Is there anyway to embed (customise) the icon for a particularWord document?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chris Newman
  • Start date Start date
C

Chris Newman

I have created a library of Word document templates for use by
members of my work team. I want to make it as easy to use as possible
which as why I want to customise the icons for each template eg report
template, work request template etc. Now I know that you can edit the
icons for Windows but these are controlled by a icon -> Document
types mapping. I understand that it is possible to embed icons into a
particular file to overide the WIndows default. Photoshop for example
enables you to create a thumbnail of that file's image contents. Does
anyone know of a freeware utility (preferrably) that can edit a file (not
file type) icon?
..
 
I'm not going to give a lesson, but I have a workaround
suggestion. Instead of trying to customize the original
docs, centralize them and customize shortcuts for the
originals. A much easier and less time consuming option.
 
But you need to write a program to extract the icon and show it. Word does this for Word HTML documents. Search http://msdn.microsoft.com for the page titled Creating Icon Handlers.

While I not sure I suspect you'll also need to write OLE compound file access routines to put in the file (far harder than the display program). I also suspect word is using some custom way for html files.

In short if you are not a advanced C programmer, forget it.

Nothing makes you have to use doc. You could create 100 different extensions that open in word each with it's own icon.

doc1
doc2
....
doc99

or
doconFriday

In short the extension is arbaritary. You just need to copy HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc1 and add a default icon key to it. This will be the same structure, but with your custom icon path, as HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.8\DefaultIcon

which also need to be deleted as ProgIDs (Word.Document.8) overrule extensions. The main way extensions are mapped to ProgIDs is in the default value of the extension key. Extensions work for Win3.11 compatability but usually most entries go under the ProgID. (the alternative ways are OLE Compound files are looked into for their GUID and there's a registry key where windows will examine the content of files against a mask).

Another way is to use Thumbnail view in Explorer and in Word File - Properties - Summary - Save Preview Picture and as long as the picture doesn't take too long to draw (it was 2 seconds in previous versions) it will appear as the thumbnail.
 
Back
Top