How do I create icons using Visual Studio Resources.resx?

Clyde Eisenbeis

2y1.1kC#

In the past I have created icons using Visual Studio. The sequence was Solution Explorer > Properties > Resources.resx [open] > Add Resource [combo box] > Add New Icon > Add New Resource [title] > enter name: "Game" > Add [button].

Displayed on the screen was a matrix of squares. On the left side were colors, and a choose of tools such as an eye dropper, etc. When the colors were not displayed, right clicking 32x32 > Show Colors Window.

With VIsual Studio 2019, the tools are not displayed. How do I display the tools?

2 Replies

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Tuhin Paul2y ago
Accepted answer
Visual Studio 2019 has indeed made some changes to the icon editor compared to previous versions.

1. Open the Icon Editor:
- In Solution Explorer, navigate to your project's resource file (typically named Resources.resx).
- Right-click on the icon you want to edit and select "Open in Icon Editor" (or double-click the icon).
2. Access the Color Palette and Tools:

Unfortunately, the dedicated color palette and tools on the left-hand side are no longer directly available within the built-in icon editor in Visual Studio 2019.
Tuhin Paul2y ago
Use External Image Editor:
1. Export the Icon: Right-click on the icon in the Resource Editor and select "Export as Image."
2. Edit in External Editor: Choose an image editing software like GIMP (https://www.gimp.org/), Paint.NET (https://forums.getpaint.net/), or a paid option like Adobe Photoshop (https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html). These programs offer dedicated color palettes and tools for detailed image editing.
3. Import the Edited Icon: Once you've finished editing the icon in your external program, save it in the appropriate format (e.g., PNG with 32-bit color depth for icons with transparency). Then, right-click on the same icon in the Resource Editor and select "Import."