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Icomancer 1.3 Giveaway
$11.99
EXPIRED

Giveaway of the day — Icomancer 1.3

Add color and creativity to your folder icons with Icomancer.
$11.99 EXPIRED
User rating: 423 30 comments

Icomancer 1.3 was available as a giveaway on April 30, 2013!

Today Giveaway of the Day
$39.99
free today
Uninstall programs without leftovers!

Icomancer is a folder icons composer for Microsoft Windows operating systems. Its sole purpose is to help you to quickly identify specific folders among dozens to hundreds in your storage devices by embodying a special, easy-to-see, nice-with-the-eye icon you craft in a composition window.

Some pieces of software allow you to assign pre-made icons to your folders, some of them with embedded icons to mark them by content type or relevance. Icomancer goes beyond that, allowing you to play with appearance controls and get exactly what you want. But color is not all that matters! You can use textures in your folders, imprint your own pictures, embed add-on icons to set the folder content type and share your creations with our community!

If you create an account in our community server, you'll be able to share your creations with our community and download content created by other users and some special deliveries by our design team. That includes:

  • Extra Folder Templates to match your OS style or any theme assigned with a third-party icon customization app.
  • More Color Palettes with variations and special effects.
  • Additional Texture Packs to create opaque textured folders or translucent texture + color comps.
  • Add-on icon packs to mark your folders by content type.

System Requirements:

Windows XP (RAM; 512 MB), Vista, 7, 8 (RAM: 1 GB); ImageMagick 6.8.0-8-Q16; Microsoft .net Framework 4.

Publisher:

LAVA SoftWorks

Homepage:

http://www.lavasoftworks.com/icomancer/index.html

File Size:

56.6 MB

Price:

$11.99

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Comments on Icomancer 1.3

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#30

I have designed and authored many custom icons for popular software over the past several years; in fact, my icons have been downloaded (for free) more than 900,000 times. Designing icons is fun.

From a practical point of view, I have found that a huge number of default icons for software are poorly designed, poorly executed or poorly conceived (not being unique or conveying an immediate sense of what the icon represents). Some are really bad !

My favourite tools to create icon artwork remain Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, but how do you create the .ico format file? You need a tool like this. I find it reasonably accomodating and robust, certainly far better than most of its ilk.

I do have one very big reservation though: Oscar @ comment 12 refers to problems in alpha channel handling in Windows XP (ie. transparent background). To me this would be an absolute deal-breaker. Without alpha channel, icons look like they came from a Commodore 64 ! (showing my age)

To be absolutely honest, though, I have not seen this alpha channel problem myself while testing. So far I am in fact pleased with the results from Icomancer. There is very little degradation of the artwork image during conversion, and this sets it apart from the others.

So I tentatively give this software today a thumbs-up. Tentatively until I can prove the alpha channel issue. But for strictly personal use, it does the job and does it well. Just remember that you will need high-quality graphic design software to get that spunk into you designs in the first place.

Oh, and if you would like to see some very nice icons created by people like you, take a look at this page: http://rocketdock.com/addons/search/mbond/rating

Reply   |   Comment by Paul  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+1)
#29

Can this run on Mack or Linix ? Thank

Reply   |   Comment by Stortch  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-2)
#28

I bought this program a few months ago and I can say it works well in Windows 7 Professional both 32 an 64 bit versions. It does not work well with Windows XP which I have on my Netbook and use when I am traveling (as I have been for the month of April). Some how I was able to create ONE vertically oriented folder but have been unable to duplicate it in XP. In Windows 7 I can use all the functions of the program.

Reply   |   Comment by William W Gorman Jr  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+2)
#27

It should be noted that if you use this you will no longer be able to see the "live" view of folder contents in the icon...in other words, you will not be able to tell if the folder is empty or if it has anything in it, and if it does have something in it, it will not show up on the icon. -- For this reason, I'm not using it.

Reply   |   Comment by Chris Austen  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+2)
#26

I use customised icons heavily so I was prepared to give Icomancer a whirl. I was willing to reboot my machine to see whether Icomancer had anything to offer me. First problem: Icomancer was either unable to detect or to work with the latest version of ImageMagick which I already had installed. So I went the extra mile and installed an older version (ImageMagick 6.8.0-8-Q16) just to support Icomancer. Second problem: Icomancer couldn't detect that either, presumably because it wasn't installed on C:\Program Files. (My C: drive is too full so I need to use another drive). Therefore I've uninstalled Icomancer wiethout ever having a chance to try it.

