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Replace The Spinning Animations In Netscape and Explorer
by Michael Coyle, June 19th, 1998

"Throbbers" is the name given to the little spinning animations that run when your web browser is busy fetching a page. When Mark Friedlander asked how to change them, I never realized I would stumble upon a little cottage industry. There are many web pages dedicated to these little pieces of animated bliss. Unfortunately, many of them are Windows based, but with a little work, you can convert the bmp images to the needed sequence of icons.

Many corporations, schools, and local government agencies customize the sequence with their logo. While the number of frames varies between the browser, and browser version, don't feel obligated to fill all the frames with original animation. Create a small sequence of five frames, and repeat it until all the frames are filled!

Netscape

Over the years, Netscape has changed the size and location of its animation sequence. Currently in version 4.x, the large meteor storm is stored as a group of 38 cicn resources starting at ID # 701. The first four icons are shown here.

The small version of the sequence is also 38 frames long, but is stored in the icl8 resources.

Internet Explorer

Explorer stores its sequences as PICT resources. (In the browser, the animation scales to fit the available space. Perhaps PICT's do this better than cicn's). The sequence is 30 frames long. You can choose between the two options in the Preferences.

Robert Schultz has created a ResEdit template to allow you to modify trobber information in Internet Explorer.

You can add additional throbbers, and determine the number of frames per sequence. Download it.

Using your favorite search engine to find "Netscape Throbbers" will yield many results. Here are just a few of the many available.

Call me square, but who is this Dobbs guy?

AAGHH! The Dancing Baby! This sequence exists as a Windows BMP file, so it will require more work.

This beautiful spinning globe is from info-mac. Do a search for Netscape and comb through the results to find a few more that are easy to use.

Links to Throbbers

'Throbbers" This site has many sequences in ResEdit format ready for your Mac.

"Ultima" - large selection of BMP format throbbers, plus a link to a Throbber web ring.

The mechanics of replacing the old throbber are no different than replacing any icon. If you're unsure, start with the info-mac globe sequence and work your way up to a Windows BMP format.

If you create a clever Throbber of your own, submit it to ResExcellence!