399547 - Refresh the Firefox application icon

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(Firefox :: Shell Integration, enhancement, P4)

Description

[Alex Faaborg [:faaborg] (Firefox UX)]

We would like to use a different application icon for Firefox on Windows Vista.  The icon is being designed as part of the visual refresh for Firefox 3, this bug is for tracking the various implementation issues for switching to the correct icon during installation and probably update (to check if the user has previously upgraded their OS since the last update).

Comment 1

[Benjamin Smedberg]

By "application icon" what do you mean? The icon in the upper-left corner of the window, or the icon in the taskbar when there is a single window, or the icon in the taskbar when there are multiple windows?

The window icon can be changed programmatically, though it will require some widget hacking to expose that to XUL. The grouped taskbar icon is hardcoded as the icon embedded in the .exe file. I don't know of any way to use a different icon for Vista than for other versions of Windows.

Comment 2

[Alex Faaborg [:faaborg] (Firefox UX)]

By application icon, i mean every appearance of the Firefox logo

-.ico file referenced in the .exe
-upper left corner of window
-taskbar icon
-grouped taskbar icon

Comment 3

[Benjamin Smedberg]

It's possible to have vista-specific icons for the upper-left corner of the window and the taskbar icon. AFAIK it is not possible to have vista-specific icons embedded in the .exe which is used for the grouped taskbar icon.

Comment 4

[Dão Gottwald [:dao]]

(In reply to comment #3)
> AFAIK it is not possible to have vista-specific
> icons embedded in the .exe which is used for the grouped taskbar icon.

I guess Alex is aiming for Vista-specific builds?! Otherwise I'm not sure how you want to distribute different themes for XP and Vista.

Comment 5

[Benjamin Smedberg]

I don't believe we're talking about vista-specific builds; for most theming we can dynamically determining the OS version and applying the correct theme.

What would be different about the Firefox icon for Vista than for XP?

Comment 6

[Dão Gottwald [:dao]]

(In reply to comment #5)
> I don't believe we're talking about vista-specific builds; for most theming we
> can dynamically determining the OS version and applying the correct theme.

That means you'd ship two themes with one download?

Comment 7

[Benjamin Smedberg]

More like we're shipping a single theme that automatically switches certain elements for Vista/XP.

Comment 8

[Alex Faaborg [:faaborg] (Firefox UX)]

We shouldn't need to do two different builds, but just ship with two .ico files.  

I believe if we change the IconFile attribute in firefox.exe.manifest, this will change the icon used in the start menu, add and remove programs, etc.  I'll check with some of my windows developer friends to check how we should be doing this.

Assuming that is the right way to change the icon, we would need to set that attribute in the exe's manifest file when installing, or when updating (in case the user upgraded their OS since the last update).

>What would be different about the Firefox icon for Vista than for XP?

The shape and color will be the same, but the Vista icon is going to appear as if it were made of glass.

Comment 9

[Alex Faaborg [:faaborg] (Firefox UX)]

Attachment: App icon comparison

Here is the change in the IE icon from XP to Vista, so we can get a sense of how we might want to update our icon.

Comment 10

[Dão Gottwald [:dao]]

(In reply to comment #9)
> Here is the change in the IE icon from XP to Vista, so we can get a sense of
> how we might want to update our icon.

More precisely that's IE6 vs IE7, while IE7 is available for XP.

Comment 11

[Alex Faaborg [:faaborg] (Firefox UX)]

>More precisely that's IE6 vs IE7, while IE7 is available for XP.

Good point, but I personally think IE7's use of vista graphics on XP was simply them cutting corners.

We really don't want to change our logo, since that means updating a ridiculous number of graphics ranging from massive fathead stickers to temporary tattoos.  I just want to slightly tweak the logo on Vista so we match the surrounding environment.  All of the necessary products team people have approved a new Vista icon, and believe that the Linux, OS X, and Windows XP icons should remain the same since they already fit in well.

Comment 12

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

From what I have been able to decipher regarding the use of iconFile in manifests this isn't going to help us. It appears to be used by MSBuild.
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms171452.aspx

Comment 13

[Alex Faaborg [:faaborg] (Firefox UX)]

Beltzner and I have are going to have our first phone call for creative direction with Jon Hicks on monday, and we may have the new Vista icon as early as later next week.

Comment 14

[Tom]

I'd really like to see this improved myself. It's an easy-as-pie fix that would dramatically look better. A nice, large, high-detail icon also helps those of us using either 120 DPI mode in any flavor of Windows, because the up-sized icons look jaggy and terrible (probably due to a poor up-sampling algorithm in Windows, I'd guess). Also, users of interface-enhancement software like RocketDock, ObjectDock, or UberIcon -- all of which graphically resize icons in their operation -- could stand to benefit from more icon resizing legroom.

I run at 1920x1200, but thanks to my eyes -- I also run at 120 DPI, and my non 256 x 256 pixel icons look abhorrent. Here's my Firefox icon:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/A_Pickle/256x256%20pixel%20icons/firefox-lopixicon.jpg

Comment 15

[AndrewM]

Should this be retargeted for Firefox 3? Or is not going to happen anymore?

Comment 16

[Alex Faaborg [:faaborg] (Firefox UX)]

We are still in the process of deciding.

Comment 17

[Alex Faaborg [:faaborg] (Firefox UX)]

We will likely retarget this bug for Firefox 4, and the refresh will likely be on all platforms, not just vista.

Comment 18

[Agustín de la Villa]

This bug should be marked as fixed now that Firefox 3.5 has shipped.

Comment 19

[Robin Whittleton]

This fixed by #884011 I guess?

Comment 20

[Dão Gottwald [:dao]]

The icon already got updated a long time ago.