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Icon for linux application

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  • 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 Online
      Joe von HabsburgJ Online
      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 Offline
        JonBJ Offline
        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 Online
          Joe von HabsburgJ Online
          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 Offline
            JonBJ Offline
            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 Online
              Joe von HabsburgJ Online
              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 Offline
                JonBJ Offline
                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
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                • Joe von HabsburgJ Online
                  Joe von HabsburgJ Online
                  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 Offline
                    JonBJ Offline
                    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 Online
                      Joe von HabsburgJ Online
                      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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