[c++] How do I set the icon for my application in visual studio 2008?

How do I set the executable icon for my C++ application in visual studio 2008?

The important thing is that the icon you want to be displayed as the application icon ( in the title bar and in the task bar ) must be the FIRST icon in the resource script file

The file is in the res folder and is named (applicationName).rc

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// Icon
//

// Icon with lowest ID value placed first to ensure application icon
// remains consistent on all systems.
(icon ID )          ICON                    "res\\filename.ico"

If you're using .NET, in the solutions explorer right click your program and select properties. Under the resource section select Icon and manifest, then browse to the location of your icon.

This is how you do it in Visual Studio 2010.

Because it is finicky, this can be quite painful, actually, because you are trying to do something so incredibly simple, but it isn't straight forward and there are many gotchas that Visual Studio doesn't tell you about. If at any point you feel angry or like you want to sink your teeth into a 2 by 4 and scream, by all means, please do so.

Gotchas:

• You need to use an .ico file. You cannot use a PNG image file for your executable's icon, it will not work. You must use .ico. There are web utilities that convert images to .ico files.
• The ico used for your exe will be the ico with the LOWEST RESOURCE ID. In order to change the .ico

1) Open VIEW > RESOURCE VIEW (in the middle of the VIEW menu), or press Ctrl+Shift+E to get it to appear.

2) In Resource view, right click the project name and say ADD > RESOURCE...

3) Assuming you have already generated an .ico file yourself, choose Icon from the list of crap that appears, then click IMPORT.

4) At this dialog *.ico files aren't listed, and you can't use a regular PNG or JPG image as an icon, so change the file filter to *.ico using the dropdown. Misleading UI, I know, I know.

5) If you compile your project now, it will automatically stick the .ico with the lowest ID (as listed in resource.h) as the icon of your .exe file.

6) If you load a bunch of ICO files into the project for whatever reason, be sure the .ico you want Visual Studio to use has the lowest id in resource.h. You can edit this file manually with no problems

Eg.

//resource.h
#define IDI_ICON1                       102
#define IDI_ICON2                       103

IDI_ICON1 is used

//resource.h
#define IDI_ICON1                       106
#define IDI_ICON2                       103

Now IDI_ICON2 is used.

If you're using .NET, in the solutions explorer right click your program and select properties. Under the resource section select Icon and manifest, then browse to the location of your icon.

I don't know if VB.net in VS 2008 is any different, but none of the above worked for me. Double-clicking My Project in Solution Explorer brings up the window seen below. Select Application on the left, then browse for your icon using the combobox. After you build, it should show up on your exe file.

The important thing is that the icon you want to be displayed as the application icon ( in the title bar and in the task bar ) must be the FIRST icon in the resource script file

The file is in the res folder and is named (applicationName).rc

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// Icon
//

// Icon with lowest ID value placed first to ensure application icon
// remains consistent on all systems.
(icon ID )          ICON                    "res\\filename.ico"

You add the .ico in your resource as bobobobo said and then in your main dialog's constructor you modify:

m_hIcon = AfxGetApp()->LoadIcon(ICON_ID_FROM_RESOURCE.H);

I don't know if VB.net in VS 2008 is any different, but none of the above worked for me. Double-clicking My Project in Solution Explorer brings up the window seen below. Select Application on the left, then browse for your icon using the combobox. After you build, it should show up on your exe file.

The important thing is that the icon you want to be displayed as the application icon ( in the title bar and in the task bar ) must be the FIRST icon in the resource script file

The file is in the res folder and is named (applicationName).rc

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// Icon
//

// Icon with lowest ID value placed first to ensure application icon
// remains consistent on all systems.
(icon ID )          ICON                    "res\\filename.ico"

This is how you do it in Visual Studio 2010.

Because it is finicky, this can be quite painful, actually, because you are trying to do something so incredibly simple, but it isn't straight forward and there are many gotchas that Visual Studio doesn't tell you about. If at any point you feel angry or like you want to sink your teeth into a 2 by 4 and scream, by all means, please do so.

Gotchas:

• You need to use an .ico file. You cannot use a PNG image file for your executable's icon, it will not work. You must use .ico. There are web utilities that convert images to .ico files.
• The ico used for your exe will be the ico with the LOWEST RESOURCE ID. In order to change the .ico

1) Open VIEW > RESOURCE VIEW (in the middle of the VIEW menu), or press Ctrl+Shift+E to get it to appear.

2) In Resource view, right click the project name and say ADD > RESOURCE...

3) Assuming you have already generated an .ico file yourself, choose Icon from the list of crap that appears, then click IMPORT.

4) At this dialog *.ico files aren't listed, and you can't use a regular PNG or JPG image as an icon, so change the file filter to *.ico using the dropdown. Misleading UI, I know, I know.

5) If you compile your project now, it will automatically stick the .ico with the lowest ID (as listed in resource.h) as the icon of your .exe file.

6) If you load a bunch of ICO files into the project for whatever reason, be sure the .ico you want Visual Studio to use has the lowest id in resource.h. You can edit this file manually with no problems

Eg.

//resource.h
#define IDI_ICON1                       102
#define IDI_ICON2                       103

IDI_ICON1 is used

//resource.h
#define IDI_ICON1                       106
#define IDI_ICON2                       103

Now IDI_ICON2 is used.

The important thing is that the icon you want to be displayed as the application icon ( in the title bar and in the task bar ) must be the FIRST icon in the resource script file

The file is in the res folder and is named (applicationName).rc

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// Icon
//

// Icon with lowest ID value placed first to ensure application icon
// remains consistent on all systems.
(icon ID )          ICON                    "res\\filename.ico"

You add the .ico in your resource as bobobobo said and then in your main dialog's constructor you modify:

m_hIcon = AfxGetApp()->LoadIcon(ICON_ID_FROM_RESOURCE.H);