Thread: /favicon.ico and /robots.txt

Anyone know why the file /favicon.ico keeps appearing in my stats ?

Its is included as being requested in about 70% of the loading of one webpage, which in no way mentions this file anywhere anyhow.

It was showing up in the error logs, until I copied a gif to that name.

Any ideas what it is ?

Also, I see that the search engine spiders are referencing something called /robots.txt, which also did not exist and was in the error logs. I've copied my index.html to it for now so it doesnt show up in the error logs anymore.

But what is it and why is being referenced even though I didnt have one ?

Favicon.ico is a small image file, that some browsers look for, and if found, it's placed before your http://www........ in the browsers address bar. Something like a small logo of your site.
Robots.txt is also a file that SE look for, as it is usually a file with instructions to the SE crawllers which link not to follow, etc.

No big deal if you don't have them on your site.

Originally Posted by navaldesign

Favicon.ico is a small image file, that some browsers look for, and if found, it's placed before your http://www........ in the browsers address bar. Something like a small logo of your site.

I had wondered how that was done. I better go look what I put in it :)

Any idea what the size restrictions are ?

Robots.txt is also a file that SE look for, as it is usually a file with instructions to the SE crawllers which link not to follow, etc.
No big deal if you don't have them on your site.

Ok, thanks a lot :)

Whats 404.shtml ? Thats another error log that comes up frequently.

404.shtml is the default error page that the server displays when a "Page not found" error occurs. You can build your own in BV and install it through CP. Have a look at mine: http://www.navaldesign.info/404.shtml

About Favicon: http://www.thesitewizard.com/archive/favicon.shtml

or do a Google search.

Robots.txt: also Google it, or http://www.robotstxt.org/wc/robots.html

Thanks for that. Obviously these things have advanced a lot since the last time I had a website. I have some catching up to do.

Thanks :)