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Icon for linux application

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  • Joe von HabsburgJ Offline
    Joe von HabsburgJ Offline
    Joe von Habsburg
    wrote on last edited by
    #16

    I looked at the "Compile Output" window and, it is finished succesfully. I could not see about icon or rc.exe.

    [15/15 10.2/sec] Linking CXX executable MyApp
    16:28:18: The command "/home/x/Qt/Tools/CMake/bin/cmake --build /home/x/Desktop/MyApp/build --target all" finished successfully.
    

    I want to ask again, is rc.exe my app or different thing ? If different thing how can I add to my app, and why should I add ?
    I clear cmake configuration, I run cmake, I clean and rebuild. Still icon does not exist.

    I've worked this hard on Qt in Ubuntu before. I apologize if I did anything wrong.

    Christian EhrlicherC 1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • Joe von HabsburgJ Joe von Habsburg

      I looked at the "Compile Output" window and, it is finished succesfully. I could not see about icon or rc.exe.

      [15/15 10.2/sec] Linking CXX executable MyApp
      16:28:18: The command "/home/x/Qt/Tools/CMake/bin/cmake --build /home/x/Desktop/MyApp/build --target all" finished successfully.
      

      I want to ask again, is rc.exe my app or different thing ? If different thing how can I add to my app, and why should I add ?
      I clear cmake configuration, I run cmake, I clean and rebuild. Still icon does not exist.

      I've worked this hard on Qt in Ubuntu before. I apologize if I did anything wrong.

      Christian EhrlicherC Offline
      Christian EhrlicherC Offline
      Christian Ehrlicher
      Lifetime Qt Champion
      wrote on last edited by
      #17

      @Joe-von-Habsburg said in Icon for linux application:

      I've worked this hard on Qt in Ubuntu before

      You're aware that the rc application icon is for windows??? Please read the full thread.

      Qt Online Installer direct download: https://download.qt.io/official_releases/online_installers/
      Visit the Qt Academy at https://academy.qt.io/catalog

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • Joe von HabsburgJ Offline
        Joe von HabsburgJ Offline
        Joe von Habsburg
        wrote on last edited by
        #18

        Ok, I am sorry, I read : https://forum.qt.io/topic/102167/how-to-add-qt-application-icon-in-ubuntu
        I need both of them also, .destop file and QMainWindow::setWindowIcon().

        I create icon.destop file and add resouces.qrc and add also to build folder.
        My file :

        [Desktop Entry]
        Version=1.0
        Type=Application
        Name=MyApp
        Icon=Resources/icon/icon.png
        Exec=MyApp
        Comment=MyApp Application
        Categories=Application
        Terminal=false
        

        I could not see any thing.
        And QMainWindow::setWindowIcon(). not work.
        a6acd848-c7f7-4f4b-a406-417ba4fe9b6a-image.png

        I checked, is icon null, it is return false. icon is not null.

        MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent)
            : QMainWindow(parent)
            , ui(new Ui::MainWindow)
        {
            ui->setupUi(this);
            QIcon ic(":/Resources/icon/icon.png");
            qDebug() << "ic.isNull" << ic.isNull(); // return false
            QMainWindow::setWindowIcon(QIcon(":/Resources/icon/icon.png"));
        }
        

        Did I create .destop file correct location ?

        JonBJ 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • Joe von HabsburgJ Joe von Habsburg

          Ok, I am sorry, I read : https://forum.qt.io/topic/102167/how-to-add-qt-application-icon-in-ubuntu
          I need both of them also, .destop file and QMainWindow::setWindowIcon().

          I create icon.destop file and add resouces.qrc and add also to build folder.
          My file :

          [Desktop Entry]
          Version=1.0
          Type=Application
          Name=MyApp
          Icon=Resources/icon/icon.png
          Exec=MyApp
          Comment=MyApp Application
          Categories=Application
          Terminal=false
          

          I could not see any thing.
          And QMainWindow::setWindowIcon(). not work.
          a6acd848-c7f7-4f4b-a406-417ba4fe9b6a-image.png

          I checked, is icon null, it is return false. icon is not null.

          MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent)
              : QMainWindow(parent)
              , ui(new Ui::MainWindow)
          {
              ui->setupUi(this);
              QIcon ic(":/Resources/icon/icon.png");
              qDebug() << "ic.isNull" << ic.isNull(); // return false
              QMainWindow::setWindowIcon(QIcon(":/Resources/icon/icon.png"));
          }
          

          Did I create .destop file correct location ?

