Copyright: Gary R. Hawkins and NightHawk Software


Table Of Contents

   Overview of Icon Extractor

   Main Screen

      Previous Button

      Save As Bitmap Button

      Next Button

   Clipboard Menu Item

   Help Menu Items

      Help On Help

      AboutBox

      License Agreement


Overview
Overview of Icon Extractor

      Icon Extractor is an easy and fast method of extracting icons from executables (*.exe), dynamic link libraries (*.dll), or icon files (*.ico) and converting them to bitmap pictures that you can use in you programs or for creating Windows Wallpaper.

     Icon Extractor is a good companion tool for use with ICO2BMP our icon to bitmap conversion utility that converts single or groups of icons into bitmap images and our BmpView a bitmap viewer that provides bitmap header, size, and number of colors information on any bitmap image. BmpView gives the entire BitmapInfoHeader information making it a valuable tool for programmers and fun for the curious.

     These three products are distributed as ShareWare with a nominal fee of $10 for each program. NightHawk Software is NOT FreeWare. The software is protected by U.S. Copyright laws and all rights are reserved. If you use this software please take the time and trouble to pay for it. It will make us both feel better. I do not place "Nag" screens in my software, nor is it disabled in any way.

     Source code is $50.00 for the three programs. Great if you want to study the techniques used to create the programs. The source code is well documented and provides a wealth of information on using Visual Basic for "Real World" programming tasks.

     Your continued support helps NightHawk Software evolve current products and develop new programs. As always, your input is an invaluable resource. If you have a question, suggestion, or wish to report a bug you may contact us by U.S. Mail or via America Online (GRHawkins).

Sincerely,

Gary R. Hawkins

NightHawk Software

520 Begonia Lane

Altoona, WI 54720


Main Screen

     The Main screen is where most the action takes place! As you can see from the picture of the Main screen, Icon Extractor is a simple utility with an easy to use interface.

     The menu consists of two items. The Clipboard item and the Help item. In the center screen area you will find the icon display window, drive listbox, the directory listbox, and the file listbox. These controls should be familiar to Windows users. You willuse these controls to move around in your computers drive and directory structure to file files you wish to extract icons from.  After you have moved to the drive and directory where the files are located you will see a list of possible files in the file listbox. Double clicking on a filename will cause Icon Extractor to open the file, determine if any icons are present in the file, the number of icons in the file, and place you at the first icon in the file. You may then use the buttons to move within the icons and/or save icons as bitmap images.

     The two indented areas directly below are the label fields where information on the number of icons in a chosen file and the current icon number are displayed. These numbers will change as you move through the icons in a multiple icon file.

     At the bottom of the screen are the [image] the [image] and the [image] buttons.


AboutBox

     The AboutBox explains who created Icon Extractor. NightHawk Software is a side-line for me, Gary R. Hawkins. I work for a commercial software company during the day and write programs under the NightHawk name in the evening and on weekends.

     The goal of NightHawk Software is simple. To provide useful software that is also inexpensive (not free). The ideas for my programs come mostly from you, the people who use and pay for the software. I try to make the software easy to use, professional in appearance, and as bug free as possible. If you find a flaw in the program please write to me and let me know about it.

     To learn about other programs available from NightHawk Software or about the availability and cost of the products and source code see the Overview section of this help file.


Clipboard
Clipboard Menu Item

     Selecting the Clipboard menu item when an icon is visible in the icon display window causes the displayed icon to be "cut" to the Windows Clipboard** where it can be pasted into another Windows application.

     ** See Windows Help on Clipboard for additional information.


Prev
Previous Button

     The <- Prev button moves backward through the available icons in a file. This button will be unavailable (grayed out) when there are no icons or when backward movement is not possible.


Save
Save Icon to Bitmap Button

     The Save Icon to Bitmap button becomes available when an icon has been converted to a bitmap image and allows you to save the bitmap with a name and path of your own choosing. Remember that the bitmap was created from an unnamed icon inside another file (the *.exe, *.dll. or *.ico). You must give the saved file a name for future reference.

   There are two ways of saving the bitmap image. Using the Save Icon to Bitmap button or the Clipboard menu choice. If the Clipboard is used the bitmap it is copied onto the Windows Clipboard but not saved to a disk file until you paste it into another application and save it from the new application.


Next
Next Button

 The Next -> button moves forward through the available icons in a file. This button will be unavailable (grayed out) when there are no icons or when forward movement is not possible.


Executable File

     The executable file usually has an *.exe extension and constitutes a working MSDOS or Windows program. It can be "run" by simply typing the program name at the DOS prompt or in the case of a Windows program, launching it from Windows.

     In many cases multiple icon files may be stored in an executable file. Icon Extractor allows you to see the icons stored in an executable file and extract and save them to a bitmap images for your own purposes. You may also "cut" the images to the Windows Clipboard and "paste" them into an icon editor to be resaved as icons.


Dynamic Link Library

     A dynamic link library is a special kind of executable file that can be used by Windows or Windows programs. It can contain a variety of code to do tasks or perform functions and may also contain resource information in the form of bitmap images, icon files, cursor files, text (string) information, and more.

     Windows is itself a series of dynamic link libraries that do the tasks that make Windows work. Many users tend to think of Windows as a program when in fact, it is a series of dynamic link libraries making up a GUI operating system that runs on top of DOS.

     Many times programmers place icons into dynamic link libraires for use in software programs. Extract Icon allows you to display and capture these icons from dynamic link libraires.


Icon File

     An icon file holds one or more bitmap images  (pictures) and information that Windows needs to use the icon files (header files). This information is stored in binary form in various header files located within the icon file.

     Extract Icon allows you to display and capture these icons for your own use.


Help On Help

     Help On Help allows you to access the Windows Help file for assistance on using help files in general.


License Agreement

     You may freely distribute Extract Icon for non-commercial purposes. You may use the program for a single 30 day trial period. After the 30 days you must send payment of $10.00 (U.S.) to:

                                               Gary R. Hawkins

                                               520 Begonia Lane

                                               Altoona, WI 54720

     Making prompt payment will insure that Extract Icon and other ShareWare programs will continue to evolve and new programs will be written and distributed as ShareWare. ShareWare is not FREE software. The distribution of ShareWare allows the end user to "try before you buy" and allows the developer to keep prices to a bare minimum without the high overhead of marketing, distribution channels, and advertising.

     Your cooperation and your business is appreciated.