Save as .ico

[john3347]

I am able to remove the background from a photo. but I seem not able to save the remaining picture as a .ico file to use as a desktop icon.  I want to completely remove the rectangular background portion of a picture and use just the main subject of the picture as a stand alone picture and save as an .ico file.  Is there a way to do this with background remover?  

I can remove the background and transfer the remaining picture to another picture, but I want the remaining picture to be a stand alone picture with the shape of the profile of the remaining picture.  I then want to save it as .ico.  I frequently save photographs as .ico, but I have, thus far, not been able to remove the backgrounds prior to saving as .ico.

I probably should mention that I am using PSPP X2 with background remover plug-in.

[ImageSkill]

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback.

ICO format is very specific and used for OS(Win, Mac) necessity like thumbnail etc.
There are specific demands for ICO content (see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa511280.aspx ).

Even PSP could not save image in ICO format.

But goof free editor XnView can and it is goof news.

You can use Background Remover with XnVew in order to create needed icons.

See tutorial how to attach Background Remover to XnView at our forum http://forum.imageskill.com/index.php/topic,1502.0.html

Regards, ImageSkill Team

[john3347]

Thank you very much for your detailed reply.  I am familiar with XNView and I will be able to download that from download.com and follow your instructions from there.  I have been attempting to make these customized desktop icons for a long time.  Finally, I see success "just around the corner".  Thank you very much.

John

[john3347]

Well, "just around the corner" seems to be farther than I earlier thought.  I have downloaded and installed XnView and added background remover to it and I am able to get as far as defining the background to be removed as a checkerboard, but I do not find any way to actually remove the marked area or save the remaining picture without that area.  If I can save the cropped picture in any popular picture format (jpg, gif, bmp, etc.) I can use Faststone Image Viewer to save that in an ico format and save to my "Icon" folder.  I have done that many times.  I am wanting to do this with a picture with the background completely cropped (deleted) from the picture.  The resulting picture that I convert to an ico format will have an irregular shape determined by what image remains after removing the background and will not be a rectangle with square corners.  Am I just wanting too much?  Is it not possible to remove the background from a picture and simply save the remaining picture as a standalone picture in the same format as the original (usually would be a .jpg)?

If I am somehow failing to make it understood what I am trying to do, please bear with me and I will offer more explanation as to my intentions (desires).