          JonBJ Online
          JonBJ Online
          JonB
          wrote on last edited by JonB
          #19

          @Joe-von-Habsburg said in Icon for linux application:

          Icon=Resources/icon/icon.png

          QIcon ic(":/Resources/icon/icon.png");

          The first looks in the filing system for Resources/icon/icon.png, which doesn't exist. I do not think you can tell desktop to use a resource in a Qt executable, or I don't know how if you can (unless :/Resources/icon/icon.png works which I doubt). For the desktop shortcut I imagine you have to extract or copy the png file so you can point to that.

          Joe von HabsburgJ 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • JonBJ JonB

            @Joe-von-Habsburg said in Icon for linux application:

            Icon=Resources/icon/icon.png

            QIcon ic(":/Resources/icon/icon.png");

            The first looks in the filing system for Resources/icon/icon.png, which doesn't exist. I do not think you can tell desktop to use a resource in a Qt executable, or I don't know how if you can (unless :/Resources/icon/icon.png works which I doubt). For the desktop shortcut I imagine you have to extract or copy the png file so you can point to that.

            Joe von HabsburgJ Offline
            Joe von HabsburgJ Offline
            Joe von Habsburg
            wrote on last edited by
            #20

            @JonB said in Icon for linux application:

            Icon=Resources/icon/icon.png

            thay are in same directory.

            • icon.destop

            • Resources/

            I added on project location and build location. So it exists.

            @JonB said in Icon for linux application:

            I do not think you can tell desktop to use a resource in a Qt executable,

            I know what you mean. You think I'm using a file in resources.qrc, but I copied Resources/icon/icon.png to the build folder myself. So I know you can't use it from the .qrc file, it's inside the icon.desktop file.

            @JonB said in Icon for linux application:

            QIcon ic(":/Resources/icon/icon.png");

            That was for mainwindow icon. I tested for access to icon.png file or it is null, app can access to file because it returns as false for ask is it null.

            JonBJ 1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • Joe von HabsburgJ Joe von Habsburg

              @JonB said in Icon for linux application:

              Icon=Resources/icon/icon.png

              thay are in same directory.

              • icon.destop

              • Resources/

              I added on project location and build location. So it exists.

              @JonB said in Icon for linux application:

              I do not think you can tell desktop to use a resource in a Qt executable,

              I know what you mean. You think I'm using a file in resources.qrc, but I copied Resources/icon/icon.png to the build folder myself. So I know you can't use it from the .qrc file, it's inside the icon.desktop file.

              @JonB said in Icon for linux application:

              QIcon ic(":/Resources/icon/icon.png");

              That was for mainwindow icon. I tested for access to icon.png file or it is null, app can access to file because it returns as false for ask is it null.

              JonBJ Online
              JonBJ Online
              JonB
              wrote on last edited by
              #21

              @Joe-von-Habsburg
              I do not understand your English or what you are saying.

              .qrc is not relevant, it is only used at compilation time. Ubuntu/desktop will not look for Icon=Resources/icon/icon.png as an embedded resource within your executable, nor if you specify it as any Icon=:/... like you can inside Qt code.

              Let's say your home directory is /home/joe. Copy icon.png to that directory, so /home/joe/icon.png. Specify Icon=/home/joe/icon.png in .desktop file. Try that. If that does not work then perhaps you have something wrong in your .desktop file.

              Joe von HabsburgJ 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • JonBJ JonB

                @Joe-von-Habsburg
                I do not understand your English or what you are saying.

                .qrc is not relevant, it is only used at compilation time. Ubuntu/desktop will not look for Icon=Resources/icon/icon.png as an embedded resource within your executable, nor if you specify it as any Icon=:/... like you can inside Qt code.

                Let's say your home directory is /home/joe. Copy icon.png to that directory, so /home/joe/icon.png. Specify Icon=/home/joe/icon.png in .desktop file. Try that. If that does not work then perhaps you have something wrong in your .desktop file.

                Joe von HabsburgJ Offline
                Joe von HabsburgJ Offline
                Joe von Habsburg
                wrote on last edited by
                #22

                @JonB said in Icon for linux application:

                I do not understand your English or what you are saying.

                Sorry for that.

                @JonB said in Icon for linux application:

                Let's say your home directory is /home/joe. Copy icon.png to that directory, so /home/joe/icon.png. Specify Icon=/home/joe/icon.png in .desktop file. Try that. If that does not work then perhaps you have something wrong in your .desktop file.

                I said that. I copied the image same directory(build) with .desktop file.

