TLsIconPrEditor
===============================================================================

Archive File 
============
  IconEdit.zip

Components
==========  
  (a) TLsIconPrEditor - an Icon Property Editor for Delphi versions 2. 3 and 4.
  (b) TLsIconExplorer - an executable utility program that demonstrates the 
      funstions of LsIconPrEditor.
 
Version
=======
  2,00 (Dec/99)
 
Author / Copyright
==================
  1998-1999 Leo D. Shih  <ldshih@ecn.ab.ca>

DISCLAIMER
==========
  This component is currently distributed as freeware without warranties 
  of any kind, expressed or implied. Use this component is at your own risk.  

  However, comments, suggestions or bug-reports are welcome.

===============================================================================

1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION
   =================

1.1 TLsIconPrEditor is an Icon Property Editor that enable you to
    (a) retrieve icons from executable (EXE), dynamic-link-library(DLL), 
        icon(ICO) or Norton Icon Library(NIL) files and add them to an 
        IconListView;  
    (b) select your desired icon visually from the displayed icons in the 
        IconListView; 
    (c) save a selected icon to an IconFile (.ico), either in 16-colors or
        256-colors; 
    (d) convert a selected icon to a bitmap with same- or different-dimension,
        then save it to a BmpFile (.bmp);
    (d) open frequently used files, in different disk/directories, simply by 
        double-click on BookMarks.

1.2 TLsIconExplorer is substantially the same as LsIcopnPrEditor, but compiled
    as an executable utility program. Thus it can demonstrate the features and
    functions offered by the TLsIconPrEditor.
    
2. FILES
========

 2.1 Common Files
 ================

   Readme.txt                  This File

   IconEditor.ini              IniFile contains BookMarks information

   MiscIcon01.dll              ) contains some 150 icons in bothe files
   MiscIcon02.dll              )
   
 2.2 For LsIconPrEditor
 ======================

   LsIconPrEditorMain.dfm      Main Unit of TLsIconPrEditor
   LsIconPrEditorMain.pas

   LsIconPrEditorReg.pas       File for registering TLsIconPrEditor

   SaveIconDlg.dfm             Dialog for saving icon to .ICO or .Bmp files.
   SaveIconDlg.pas
   
   LsIconPrEditorD3.dpk        Package source file for D3 & D4
   LsIconPrEditorD4.dpk        
   
 2.3 For LsIconExplorer
 ======================

   LsIconExplorer.exe
   LsIconExplorer.dpr          Project file

   LsIconPrEditorDemoMain.dfm  )
   LsIconPrEditorDemoMain.pas  ) these files are substantially same as those
                               ) in the LsIconPrEditor.
   SaveIconDlg.dfm             ) 
   SaveIconDlg.pas             )
   
3. INSTALLATION
===============

Before installing IconPrEditor, it is highly recommended that you close all 
open projects in the IDE to avoid installation conflicts. 

3.1     Copy IconEditor.ini to C:\Windows directory, and edit it if the file
        path listed in [Path] section does not compatible with your system.
        
3.2     copy following files to a directory in the Library search path:

          LsIconPrEditorReg.pas
          LsIconPrEditorMain.dfm
          LsIconPrEditorMain.pas
          SaveIconDlg.dfm
          SaveIconDlg.pas
        
          LsIconPrEditorD3.dpk for D3 or
          LsIconPrEditorD4.dpk for D4


3.2 Delphi 3.0x and 4.0x
========================                    

3.2.1  Choose File | Open to popup FileOpenDialog .
3.2.2  Select Delphi Package Source(*.dpk) from the Files of Type 
       drop-down list.
3.2.3  Select LsIconPrEditorD3.dpk for Delphi 3, or LsIconPrEditorD4.dpk 
       for Delphi 4, in the FileOpenDialog.
3.2.4  When the Package Editor apprears, Click Compile button to compile
       the Package into .DPL (BPL in Delphi 4) file.
3.2.5  Upon completion of compiling, click Install button to install the 
       package "Property Editor -Icon".

3.3 Delphi 2x
=============

3.3.1. Navigate to \Delphi2\bin directory and backup Cmplib32.dcl. 
3.3.2. Choose Component | Install to opens the Install Component dialog.
3.3.3. Click Add button to open AddModuleDlg, then  click Browse button 
       to select LsIconPrEditorReg.pas.
3.3.4. Click Open button, then OK button. The Cmplib32.dcl will now 
       be rebuilt to include LsIconPrEditor. 


4. USING THE EDITOR
===================

4.1    When you clicks '...' button next to Icon Property, or double-click 
       the Value column of Icon Property, in the Object Inspector, the 
       LsIconPrEditor will popup.  The following is a brief description of 
       LsIconPrEditor's controls:

4.2    Toolbar buttons:
                   
       ========================================================================
       Button          Action
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                                                          
       BookMark        Open or Close the List of BookMarks.
       
       AddBookMark     Add currently opened file to the BookMarks List.

       Open            Open an .EXE, .DLL, .ICO or .NIL file for 
                       retrieving icon(s).

       Save Icon       To activate a SaveIcon dialog in order to save the
                       selected icon to an Iconfile (.ico) or to Convert 
                       it to Bitmap then save to a Bitmap file (.bmp), with
                       options to select IconFile's color depth or Bitmap's 
                       dimemsion. 
       
       Clear           Clear all icons in the IconListView.
       
       OK              Accept the selected icon and close LsIconPrEditor.
       
       Cancel          Cancel current operation and exit.                          
       ========================================================================

4.3    BookMarks List:

       In the BookMarks List window, Lefe-click to select a desired BookMark, 
       Left-DoubleClick to open the Bookmarked file. Right-click to activate 
       a PopupMenu, which contains following MenuItems: 
  
           Add New BookMark
           Delete BookMark
           Move BookMark Up
           Move BookMark Down
           Close BookMark

       By using these menuitems, you can add or delete a BookMark, or 
       move a selected BookMark up or down in the BookMarks List.


4.4    Error Handling:
       ===============       
       
       Due to difference in minor-versions of Delphi's, you may encounter 
       error message(s) on activating TIconPrEditor, such as

             "Error reading LsIconPrEditorForm.   ...  : Property
             does not exist" (or something similar)
       
       If such condition occurs,  you can take following steps to correct it:
       (a)  Remove the package/component;
       (b)  Open LsIconPrEditorMain.pas and SaveIconDlg.pas in Delphi's IDE;
       (c)  If any error message appears, just click "Ignore";
       (d)  Save both LsIconPrEditorMain.pas and SaveIconDlg.pas, then 
            re-install the package/component.
       
       
5. Version Info
===============

       2.00  Add ColorDepth options, thus Icons can be saved as 16-colors or
             256-colors .ICO file.

             Add the capbility to change Bitmap size when converting .ICO file
             to .BMP file. 

             Unit files are now common to D2, D3 or D4, instead of different 
             files for each Delphi version.
       
       1.10  Add files for Delphi 4x and the capability to save selected 
             Icon to a .Bmp file.
                   
==============================================================================
