Files like PDF DOC XLS do not shows icon on Desktop

[vnc786]

Hello All,

OS=ubuntu 12.04
DE=lxde

i have removed unity completely and install lxde (apt-get install lxde) On Desktop the files do not show icons or image which it belongs to like pdf etc please see the attachment for more information

As in attachment you can see firefox has got its icon but the pdf(evince), libreoffie file looks like normal file if the name is too big i have to open it or see its properties.

The issue is not major one but recently i have migrated users from unity to lxde so it would great help if someone help on this.

Thank You

[Rex Bouwense]

Welcome to the lxde forum. Does this help?
http://lxlinux.com/#11

I am using pure Lubuntu and I can just right click the item in the main menu and choose add to desktop and the correct icon appears. Apparently there is something different when LXDE is added to Ubuntu.

[vnc786]

Thanks Rex...

I am not having any problem with Add to Desktop it works great and i can add to desktop as in attach image you can see I have added firefox, LO and thunderbird but I am just comparing to unity or any other DE in which by looking at icon of file you can come to know whether a file is word file or xls or pdf

[Rex Bouwense]

Roger that. I answered before I had my second cup of coffee. I operate with a clean desktop so I had to create the desktop shortcuts to see what was what. Sorry for the cofusion on my end.

[vnc786]

just to elaborate what i am looking here is screeshot from unity desktop from which you can come to know whether a file is word or xls

also i want to request if someone can provide there lubuntu desktop(which includes files like xls doc) screen shot

thanks

[seppalta]

How are you putting the links for documents on the desktop? If you are using a symlink, then you have to live with the standard undescriptive dull icon. If you use a .desktop file as described in http://lxlinux.com/#11 for pcmenu.desktop, then you can choose any icon you like. Attached is a picture of one that I just did for a text file.

[vnc786]

thanks for reply seppalta..

How are you putting the links for documents on the desktop?

i am not putting link or shortcut on desktop i am placing real files(xls,doc etc) on desktop which are not link to any other file whereas i can create .desktop file with icon

So question is how do i make files recognizable just my looking whether file is xls or doc on Desktop or Documents or wherever ?

[seppalta]

I have to admit to being confused by what you are after. If you just put an arbitrary file in the Desktop Directory, depending upon its type, it may or may not appear on the actual desktop. When it does appear it should include its name with file type if included in the name, and carry the general icon type that you chose when you configured lxappearance (customize look & feel). In a stock lxde this choice is usually very limited, but you can type in icon-theme in Synaptic search and have a broad choice of additional themes to install and use. I do not know if they offer a more distinguished choice of icons than the stock lxde-icon-theme. These icon packs will probably appear in /usr/share/icons.

[vnc786]

just to clear your confusion
if you see my first image which is of LXDE desktop in that you can see at file name "Chopper Challenge...." which is actual a xls file but at just looking you can't figure it out whereas in my second image which is of unity desktop you can see xl.odt file from looking at just image/icon you can figure out that it is xls file

hope you got me !!

i have checked lxappearance and i can see icon-theme after little thinking i am trying to change or add image of LO icon let see if I get it that i will post my result..

why i am doing this ?
usually on users desktop there are lots of file which make little confusion whether file is xls or pdf or doc if the file has more characters (anyway not a big issue)


thankyou

[seppalta]

OK, I see it, said the blindman as he stuck his wooden leg out the door to feel it. I think you have to install and select different icon theme sets until you find one rich enough to distinguish between the file types that you want to identify.

On an aside, it seems to me to be rather irregular to operate this way because my very limited experience here shows it is irregular on what files will show or not show on the desktop. Image files never show, .txt only sometimes, etc. Why not create a directory for files, put a desktop link (with a pretty icon) to it in the usual way and be one click away from a better ending - files ordered in groups of like type with pretty icons or as a list, and know all files are there? And not have a cluttered desktop. You could even set it up to automatically launch at boot, thus, eliminating the one click, and retaining the appearance of a cluttered desktop. "Usually on a user's desktop there are lots of files..." is a carry-over from windows days; it does not have to be and there is no advantage to it, just habit.