Windows 7: Icon for folders question

Is there a way to set a folder icon to just use the first image it finds in that folder? I'm a teacher, and have my resources scanned. The cover, first page, second, etc. etc. It would be nice if the icon could just be that first cover image. Rather than a half open folder. Thanks for any info!

Disable Thumbnail Preview .

Now, take a pic of the cover using snipping tool, save it as a .png image .

convert the png to icon at http://www.convertico.com/ . Save the icon at any real location where it will stay for a long time without being disturbed .

Right click on the desired folder and select properties . Now go to the customize tab . Click on the "change icon" button .... browse to the location where the icon is saved .... apply > OK .

Hope it helps .

right click the folder that you want the image showing on ,select properties choose customise tab then select choose file in folder pictures section, then select the picture you want showing , another way is to rename the first picture to folder this will then show in the same manner that you require.
edit:
actually on a closer read of your post you would have to have the first image saved as an ico file then change the folder icon same steps as before ,properties /customise /change icon
a good place to convert an image to an ico file is here.
http://www.convertico.com/
i have done this with my movies folder
e.g

That's a nifty trick there! The gf will love this! Is there any downloadable app like that so I will not have to go to the site whenever I will convert? Just asking

Yes there is a very good one ....

IcoFX - The Free Icon Editor

You could dowload IcoFx from here. IcoFX - The Free Icon Editor. It will convert pictures to icons along with lots of other features.


Arc beat me to it.

@kado897/Arc,

Thanks for the reply

Yeah will do(so I can convert without connection).

I just tried the service ConvertICO.com - Convert .PNG format files to .ICO or .ICO format files to .PNG : Windows Vista compatible icons and it's great! One question, I see that some of the icon takes the shape of the image itself round or angular...how do you do that? I tried to convert a BMW logo to an icon and it still had the "square" around it. Do you have to use Photoshop to cut the rest of what you don't like...or is there something faster?

Just asking

Hi Damien,

If you have a white background to the image that will show up. What you have to do is turn that into a transparent background. In IcoFx is is quite easy.

1. Select the transparent color.



2. Use the Paint Pot tool.



3. Apply to the white areas. It changes everything the same color.



Not sure the checkered transparent BG shows very well.

Hi Keith

Never used IcoFx so thought I would stop been lazy using the on-line converters and have a pop.When you add the transparency how do you apply to the whole of the white background in one go. I'm finding the paint pot tool is applying it in sections sometimes large but then other times pixel by pixel and with my eyes its impossible to see the chequered transparency so I cant tell where I've been and where I haven't.

Danny

Hi Danny.
The Paint Pot tool will only replace an area of a constant color. If there are small variations it will go on in bits. You may also have to tidy up odd bits using the other tools. I find the line tool with a wide width quite good for that. You can also select areas and press the DEL key to get the same effect.