iconStiX 1.9

iconStiX 1.9 is launched to be a convenient as well as professional icon utility which allows you to combine images, add text and attach composition as custom icon to desktop items such as folder.

It is cooperated with the Finder's services, so that you can select "Open iconStiX" in the Finder's contextual menu.

Major Features:

1. Document
   • You can open a new empty or standard document (see the "File" menu).
   • Save (⌘S) a document to keep your modifications.
   • From the next time, the document used last time opens at start-up.
2. Objects Table
   • Objects (image and text) displayed in the preview are listed in the table below the preview.
   • The object listed at the bottom is drawn first; the one at the top, last.
   • The column and/or row order can be changed with drag & drop.
   • You can change the row order also with an up or down arrow key while the shift-key pressed down (without the shift-key selection is changed).
   • To change the row height, move the vertical slider next to the table.
   • To increase the table height, enlarge the window (drag the window's right-bottom corner).
3. Separate 16x16
   • Icons displayed in the smallest size of "16x16" may not be distinct enough if they are automatically scaled down from maximum 512x512. In such a case, you can use a separate image. Click the button "Add separate 16x16" and select a file whose image contents or whose icon image you want to use. Afterwards, you can replace images by dropping another file on the small area showing the 16x16 image. It is removable by clicking the same button.
4. Preview
   • You can preview the icon image in different sizes (between 16 and 512) by click the "Preview" button.
   • In the preview mode click the "Animate" button to see the image resizing automatically or move the slider manually.
   • CLick "Edit" to go back to the edit mode.
5. Attach and Remove Custom Icon
   • To attach the current image shown in the preview as a custom icon, drop a desktop item (folder, file or volume) in the "Attach" box.
   • To remove a custom icon, drop a desktop item in the "Remove" box.
   • Alternatively, right-click or ctrl-click on a desktop item to open the contextual menu and select "Attach Custom Icon" and "Remove Custom Icon" respectively.
6. Save as Image (Export)
   • Select "Export" under the "File" menu to save the current preview image in the icns, png or tiff format. To add custom icon, select the respective option. Note: "icns" files look the same on the desktop with or without custom icons. However, without custom icons, their generic icons appear on copy & paste.
   • Tip: on the navigation panel you can select an already existing document to copy its name to be modified.
7. Favorites
   • Click the "Show Favorites" button to open the favorites panel, where you can collect your favorite icon images.
   • • Drop a desktop item to the collection view to add a favorite image.
     • •    Tip: Bring the item close enough to an existing image to see it slide aside before dropping.
     • Alternatively, you can copy image to the clipboard and then paste it to the collection view (⌘V).
     • •    Tip: Ctrl-click or right-click on a desktop item and select "Copy Icon" from the contextual menu.
     • Drag a favorite image to a row of the objects table to replace images.
     • •    Tip: Keep mouse down on a favorite to see it duplicate before start dragging.
     • Drag & drop image within the collection view to reorder.
     • Press the backward delete key (←) to remove the selected  favorite image.
8. Editing:
   • Select Object
   • • Click an object in the preview or click a row of the objects table.
     • The latter is required to select an object smaller than the currently selected one.
     • The selected object is framed in red.
   • Add / Replace Image
   • • Drag & drop a desktop item, whose icon or image contents (if any) should be used, to the preview.
     • You can also drag & drop image from the favorites panel.
     • Image in the clipboard, if any, can be pasted with ⌘V (you can copy the preview image to the clipboard with ⌘C).
     • When there is no current selection, the new image object is added. Otherwise, you are asked if you like to replace or add.
     • Table rows of image objects also accept image drag-and-drop.
   • Add / Modify Text
   • • Click the "Add Text" button.
     • To edit contents, double-click a relevant row on the objects table and overwrite the text.
     • To change fonts, finish editing contents and click the "Show Fonts" button.
   • Remove Object
   • • Select an object and press the backward delete key (←).
   • Move
   • • Drag the selected object in the preview or use the X and Y sliders.
     • Use the arrow keys to nudge the selected object.
     • Click the "Center X" and/or "Center Y" button to locate the object at the middle of the preview.
   • Resize
   • • Drag a corner knob of the selected object or use the Width and Height sliders.
     • To resize pixel by pixel, use the arrow keys with the shift (or alt) key.
     • Select or deselect the "Scale proportionally" option depending on if you like to keep the image's current width-height ratio (Note: text objects are scaled proportionally).
     • Click the "Original Ratio" button to get back the image's original ratio.
   • Rotate
   • • Use the circular slider to rotate the selected object. Select the "Rotate by 45°" option, if you like to stop only at o, 45, 90… degrees.
   • Skew
   • • Use one of the four sliders to transform the selected object to a shape illustrated at each end of the sliders.
   • Color
   • • To change color of the selected object as a whole, click the color well and select color on the color panel.
     • For image objects you can use picture as color by dropping a file with image contents in the box on the color panel.
     • Click the "Reset" button to use the default colors (transparent for image, dark gray for text).
   • Fonts
   • • Select a text object and click "Show Fonts" to open the font panel. Then you can not only change font but also add stroke and aqua-like effect.
   • Shadow
   • • Drag the cross in the shadow view to add shadow to the selected object.
     • To remove, drag back to the center position or enter 0 to the offset text field.

Enhancements:

• 2 new menu items: "Show/Hide Grid" and "Duplicate Object".
• Possible to limit the maximum icon size (effective by applying as icon or saving as image): the default max size is 512x512 and 1024 if appropriate, but now you can select 512 (i.e. no 1024), 256 or 128.
• Bug fix by closing documents and other internal adjustments.

Requirements: 

• Mac OS X 10.4 PPC, Mac OS X 10.4 Intel, Mac OS X 10.5 PPC, Mac OS X 10.5 Intel, Mac OS X 10.6 Intel