What is the image size for the macro button?

[mihkov]

There is no normal specification for image size in pixels for the latest versions of SolidWorks. I did a little experiment and present the results. Ideally, the picture should be in .BMP format, white color will be perceived as a transparent background. Image dimensions should be 20x20 pixels or less. If the image is larger, it will shrink. It should be noted that this is true for the interface with small button icons.

[Stefan Sterk]

Codestack.net also says to use 20x20px for SOLIDWORKS newer then 2015.

"Optionally specify the icon. For SOLIDWORKS 2015 or older use 16 by 16 bitmap, for all newer version use 20 by 20 bitmap. Use white color as the transparency key."

SOLIDWORKS icon size on macro features also starts at 20x20

Recommended sizes are:
Small: 20 pixels wide X 20 pixels high
Medium: 32 pixels wide X 32 pixels high
Large: 40 pixels wide X 40 pixels high

[Hansjoerg]

The Austrian reseller Planet Software recommends bitmaps with 22x21. -> https://www.cad.at/wissen/blog/individu ... ks-makros/

He also refers to an online converter with which you can make the conversion for free.
-> https://online-converting.com/image/convert2bmp/

[mihkov]

The Austrian reseller Planet Software recommends bitmaps with 22x21. -> https://www.cad.at/wissen/blog/individu ... ks-makros/

We can check such options.
width 22 height 21
height 21 width 22

As you can see, it turns out badly.

[AlexLachance]

I use 22x22 on most but I have some 128x128 which come out perfectly also.

I guess as long as it's square?

[SPerman]

These are 256 x 256 and work for me.

[mihkov]

I use 22x22 on most but

I think that your size 22x22 was compressed to 20x20, but it coincided that it was not visually noticeable.

[mihkov]

These are 256 x 256 and work for me.

Just for information, what does your 256x256 icon look like (upper left) and what does the adapted 20x20 look like (upper right).
I love beautiful icons. Bottom left, as if I made myself an STL icon. On the right are examples of icons. It is very convenient to take standard Solidworks icons and adapt them by adding labels.

stl_l.jpg (38.82 KiB) Viewed 3335 times

[Hansjoerg]

.... I love beautiful icons. .... It is very convenient to take standard Solidworks icons and adapt them by adding labels....

Hello Mikhov,
can you describe how and with what software you create the icons?
Artem gave me a tip a long time ago to try inkscape.

But so far I haven't found out how to save my graphic in BMP format in Inkscape.

How do you do that with your STL icon at the bottom left that the fine geometries are so well recognizable? With my icons everything is always blurred and absolutely not recognizable.

[SPerman]

Just for information, what does your 256x256 icon look like (upper left) and what does the adapted 20x20 look like (upper right).
I love beautiful icons. Bottom left, as if I made myself an STL icon. On the right are examples of icons. It is very convenient to take standard Solidworks icons and adapt them by adding labels.
stl_l.jpg

This is what my Macro Icons look like.

image.png (4.85 KiB) Viewed 3102 times

I'm less worried about beauty, and more worried about easily identifiable.

[SPerman]

can you describe how and with what software you create the icons?

I've used both MS Paint and Gimp.

[zwei]

can you describe how and with what software you create the icons?

I mostly just used powerpoint to create my macro icon... mainly because it can quickly recolor a solidworks icon that i grab from the help page

[mihkov]

Hello Mikhov,
can you describe how and with what software you create the icons?

It so happens that I use Photoshop. This is too much for making icons - but it is convenient for me.
Somewhere on the Internet I found a canvas with most of the Solidworks icons on a white background. And I just take them and modify them.
I create a new 20x20 pixel file, copy the appropriate stock icons and combine them or recolor them.
I save it in BMP - the white color will be transparent.
Here is an example of how I make an Icon for saving PDF. You will need minimal skills in working with layers and understanding what transparency is. Canvas with icons in the archive and two PDF icons too.

I'm less worried about beauty, and more worried about easily identifiable.

It is absolutely clear that we are simply getting used to the location of the icon and its shape and color image. I'm just obsessed with beauty)))

ps1.png (15.74 KiB) Viewed 3023 times

[AlexLachance]

It so happens that I use Photoshop. This is too much for making icons - but it is convenient for me.
Somewhere on the Internet I found a canvas with most of the Solidworks icons on a white background. And I just take them and modify them.
I create a new 20x20 pixel file, copy the appropriate stock icons and combine them or recolor them.
I save it in BMP - the white color will be transparent.
Here is an example of how I make an Icon for saving PDF. You will need minimal skills in working with layers and understanding what transparency is. Canvas with icons in the archive and two PDF icons too.
ps.png



It is absolutely clear that we are simply getting used to the location of the icon and its shape and color image. I'm just obsessed with beauty)))

ps1.png

It would be lovely if you would share some of your icons, they seem really well made and I'm sure a lot of people would be happy to use them and also find them "collected" in a single place such as a thread on a forum.

[Frederick_Law]

This became icon OCD thread

Icon-01.jpg (1.01 KiB) Viewed 2991 times

Icon-02.jpg (1.66 KiB) Viewed 2991 times

Good to maintain consistency with the program.

There are program to extract icons from dll and exe files.
Screenshot then crop and scale works too.
I save them to PNG. Easier to keep transparent background.
Usually use Paint 3D.
Found out VS has icon editor too.

[mihkov]

It would be lovely if you would share some of your icons, they seem really well made and I'm sure a lot of people would be happy to use them and also find them "collected" in a single place such as a thread on a forum.

Not all of my icons are 20x20 pixels, some are smaller. They are in the archive.

[Hansjoerg]

Somewhere on the Internet I found a canvas with most of the Solidworks icons on a white background. And I just take them and modify them.
I create a new 20x20 pixel file, copy the appropriate stock icons and combine them or recolor them.
I save it in BMP - the white color will be transparent.

Thank you for sharing the icon collection.
With the help of your tutorial and the collection of icons I now also manage to create beautiful icons.

With a little practice that works even only with Paint.