# [SOLVED] transparent favicon . . . HOW??



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

Hi Guys!

I've been playing around with favicons and am getting really annoyed at not being able to get a transparent background for mine.

Now, I have the image, and save it as a gif with transparent background, then use IrfanView to convert it to ico file. It shows a white background.

I searched around and found a post saying that ico's should have a default transparent background and that would be whatever the color of the pixel at the top left corner is, so I saved the durn thing with a white background and a black background . . . both display colored backgrounds.

I found another reference that IE6 does not display the transparent background as transparent, which I am beginning to believe except for one thing . . . all of the other favicon's in my favorites folder displaying with transparent backgrounds.

Does anyone know how I can get this to work??

I've attached the gif file, which definitely has a transparent background. this is the one I used ot make the favicon.ico.


----------



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

Just to show you what is showing up for me


----------



## sekirt (Mar 28, 2003)

Hi Randy
Haven't got time to research the results, so only half an answer. Hope it leads you in the right direction:

http://www.passtheshareware.com/c-icons.htm

I asked the Great Google: Make transparent ico files freeware

sekirt


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

Hi

Try this one!


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

Here is what I did in PhotShop Randy.


----------



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

Thanx for the try Bass, but here's what it looks like after saving your gif as an ico file


----------



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

sekirt - thanx for the attempt. I tried some of the apps found at your link, and all of the ones that mention Transparent backgrounds refer to the text box for Shortcuts on your desktop. They were apps that run on your local machine to make your local desktop look different, and not used for favicons.



Still looking!!


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

> _Originally posted by RandyG:_
> *Thanx for the try Bass, but here's what it looks like after saving your gif as an ico file
> 
> 
> ...


So you need more of the bg color transparent?


----------



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

what I'm saying is that your gif and my gif are transparent, but when you convert it to an ico file, it is no longer transparent.

You made your background look more like what a standard IE Menu bar is, but it looked even worse. basically, if I can't get the stupid favicon.ico to have a transparent background, then I'll leave it white.


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

This one looks fine on a white bg. I could take some more of the white, but I think that will take away some of the shimmer on the logo, unless that's OK by you.


----------



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

Can anyone try to bookmark www.ogills.com and tell me what icon you get??

Does it have a transparent background, or a white one?


----------



## cybertech (Apr 16, 2002)

Here you go...


----------



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

Yep, same as mine, so it's not just my machine!!

Thanx for confirming.


----------



## Flrman1 (Jul 26, 2002)

Moved to Digital imaging.


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

Randy, thanks for the heads up re: the new Irfanview!


----------



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

Cheers flrman1, but wouldn't oyu know it, after experimenting and tweaking and all sorts of fun stuff, I found the answer myslef!!

To anyone else wondering . . . version 3.8 of IrfanView does not make the background of icons automatically transparent, as it did in past versions. The latest version of IrfanView, 3.85, has an additional option to select whcih color you want to make transparent when saving an ico, so I suggest getting that version .

Another thing to look into, since my particular ison was pretty basic, I was able to recreate it from scratch, so to speak, using a free icon editor called IconEdit32

Anyone can take a look at the new favicon at www.ogills.com


----------



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

> _Originally posted by bassetman:_
> *Randy, thanks for the heads up re: the new Irfanview!  *


Beat me to the punch, bass!!:up:


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

Hehe


----------



## cybertech (Apr 16, 2002)

Here U go ..









Looks the same


----------



## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

I just see the lovely explorer e...............what is wrong with my system


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

Boy, this is a real poser. I have a friend who teaches graphics and I was hoping to run into him last night and see what he had to say about it.


----------



## cybertech (Apr 16, 2002)

Just posting again 

Now it's looking better


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

How'd ya get it to work?
Inquiring minds want to know!


----------



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

Yeah, depending on how often your server does a refresh of it's cached pages will determine when you can see the new favicon.

I'm no artist, so i think that what i have is about as good as I can make it!!


Candy, have you tried bookmarking the site? I know it doesn't show in every one of my address bars, but it works if I bookmark it.


----------



## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Ya, I bookmarked it............


----------



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

did you have it bookmarked before this?? If so, delete the favorite, and then Add it in again.

I use a freeware program called AM-Deadlink to validate my links every once in a while, and to keep favicons stored. The link I provided is for the Beta, which works just fine. Give it a go, and see if it picks it up then.


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

So am I ever going to find out how it was done?


----------



## cybertech (Apr 16, 2002)

I had not removed the bookmark but it changed, I guess as a result of the refresh.


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

Ummm OK. I thought you did something to get the BG transparent in a graphics prog.


----------



## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

It's working for me after removing and putting it back.

Quit whining BM 


oopsie, type


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

OK, I'll sut up.









I just thought I'd be able to learn somethin' here


----------



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

Bass - Look up in my post 16, you might have missed it cause I posted twice.

Candy, glad it works for you!!:up:

We can mark this one solved, please!!


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

Thanks Randy, I thought it was something that cyber had done!


----------



## cybertech (Apr 16, 2002)

You thought I did something, bassetman???

I was following the thread cuz *I* can't remember how to do transparent icons.


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

LOL, OK !


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

BTW If we were to take my how to make a background transparent and combine it with what Randy figured out with Ifranview we'd have a good tutorial!


----------



## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Oh good, BM happy again


----------



## cybertech (Apr 16, 2002)

> _Originally posted by bassetman:_
> *BTW If we were to take my how to make a background transparent and combine it with what Randy figured out with Ifranview we'd have a good tutorial!  *


Who's the *we* you'd be speaking of? I'm sure it's you and that puppy of your's. I've still got to go back and read Randy's post as to what exactly he did, oh the we must be you and him.


----------



## sekirt (Mar 28, 2003)

Good work Randy:up: 

Shows up just fine as a favicon. While I won't keep that site as a bookmark, I will keep the favicon for some future use since I like it.

sekirt


----------



## bassetman (Jun 7, 2001)

Yes, it was Randy & I that I was referring to as we.


----------



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

> _Originally posted by sekirt:_
> *Good work Randy:up:
> 
> Shows up just fine as a favicon. While I won't keep that site as a bookmark, I will keep the favicon for some future use since I like it.
> ...




You're evil!!


----------



## sekirt (Mar 28, 2003)

lol

I guess protocol is that I should ask you if I may have your permission to use the Ogill's favicon. May I?

sekirt


----------



## RandyG (Jun 26, 2000)

By all means. I only created it yesterday, and may continue playing around with it.

If you like things like that, then download that icon utility I posted a link to in my earlier thread.

My one stipulation is you don't casually throw away my website!!


----------



## sekirt (Mar 28, 2003)

Thank you very much.

Oh no, would never discard it casual.  

sekirt


----------

