
2. Residence: http://i.cubeupload.com/sKd85S.jpg

I'm on Windows XP & Windows 7 & want the same setup on both.
How do we change Windows folder icon for my business & home folders?

Use Irfan to change your jpg's to *.ico.
Out of habit left over from XP I stick custom icons in win/sys32.
Then do what you did above except browse to sys32.

On Fri, 18 Nov 2016 19:15:48 -0500, Mayayana wrote:

Browse for another. If it only lets you browse
for icon libraries and DLLs, but not ico files, just pick
anything.

It lets me browse but what would I browse for?

Then, with hidden files visible, open
the desktop.ini file created in that folder,

Open the desktop.ini in what folder?

I guess you mean open the desktop.ini in the
C:\WINDOWS\system32 folder?

Is this the file you suggest I open with the icon editor?
C:\WINDOWS\system32\desktop.ini

NOTE: It didn't work using the icon properties GUI so that's why I ask.

in
Notepad. It should say something like the following:

[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=46

This is what the file looks like in
c:\windows\system32\desktop.ini

[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=%FOLDER_MARKER_DIR%\icl\fColors.icl
IconIndex=6

Change it like so to point to your choice:

[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=C:\customicons\bus.ico
IconIndex=0

Hmm. That's easy enough to do.
But I didn't have an 'ico' file.
As you said, Irfanview can create it, so I have the ico now.

Before I change the desktop.ini file to point to:
C:\data\software\os\icons\business_folder_icon.ico
C:\data\software\os\icons\personal_folder_icon.ico

I need to ask you WHICH desktop.ini I need to set to:
C:\data\software\os\icons\

I don't know whether you can use JPG on Win7. I
don't think you can on XP. Either way, it's easy to
convert with a program like IrfanView, and that
allows you to also select a transparent color.

Irfanview is the best thing since sliced bread, so I had no problem
converting it to an ico (does the pixel size matter?).

Before I change the desktop.ini file, I just need to know WHICH desktop.ini
file I'm supposed to change.

I think I change it to this though:
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=C:\data\software\os\icons\
IconIndex=6

Is that right?
I noticed you changed the iconfile to a specific ico file but I have TWO ico
files so how do I do that with only one desktop.ini file?

Paul in Houston TX wrote:
Abel Jones wrote:
How do we change Windows folder icon for my business & home folders?

I keep an icon shortcut in my quick launch bar for
1. C:\data\business
2. C:\data\residence

The only way I know of to change the icon so that they're different from
each other is to right click on the shortcut and press "Change Icon..." and
then to select from the icons in the file C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll

But I don't want any of *those* stock icons.

I want these specific custom icons that I made myself:
1. Business: http://i.cubeupload.com/jRFcAi.jpg
2. Residence: http://i.cubeupload.com/sKd85S.jpg

I'm on Windows XP & Windows 7 & want the same setup on both.
How do we change Windows folder icon for my business & home folders?

Use Irfan to change your jpg's to *.ico.
Out of habit left over from XP I stick custom icons in win/sys32.
Then do what you did above except browse to sys32.

btw,
The default win7 icons are in imageres.dll.
You can use Process Hacker can extract and/or change them.
Extract them from a copy, not from the orig.

On Sat, 19 Nov 2016 03:05:22 -0000 (UTC), Abel Jones wrote:

It seems overly marketed (which is always scary)
http://foldermarker.com/en/download/

Within minutes, I realized that folder marker is bad news.
I do not recommend using it.

I generally don't run AV because they drive me nuts, so I didn't scan the
program for a virus before downloading and using it.

What happened was I got a Windows Exception Data Execution Error.
http://i.cubeupload.com/PhNoQC.jpg

That in and of itself doesn't mean it's malware, but it was overly marketed
and it gave a windows exception so I deleted it out of an abundance of
caution.

Since I always disconnect the network before installing or deleting
programs, I noticed this thing (true to form) phoned home (let's hope one
last time) by popping up a browser window to the home site.

I rebooted and let's hope I'm done with the folder marker stuff.
I'm not saying it's malware.
But it's suspicious enough to me to forgo it because it didn't do what I
wanted it to do anyway.

Abel Jones wrote:

How do we change Windows folder icon for my business & home folders?

I keep an icon shortcut in my quick launch bar for
1. C:\data\business
2. C:\data\residence

The only way I know of to change the icon so that they're different from
each other is to right click on the shortcut and press "Change Icon..." and
then to select from the icons in the file C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll

But I don't want any of *those* stock icons.

I want these specific custom icons that I made myself:
1. Business: http://i.cubeupload.com/jRFcAi.jpg
2. Residence: http://i.cubeupload.com/sKd85S.jpg

Those are not icons. Those are images. You need to convert from image
files (.jgp) to icons files (.ico). However conversion probably won't
work well since images are much larger and more detailed than icons.
Luckily your images are simple (a letter atop a folder); see below.

You can find icons buried in the following files:
shell32.dll
imageres.dll
progman.exe
moricons.dll

Hunting around to look at .exe and .dll files will show many that have
icons embedded for resources. You might have a program whose .exe or a
..dll for it have an icon resource what is satisfactory to you.

If you do an online search, you can find plenty of free icon libraries.
I found the following which will do the conversion without you having to
install any software; see:

http://image.online-convert.com/convert-to-ico

Save their .ico file to wherever you want but it has to be permanent so
it can be reused whenever needed.