Thanks for the giveaway LAVA SoftWorks but you might want to ensure that your software is able to detect ImageMagick 6.8.0-8-Q16 wherever it may be installed.

Reply   |   Comment by Julia  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+1)
#25

Geez! What's with all the add on requirements just for a program to operate correctly? Although its very nice its compatible with Windows 8, something Icon Packager from Stardock is not at the present time.

Reply   |   Comment by Little Bears World Of Freebies  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-7)
#24

Do you have an account or want to create a free one. This they ask Yes or No. Give me a break.

Reply   |   Comment by LancasterPA  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-9)
#23

When ever this program runs, be aware of background access to your computer folders by ImageMagick.
Even if unchecked in the options, it still has access to your computer, therefore I just uninstalled it.
I ran a test on the IP addresses and there it was, ImageMagick accessed without my permission.

Reply   |   Comment by Morriss  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+23)
#22

FWIW the info on free vs. standard versions is stated in their FAQ [#6] http://www.lavasoftworks.com/icomancer/faq.html "In short: the free version allows you to get basic content packages , and the standard version gives you premium content packages."

On their downloads page they have both an update & a hotfix -- don't know yet if these are needed or not [sorry].

As requirements .NET 4 should only be an issue with XP -- with 7/8 you likely have it already.

The ImageMagick version referenced on their download page is 6.8.0-8 Q16 Win32 Dynamic, & it says: "if you have either .net framework 4 or ImageMagick 6.8.0-8 Q16 Win32 Dynamic. Both will be detected and, if they exist, the installer will leave them untouched."

The ImageMagick site [imagemagick.org] has static & dll versions [they recommend the dll] in 32 & 64 bit plus a portable version. I haven't done any testing yet to determine if the 64 bit or portable versions work with Icomancer -- just wanted to point out the potential options in case anyone else wanted to try them. :)

Reply   |   Comment by mike  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+15)
#21

Does anybody know if there is a programme that only colours folders and still allows Windows Explorer to show the same folders as both open and closed?

Reply   |   Comment by Craig  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-9)
#20

I don't see any use for this "software". There are easier methods to affix any icon to any file or folder, built in in the windows OS. All you need to do is convert any image as an icon, then "Change icon" in "Properties".

Sorry GAOTD.

Reply   |   Comment by Raajaram Krishnamoorthy  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-9)
#19

Giveaway of the day installed as per instructions... - but no icon packs available to me except One free one?

I didn't see any coupon code to upgrade free from the free version when I installed from Giveaway of the day download - nor any instructions. I got the activation screen and installed as instructions. I read the readme file looking for the upgrade coupon code. Nothing! Please help!

Reply   |   Comment by Mothersky  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-1)
#18

Wonder why Malwarebytes and Antivirus detect Imagemagick Just curious is all maybe someone has some input . Course could be all a false positive

Reply   |   Comment by Doc Rick  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (0)
#17

for those who are upset because "it's Free", the advantage of installing this today is you can download their premium packs for free!!! It's a rather nice little icon editor and creator, you just need to learn how to play around with it.

Reply   |   Comment by Nicholi1120  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+19)
#16

@10 Old Codger: You think that this has nothing to do with productivity? You would be surprised how quickly folders can be found among hundreds, if each is colorized differently in some manner. Hope you enjoy your dull, manila-filled life.

Reply   |   Comment by CJCotter  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-17)
#15

I've used the always-free Rainbow Folders (installer size is under 1 MB) for years without problem. No need to download and use an absurdly large installer (56.6 MB?!) for a similar product.

I did not test it, so I did not give it a thumbs rating. Just this comment.

Reply   |   Comment by Roy  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+16)
#14

I dont see the point in this at all, its easy enough to go to a website, find excellent icons and download them for free..ALL the folders on my desktop have different icons...some i created from photos in photoshop....for a website to get icons try this one http://www.iconarchive.com/

Reply   |   Comment by Charles  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+8)
#13

The user interface is offensive!

It has sales links on the opening master page.

