Location of Clickable Page Logo Image File

[Pigoo]

On vBulletin sites (and here at TAZ running on Xenforo)...there's a clickable website logo image in the extreme upper left of each webpage. What I want to do is...find the location of this image file on my server...so I can replace it with a different image or modify the current image.

Example I'm referring to this clickable logo (of course different on my website):



If I'm at my websites home page (and using Chrome browser)...if I right-click on this logo image & choose "Inspect" the Chrome inspector gives me this as the location of the image on my server:

<img src="https://www.example.com/images/website-images/logo.png"

If I go to this directory on my sites server...there indeed is a file located there named "logo.png". The problem is if I:

- change the file name of this image file
- move the image file to a different directory
- delete this image file from the server

...the image still displays on my website. This seems to tell me that what the Chrome Inspector is telling me is incorrect or this website image file is actually located somewhere else on my server (I've done a server search & cannot find the "logo.png" file anywhere else).

I also understand that the vBulletin 4 "header" template contains the coding for this clickable logo container...but looking at the vBulletin "header" template code hasn't really helped (given my limited knowledge of coding).

I've also cleared the caches on my computer & browser...and this hasn't helped. This "logo.png" file was deleted from my sites server for about an hour before I created this thread...and the logo image is still displaying.

I've pretty much exhausted all ideas I can think of...does anyone else have any suggestions for me?

Thanks

 

[zappaDPJ]

Although it doesn't really fit with what you've posted my gut feeling is that you may be confusing a child theme with its parent.

 

[Pigoo]

Thanks zappaDPJ for the reply. That's a good thought...but I'm mostly sure it's not the case.

When I use the Inspector in Chrome...it's shows the exact path on my websites server where this logo image is supposed to be located. When I go to that directory on the server & delete the image file...for some reason the image remains displaying on my site.

Thus I'm not really sure where the image is located to cause it to continue to be displayed (if I've deleted the image file that the Chrome Inspector indicates).

I believe I am using a child theme...and when I compare the "header" template for the child theme to the original untouched vBulletin 4 theme they are different. But this still doesn't explain why the image file that the Chrome Inspector indicates is being used continues to display even after I delete it.

If I'm missing something please explain...just want to figure this out. Lol

Thanks

 

[zappaDPJ]

I'm sure we can figure it out Just to be 100% sure it isn't a caching issue I would overwrite the file with something else and get someone to tell you what they see, preferably from a device that's never viewed your site before.

 

[Pigoo]

Those are great ideas...but I think I've already tried them. About 3-4 hours ago I cleared the computer cache & browser cache on my main computer...and it didn't help. And I have around 5 computers that I can use to visit the site (that may or may not have visited the site at least once in the past)...and all of them are still displaying the website logo image in the upper left corner of every page.

Also the image in question was deleted from the server about 3-4 hours ago...so if the path that the Chrome Inspector says is correct (where this image file is on my server)...and the image file has been deleted...I don't how the image is still being displayed. Lol

 

[zappaDPJ]

It is very odd. I've had similar issues with removed .ico files persisting for hours but never a vBulletin 4 logo image and that's something I'm very familiar with. I'll have a think about it.

 

[Pigoo]

The actual file name for this website image is "logo.png" (without the quotes).

Here's the code from the vBulletin 4 header template (from a custom theme)...as you can see in the code the word "logo" is referenced...which I'm assuming is referring to the actual logo.png file on the server.

<vb:if condition="$stylevar['titleimage']"><div id="logo"><a name="top" href="{vb:link forumhome}" class="logo-image"><img src="{vb:stylevar titleimage}"

Here's the file path where the Chrome Inspector says this webpage image exists on the server:

<img src="https://www.example.com/images/website-images/logo.png"

As mentioned...I've removed this image file from the server hours ago...but the image on the site continues to be displayed (even after caches have been cleared on my computer & the site viewed on at least 3 other computers as well).

Thanks

p.s. Please ignore the page that the link above points to. Example.com is not my actual website name...but for some reason this ficticious URL still goes somewhere. Lol But the structure of the directory path in the example is an accurate representation of the actual URL path on my server that the Chrome inspector indicates.

 

[zappaDPJ]

This is from memory as I no longer have any forums running vBulletin so it may not be 100% accurate.

In the adminCP under 'Styles & Templates' you should find the Style Manager. Somewhere in there you need to find the 'Style Variable Editor' for your chosen style. From there you need to search for 'title' or perhaps 'titleimage'. What you are looking for is the stylevar for the file path to your logo image. When you find it change that path to where ever you upload your chosen image file.

This is a slightly different approach but it really should work assuming my memory hasn't failed me. Just make sure you are editing the correct style.

