dev: Fix 404 message for missing favicon.ico

[Martii]

• Make a symlink (soft) to favicon.ico for dev to remove the error of not finding the ico. Affects only dev and /images path should be used for code refs and edits... ignore any "no newline at end of file" messages or it will break
• Now it will show in dev under Nix... Win7+ or greater is probably required for this to show as found since it handles file symbolic links... XP (EOLd) and before only do dirs.

[Martii]

Shell Session log:

$ node app.js
Failed to load c++ bson extension, using pure JS version
js-bson: Failed to load c++ bson extension, using pure JS version
GitHub client authenticated
GET / 200 1239ms
GET /css/common.css 200 143ms
GET /css/bootstrap-custom.css 200 153ms
GET /favicon.ico 200 73ms
GET /favicon.ico 304 71ms
GET / 200 337ms
GET /css/bootstrap-custom.css 304 134ms
GET /css/common.css 304 141ms
GET /favicon.ico 304 69ms
GET /?library=true 200 225ms
GET /css/bootstrap-custom.css 304 136ms
GET /css/common.css 304 140ms
GET /favicon.ico 304 69ms
GET /groups 200 219ms
GET /css/bootstrap-custom.css 304 134ms
GET /css/common.css 304 139ms
GET /favicon.ico 304 70ms
...

instead of:

$ node app.js
Failed to load c++ bson extension, using pure JS version
js-bson: Failed to load c++ bson extension, using pure JS version
GitHub client authenticated
GET / 200 1209ms
GET /css/common.css 200 139ms
GET /css/bootstrap-custom.css 200 152ms
GET /favicon.ico 404 73ms
GET /?library=true 200 221ms
GET /css/common.css 304 136ms
GET /css/bootstrap-custom.css 304 142ms
GET /groups 200 215ms
GET /css/bootstrap-custom.css 304 133ms
GET /css/common.css 304 139ms
...

POINT OF INTEREST: Interesting that node.js hides future 404 messages.

[cletusc]

More curious... why don't we use the favicon middleware (linked SO as it links for each express version)?

[jerone]

for dev to remove the error of not finding the ico

Where do you get 404's? I haven't had one...

[jerone]

More curious... why don't we use the favicon middleware (linked SO as it links for each express version)?

I'm -1 on using another middleware for something so minor. It will only slow things down.

Apparently Express 3 (we are on 3.5.1) has this backed in: http://www.senchalabs.org/connect/favicon.html

app.use(express.favicon(path.join(__dirname, 'public','images','favicon.ico')));

[cletusc]

app.use(express.favicon(path.join(__dirname, 'public','images','favicon.ico')));

This is what I would use. Either that or actually put the favicon.ico in public/ as opposed to public/images/ that way we don't have an placeholder file. We may as well use Express-supported ways of doing certain things if they provide the means.

[Martii]

Where do you get 404's?

I just get it. Might be a Nix thing.

Apparently Express 3 (we are on 3.5.1) has this backed in: http://www.senchalabs.org/connect/favicon.html

WOW! That's a lot of code to put in for something this small. Who knew? ;) I assume that goes in ./app.js ???

... put the favicon.ico in public/ as opposed to public/images/ that way we don't have an placeholder file.

That could be option 2 but it will make this pr be dependent upon #173 instead (and any future ones referenced if they pop up before merge) of no dependencies. :)

My concern would be if we ever migrate to a newer express will that code break or is it just smoother to do Option 1 in this pr or Option 2 suggested from Cletus? My usual suggestion is lets keep things on the KISS principle... so either of these works for me. I have a bazillion tabs open sometimes so it's nice to know what is what.

[sizzlemctwizzle]

I assume that goes in ./app.js ???

No it's a one-liner. See b5877be.

My concern would be if we ever migrate to a newer express will that code break

Many things will break when we finally move to Express 4.x. This will be the least of our worries.

[cletusc]

For future reference, when we do migrate to Express 4.x, migration would basically change to this instead (per serve-favicon, which is actually for both 3.x and 4.x):

var favicon = require('serve-favicon');
app.use(favicon('public/images/favicon.ico'));