Alright guys get with it!!!

OK, whats up with the 16 bit color icons??? I cant make a good icon in 16 bit color!! How long has super vga been out?? Isnt it time you guys atleast let us use 256 color icons atleast! Is there some kind of problem thats keeping you from being able to use higher color icons 🧟 🤪 😱

As far as I know there is no problem that keeps them from doing it. It's something much simpler actually. Something called file size. The more colors your icon has the more space it's going to take up (compressed or not) So by limiting it to 16 colors by default this will make for the smallest possible executable. And though the super VGA has been out for a while that doesn't mean everyone is using it. There are still those who choose to stick with older technologies and what not. So if you want 256 colors get the source and do a search in the forum. This topic has been brought up before and people have even said how to change it!

Originally posted by Tresni
As far as I know there is no problem that keeps them from doing it. It's something much simpler actually. Something called file size. The more colors your icon has the more space it's going to take up (compressed or not) So by limiting it to 16 colors by default this will make for the smallest possible executable.

Poor argument 🙂
Let the difference of file size be about 1-2 KB - what that compared with an over all size of a few hundret KB for the data to install?
I think the creator of the installer should decide wether to use an 16- or 256-color icon.

So if you want 256 colors get the source and do a search in the forum. This topic has been brought up before and people have even said how to change it!

...and do it again for every update of makeNSIS?
Not really an efficient way, isnt it?

If you didn't know the whole basis of NSIS is to provide a free alternative to other istallers that make huge intalls. If you look at the history of the NSIS installer delopement yopu'll notice that there is a lot of work going into the commpressor and making the script more clean and smaller. So if you want to have 256 colors then edit the code and recompile NSIS for your self it's not that hard. And don't dog on Justin (the father of NSIS) for he is wonderful.

Originally posted by bballer182
If you didn't know the whole basis of NSIS is to provide a free alternative to other istallers that make huge intalls. If you look at the history of the NSIS installer delopement yopu'll notice that there is a lot of work going into the commpressor and making the script more clean and smaller. So if you want to have 256 colors then edit the code and recompile NSIS for your self it's not that hard.

Maybe you should comment my arguments instead of repeating yourself 🙂

And don't dog on Justin (the father of NSIS) for he is wonderful.

I didnt meant to tease anyone here. Just read my arguments instead of guessing.

i wasn't nessesarly talking to you SmartyMan, sorry if i upset you

Poor argument
Let the difference of file size be about 1-2 KB - what that compared with an over all size of a few hundret KB for the data to install?
I think the creator of the installer should decide wether to use an 16- or 256-color icon.
...and do it again for every update of makeNSIS?
Not really an efficient way, isnt it?

Let's compare an icon really quick. For ease of argument I'll use the default NSIS icon. File size of the NSIS icon in 16 colors: 766 bytes, file size of the same icon in 256 colors: 2.92 kilobytes! That means just by bumping the colors up to 256 you almost quadrople the file size! Okay, you say 3kb ain't huge, but when you are making installers that are less the 35 kilobytes like I do, 3 kilobytes is a lot! So if you want your 256 color icons, edit the source cause I don't need it 😛

Originally posted by Tresni
Okay, you say 3kb ain't huge, but when you are making installers that are less the 35 kilobytes like I do, 3 kilobytes is a lot!

Two things:
1. Does the possibility of using 256 color icons excludes the possibility of using 16 color icons? Technically speakting, I would say "no". So if you want to use little icons and the initiator of this thread (that wasnt me 😉 wants to use big icons, why makeNSIS cant make both of you happy?

2. In which context "3KB is a lot"? I mean, if you create 35KB installers, they will be downloadable even with a 2.4K modem - nice, but a 37KB installer will be also...

Smarty has a good point, but i still think if you want do it your self, because really i goes against the whole idea of NSIS.

THe problem is replacing the icon in the resource section of the exe.
Once you get to 256 colour icons, they are not linear icon resources, as it is a resource of multiple icons.

1. Some may not have 256 colour displays.
Thus, all exes would have to have both.
2. I did write a hack for NSIS that allowed both a 16 & 256 colour (it took the first icons from the icon resource file). Some people would not need the 256 colour but because when the ptr to the data is found, it is just to a malloc'ed section in memory--the new one is just copied straight over the top. There is no relocation or resizing of data within the resource sector.

Originally posted by bballer182
Smarty has a good point, but i still think if you want do it your self, because really i goes against the whole idea of NSIS.

Hm? Just back from the pub? 😁
I didnt understand a word you say...

Originally posted by pjw62

1. Some may not have 256 colour displays.
Thus, all exes would have to have both.

Do you really think so? 🧟
Even Windows 95 looks ugly in <= 256 colors...

There is no relocation or resizing of data within the resource sector. [/B]

I didnt had a look into the exe creation code yet - it is created as a constant then?
In this case it would probably a good idea to add the desired icon as a file, unpack it at startup, load it then via Win32 functions and set it as the application icon.I made this for one of my projects, because our customers wanted to see their corporate logo.

Originally posted by bballer182
Smarty has a good point, but i still think if you want do it your self, because really i goes against the whole idea of NSIS.

Boy,! You can really tell i wrote this early this morning. What a pice of crap.

Originally posted by: SmartyMan
Two things:
1. Does the possibility of using 256 color icons excludes the possibility of using 16 color icons? Technically speakting, I would say "no". So if you want to use little icons and the initiator of this thread (that wasnt me wants to use big icons, why makeNSIS cant make both of you happy?

2. In which context "3KB is a lot"? I mean, if you create 35KB installers, they will be downloadable even with a 2.4K modem - nice, but a 37KB installer will be also...

What i really meant to say was that Smarty has a good point about the file sizes but subjecting all of us to that change is unfair. I think??🤪 Because thats kind of the whole idea behind NSIS (to keep it small). And if you want IT then edit the source add IT your self, it's not hard.

Oh and something for the thread starter: When you post a thread like that stated the way you did there a going to be senior mems who already don't like the thread without even reading it. It's nicer to ask. Also a better way to get something added.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bballer182


What i really meant to say was that Smarty has a good point about the file sizes but subjecting all of us to that change is unfair. I think??🤪 Because thats kind of the whole idea behind NSIS (to keep it small).[QUOTE]
I thought that the main aim of NSIS is to be better than e.g. InstallShield (which is already true😉)
For my personal use, I dont need >= 16 color icons, so i will surely not implement something like that to makeNSIS.

Oh and something for the thread starter: When you post a thread like that stated the way you did there a going to be senior mems who already don't like the thread without even reading it. It's nicer to ask. Also a better way to get something added.

Thats completely right. I have read his posting only because there was a download in progress and I needed something to do...