# Icon data format

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icon-data-format/5175>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 8, 1999, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icon-data-format/5175 "1999-12-08T00:12:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icon-data-format/5175/1 "1999-12-08T00:12:00Z")

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I wanted to use a hex editor to manually change the embedded icon in an .exe file. The problem is that the format of the data makes no sense to me. Plugging in different hex values into the bytes produces inconsistant results. Does anyone know, or can steer me to a site explaining, the format for 16-color icons? (Win 3.1 if that makes a difference). Or alternatively, if there’s a shareware program that lets you edit embedded icons directly?

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**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icon-data-format/5175/2 "1999-12-08T00:31:00Z")

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Try going here and searching for “icon editor” and see if any of the results are what you are looking for, there are plenty of choices.  
[http://hotfiles.zdnet.com/cgi-bin/texis/swlib/hotfiles/search.html](http://hotfiles.zdnet.com/cgi-bin/texis/swlib/hotfiles/search.html)

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**Author:** ![mr\_john](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@mr\_john](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_john)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icon-data-format/5175/3 "1999-12-08T00:37:00Z")

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I’m glad Jim gave you a straight answer,Lumpy, so I can tell you that the problem is obvious from the first words. You got a hex on that computer.

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“Pardon me while I have a strange interlude.”-Marx

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**Author:** ![Rich\_Hall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ebca7d/32.png) [@Rich\_Hall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_Hall)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icon-data-format/5175/4 "1999-12-08T04:05:00Z")

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Nikon’s Coolpix 950 takes clean, clear images at up to 2.1 million pixels. With image resolution up to 1,600x1,200, you can even see the grain in metal. That and Ricky Martin. So does that explain your icon thingie?