Preparing images

Each category and part on the VA Smalltalk parts palette is represented by an icon, so you can recognize it visually.

With VA Smalltalk, you have the ability to create and use your own images when you extend the parts palette. You can use icons (.ico files) or bitmaps (.bmp files) that are built into a DLL, provided you have access to the following:

•	Your operating system toolkit

•	A language compiler, such as C or C++

Alternatively, you can use the following images directly, by providing VA Smalltalk with the path name and file name where the image resides:

•	Icons (.ico files), provided you have an icon editor for your system

•	Bitmaps (.bmp files), provided you have a bitmap editor

•	Pixmaps (.pcx files), provided you have a tool that produces these files

•	Tiff files (.tif files), provided you have a tool that produces these files

If you do not have access to any of the tools listed above, you can still extend the parts palette and accept the default category icon, the default open category icon, and the default part icon, .

Or, you can use one of the sample icons described in Appendix D, Reusable icons.

This example uses athltcat.ico for the Athletes category, world.ico for the Athletes open category icon, and runner.ico for the Runner part, but these are only for illustration, so you will have to substitute your own icons.