Desktop icons not referenced to correct application SOLVED

[PJJ]

Ever since installing Kubuntu 8.10 I have not been able to keep application icons on the desktop.
Example:
Start KMenu -> Applications -> Internet -> Firefox -> Add To Desktop

An icon in the shape of a gear is added to the desktop. The icon is labeled firefox.desktop. "Settings' declare the icon a desktop configuration file or label it "firefox.desktop" or ""usr/share/applications/kde/XYZ".
In any case the icon opens with an error message on either "kate" or "OpenOffice".

Error: /home/peter/firefox.desktop does not exist".
Another error is "usr/share/applications/kde/firefox.desktop does not exist".
But it is shown by the file manager.

These errors are not confined to Firefox. They involve virtually all applications except Konqueror and K3b.

Something must have gone wrong during installation of the system. By the way, I am using the latest version of Kubuntu 8.10.

Any ideas, please?

[PJJ]

Re: Desktop icons not referenced to correct application SOLVED

I would like to answer my own question and show how I got the problem solved, but unfortunately a recurring problem with login to the Kubuntu forums from 8.10 prevents me to do so.

Login to the forums in 8.10 is successful at first, but when switching to a specific forum my status reverts to 'guest' and I cannot post.

Therefore, lacking the ability to perform work on the desktop icons as I describe the solution, I can only say that the solution to my question is to find the location of the desktop item via Konqueror, then copy it to the home directory. From there the icons can be dragged onto the desktop. They will stay there.
For example, I searched for and found 'firefox.desktop' (desktop configuration file), copied it from its location to /home/myname and then dragged it to the desktop.