favicons

[Cyber Gypsy]

How do I get favicons to work? I named the icon favicon.ico and uploaded it to the root directory and placed a bit of code <LINK REL="SHORTCUT ICON" HREF="https://www.cybergypsywebdesign.com/favicon.ico"> It still dosn't work. Can someone help me. Thanks.
Margaret

[jdiben]

I think it only works after the page is saved as a favorite in internet explorer. It also disapears for no apparent reason sometimes. I dont know if it works in other browsers.

Joe

[netcastles]

A favicon is retained when someone bookmarks the site, but when the visitors cleans out their internet cache that removes the favicon

[Reece]

grins!!
I recognize that favicon!!
It works fine here.. bookmarked you and i see it on my fav list just fine...

And it's not <LINK REL="SHORTCUT ICON" HREF="https://www.cybergypsywebdesign.com/favicon.ico">
its <LINK REL="SHORTCUT ICON" HREF="http://www.cybergypsywebdesign.com/favicon.ico">

[Cyber Gypsy]

Hey Thanks. I have it now.

[Reece]

You are welcome. very cool site by the way gypsy....
I LOVE the colors.....
Best of luck.

[Reece]

oops. double post. sorry... site is really nice tho :)

[ahdkaw]

(apart from the dodgy server certificate from station197.com - what's that all about?)

[Reece]

ahdkaw ? station197.com?
gypsy just had an extra s in her tag....She had apparently been to my favicon help page... and I was WAY excited to see that icon in action....
I was happy to have helped...and to see the net was smaller than we all seem to think *grin*

[mgriffin]

I did a View Source when I realized that I was seriously missing out on some major action with that favicon thing. Here's the code I use, placed between the title and meta tags:

<link rel="SHORTCUT ICON" href="/images/bug.ico">

[barrycj]

Interesting ...
I have never inserted any code into a page - simply uploaded the favicon to the root of our site and it has worked !

[ojo4max]

You don't have to put the link: <LINK REL="SHORTCUT ICON" HREF="http://www.cybergypsywebdesign.com/favicon.ico"> for the icon to work. It appears when the site is saved to favorites or (and that is cool) to the desktop. Also, the favicon.ico icon now works with Nescape 7.1 and Opera 7.0

[Reece]

I run into sites all the time that can't get the favicon to work because of redirects or framesets. Some free hosting and isps no longer allow ico files to be uploaded either. Hence those sites need the code added to page to pull the file up correctly or to point to an external ico image. Some sites maybe a "user" on a larger domain and need to code to get their own favicon to show.

For example.. Currently, IF you bookmark my design pages, you get the root favicon, an N. IF I had the favicon code is loaded to the design pages, you would get the yucca favicon, not the N.

I have one web friend who has specified a different favicon.ico for each page, just because he could.

It doesn't hurt to add the code, because someday you may have a site where you HAVE to code it in.

[timwilson]

That is pretty cool, but I am curious, many top sites put an icon right beside the url in the Address box at the top of the browser. How is that done?

Thanks,

Tim

[Reece]

Tim, Same icon, same way....

That is supposed to happen on IE and some other browsers once the site is bookmarked/added to favorites.

Recently you may not see it unless you go back, or refresh the page...
I bookmarked the forums here, but didn't see the icon until I came back. *it's a known bug listed on the favicon.com site. they recommend leaving the site then coming back to make it show up, if I recall correctly. That and F5...*.

Don't forget though, once you clear temp files, all the pretty icons go unless you use FavOrg.

[edhan]

I have added my favicon but it disappeared after a day for IE. I still can see the icon under Netscape though. Anyone knows why ? The site is @ http://www.crazyhobby.net

Edward Han

[Reece]

Heya Ed....
Netscape has differant cache settings than IE...
You may want to see what the setting is for NS..... and then look at IE....and compare....I suspect that's it.

PS i see the red square as icon.. right?

[harrythehound]

My favicon appears and disappears regularly, so I just don't bother too much about it anymore.

The only place where it stays put is in my list of links just below my address bar in IE 6.0.

[Sualdam]

If you want them to be persistent you can save them somewhere safe and use them that way.

If you save the favicon.ico to a separate folder, you can right-click the Favorite entry (in IE) and select the icon to use. They never get deleted that way.

I must say that having a list of icons to glance at makes use of the Favorites list that little bit easier when it starts getting long (and when you have 1600x1200 resolution, so lots show up).

[carol]

I love seeing all the pretty favicons, but if we "experts" are having so much trouble retaining them (clearing cache), what can we expect of the rest of the world? It's a nice perk to be able to offer to create for a client, but I wonder how much the client will appreciate it when they realize its life is so ephemeral?

[Reece]

FavOrg from PcWorld creates a way to save them. * if it's not available, just check Google for places that have it.
Run FavOrg occasionally to recover the favicons. The favorites list then shows the favicon until site is removed.
Yes it’s a trick, but clients do want it. They see favicon.ico in the log files; ask what it means…..

When given a choice, to have the default IE one show, or theirs,(clients); they ALWAYS chose theirs, even if it has an “ephemeral” life.

People do not like the idea of a file being requested and not found. If there is a file to be pulled up, they want it. Hence, the preference for a favicon, no matter how short lived.

