• This is where the new icons are being used.
  • This is the vector path used for the "flash" icon. Its not pretty in the inspector, but in the end result it looks nice.
  • The output shows all the variations of icons. Some are pressed others are active and yet others are ghosted.
  • Construction for a single icon.
  • Construction for another icon.

Designing New Toolbox Icons

Today I have been designing new icons for Toolbox. 5 icons in 5 variations, took the whole day to make. This is the result of my efforts. I have used Toolbox for job.

See homepage for my program

Previously Toolbox have had no icons at all!

Comments and faves

  1. deeveepix (47 months ago | reply)

    like like the design of toolbox , very different.

  2. Simon Strandgaard (47 months ago | reply)

    Inspiration comes from the program: werkkzeug. It can do awesome things, but is a bit technical. When I saw it I felt in love immediately and wanted to code a similar program.

    Werkkzeug was used to make fr-041: debris. Be sure to download one of the high-quality movies or if you have a powerful PC then download the exe file. From a computer programmers viewpoint its totally insane, because the size of the exe file is only 177KB. Werkkzeug is powerfull.

    Don't know if I should go the same direction as werkkzeug.

  3. ★

    Javier Lopez (javlop.com) added this photo to his favorites. (39 months ago)

  4. euphotic (36 months ago | reply)

    Are you going to make Linux and Windows ports? Everything looks awesome, but it would be much cooler in sinister Irix interface))

  5. Simon Strandgaard (36 months ago | reply)

    Making a cross platform program is very time consuming and you have to make a lot of tradeoffs. Example is text rendering. On Mac I can use the API provided by Apple. On windows I can use the API provided by Microsoft. However they don't render the same even though its the same font. To render the same you need to make your own font-rendering system and then you have to obtain rights to use patents covering font rendering/anti aliasing. So projects will not render the same if you create it on Mac and later load it on Windows.

    Another issue is that most of the time is making the editor. Making a windows version, then I would have to switch to using QT, but I have really bad experiences writing cross platform programs, where you can't easily access the lowlevel api.

    So no ports for now.

  6. euphotic (36 months ago | reply)

    Why not to make it web based, so its available to all platforms?
    Just a thought. I think what you already made is way cool, but lots of ppl cant use it because its Mac. Not much gfx heads are familiar with virtualization.

  7. Simon Strandgaard (36 months ago | reply)

    There exist Aviary Peacock which is ok considering it's a web app.

    It would be nice to make a good web app out of it, but I don't know how to get working. Would it be future safe to use Flash or is it all going to be Flex, Air, Wave, Javascript? Poor support for accessing files on the local harddrive, bad handling of big files, poor opengl support, no way to use the right mouse key, no way to run system services. Web apps are not yet ready for graphics. I still have nightmares supporting microsoft browsers.

    I will not go this route until I see a web app api that actually can replace desktop apps that are supported by Google, Microsoft, Apple. Until then.. mac :-P

  8. Simon Strandgaard (36 months ago | reply)

    the nextstep window api has been refined over and over since 1986 and maybe even longer back. this became the cocoa used for mac osx and iphone. It really well thought out and has stand the test of time. There exist gnustep and cocotron, but I haven't yet played with them.

  9. euphotic (36 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for all the info! Ive tried Peacock, but its too slow for me, also it would be cool to be able to work with modules on higher level, like with instruments in NI Reaktor, say or like with textures in Maya or what not.
    There is vvvv also, and its good.

  10. Simon Strandgaard (36 months ago | reply)

    I have compiled a long list of node-based programs for inspiration for my own program. Beware of strong opinions.

    There are so many things that a program needs to be: fast, responsive, good looking, solid, useful, intuitive. I'm still trying to get them right, but it's difficult. Most of the programs on this list are still big achievements, even though I bash on them.

  11. euphotic (36 months ago | reply)

    Most of the names on the list are unknown, but I know a few.
    I would add some Autodesk programs like Flint and Inferno. I used to test Snake and Digital Fusion back in the days. It was about making interface as much "seamless" as possible with future host application then. Snake aimed at XSI and Digital Fusion at Maya. These are stand alone apps, also like Gestel SolidThinking that had Maya interface and Rhino, that was more like Max.
    There are a bunch of mind mapping apps that probably would make a nice addition to your list like www.thebrain.com/

  12. ★

    euphotic added this photo to his favorites. (36 months ago)

  13. Simon Strandgaard (36 months ago | reply)

    Thank you. didn't knew about these programs, so I have added them. If just I had more time so I could test these programs.

  14. euphotic (36 months ago | reply)

    You are very welcome!

  15. Simon Strandgaard (36 months ago | reply)

    :-)

  16. ★

    dsigngeek added this photo to his favorites. (27 months ago)

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