Can someone please tell me what I am doing wrong or post a step by step list on how to replace the Toolbar icons? I have searched the forums but have not found anything that goes into detail.
Every time I make an attempt I get the following (jagged edges on non active buttons and white borders on anything else)
replace the toolbar bitmaps in shell32.dll. there's a specific size and resolution too, but i forget. the background is black (at least the ones i've seen), and they're 24-bit bitmaps + 8-bit alpha channels.
edit the toolbar bitmaps in your image editor, then export to some program like gif movie gear, then save as a 24-bit bitmap with 8-bit alpha channel, then replace using reshacker.
as for the jaggies, are they the correct size?
Very much so. (24x24) I made it as far as I did from a past post you made. The problem is getting PhotoShop to apply 8bit Alpha to a Bitmap image file. I guess I will try with movie gear. I hope I get it right because XP with SP1 tends to replace shell32 on its own before you can finalize the process.
oh yeah, that's right. i couldn't save it either. hopefully someone who knows how to do this will come and post.
also, you can't edit the shell32.dll directly. you'll need to make a copy and edit the copy because you can't edit files that are in use.
Oh I know. I have had no problems doing that pre SP1. Now that I have it the problems started because as soon as you try to replace shell32.dll Windows tries to replace the new one you just placed in the cache and system32 folder with the default one within a matter of seconds. Sometimes I get it right, sometimes I fail. The point is I would like to know beforehand that the shell32.dll file I have will work so I don't have to go through the process a couple more times.
It seems like the bmp files in the dll file are 32bit with 8bit channels (at least this is what PhotoShop is telling me) but the problem is, when I try to do the same Reshacker gives me an error that only goes away if I save it as a 24bit bmp file. That in itself isn't the problem. The problem is that when you have a 24 bit file, PhotoShop does not allow for Alpha Channels.
hmm, well if you aren't already using it, use replacer to replace those system files. get it here.
and that's the exact same problem i had. saving as a 24-bit bitmap will allow you to replace it, but it won't look right. saving as a 32-bit bitmap with alpha transparency gives you the error.
haven't tried these workarounds, but they should work: http://www.virtualplastic.net/html/art_hack.html#intro
That will work great if only I could get reshacker to accept 32 bit bmp files. :nuts:
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