Abel Jones wrote:


I generally don't run AV because they drive me nuts

Next time, test it with virustotal.com .

https://www.virustotal.com/

The web site can use the browser to compute a hash
for the file, so it doesn't have to upload the file
for every test. Only if the file has not been seen
before, is the file uploaded. And the hash check
is a way to determine whether a copy is already
on the server.

You can also compute a hash yourself, then enter
the hash value and see whether the server already
has a copy and has done an analysis.

That site was bought by Google, so Google
runs it now.

Paul

In message , Abel Jones
writes:
On Fri, 18 Nov 2016 19:15:48 -0500, Mayayana wrote:
[]
Then, with hidden files visible, open
the desktop.ini file created in that folder,

Open the desktop.ini in what folder?

I'm assuming, in the folders whose icon you want to change.
[]
Irfanview is the best thing since sliced bread, so I had no problem

+1 on "IV is great" (-:!

converting it to an ico (does the pixel size matter?).

Well: there are various things which use icons of various sizes: for
example, both on the desktop and in explorer view if you use that one
rather than "list" or "details" (and even in those really), there are
options called something like "large icons" and "small icons". (I think
"list" and "details" views use what might be called "even smaller
icons"; I think more recent OSs also have a "very large icons" choice,
or something like that.)

A lot of things have two or more icons embedded in them, and when you
switch to large, small, or tiny icons, the system selects the
appropriate one. (Usually they're similar in appearance, though
sometimes not, which can be startling!) When there's only one, the
system scales it - at least it does if there's only a small one and you
select large ones, so the pixels can be noticeable; I'm guessing it
happens the other way round too. I'm assuming this happens anyway if
your icon isn't one of the standard sizes (I know of 16 × 16 and 24 ×
24; I'm not sure what the other "standard" sizes are); I'd say it's
probably worth resizing to one of the standard sizes (again, IrfanView
can of course do that!) while creating the .ico file; not only will this
save (a negligible) amount of time each time your system displays the
icon, but you'll also see if the rescaling spoils the icon in any way.

Before I change the desktop.ini file, I just need to know WHICH desktop.ini
file I'm supposed to change.

Well, as I presume you've found by now, you don't need to change any
desktop.ini file to change the icon displayed by your desktop shortcuts
- you just change their icon in their properties (to the .ico file
you've created); if you want to change how the folders in question
appear when viewed from other places (such as in explorer), then as I
said I'm guessing it's the one in the folders themselves (which may not
exist, though check with hidden etc. turned on before you go creating
it). But Mayayana or one of the others will confirm - I've never messed
with those files.

I think I change it to this though:
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=C:\data\software\os\icons\
IconIndex=6

That, I think, selects a particular icon (I think the seventh) from a
file that contains more than one.

Is that right?
I noticed you changed the iconfile to a specific ico file but I have TWO ico
files so how do I do that with only one desktop.ini file?

Well, as I've said above, I'm guessing you have to change (or create)
two desktop.ini files.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Freedom of the press is limited to those who have one.

"Abel Jones" wrote

| I think I change it to this though:
| [.ShellClassInfo]
| IconFile=C:\data\software\os\icons\
| IconIndex=6
|
| Is that right?
| I noticed you changed the iconfile to a specific ico file but I have TWO
ico
| files so how do I do that with only one desktop.ini file?

Windows assigns the custom icon by
putting a "hidden" desktop.ini file in the
folder that gets the icon. If you assign
a hippo icon to C:\animals then you get
a desktop.ini in C:\animals like so:

[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=C:\data\software\os\icons\hippo.ico
IconIndex=0

If you then assign a picture of Mona Lisa
to C:\photos you get a desktop.ini file in
C:\photos:

[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=C:\data\software\os\icons\monalisa.ico
IconIndex=0

Desktop.ini always relates to only the parent
folder. It's a sloppy system, but that's how it works.
Like so many things in Windows, it's not really
official, so the information about it mostly comes
from people exploring tweaks.

So you need to set the folder with system attribute
and you need to have a valid desktop.ini *in that
folder*, with icon specs pointing to a valid icon and
index. The icon can be anywhere. (I use a number
of custom icons myself and created a special folder
to keep them safe:
C:\WINDOWS\NewIconStorage

That's where I keep my home-made, red oak
wastebasket to replace the cheap plastic recycle
bin.

Note that the icon index is always with respect to
the file the icon comes from, be it ICO or DLL or ICL.
You can't set an index based on files in a folder.
Many kinds of files can store one or more icons. The
index will be the placement of that icon *within the file*.
An ICL file is an icon library. DLLs also often store
icons as resources. Even an EXE may have several icons
inside, stored in the Resource Table of the file structure.

Example: I just extracted the icons from IE6 and
got 55 of them. PaleMoon.exe has 30 individual icons
or 6 compound icons. A compound ICO file like that
will typically store something like a 16x16-16-color
icon, 16x16-256 colors, 32x32 16 colors, etc. The
most appropriate image will be picked for the display,
by index.

If you use an ICO file the index will usually
be 0. An ICO can store multiple icons, as described
above, but if you made it yourself from a JPG it will
only have one icon in the file, so the index is 0.

It all sounds complicated but icons are actually very
simple. The file format consists of just data about the
number of icons, followed by the icon data for each icon,
which consists of size/color depth info, followed by an
image bitmap, which is directly followed by a 2-color
"mask" bitmap that denotes which pixels are transparent.
Windows then uses that mask to adjust the display of the
image bitmap. Any number of such bitmap pairs can be
stored in an ICO file, in series. The first is index 0. The
second is index 1. Etc. That's why you have to tell
Windows the index of the icon.