The ExImages tool is a BASE64 encoder/decoder tool, which helps you to generate encoded-BASE64 strings for Images, VisualAppearance.Add, HTMLPicture, ... methods from icons, EBN or any picture files. The ExImages compresses the data before generating the encoded-BASE64 string, when encoding is performed, and decodes the encoded-BASE64 string, decompresses the data, when decoding is performed. 

Drag and drop your files from Windows Explorer to one of the two leftmost panels of the ExImages tool, so you get the encoded-BASE64 string, or you can decode any encoded-BASE64 string you select and copy ( CTRL + C ), so as soon as the tool recognizes the data, it will display it in any of the two leftmost panels of the ExImages tool.

In case you need programmatically to generate the encoded-BASE64 strings from your files ( pictures, icons, EBN objects ), you can do one of the following:

• Use the Encode64 property, of the eXPrint component, to generate the encoded-BASE64 string from a picture or EBN file. For instance, the Debug.Print CreateObject("Exontrol.Print").Encode64("c:\temp\editors.gif") prints the encoded-BASE64 string of the editors.gif picture. Use the Encode64Icons property, of the eXPrint component, to encode the list of icons to generate the encoded-BASE64 string that cab be used by Images methods only. 

• Pass the path to the picture file as parameter for eximages tool, like: "eximages c:\temp\editors.gif", and so the tool puts the encoded-BASE64 string to your clipboard as text. The generated string always starts with "eximages:  ", that should be removed or ignored when calling the Picture method of the control, object or any property that supports encoded-BASE64 strings. 

The following movie shows how you can encode icons, picture and EBN files, paste them to eXHelper too, and generate VB6 code from it:

Here's how you can encode ICO files, to be used by the Images method:

• Run the ExImages tool.
• Open the Windows Explorer, and locate the ICO files to be included.
• Drag and Drop them to `1(IconList)` panel ( leftmost panel )
• The `3(BASE64/Result)` displays the encoded-BASE64 string, for icons being included in the tool's image list.  

Here's how you can encode picture files ( BMP, PNG, JPEG, ... ), to be used by the HTMLPicture method:

• Run the ExImages tool.
• Open the Windows Explorer, and locate the picture file to be included.
• Drag and Drop it to `2(Picture/EBN/Any)` panel ( middle panel ) OR Select and Press CTRL + C in Windows Explorer
• The `3(BASE64/Result)` displays the encoded-BASE64 string, for the picture  

Here's how you can encode EBN files, to be used by the VisualAppearance.Add method:

• Run the ExImages tool.
• Open the Windows Explorer, and locate the picture file to be included.
• Drag and Drop it to `2(Picture/EBN/Any)` panel ( middle panel ) OR Select and Press CTRL + C in Windows Explorer
• The `3(BASE64/Result)` displays the encoded-BASE64 string, for the EBN file 

Here's how you can decode any generated encoded-BASE64 string:

• Run the ExImages tool.
• Open the ExHelper, NOTEPAD tool, that contains the encoded-BASE64 string
• Select the encoded-BASE64 string, and press the CTRL + C
• The `1(IconList)` panel ( leftmost panel ) displays the list of the icons that has been encoded, in case 
• The `2(Picture/EBN/Any)` panel ( middle panel ) displays the encoded picture or EBN file, in case