Is PMMail still being maintained?

[David Graser]

Is PMMail still be developed?  If so, can someone tell me what size bitmaps are built into the mailer?  I may take a stab at updating the bitmaps if I can find time.  No promises, but if it is still being maintained, it would be worth while to try to update the graphics.

David

[Matt Walsh]

Yes, & *.ico files are ~3400 bits.
Matt W

[Doug Bissett]

Is PMMail still be developed?

The answer is yes, and no. Currently, there is no developer working on it. I, and a few others, tweak it sometimes, when we can, but I am not a programmer, so I can't do much with it.

No promises, but if it is still being maintained, it would be worth while to try to update the graphics.

The icons were tweaked years ago, and that turned into a bit of a marathon, to try to get them to actually work properly. The original icons, in PMMail before 3.x, were not standard OS/2 icons, and a lot of the code needed to be updated to handle normal icons. Most icons were created from the non standard ones, so they didn't change much. At least they are now proper OS/2 icons.

There is a section in the help, about customizing icons. I suggest that you start there. If you have some success, open an incident in the bug tracker, and I will see if I can get it done. The icons seem to be something that I should be able to work with.

[David Graser]

Is PMMail still be developed?

The answer is yes, and no. Currently, there is no developer working on it. I, and a few others, tweak it sometimes, when we can, but I am not a programmer, so I can't do much with it.

No promises, but if it is still being maintained, it would be worth while to try to update the graphics.

The icons were tweaked years ago, and that turned into a bit of a marathon, to try to get them to actually work properly. The original icons, in PMMail before 3.x, were not standard OS/2 icons, and a lot of the code needed to be updated to handle normal icons. Most icons were created from the non standard ones, so they didn't change much. At least they are now proper OS/2 icons.

I am thinking the original icons were bitmaps.  I know FM/2, Filestar2, and Dr. Dialog use bitmaps for their display icons.  The advantage is you make just one size, usually 32x32.  I have the old  PMMail listing and it was done in bitmap.

OS/2 ico aren't the greatest due to the way all OS2 versions handle them. Any light color on the edge is treated as white.  This looks bad unless one goes in and deletes or darkens the colors.  This is why a lot of the OS/2 icons have a blocked chunky edge. It also requires that each icon have several sizes.  You can have one size, but then one relies on WPS to render the icons in the size needed, which a lot of the time is not great.

That said, I did my first icon, although, not great, is far better than the one used now.  I have attached so I can see it better on a larger screen.

I have managed to improve on this original one.  There are a few tricks I have learned after doing them over the years.

[ak120]

I am thinking the original icons were bitmaps.

All icons are bitmaps or arrays of bitmaps.

I know FM/2, Filestar2, and Dr. Dialog use bitmaps for their display icons.  The advantage is you make just one size, usually 32x32.  I have the old  PMMail listing and it was done in bitmap.

You're talking about image files for the button bar?

OS/2 ico aren't the greatest due to the way all OS2 versions handle them. Any light color on the edge is treated as white.  This looks bad unless one goes in and deletes or darkens the colors.

So the Windows ICO files look better under OS/2? An average graphics designer should know how to use colours properly.

This is why a lot of the OS/2 icons have a blocked chunky edge. It also requires that each icon have several sizes.

Absolutely wrong.

You can have one size, but then one relies on WPS to render the icons in the size needed, which a lot of the time is not great.

In fact it doesn't rely on Workplace Shell at all. Icons are rendered by the Presentation device driver. Perhaps you're simply using a sloppy display driver. Before spreading such claims it would be advisable to check against different different output devices or configurations.

[Neil Waldhauer]

PMMail uses icons in OS/2 ico format, bitmaps, and original artwork is in Photoshop format (.psd)

Send me a personal message if you'd like to join the development team and have access to our bitmap library.

[David Graser]

Trying to contact you Neil.  It won't go through.  I am interested in trying to improving the icons and graphics.

David Graser

dwgras@swbell.net

[David Graser]

I am thinking the original icons were bitmaps.

All icons are bitmaps or arrays of bitmaps.

I know FM/2, Filestar2, and Dr. Dialog use bitmaps for their display icons.  The advantage is you make just one size, usually 32x32.  I have the old  PMMail listing and it was done in bitmap.

You're talking about image files for the button bar?

OS/2 ico aren't the greatest due to the way all OS2 versions handle them. Any light color on the edge is treated as white.  This looks bad unless one goes in and deletes or darkens the colors.

So the Windows ICO files look better under OS/2? An average graphics designer should know how to use colours properly.

This is why a lot of the OS/2 icons have a blocked chunky edge. It also requires that each icon have several sizes.

Absolutely wrong.

You can have one size, but then one relies on WPS to render the icons in the size needed, which a lot of the time is not great.

In fact it doesn't rely on Workplace Shell at all. Icons are rendered by the Presentation device driver. Perhaps you're simply using a sloppy display driver. Before spreading such claims it would be advisable to check against different different output devices or configurations.

Andreas

You are right.  I am no graphic designer and what little I know is from trial and error and working with them.  I have had not had the teaching,  training, and no one to advise me on anything.  It is one of the reasons I did not try to learn programming.  I stand corrected for my ignorance.  I would like to say that if any icon was that simple, everyone would be doing them.  I have used various display graphic cards.  A lot of the problems are not noticeable when the background is white, such as when you open a folder.  It is the dark backgrounds where the flaws start showing.  I do thank you for your information because now I know.

David

[David Graser]

Here are four of the five main folder icons.  A picture and a zip containing them.  I could not decide on the PMMail help icon.  I created two for those that want something other than a book.

[Doug Bissett]

I will comment that the Migration tool is poorly named. It started as a tool to migrate from older versions of PMMail, but has turned into more of a maintenance tool, with one of the functions being to migrate from older versions of PMMail. Personally, I like the original icon, (it seems to be more appropriate to the actual function) but others may use what they like.