I have installed Mandrake 9.2 several times, selecting KDE 3.1.4. On none of these installations have I been able to change an application's desktop icon. Clicking on properties produces a dialog bearing the current icon but whether I right or left click, it is immovable. I can change the icon for all executables by doing it in Edit File Type but that is not terribly helpful. Does anyone know how to fix this?

Hi AlanSecker,
you can change the desktop icons of links and folders by clicking on the icon in Properties.
This is not possible for any other kind of file by design. Honestly, I dont think it makes sense to change it on a per file basis. Why would you want to have one movie have a different icon than another?
(Except if you want to be able to distinguish your pr0n from your tv-shows, alright ).

I hope this helped. I am sorry that it is not possible,
- drowstar

I apprecite that I should be able to change the icon by clicking on it in the Properties dialog but as I have already pointed out, I cannot. It therefore follows that there must be an underlying architectural defect in my confifuration. I suppose I was hoping for the answer from a KDE architect. Thanks for trying though.

hmmm.... i've had something like this occur from time to time where trying to delete a desktop link to an application didn't work. this was due to the fact that the shortcut link ended up being owned by root. don't know why sometimes that is, but it involves opening up a super user filemanager and going into the your user's desktop directory in that user's home directory. find the shortcut file and change the owner from root to your user. just a suggestion as your problem seems to be along the same lines as what i've experienced every now and then.

I'll definititely check that out. But, does that mean you cannot/should not add links to the desktop from applications while logged in as root. That's where i always do it when checking that everything works before redpoing it as a user. Anyway, I'm much appreciative of the advice.

no not at all. log into root and add desktop icon links to root's destkop all you want. i think the problems occur when you log into root and create desktop icon links on another users' desktops. i've done this before myself and it really isn't a big deal. you just have to remember to change the owner and group of that link to your user.

O.K. I'll try it from different perspectives and see what happens.