change icon for newly installed programs

ap · 2017-08-09 15:02:46

Hi there! I am completely new to the BunsenLabs world...have been using Ubuntu for quite a long time but just fell in love with BunsenLabs and am now using it on my main machine

I have a question: basically the same 'anonymous' (kind of a blank window icon) icon is displayed for all new programs I have installed (i.e., not those that came already with the BL installation), even though in the newprogram.desktop file for the newly installed program I set Icon=/path/to/icon.png

I know this may be a very simple question, what I want to ask is: how do I change the icon shown in tint2 for when a program is opened?

Thanks!
PS: sorry for my English

damo · 2017-08-09 15:16:38

How are you installing these programs? Which icon theme are you using? Most applications will include their own icon, or the icon theme already has it.

Please show the content one of the .desktop files you have, which has a problem.

ap · 2017-08-09 16:34:20

Hi Damo, thanks for your help. I am installing those programs through 'sudo apt get install'; I am using as icon theme Numix-icon.

For example I have a program (I added a specific repository) called JASP

Its .desktop file contains

[Desktop Entry]
Name=JASP
Comment=Statistical analysis package
Keywords=statistics;data
Exec=jasp %f
Terminal=false
Type=Application
MimeType=application/jasp
StartupNotify=true
Icon=/usr/lib/JASP/Resources/jasp.svg

I have made sure of course that jasp.svg is in the specified path...however when I open the program, rather than its icon I get a kind of window icon. This also happens with some other programs.

Thanks for the help

damo · 2017-08-09 16:56:06

The developer of Tint2 suggests

o9000 wrote:

For task icon issues, it's extremely useful to check the openbox Alt+Tab switcher. If the icons look the same as those shown in tint2, then it's not a tint2 problem. If they are different, there is something wrong in tint2 (either the config or the code).

ap · 2017-08-09 17:01:50

I have checked and icons look the same as those shown in tint2,so it's not a tint2 problem....any ideas what else can be?

damo · 2017-08-09 17:14:15

tint2 wrote:

Taskbar icons are not looked up by tint2, tint2 uses whatever the application sets. Normally, the icon shown by tint2 should be consistent with the icon shown by the openbox alt-tab switcher (it also uses what the application sets).

So....first thing I would try is to see if the svg file renders properly - open it in an image editor or viewer to check.

If it is OK, copy the icon to somewhere else and change the iconpath in the .desktop file to point to it (eg /usr/share/pixmaps, ~/.icons). Or put it in the icon theme you are using - try in "/usr/share/icons/themename/scaleable/apps"

Perhaps the iconpath can just be "Icon=jasp"?

brontosaurusrex · 2017-08-09 18:53:32

Also, there is desktop-file-validate which is part of the package desktop-file-utils, your lts.desktop looks fine thought (You fail to mention where it is located?). The icon should display when observing specific desktop file in thunar (there are bunch in /usr/share/applications for example) < easy way to check.

And finnaly, what happens if you move your desktop file to
~/.local/share/applications
?

edit: typos.

Last edited by brontosaurusrex (2017-08-09 19:34:57)

ohnonot · 2017-08-09 19:07:43

why do you need to create/edit a .desktop file for programs installed the usual way?
normally, in most cases, this should all happen automatically.
(though be aware that tint2, openbox, and GTK might behave slightly differently in that respect)

martix · 2017-08-09 22:16:22

damo wrote:

Or put it in the icon theme you are using - try in "/usr/share/icons/themename/scaleable/apps"
Perhaps the iconpath can just be "Icon=jasp"?

^I'd also suggest this solution (if I'm not mistaken you could also try to put it in /usr/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps ). Otherwise check also the permissions. If the file itself is working, it should be ok. Please check also the tint2 version - as far as I can recall there was something with tint2 and svg-files but it is fixed now.

ap · 2017-08-10 02:05:52

Hi, first of all thanks for the great help...it's amazing the kind of support one gets on this forum. I really had messed up my icons but I managed to sort it out for almost all programs following the suggestion damo proposed (although I copied all icons to /usr/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps as proposed by matrix rather than to /usr/share/icons/themename/scaleable/apps). Interestingly though, the problem still persist for the one I have put in the example. The .svg renders properly, and it is displayed in thunar observing the specific desktop file, both if my file is in /usr/share/applications or if it's in ~/.local/share/applications. However, when I launch the program, the icon is not displayed correctly on tint2. I also tried putting the icon to /usr/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps or in my theme folder but nothing...also tried with png in case the problem was with svg, but yet the icon didn't show correctly.

Interestingly, I have another machine with lubuntu with the default icon pack and I noticed that actually I get the same icon also there! I mean, the window icon rather than the program icon when I launch this specific program. So, I don't know why but this program does not seem to show the icon properly that is however shown in thunar when one looks at the destop file. Go figure...Not a big deal though, since the remaining programs are now fine...

Thanks again for your help

damo · 2017-08-10 08:17:13

^ It sounds like that application isn't giving the correct icon information to the window manager. Does the application window itself have the icon in the titlebar?

ap · 2017-08-10 08:21:32

Hi damo, no the application window itself doesn't have the proper icon in the titlebar, but still that window like icon

Last edited by ap (2017-08-10 08:22:01)

martix · 2017-08-10 12:59:42

^It is similar to a tool I just recently installed: yt-get (youtube-downloader). There is a desktop file in /usr/share/applications and yt-get in /usr/bin. In the bl-obmenu-generator dynamic menu and in Thunar for yt-get.desktop I have a different icon from the one in tint2 after opening yt-get. Why? Because in yt-get.desktop there is:

Icon=browser-download

while in the yt-get file

ICON="/tmp/yt.svg"

so in tint2 the yt.svg is shown from the /tmp directory, while in the menu (and Thunar) the browser-download icon from one of the /usr/share/icons directories.

