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Changing Icons System wide under Linux and KDE

(Before proceeding with this edit, you should take this refresher.)

Previously, I showed you how to convert Mac icons for use under Gnome and KDE. but what if you want to replace an icon system wide?

In this example, we will change the default folder icon viewed in kfm, the "Finder window".

This is a default window under KDE. While these icons are nice, I wanted to use one from Mathew White's Linux set.

To replace an icon system wide, you need to place a correctly named replacement icon in the folder:

~/.kde/share/icons/

The name of your replacement icon must match one from the folder:

/usr/share/icons

In the image below are the replacements for the default folder displayed in kfm, and the empty and full trash cans for the desktop.

To easily discover the name on an icon, use the Properties contextual menu to bring up the dialog to assign an icon to any file.

By placing the cursor over the icon you wish to replace, you can read the name in the lower left corner.

Even if your replacement icon is a gif, simply name it with the xpm extension and KDE will use it.

Log out of KDE, and back in again to see your changes.

But you say, "Hey! How did you get that cool pattern inside like Window Monkey?"

Open a directory window and work your way to the highest directory (/). Middle-click on an empty white space to bring up the Properties dialog.

Under the Dir tab, you can assign a picture for use as a background.

You may have noticed that it also looks like you can assign the default folder icon here too, but have found it is not as reliable as the method shown above.

Select the "Apply Global" button to have your background propagate down the entire directory tree.

Bonus Icons!

For being a patient reader and making your way down to the bottom of the article, I offer you this Linux replacement icons! The hard disks are based on Mathew White's Linux set, from powerMac The black and red set are for my mounted/unmounted Orb drive, and the AOL AIM icon gets used with GAIM!

Download.tar - Download.sit