Where's Icon?

[JoeM]

If I'm in IE and click "File | Send | Shortcut to Desktop" a web
shortcut with appropriate icon (not a standard MS icon) appears on the
desktop. Where can I find this icon if I want to use it for a different
shortcut or other purpose?

This particular site installed an ActiveX control, and when I find that
in /WINNT/Downloaded Program Files/ the display in Windows Explorer has
the same icon. If I right click on the ActiveX "Program File" and then
click on the "Dependency" Tab, I get a sheet that says "This page lists
the 3 file(s) and 0 Java packages upon which [name of activex control]
depends." One of those files is a DLL, and I assume that's where the
ico file is located. But there seems no way to find that dll,
especially from the "Browse" button on the "Change Icon" screen from a
normal shortcut. How do I get to the dll to extract the icon?

 

[Guest]

Rightclick the icon then click Properties. You'll see the location/target
and also
a button to change the icon, etc.

 

[Joe]

It's not that simple.

Byte, I'm not sure you understand how icons are assigned for web page
shortcuts (as compared to shortcuts to files on the local machine). In
any event, if I attempt to "Change Icon" on this web page shortcut, the
file that opens up (as if it was where the current icon was stored) is
WINNT/System32/url.dll -- which of course doesn't have the custom
icon(s) provided by the author of the website.

It seems as if the icon I'm lookng for is located somewhere in the file
associated with the website in the /WINNT/Downloaded Program Files/
folder. But the entries in this folder (mostly ActiveX Controls) don't
seem to be ordinary files. These files seem to have other files (e.g.,
dll's) within them, but you can't access those files with Windows
Explorer or the "Browse" button on the "Change Icon" sheet.

Rightclick the icon then click Properties. You'll see the location/target
and also
a button to change the icon, etc.

:

If I'm in IE and click "File | Send | Shortcut to Desktop" a web
shortcut with appropriate icon (not a standard MS icon) appears on the
desktop. Where can I find this icon if I want to use it for a different
shortcut or other purpose?

This particular site installed an ActiveX control, and when I find that
in /WINNT/Downloaded Program Files/ the display in Windows Explorer has
the same icon. If I right click on the ActiveX "Program File" and then
click on the "Dependency" Tab, I get a sheet that says "This page lists
the 3 file(s) and 0 Java packages upon which [name of activex control]
depends." One of those files is a DLL, and I assume that's where the
ico file is located. But there seems no way to find that dll,
especially from the "Browse" button on the "Change Icon" screen from a
normal shortcut. How do I get to the dll to extract the icon?

 

[Sharon F]

If I'm in IE and click "File | Send | Shortcut to Desktop" a web
shortcut with appropriate icon (not a standard MS icon) appears on the
desktop. Where can I find this icon if I want to use it for a different
shortcut or other purpose?

This particular site installed an ActiveX control, and when I find that
in /WINNT/Downloaded Program Files/ the display in Windows Explorer has
the same icon. If I right click on the ActiveX "Program File" and then
click on the "Dependency" Tab, I get a sheet that says "This page lists
the 3 file(s) and 0 Java packages upon which [name of activex control]
depends." One of those files is a DLL, and I assume that's where the
ico file is located. But there seems no way to find that dll,
especially from the "Browse" button on the "Change Icon" screen from a
normal shortcut. How do I get to the dll to extract the icon?

Those customized icons are known as "favicons." They are downloaded to your
browser's cache (Temporary Internet Files if using IE) when you visit the
site. They will hang around until you clear the cache or the icon is cycled
out for other data. When the icon is gone, the shortcut will once again
display the default browser icon.

You can rescue favicons from the TIF and move them to another folder. The
icon files will all be named favicon so you will want rename them in a
fashion that tells you at a glance which icon goes with what shortcut. When
you create a shortcut for an internet site, right click on the icon. Select
Properties and use the Change Icon button to assign the saved icon.

There are also third party programs available that are designed to collect
and store these files for you.

 

[JoeM]

If I'm in IE and click "File | Send | Shortcut to Desktop" a web
shortcut with appropriate icon (not a standard MS icon) appears on the
desktop. Where can I find this icon if I want to use it for a different
shortcut or other purpose?

This particular site installed an ActiveX control, and when I find that
in /WINNT/Downloaded Program Files/ the display in Windows Explorer has
the same icon. If I right click on the ActiveX "Program File" and then
click on the "Dependency" Tab, I get a sheet that says "This page lists
the 3 file(s) and 0 Java packages upon which [name of activex control]
depends." One of those files is a DLL, and I assume that's where the
ico file is located. But there seems no way to find that dll,
especially from the "Browse" button on the "Change Icon" screen from a
normal shortcut. How do I get to the dll to extract the icon?

Thanks. That did it. There's still the mystery of dll files within
ActiveX Control "downloaded program files" but I guess that's for
another day and another problem.

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

They are stored in TIF, not in DPF.

Preserve the favicons using AM-Deadlink:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/ie/favicon.htm

To do this manually:
Download the .ico file:
Visit that site and create a shortcut of it to the Desktop
Right-click the URL shortcut, and Send To > Notepad
Look at the line reading IconFile:

Example:
IconFile=http://www.google.co.in/favicon.ico

Now, type http://www.google.co.in/favicon.ico in the browser window and
save the .ico file locally.
Change the URL icon using the "Change Icon" in it's Properties sheet.

Note: View > Source can also be used to view the favicon URL.

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


If I'm in IE and click "File | Send | Shortcut to Desktop" a web
shortcut with appropriate icon (not a standard MS icon) appears on the
desktop. Where can I find this icon if I want to use it for a different
shortcut or other purpose?

This particular site installed an ActiveX control, and when I find that
in /WINNT/Downloaded Program Files/ the display in Windows Explorer has
the same icon. If I right click on the ActiveX "Program File" and then
click on the "Dependency" Tab, I get a sheet that says "This page lists
the 3 file(s) and 0 Java packages upon which [name of activex control]
depends." One of those files is a DLL, and I assume that's where the
ico file is located. But there seems no way to find that dll,
especially from the "Browse" button on the "Change Icon" screen from a
normal shortcut. How do I get to the dll to extract the icon?

 

[Kelly]

Hi JoeM,

Added info:

Custom icons are lost when you clean your cache.

These are generally known as favicons.ico (Favorite Icons) and they normally
will only last until your Internet Explorer Temp files are cleared.

This program will allow you to save the favicons.ico (Favorite Icons)
permanently in a different folder and re-associate your favorites with the
stored icons.

FavOrg - Restore and Save Favorite Icons (Line 108)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Workaround:

Navigate to the Temporary Internet Files, and drag the icons to the desktop
and rename them to whatever name you like.

Create a folder called Icon Selection. Move all of the renamed favicons to
this folder placed in the root directory of C. Right click on the Icon,
select Browse and navigate to your Icon Selection folder. Choose the
renamed favicon and click ok. These icons will be permanent.

When you right click on an icon, select browse and navigate to the Icon
Selection folder. Choose the renamed favicon you want and click ok. Your
customized icons will be permanent.

Troubleshooting Favorites
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_favorites.htm

Tip:

ResHack: http://www.programmersheaven.com/d/click.aspx?ID=F16956

--
Happy Holidays,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com