Edit: ...and I used to have a similar issue with Zathura.

Last edited by martix (2017-08-10 13:08:33)

ap · 2017-08-10 13:34:53

hi matrix, that's interesting thanks. now, it's not that important for me to change the icon but I like to fully understand things...so I ask you this question more as a curiosity than really as a way to show a single icon for one program. how do you access files in /usr/bin? in my case it's a binary executable and I can't read it with a text editor. and also, how to force the /usr/bin file to read the same icon as the .desktop file?
Many thanks!

damo · 2017-08-10 15:39:53

^ I suspect that this application doesn't deal with the WM properly. You would need to get the source code and see how the icon is set, then compile the binary. Probably not worth the effort!

There is a utility (not in Debian unfortunately) called "xseticon" that may do the job, but it may not work with Debian 8, and I know it is incompatible with Debian 9. Also it may not deal with applications that don't play nice with Openbox.

ap · 2017-08-10 16:18:22

I see, that sounds troublemosome and sure not worth the effort, I was just curious. I believe now the issue for which I opened the thread is solved. Regarding the last application I was having a problem with, as damo said it's very likely that it doesn't deal properly with the WM, given that the problem is consistent across various distros as I noticed. Thanks very much everyone for your great help

martix · 2017-08-10 17:12:30

Actually it's an interesting issue. Where the culprit might be? I don't know, but e.g. creating a jasp launcher in tint2rc via

launcher_item_app = jasp.desktop

(restart tint2) works nicely as it obviously uses the path in the .desktop file. Also jgmenu finds the icon for jasp.

Having a look at the source code here, trying to find a hint regarding icon path (after a search: icon) it reveals that there is also jasp.xml in /usr/share/mime/packages with an "icon name" line. According to this the icon name it uses is jasp.svg. I'm not sure where it looks for that file (obviously not in the "normal" icons directories in /usr/share/icons).

Last edited by martix (2017-08-10 17:16:04)

ohnonot · 2017-08-10 20:05:10

ap wrote:

Hi damo, no the application window itself doesn't have the proper icon in the titlebar, but still that window like icon

this is another case for fbpanel.
it has a native "icons" plugin that allows you to replace troublesaome icons with nicer ones.
same rules as for .desktop files, i.e. full path or symbolic name.
the good thing is that you can run fbpanel (a really old gtk2 panel) with ONLY the icons plugin, so you do not see any panel at all, but it still does the icon changing in the background.
advantages over an xseticon script: icons are changed IMMEDIATELY, not only after the window is mapped.

ap · 2017-08-11 01:34:30

matrix: creating a jasp launcher in tint2rc via

launcher_item_app = /usr/share/applications/jasp.desktop

(restart tint2) doesn't show the icon of the .desktop file (i.e., the jasp.svg in /usr/lib/JASP/Resources/jasp.svg). To quote damo, I suspect that this application doesn't deal with the WM properly.

Regarding ohnonot observation, I was using fbpanel on SparkyLinux and I agree that it's easier to deal with such issues there. Nonetheless, I am trying to get used to tint2 and so far so good...I am not too bothered for a single icon tbh.

johnraff · 2017-08-11 03:05:30

damo wrote:

There is a utility (not in Debian unfortunately) called "xseticon" that may do the job, but it may not work with Debian 8, and I know it is incompatible with Debian 9. Also it may not deal with applications that don't play nice with Openbox.

I'm using xseticon to set an icon for Dillo with openbox, on Debian 8. Not good news about D9. (Unless dillo gets its act together of course.)

ohnonot wrote:

another case for fbpanel.
it has a native "icons" plugin that allows you to replace troublesaome icons with nicer ones.
same rules as for .desktop files, i.e. full path or symbolic name.
the good thing is that you can run fbpanel (a really old gtk2 panel) with ONLY the icons plugin, so you do not see any panel at all, but it still does the icon changing in the background.
advantages over an xseticon script: icons are changed IMMEDIATELY, not only after the window is mapped.

This sounds interesting! Thanks for the hint.

#1 2017-08-09 15:02:46

change icon for newly installed programs

#2 2017-08-09 15:16:38

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#3 2017-08-09 16:34:20

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#4 2017-08-09 16:56:06

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#5 2017-08-09 17:01:50

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#6 2017-08-09 17:14:15

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#7 2017-08-09 18:53:32

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#8 2017-08-09 19:07:43

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#9 2017-08-09 22:16:22

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#10 2017-08-10 02:05:52

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#11 2017-08-10 08:17:13

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#12 2017-08-10 08:21:32

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#13 2017-08-10 12:59:42

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#14 2017-08-10 13:34:53

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#15 2017-08-10 15:39:53

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#16 2017-08-10 16:18:22

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#17 2017-08-10 17:12:30

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#18 2017-08-10 20:05:10

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#19 2017-08-11 01:34:30

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

#20 2017-08-11 03:05:30

Re: change icon for newly installed programs

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