 

[Pigoo]

In the adminCP under 'Styles & Templates' you should find the Style Manager. Somewhere in there you need to find the 'Style Variable Editor' for your chosen style. From there you need to search for 'title' or perhaps 'titleimage'. What you are looking for is the stylevar for the file path to your logo image. When you find it change that path to where ever you upload your chosen image file.

Here's a screenshot of the various options within the "Styles & Templates" category in the vB 4 Admin CP:



* I use "Search in Templates" quite a bit.
* The 'Style Manager" option seems to look & operate very similar to "Search in Templates".
* Then there's the "Replacement Variable Manager"...which I've never used. When I went into here it says "No replacement variables are defined for this style".

It's just very confusing how the Chrome Inspector shows the directory path for the image file I want to replace/modify...and when I look at my server & follow that path...the named file is there...but even after the file is deleted the darn image continues to display on the website. Lol

Thanks for the help.

 

[LordOfSpoon]

Are you running cloudflare?

 

[Pigoo]

Good question LordofSpoon. Not running Cloudflare...but am using the services of a Cloudflare competitor.

What's your thought/idea?

Thanks

 

[zappaDPJ]

Not running Cloudflare...but am using the services of a Cloudflare competitor.

That could cause the issue. Cloudflare has a number of tools including Dev Mode that are designed to temporarily overcome development problems like this. It might be that your uploaded files are there but not seen due the overwritten file being cached by your CDN service.

Referring back to using the Style Variable Editor in my previous post this video shows you exactly how to do it although it won't help that much if the old image is being cached.

 

[LordOfSpoon]

Pigoo I can't tell you how many times I've uploaded a design or style; all to click the refresh button and nothing happens. Then, after hours of keyboard smashing and mouse throwing, finding out that I forgot to turn on development mode on Cloudflare... Also SSL settings can sometimes mess with uploads. I assume you have checked file permissions and you are uploading your files file vB Admin Panel. Have you tried solely doing so via FTP?

 

[MagicalAzareal]

I don't know if you can do this with vB, but you likely want a unique querystring parameter every-time you change the image. You can also use the hash of the image as the filename like Discourse does.

 

[Pigoo]

That could cause the issue. Cloudflare has a number of tools including Dev Mode that are designed to temporarily overcome development problems like this. It might be that your uploaded files are there but not seen due the overwritten file being cached by your CDN service.

Referring back to using the Style Variable Editor in my previous post this video shows you exactly how to do it although it won't help that much if the old image is being cached.

Thanks zappaDPJ. I will investigate both ideas. Thanks

 

[Pigoo]

Pigoo I can't tell you how many times I've uploaded a design or style; all to click the refresh button and nothing happens. Then, after hours of keyboard smashing and mouse throwing, finding out that I forgot to turn on development mode on Cloudflare... Also SSL settings can sometimes mess with uploads. I assume you have checked file permissions and you are uploading your files file vB Admin Panel. Have you tried solely doing so via FTP?

Thanks LordofSpoon. I'm going to contact the company I'm using...and see if there is a development mode in place...if so...turn it off when working on the site.

As far as the uploads...I am doing them via SFTP.

Thanks

 

[Pigoo]

I don't know if you can do this with vB, but you likely want a unique querystring parameter every-time you change the image. You can also use the hash of the image as the filename like Discourse does.

I think this is above my paygrade/IT knowledge.

But will keep this in mind & investigate further if nothing else is the solution.

 

[Pigoo]

Ok guys...found the solution. Turns out it was the Cloudflare service. They told me static items like images are cached up to 3 days...and they have a "Developer Mode" setting which needs to be adjusted so stuff like this doesn't happen in the future.

Needed to clear my browser cache again as well...since even after clearing the Cloudflare cache...the image on my site was still displaying. Thus a combination of clearing the Cloudflare cache & browser cache did the trick!

Jeez...what a hassle/nightmare for such a little thing. Lol

Thanks a ton for the help & suggestions.

 

[LordOfSpoon]

Bam! lol Your issue sounded just like mine a couple of times. lol That darn setting it honestly annoying and I always forget to turn it off. I believe it stays off for 24 hours before it kick back on. But, glad its all sorted! Pigoo

 

[Pigoo]

I'm continuously amazed at how many settings these services have (and how much each individual setting can cause BIG headaches)...and how little guidance you get when you sign up for the service. Basically sign up for an account...give them your credit card number...and you're on your own.

This is my 2nd year with this service...and I'm still learning my way around their interface. I'm not really blaming them so much...probably much more my not being an IT Expert. Lol

Problem is...these sort of website services are marketed to everyone...but honestly...you need to be a pretty experienced individual or industry professional to grasp everything quickly...and avoid a lot of the "bear-traps"!