Mrs. » Animated icons or docklets

I have an idea...

Published on April 23, 2008 By mommaTee In Docks

Hey all!

I have an idea to make traffic sign icons (like a "don't walk" hand for the Documents folder), but I want to animate them, slightly. What I want is for the icon image to change from one image to another when clicked on with a left click (the image would change from a red version to a green version).

Any suggestions/help on how to do this?

If this requires code beyond my knowledge (I'm only familiar with basic scripting), and you know what I need done, you're welcome to collaborate with me on this.

Thanks!

Comments

frankell

on Apr 24, 2008

Hi mommaTee
thanks for visiting my page I'm going to answer your questions in this post
I can help you only with some advices on making animated icons running on the great docklet "Animated shortcut" by AndreasV

There isn't any script to use basically you have to work with the feature "special paste" or similar (I use PhotoPhilter)
Starting from the first frame:
- the only image format in the dock is .png
- the full "square" size is 128x128 or 256x256
consider to match the max icon magnifying size in the dock (256 pixels) for a simple animation (8 frames)
use 128 pixels for a complex animation (20+ more frames)
to take care on the dock total CPU usage (one's I made a 57 frames icon !)

the new frame is a copy of the previous one + a slightly changed position
consider also that with the docklet option "on the end play animation backwards" you can double the effect on reverse
- zoom effect: 3\4 frames in + 3\4 frames out
- curl effect: 3\4 frames open + 3\4 frames close
- rotate effect: 360°= 6 frames 60° each \9 frames 40° each
at the end you have a very long strip is important verify that the "large"
size is always a multiple of the "height" size !

If I have more then 1 effect I keep a singolar copy of each effect before to
assemble them together
before to apply the transparency I change the colour background 2\3 times to
clean the frames !

AW the animation is not starting with the left mouse click but you can check the option "animate only on mouse over" !!
Don't hesitate to ask me more but only on animated icons

mommaTee

on Apr 24, 2008

Wow...

Thanks so much, frankell, for that thorough, yet quick, tutorial. I don't really have much time to try things out at the moment, but I'll definitely be working on it very soon.

Thanks again!!!

frankell

on Apr 25, 2008

If you decide for the animated icon believe me it's very simple you already have the 2 images to create the sequence (red + green... also 90x90 it's good)
I suggest 8 frames 2red-2green-2red-2green
You can use my "RecycleNow animated" as a template: 19 frames x128 height with no tranparency (it's meaning that you can work on them )
just cut the first 8 frames and (in PhotoFiltre)"paste inside" exactly on the borders your images !!
WWW Link
enjoy !!

frankell

on Apr 29, 2008

...thinking of you
I uploaded the "zoom effect" template in the Graphics gallery...

WWW Link

Please go-on with your idea...

Zubaz

on Apr 29, 2008

Very cool

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