How To Make An Icon with Preview

I thought I'd share something new I learned in case it may help someone trying to make icons when the Finder Folder refuses to be "selected" or "highlighted".


How To Make An Icon with Preview:

It is very easy to create an icon for a Folder using OS X.

The steps are quite intuitive:
1. Open a picture with Preview
2. Grab the area you want to be the icon or just leave it unchecked to grab the whole image
3. Choose Edit > Copy
4. Choose the Folder or Application you want to apply the icon to and choose "Get Info"
5. Click on the Icon Preview and choose "Paste" from the Edit menu. Close the Get Info window.

The problem at this point is that when you click on the Folder or any visible part of the icon image,
the Folder does not get "selected" and highlighted by the Finder. The only way to select the Folder is by
clicking on the Name of the Folder. Move on to step 6 to see how this problem gets fixed.

6. It is important to close the Get Info window if you have not already done that.
7. Now, choose the Folder you just applied the icon to, and choose "Get Info" again.
8. Choose the icon that represents the Folder and choose Edit > Copy.
9. Open Preview again and choose "New from Clipboard".
10. Choose the largest image (in the Preview pane) that appears "transparent" (without black behind it)
11. Drag that image to the Desktop (it is copied there as a TIFF file)
12. Open that TIFF image on your Desktop with Preview
13. Choose Edit > Copy
14. Choose a Folder and then choose "Get Info"
15. Click on the Folder icon in the Get Info Window
16. Choose Edit > Paste
17. Close the Get Info Window and test the Icon for the Folder


HOW TO MAKE AN ICON USING ADOBE PHOTOSHOP

Open a picture with Preview or Photoshop.

Starting with Preview:
1. Grab the area you want to be the icon or just leave it unchecked to grab the whole image
(If you are doing the whole image then just skip steps 2 and 3)
2. Choose Edit > Copy
3. Choose "New" From Clipboard
4. Save it as a PNG file to your Desktop
5. Open the new PNG image on the Desktop with Adobe Photoshop
(The image is opened with a transparent background)
6. Move on to the "Starting with Photoshop" instructions.

Starting with Photoshop:
1. Open your picture and make any editing changes you desire
2. Save the image to the Desktop "as a copy" as a PNG file
3. Create and/or choose a Folder you want to apply the icon to and then choose "Get Info" for that Folder.
4. Choose the new Photoshop-created PNG image on the Desktop and choose "Get Info"
5. Click-and-drag the image under the Preview pane for the "PNG copy" to the icon image representing the Folder.
6. Close both Get Info Windows and test the Icon for the Folder.