Re: Mini-logos in browsers' "favorite links" files?

From: Amrit Hallan <amrit_h_at_vsnl.com>
Date: Fri 30 Nov 2001 12:32:52 -0500

RICH ROBINS <web_at_SpaceProjects.com> ASKED:

> Does anybody in our group know to make it possible
> for a website saved in others' "favorite links" files
> to insert a mini-logo there upon being saved? For
> example, if one saves MSNBC.com in one's browser's
> favorites links file, a cute little MSNBC mini peacock
> logo appears there right next to whatever name one
> gives the MSNBC website. Similarly, a CNN logo
> appears there if one saves a CNN website. The result
> might be an increased likelihood that the potential
> surfer will re-visit such websites upon seeing them
> there in the future. I can create the mini-logo
> without problem, but I'm not sure what else needs to
> be done. I'd greatly appreciate any advice.
>

Hi Rich,

Incidently I wrote a small article to explain exactly this in the
last issue of my newsletter. If the list moderator approves it,
read this:

WHAT IS FAVICON

It is the little thing you see on your Location bar
(History/Address bar) when you visit a web site, on the left of
http://. For example, if you view a site through Internet
Explorer, you see an e superimposed over a blank white paper
sheet. The icon also shows up when you press CTRL+D to save the
link in your Favorites folder. I think the icon is showed
anywhere you store the link, whether on the Desktop or some other
place.

But some web masters prefer to have their own icon. It makes the
web site rememberable, and more prominent in the list of hundreds
of Favorite links (gosh! do you ever visit them?!).

COMPATIBILITY

It only works with IE5 or higher versions.

MAKING THE ICON

Take care that the icon you make/draw/scan/steal has a dimension
of 16 x 16 pixels. Preferably, in 8-bit color.

Now go somewhere, where there are lots of downloadable programs,
and download "Icon Collector Graphics Editor" from
http://www.greatowl.com. I mention this software because somehow
I have it on my computer, and don't remember when I installed it.
Probably I was trying to make a Favicon for myself but then
changed my mind. Anyway, there is another program called
ForgeIcon - try to find it on Google. If you don't want to
download any program, go to http://www.favicon.com. They have an
online software to help you make the icon.

Use your artistic genius to make the icon, and name it as
"favicon.ico". All icon files have the extension .ICO (but of
course).

UPLOADING IT

You need to upload the icon on your server. For that you need an
FTP program. Some simple folks also use the good old browser to
upload a file by simply typing the FTP path in the location bar.
In the case of the browser, you just have to copy-paste the file,
that is, if you have the login and password.

Then, save the favicon file in the folder where you want it to
appear. For example, if you want it to appear with
http://www.maindomain.com then you save the favicon file in the
root folder of your server, that is, it's path should be
http://www.maindomain.com/favicon.ico. But, if you want a
different icon to appear with
http://www.maindomain.com/subdomain/anotherfile.html, you need to
store the new icon (with the same name - favicon.ico) in the
folder "subdomain", that is, the path of the second icon file
should be http://www.maindomain.com/subdomain/favicon.ico.

So this is how you can create and use your own icons on your web
sites.

Hope this helps.

Amrit

Web Page Designing - Web Site Development - Site Optimization
http://www.bytesworth.com
91-11-6955834
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Received on Fri Nov 30 2001 - 11:32:52 CST