Page 1 of 3
random web question
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 11:37 pm
by Jonathan
hey, you know how some sites have a little icon? what are those things called? how do you specify them? is it html or a server thing or what?
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 11:59 pm
by Peijen
You know I looked it up one time few years ago, but I don't remember anymore. It's similar to cookies, but it's an icon on the address bar/bookmarks instead.
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 12:23 am
by bob
It's called the favicon. You can probably see in your server logs that there are a lot of requests for /favicon.ico, which likely doesn't exist. It's an icon file, in standard Windows .ico format, which contains various sized images. You should make sure that, at a minimum, it contains both 16x16 and 32x32 pixel versions of your icon. Ideally, you provide a wide range of sizes and color depths, but I've found that you'll hit nearly everybody in the world with just those two sizes in 24-bit RGB.
Check
http://www.telegraphics.com.au/sw/#icoformat, where you can download (Windows, Mac, and GPL source) ICO File Format, which is a Photoshop plugin to handle single-image .ico files. And you can also download ICOBundle from the same page to combine those into multi-image icon files.
By default, a browser will look for /favicon.ico, in your web server's root. But you can have each page specify its own favicon with an html tag in the header, and the browser should use that icon for all pages beneath it in the directory hierarchy.
Code: Select all
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicons/sack.ico">
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 1:39 am
by quantus
ooh ooh ooh, does this mean that mohtalim is gonna get a favicon?!?!
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 1:41 am
by George
I just checked my bookmarks and my Mohtalim link shows the CNN icon. I've seen the bookmarks lose icons before, but never spontaneously borrow icons before now.
Anyway, Mohtalim needs its own icon, if only to differentiate itself from my CNN bookmark.
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:04 am
by Jonathan
Yes, Mohtalim has borrowed icons from other sites on my system, too.
Ever since I got this meta refresh up, I've been wanting to be able to tell if there were new posts without clicking on the tab. I thought maybe an icon would do the trick. Now I'm thinking just a simple change in title.
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:05 am
by Jonathan
But, hell, if somebody wants to create an icon, I'll slap one up there. Same rules as the banner image contest.
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:19 am
by Jonathan
Dammit, someone post so I can see if my title-changing code worked.
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 3:21 am
by George
Dwindlehop wrote:Dammit, someone post so I can see if my title-changing code worked.
done
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 5:12 am
by Jonathan
No dice. Guess I'll poke it tomorrow.
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 1:56 pm
by Dave
at least a few pixels must be deticated to joesucks
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 3:57 pm
by George
Since I wasn't around, what were the rules? I like Dave's idea; "Joe Sucks" should fit into 16x16 pixels with the proper font choice.
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 4:41 pm
by Jonathan
Rules are I take the first icon sent to me that is SFW .
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 5:08 pm
by Dave
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 5:15 pm
by Dave
okoko, i made one. the best. patriotic. without compromize. and promising a better future

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:19 pm
by Jonathan
nice, but it's not in ico format and thus doesn't qualify as a valid submission.
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:34 pm
by Dave
lies, .ico is just .bmp renamed you big fat newb.
ok, just a tall newb
http://www.jonathan.pearce.name/dave/joe.ico
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:49 pm
by Jonathan
you lie. or bob lies. the important thing here is that it's not my fault.
http://www.jonathan.pearce.name/favicon.ico
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:55 pm
by Jonathan
Actually, it does work on my root directory. Huh. That's... interesting.
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:57 pm
by Jonathan
So it sorta works for me, now.