It is not intuitive.

It may work, and I like the concept, but the UI needs a lot of work.

Reply   |   Comment by Spam Sorenson  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+21)
#12

I wonder wat the fuzz is about.

To customize a folder icon you don't need any program at all; it is build-in right into Windows. I have been doing this since years.
So all the advertising like "Use colors, textures, addons, and/or you own custom images for icons" is BS. You can do this alreasy in Windows by default.

This program is nothing more than a icon editor; a nice one at that so it seems, but nothing special beyond that. To customize a folder icon in Windows, all you have to do is edit the properties of that folder and select your custom icon (made in whatever graphics editor). You do not need this program to do that!!!

Also, mind you, Icomancer can't properly deal with alpha channel transparancy on Windows XP icons.

As a dedicated folder icon-editor it seems nice though, but that's all what is "special" about it.

Reply   |   Comment by Oscar  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+34)
#11

If the netframe work bothers you on this, Irfanview can do a "save as" to any of your pictures to an ico file wherein you are able to use your own pictures to create icons by using "properties" on the file and selecting "change icon", etc.

Reply   |   Comment by mardel  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+40)
#10

Seems to be a "fluff" program rather than having anything to do with productivity. For that reason, I will pass on it.

Reply   |   Comment by Old Codger  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-10)
#9

http://eng.softq.org/folderico/dragdrop

http://www.mohaned-b.com/FolderiChanger/Default.aspx

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Desktop-Enhancements/Other-Desktop-Enhancements/Rainbow-Folders.shtml

http://www.snjohus.com/software/software.aspx?Id=0f0b51f5-8df2-4f5f-8b2f-aab76cca3520


==> FREE <==

Reply   |   Comment by Giovanni  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+123)
#8

Imagemagick historically must be updated a lot, not a complaint, just stating a fact. People who want to stay on top of keeping their system secure should be aware of this.

The program is a nice program that does what it says. To be honest though I rarely use the explorer to manage my box, I use ztree

Reply   |   Comment by Fredward  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+14)
#7

Take special care to read the system requirements before starting your download. (ImageMagick 6.8.0-8-Q16; Microsoft .net Framework 4.) It will save a lot of heartache and angry comments.

Reply   |   Comment by Eric Lee  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+34)
#6

No thanx - the installation (with obligate system-reboot), the GUI/skin and the activation-procedure is nothing what I can accept only to change the folder-optic. To do this, there are enough freeware-alternatives.

Reply   |   Comment by Karla  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+8)
#5

The homepage of this software says it's free for personal/non-commercial usage. So, how's the here offered version different?

Reply   |   Comment by A. Michael  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (-11)
#4

icomancer is not shareware. It's free for personal and commercial use for individuals and small-sized companies. Medium to big companies are requested to buy a corporate license pack.

There's no limitation on functionality for free users. The limitation is based on content: you'll not be able to get premium content unless you purchase a standard license.

Reply   |   Comment by qingyang  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+42)
#3

1. 57 MB ???
2. I won't install a software that by default shares my work with the public... this is absurd.. it should be an option.. not default

Reply   |   Comment by Kondoril  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+29)
#2

Here it says "The program is available for $11.99, but it will be free for our visitors as a time-limited offer."

Yet on the site it states "Yes, icomancer is not shareware. It's free for personal and commercial use for individuals and small-sized companies. Medium to big companies are requested to buy a corporate license pack."

I don't think medium to big companies are on this site testing software so is this a mistake by GOTD or is the info from LAVA SoftWorks misleading.

Reply   |   Comment by tester #9  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+43)
#1

Pros
*Use colors, textures, "addons", and/or you own custom images for icons
*Has a database of icons created by Icomancer you can freely download
*Keeps icons even if you move folder to a different Windows computer
*Supports drag + drop
*Has an always-free version

Cons
*Requires .NET Framework 4.0 and ImageMagick
*By default when you create your own custom icon, the icon is uploaded to Icomancer servers and shared with others. You need to make sure to uncheck “Upload” and “Public” when creating your own icons to prevent this.

Free Alternatives
Folderico

Final Verdict
Click here for final verdict and full review

Reply   |   Comment by Ashraf from dotTech  –  10 years ago  –  Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (+69)
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