[xela1010]

Everyday my sites error log reports:

File does not exist: /usr/local/psa/home/vhosts/secfile.net/httpdocs/favicon.ico

Any ideas on how to correct this would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[carol]

Sorry, I erred on the side of being concise rather than being clear - my fault! ;-) Yes, you and I - and all those reading this thread! - know about FavOrg. Certainly we can educate our clients, too. But there are millions of users out there who are ignorant, or don't care to download, install and run yet another utility on a periodic basis. And I did have a rather shrewd client who asked me why he should pay me to create something that most of his potential clients would, sooner or later, cease to view? Of course, as you say, the clients all want the favicons if they are “included” in the price – especially if it seems like you have thrown them in “for free.” Personally, I would like to see icon management folded into the browser. That would make it a no-brainer for everyone, and it would enhance the value of the favicon in my opinion.

[Sualdam]

But you CAN make them persistent without using external software... just not automatically.

[Sualdam]

Everyday my sites error log reports:

File does not exist: /usr/local/psa/home/vhosts/secfile.net/httpdocs/favicon.ico

Any ideas on how to correct this would be appreciated.

Thank you.
xela1010

When you say 'error log' do you mean it is an error contained in your site stats log file?

If so, it is something trying to access that path incorrectly. Probably externally.

It might be worthwhile asking your hosts about it because that path is something I guess you'd never want to use.

[Reece]

xela ~ when I go to your favicon www.secfile.net/favicon.ico it prompted to download the file.. *huh* and when I opened it. It appeared to be a gif, not an ico file…
Is it just a renamed gif? If so that MAY be the problem.
I also agree with Sualdam, the path of the error is strange …. /usr/local/psa/home/vhosts/secfile.net/httpdocs/favicon.ico ~ This maybe the result of the *download * prompt I received. The path appears to be back to the main server ~ something isn’t right there, maybe ….. the /local/psa/home/vhosts is unfamiliar path to me…

I will look around though…. See if I can get a definite answer on this.

[Reece]

Ooops. Sorry Carol… Yes I agree, favicon management built in the browser would be GREAT!
And yes, clients do not want to pay for something with a short life span, but do not want the 404 error either.
Google is always adding toys to their tool bar…If browsers don’t add icon management, maybe Google will

[xela1010]

Everyday my sites error log reports:

File does not exist: /usr/local/psa/home/vhosts/secfile.net/httpdocs/favicon.ico

Any ideas on how to correct this would be appreciated.

Thank you.
xela1010

When you say 'error log' do you mean it is an error contained in your site stats log file?

If so, it is something trying to access that path incorrectly. Probably externally.

It might be worthwhile asking your hosts about it because that path is something I guess you'd never want to use.

In the web logs (stats log file) there are 2 error log files. They both contained the message but after reading more on webpro I created a favicon file and uploaded it to my site. Since then the error has not been logged.

Thank you for the reply.

[xela1010]

xela ~ when I go to your favicon www.secfile.net/favicon.ico it prompted to download the file.. *huh* and when I opened it. It appeared to be a gif, not an ico file…
Is it just a renamed gif? If so that MAY be the problem.
I also agree with Sualdam, the path of the error is strange …. /usr/local/psa/home/vhosts/secfile.net/httpdocs/favicon.ico ~ This maybe the result of the *download * prompt I received. The path appears to be back to the main server ~ something isn’t right there, maybe ….. the /local/psa/home/vhosts is unfamiliar path to me…

I will look around though…. See if I can get a definite answer on this.


That is actually the new favicon file I uploaded the other day. Before that there was no favicon file and that is when the errors occured. Since I placed that file there the error messages have stopped. The file is a sample .ico file from Axialis Icon creator.

I have the file placed in the same directory as the index file, is this correct?

Thanks for the repy Reece

[Reece]

xela - I have been trying to discover the issue with your favicon.

side note :The error does show as a 404 if you have no file. Adding the favicon does stop that error report. One reason to have the icon..

I still get a download file notice for your favicon.. intensely weird.

I see a transparency in the file when saved to my desktop.... the background is black. But when I view on my favorites list I am no longer seeing the favicon in use when I bookmark. Previously I saw favicon displayed on faves list with no transparency.

May I suggest you try ICONART (http://www.conware.org/products/ia/about.php) or IRFANVIEW (http://www.irfanview.com/) to convert the image format to ico...... * I know those work*

Something in the program * not sure, but possible* or something in the computer is preventing the correct format .... MAYBE...... It is acting as if the file is a renamed GIF, not a true ICO.

[OSFan]

Personally I do not bother much with these favicon things. I have one on my site.

Internet Explorer, which is used by the most, appears to handle them badly, it loses them, or just doesn't display them.

Just because you get a 404 error, is not a reason to have them! The user doesn't get a 404 instead of the webpage, they get the webpage they wanted. If you don't bother with them, its better for your server to send a 404 error header(little bandwidth) than an image each time.

They can help to make your favourites stand out, but thats if the browser bothers to load them.

[dealercrm]

Most browsers load them. Not having them has no effect. Do they actually sell anything? The only benefit I see is if the user adds your site to their bookmarks/favorites. Then it will stand out to their eye, but wouldn't it anyway if they actually took the time to add it?

I only use them if the icon can represent something. (eg logo, brand, etc)

[AlexBel]

It's easy, but it is working good in Netscape and Opera. This line works fine.
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/alexbel.gif" />

[carbonize]

The only benefit I see is if the user adds your site to their bookmarks/favorites. Then it will stand out to their eye, but wouldn't it anyway if they actually took the time to add it?

Every browser will display the favicon in the address bar when you visit the site regardless to whether you have it in bookmarks or not except Internet Explorer.

[OSFan]

But it is called favicon, not addressbaricon ;-).