Save a Windows® icon as Macintosh® format

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It could be useful to save an opened Windows® icon to Macintosh®. This is an handy way to convert and icon from one system to another. Various file formats are available for saving Macintosh® icons:

ICNS - This is the standard Macintosh® icon file format. Only one icon (with several formats) can be saved in this format. This format is the most commonly used.
RSC or RSRC - This is the Macintosh®resource file format. It is used mainly by developers. This format can contain several icons. IconWorkshopä support reading of RSC files with several icons but can write only RSC files with one icon.
BIN - MacBinary format. This format permits to easily transfer files between Macintosh® and Windows®. For more information on this format, visit this website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacBinary.

We strongly recommend to use this file format to transfer your icons to Macintosh® because it is compatible with Macintosh®file system which separate each file in two parts called "forks": The data fork and the resource fork. The data fork contains the data included in the file (a text file for example). The resource fork contains the image or icon which permits to display it on screen. See below for more information on transfer from Windows® to Macintosh®.

Saving a Windows® icon using a Macintosh® format

1. Open a Macintosh® icon. Choose File/Save As

2. Choose File/Save As, select Macintosh® (ICNS, RSC or BIN) as file type and specify a new name.

2. Choose File/Save As Macintosh® Icon... (Ctrl+Alt+S), select the Macintosh® file format (see above) and specify a new name.

2. Click the following button on the toolbar, select the Macintosh® file format (see above) and specify a new name for this icon.

3. Click on the Save button

Remark about the Macintosh® icon format

The following table shows the common Macintosh® image formats:

Macintosh® icon format is not open. You cannot add image formats which are not defined in Macintosh® icon specifications. See above, some image formats are not available.

During the save operation you may be prompted to confirm loss of Windows® specific image formats not available in Macintosh® icons.