                000c42ac-595e-4949-a3cd-65b5019af013-image.png

                JonBJ 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • Joe von HabsburgJ Joe von Habsburg

                  @JonB said in Icon for linux application:

                  I do not understand your English or what you are saying.

                  Sorry for that.

                  @JonB said in Icon for linux application:

                  Let's say your home directory is /home/joe. Copy icon.png to that directory, so /home/joe/icon.png. Specify Icon=/home/joe/icon.png in .desktop file. Try that. If that does not work then perhaps you have something wrong in your .desktop file.

                  I said that. I copied the image same directory(build) with .desktop file.

                  000c42ac-595e-4949-a3cd-65b5019af013-image.png

                  JonBJ Online
                  JonBJ Online
                  JonB
                  wrote on last edited by JonB
                  #23

                  @Joe-von-Habsburg said in Icon for linux application:

                  I said that. I copied the image same directory(build) with .desktop file.

                  It's quite simple. I suggested you:

                  1. Copy icon.png to /home/joe/icon.png (whatever your home directory is).
                  2. Put Icon=/home/joe/icon.png (that's whatever full path) in .desktop file.

                  I don't know what your screenshot is supposed to be showing me. I never said to put anything anywhere near a Resources directory or in your "build" area. And your .desktop file is in somewhere like ~/.local/share/applications/, right?

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • Joe von HabsburgJ Offline
                    Joe von HabsburgJ Offline
                    Joe von Habsburg
                    wrote on last edited by Joe von Habsburg
                    #24

                    I add to home

                    Screenshot from 2026-04-20 11-02-06.png

                    Build directory

                    Screenshot from 2026-04-20 11-07-27.png

                    [Desktop Entry]
                    Version=1.0
                    Type=Application
                    Name=App
                    Icon=/home/x/icon.png
                    Exec=myapp
                    Comment=My Application
                    Categories=Application
                    Terminal=false
                    

                    Icon is :
                    icon.png

                    I saw that
                    fab9ae44-410d-4834-a9be-1e2dd7f7ee05-image.png

                    @JonB said in Icon for linux application:

                    desktop file is in somewhere like ~/.local/share/applications/, right?

                    should i create .destop file in there ?

                    JonBJ 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • Joe von HabsburgJ Joe von Habsburg

                      I add to home

                      Screenshot from 2026-04-20 11-02-06.png

                      Build directory

                      Screenshot from 2026-04-20 11-07-27.png

                      [Desktop Entry]
                      Version=1.0
                      Type=Application
                      Name=App
                      Icon=/home/x/icon.png
                      Exec=myapp
                      Comment=My Application
                      Categories=Application
                      Terminal=false
                      

                      Icon is :
                      icon.png

                      I saw that
                      fab9ae44-410d-4834-a9be-1e2dd7f7ee05-image.png

                      @JonB said in Icon for linux application:

                      desktop file is in somewhere like ~/.local/share/applications/, right?

                      should i create .destop file in there ?

                      JonBJ Online
                      JonBJ Online
                      JonB
                      wrote on last edited by JonB
                      #25

                      @Joe-von-Habsburg
                      As I understand it, your icon.desktop file seems to be in some build directory. I said you should have nothing to do with build directory at runtime. What makes you think Ubuntu/GNOME will look in your build directory for any .desktop file, why should it? It does not even know it is there.

                      1. Put your icon.png in /home/joe.
                      2. Leave your icon executable in something like /home/joe/iconproject/build/Desktop/ directory. (I assume your executable is named icon.)
                      3. Ensure icon.desktop includes the following 2 lines among its other content:
                      Icon=/home/joe/icon.png
                      Exec=/home/joe/iconproject/build/Desktop/icon
                      
                      1. Put/copy icon.desktop to directory /home/joe/.local/share/applications/. That is where Ubuntu/GNOME/desktop manager looks for .desktop files. You might have some more there if you have any other applications with .desktop files, or your might be the only one.

                      You might have to log out of desktop and back in again after you have done item #4, to make GNOME look in /home/joe/.local/share/applications/ again for your new icon.desktop file.

                      When you have this working you can think again/play with lines

                      Icon=/home/joe/icon.png
                      Exec=/home/joe/iconproject/build/Desktop/icon
                      

                      so that they do not necessarily have to have /home/joe in them if you want this to run/distribute elsewhere. But first get it working with the absolute paths so we know where we are.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      3
                      • Joe von HabsburgJ Offline
                        Joe von HabsburgJ Offline
                        Joe von Habsburg
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #26

                        Thank you so much, It works. For that kind of things, must be so explanatory. Thanks everyone :)

                        1 Reply Last reply
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