Icon for Executable File

Joesphin · 04-28-2015, 12:01 PM

Hello,

I created a simple C executable in Ubuntu by Codeblocks. But in folder, it has a generic black icon. Can I specify an icon for executable file?

I can add a resource icon by a resource file on Windows Codeblocks so that created exe file can have its own icon.

I want to ask is there a standard way for assigning icons for Linux executable by cross-distro way?

Cheers

veerain · 04-28-2015, 12:08 PM

You can't embed a icon in the executable. But you can make a laucher with an icon for this.

Joesphin · 04-28-2015, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veerain

You can't embed a icon in the executable. But you can make a laucher with an icon for this.

Thank you very much for your help.

Do you mean the .desktop file? Because it will be distributed, it would be great to have the icon inside executable file so that it can stay as a single file and have its icon viewable when users download it from net. But unfortunately it is not possible according to you.

dugan · 04-28-2015, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joesphin

Do you mean the .desktop file?

Yes. That's the way it's done on Linux.

Joesphin · 04-28-2015, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dugan

Yes. That's the way it's done on Linux.

But this makes me to create a setup program to distribute my executable, does not it? I thought I can only create an executable with icon, compress it and let the users download.

dugan · 04-28-2015, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joesphin

But this makes me to create a setup program to distribute my executable, does not it? I thought I can only create an executable with icon, compress it and let the users download.

For the nth time, no you cannot embed an icon in the executable.

You can choose from any of the popular packaging formats (provide both .deb and .rpm; Arch, Gentoo and Slackware users know how to repackage them), choose a preexisting installer (such as MojoSetup), or, as you mentioned, write your own setup program. These are in decreasing order of preference.