Problems with favicon display

[Peter_G]

The following is a record of an email enquiry I raised with support@hostingbt.com with ticket number #2461034.

My original query

In eShop, my favicon displays correctly in the preview and when I view the site from within my shop, but not when viewed by the general public from outside the shop.

BT Response

During our investigation it has been determined that this is caused due a coding issue and unfortunately we need to inform you that our assistance is not provided for resolving any kind of coding issues.

We kindly advise you to upload an icon to your hosting space and modify eeShop.BT4196.html page to use this favicon.

We have now closed the ticket with regards to this issue. If you do require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be glad continue working with you.

My Response to BT

I not sure I understand the response or the comment about a coding issue. I go into eShop, to the page, 'Settings - General settings - Status', upload a logo and then hit the button to 'Create new favicon from logo.'  The favicon is displayed correctly and the preview looks as expected.  The favicon appears as expected whenever I view my shop site from within eShop admin.  However, when the site is viewed from the customer's perspective the uploaded favicon is replaced by the standard Explorer favicon. Now, I have not directly introduced any code, HTML or otherwise, in creating this favicon, but simply followed eShop procedures.  The only code I am aware of is the eShop code that I am paying BT for.  Is this the code that has the 'issue' and, if so, who is responsible for it if not BT?

BT Response

The ticket # 2461034 that was submitted for qgifts.co.uk, regarding your osCommerce issue, has returned from our investigation. Please be kindly informed that this is your affected page - eShop.BT4196.html, we kindly suggest you to view this url for more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favicon

We have now closed the ticket with regards to this issue. If you do require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be glad continue working with you.

End of Email sequence

My Comments

I am currently reluctant to request ‘further assistance’ for fear of being dragged further down, below my comfortable depth, into detailed HTML / browser / icon compatibility issues.  However, I have a few general observations on these BT responses.

1. Even if I were to work my way through to understanding the HTML code issue, how do I access and edit eShop.BT4196.html?  I assumed eShop kept all the HTML code well removed from harm’s way.
2. Nowhere in the BT promotional material for eShop was it suggested  that the user would need to be proficient in HTML coding to access some of the basic features.  I formed the impression that anyone who could create and manipulate text and images could use the eShop package.
3. I would like to repeat my earlier assertion that the creation of a favicon from a logo is a feature provided by BT eShop which clearly does not work as advertised.  The least I might have expected is an acknowledgement of a product deficiency and a timetabled resolve to provide a general remedy.  If the feature cannot be made to operate sensibly over all browsers then perhaps it should be removed.

Any comments?

Regards

Peter_G

[Lancelot]

To be fair, Peter, BT are supplying a product which should serve just fine as a basic ecommerce website. By offering additional features such as the favicon you mention, they are simply allowing relatively experienced users the chance to make informed modifications. These extra features do presume a certain level of coding knowledge.

Another example would be someone buying one of the advanced website templates such as a Flash animated one. These presuppose some experience of how to edit Flash.

Your favicon works by uploading the image to the server and by referencing it in the head tags of the html code.

You say you have uploaded it which is fine but now you need to edit the html code accordingly. You should be able to do this by going to Settings> General Settings> Advanced Settings> html head area text box.

One caveat though. Please do not try editing that head code without learning some basic html coding first because the head tags of any website/ eshop are probably the most vulnerable. Code the head area wrongly and you can break your shop/ website.

Hope this helps, Peter.

[dave]

Not sure who is proving the support for that, but it sure doesn't sound like the normal hosting helpdesk. (different style of reference numbers)

The information that they have provided seems to be incorrect from my understanding of how the eShop works. You should not have to mess about with any code to get the favicon working.

Email hosting.support@btbroadbandoffice.com and you will get the normal BT hosting helpdesk who will be able to advise correctly.

[dave · Accepted solution]

Actually, one thing to check here is that the shop is not being frame forwarded. The default way for BT to set this up is to use frame forwarding, and this stops various things from working, one of which is the favicon.

You can tell if this is the case by browsing through a few pages and seeing if the URL in the address bar changes as you change paghe or stays constant as www.yourdomain.co.uk.

If it does stay like this, contact BT to have it removed.

[Peter_G]

Dave

Thanks for your response.

I have run the test you suggest and yes, no matter what page I go to in my shop, the URL remains static at 'http://www.qgifts.co.uk/'.  So, I will contact BT to have frame forwarding removed.

Just as a matter of interest - and I suspect I might not understand the answers - but

1. Why do BT set up the eShop in this way if it causes problems?, and

2. Is there a downside to having frame forwarding removed?

Regards

Peter_G

[dave]

I am not entirely sure why they set it up in this way as it breaks the following:

favicon

keywords

short URLs

SSL will not display when checking out

Search engine optimisation

There are no advantages to having it on at all as far as I can see so probably best to get it removed.

[Peter_G]

Many thanks for your advice Dave.  I have contacted BT as you advised, got the frame forwarding removed and my favicon now appears as expected.

Regards

Peter_G