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Import methods

Icarus supports several ways to import strategies:
  • File picker: Choose .ica files through a standard dialog
  • Drag and drop: Drag files directly into the application window
  • Direct file paths: Open files via command-line arguments or file associations
Imported strategies are automatically assigned a new unique ID and added to your library. The original file is not modified.

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Importing from file picker

Use the built-in file picker to import strategies:
1

Open import dialog

From the file menu, select “Import Strategy” or “Open”.
2

Select files

Browse to your .ica files. You can select multiple files at once for batch import.
3

Confirm import

Click “Open” to begin importing. Each strategy is processed and added to your library.

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Importing via drag and drop

The fastest way to import strategies:
  1. Open Icarus to your library view
  2. Drag one or more .ica files from your file manager
  3. Drop them anywhere in the Icarus window
  4. Strategies are imported automatically
Drag and drop works from any file manager, including Windows Explorer, macOS Finder, and Linux file browsers.

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Import process

When you import a strategy, Icarus performs these steps:
1

File validation

Checks if the file is a valid ZIP archive (.ica format) or legacy JSON. ZIP files are identified by their magic number header (PK\x03\x04).
2

ID generation

Generates a new unique ID for the imported strategy to prevent conflicts with existing strategies.
3

Extract contents

Extracts the JSON data and image files to a temporary directory.
4

Image processing

Copies images to the new strategy’s support directory. Images are organized by the new strategy ID.
5

Data parsing

Parses JSON data for pages, drawings, agents, abilities, text, utilities, and settings.
6

Migration

Applies any necessary migrations if the strategy was created with an older version of Icarus.
7

Storage

Saves the migrated strategy to the local Hive database.
8

Cleanup

Removes temporary extraction files.

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Legacy format support

Icarus handles older strategy formats:

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Pre-ZIP format

Strategies saved before the ZIP format was introduced:
  • Plain JSON files (no ZIP compression)
  • Images embedded as base64 data
  • These are automatically detected and converted

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Pre-pages format

Strategies created before multi-page support:
  • Flat structure with single set of elements
  • Automatically migrated to a single-page structure
  • Original data is preserved and placed on “Page 1”

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Coordinate system migration

Strategies from version 38 and earlier:
  • Used a different aspect ratio for maps
  • Coordinates are automatically transformed to the modern 16:9 world space
  • Padding is added to center maps properly
All migrations happen automatically during import. You don’t need to do anything special to open older strategies.

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Image import details

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ZIP-based images (modern format)

Images in ZIP archives:
  • Stored as separate files alongside the JSON
  • Referenced by UUID in the strategy data
  • Copied to the new strategy’s image folder during import

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Legacy base64 images

Older embedded images:
  • Decoded from base64 strings in JSON
  • Saved as individual files in the new format
  • Image IDs are preserved when possible
If you’re importing strategies created on the web version, images might be handled differently. Desktop versions use file-based storage for better performance.

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Error handling

If import fails:
  • Invalid file format: Ensure the file is a valid .ica or JSON file
  • Corrupted ZIP: Re-export the strategy from the source
  • Missing JSON: The archive must contain a .json file
  • Parse errors: The JSON structure may be incompatible
Always keep backups of original strategy files. While migration is designed to be safe, complex strategies with many images can occasionally encounter issues.

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Importing folder exports

When you receive a folder export (a ZIP of multiple strategies):
  1. Extract the ZIP file to a temporary location
  2. The extracted folder contains individual .ica files
  3. Import each .ica file using any of the standard import methods
  4. Folder structure is not automatically recreated; organize imported strategies manually

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Post-import steps

After importing:
  1. Verify the strategy: Open it to ensure all elements loaded correctly
  2. Check images: Confirm that all images appear properly
  3. Rename if needed: Give the strategy a unique name if it conflicts with existing ones
  4. Organize: Move it to the appropriate folder in your library

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Version compatibility

Icarus maintains broad compatibility:
  • Current version: Full support for all features
  • Recent versions: Automatic migration with no data loss
  • Very old versions: Best-effort migration with possible feature differences
The version number in the JSON indicates which Icarus version created the strategy. If you encounter issues with very old strategies, try opening them in an intermediate version first.

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