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**jglen490** · Nov 19, 2020, 09:40 PM

It's theme-related, as far as I know, but looking in /usr/share/plasma/plasmoids, I see the results of the theme I'm using now. So I don't think it's a simple matter of copy/paste. I'm pretty sure it's a matter of working the themes process to get the results.

**Beerislife** · Nov 20, 2020, 02:53 AM

Yes, they seem to be part of the Style you're using iin System Settings.> Appearance > Plasma Style

/home/username/.local/share/plasma/desktoptheme/

Perhaps?

**DoYouKubuntu** · Nov 20, 2020, 12:50 PM

Originally posted by Beerislife View Post

Yes, they seem to be part of the Style you're using iin System Settings.> Appearance > Plasma Style

/home/username/.local/share/plasma/desktoptheme/

Perhaps?

Nope, at least not in my case. There is no ~/.local/share/plasma directory.

**DoYouKubuntu** · Nov 20, 2020, 01:03 PM

Originally posted by jglen490 View Post

It's theme-related, as far as I know, but looking in /usr/share/plasma/plasmoids, I see the results of the theme I'm using now. So I don't think it's a simple matter of copy/paste. I'm pretty sure it's a matter of working the themes process to get the results.

Okay...we're on to something! Looking in /usr/share/plasma/plasmoids with Dolphin, I do indeed see some of my icons. Although they display as if they're images, they're actually 'desktop configuration files' called whatever.desktop. So, you're right, copying my desired icons to their respective directories in /usr/share/plasma/plasmoids probably won't work.

Look, guys, this is *LINUX*! We're supposed to be able to control every aspect of our computers. We shouldn't have to live with ugly b&w icons in our trays! There's got to be a way to make them pretty...short of designing a theme myself, that is. That's waaaaaaay beyond the scope of what I'm capable of now. So from an end-user standpoint, but an end-user who used to be a *nix system administrator and programmer, and knows their way around a command line and directory structure, is there a way? I hope?

PS I know this is a first-world problem. I also know I can live with ugly icons. The world won't end if this can't be resolved. But as an ardent Linux proselytizer, who routinely preaches its total freedom and control, I feel compelled to figure it out.

**jglen490** · Nov 20, 2020, 09:26 PM

You don't have a .local directory because you have not customized themes and styles stuff. Welcome to plasma customizing

**Beerislife** · Nov 21, 2020, 01:40 AM

Other custom theme related directories include:

~/.local/share/aurorae/themes/

~/.local/share/backgrounds/

~/.local/share/icons/

**DoYouKubuntu** · Nov 21, 2020, 12:54 PM

Originally posted by jglen490 View Post

You don't have a .local directory because you have not customized themes and styles stuff.

No, i have a $HOME/.local directory--I said there was no ~/.local/share/plasma directory.

Welcome to plasma customizing

Oh dear... You don't know me very well!

I customize THE HELL out of my computers.

The ONLY reason I have yet to do so on THIS laptop is because of the problems I've copiously posted about. Now that it's finally running well and it looks like the issues are resolved, I am gradually adding in one thing at a time, so I can keep track of what [if anything] breaks it again.

**DoYouKubuntu** · Nov 21, 2020, 12:59 PM

Originally posted by Beerislife View Post

Other custom theme related directories include:

~/.local/share/aurorae/themes/

~/.local/share/backgrounds/

~/.local/share/icons/

Right, but as noted up above, "It was suggested that I make use of my $HOME/.local/share/icons/ -- but I don't see how. I mean, the icons that appear in my tray now are not located there..." There is NOTHING in my $HOME/.local/share/icons/ except one subdirectory containing the icon set I use [which I've carried with me for decades, because it's so pretty!

].

**claydoh** · Nov 21, 2020, 01:41 PM

If I get a moment Ill dig up stuff about plasma styles, which is where systray icons are set.
The quick summary is copying the stock style folder (either the one labeled 'default' or 'breeze') from /usr/share/plasma/desktoptheme/ to ~/.local/share/plasma/desktoptheme/ (create this if needed), renaming the folder to something unique and editing the .desktop file to match, basically creating a new theme. In this folder is where you replace the icons, and test.
Or copying any third party style one has installed in ~/.local/share/plasma/desktoptheme/, and modding that if one is 'close'

icons need to be scalable .svg afaik.
One can trawl through different plasma styles and find some that use colorful icons, and borrow them.

we seem to be digging far too deep into the system for what is not a terribly difficult task

**claydoh** · Nov 21, 2020, 01:47 PM

Well I can't find what I was looking for, yet, but the basic gist is covered on this techbase article
https://techbase.kde.org/Development.../Plasma5/Theme, wich is more focused on the actual theme elements, not icons, but the process to get started is identical, plus tips on refreshing

It does suck that this stuiff is hard to find, it has not really changed much at all since the early KDE4 days a decade ago. The process is how most of the Plasma styles in the store have been copied/modded/created since then.

**claydoh** · Nov 21, 2020, 01:54 PM

Originally posted by DoYouKubuntu View Post

Right, but as noted up above, "It was suggested that I make use of my $HOME/.local/share/icons/ -- but I don't see how. I mean, the icons that appear in my tray now are not located there..." There is NOTHING in my $HOME/.local/share/icons/ except one subdirectory containing the icon set I use [which I've carried with me for decades, because it's so pretty!

].

That has zero to do with systray icons at all. As seen above, those are set in the plasma style being used.
You won't have that dir if you have not installed any third party icon themes, or created the dirs yourself. Anything in ~/.local/share/ takes precedence over /usr/share, if it exists, for many to most all things.

**claydoh** · Nov 21, 2020, 02:07 PM

Here is a quickie example. I copied the 'default' folder from /usr/share/plasma/desktoptheme/ and copied to the corresponding place in ~/.local/share
(this may be different in Kubuntu, which uses a custom style as 'default', for me the 'defualt' is the stock white-grey KDE breeze style)
I named the folder 'testy', edited the .desktop file inside it to match the name. I copied the icons folder from a theme called Light Warp , and used that to replace the icon folder in the Testy folder

Stock theme

Slightly colorful systray icons stolen from a different theme

Mere moments to do.

I am done being googlebot for the day

peaceout

**DoYouKubuntu** · Nov 21, 2020, 02:38 PM

I am done being googlebot for the day

You're more than entitled to a nice long rest! Thanks for your help. I'm going to delve in to the info you've provided and see what I can come up with.

**DoYouKubuntu** · Nov 21, 2020, 03:23 PM

You put me on the right path, @claydoh! I tweaked what you did and look at my new [temporary] tray icons:

For others who may be interested:

- find icons you want to use, for example by going to /usr/share/plasma/desktoptheme and exploring its themes' "icons" directories, e.g., /usr/share/plasma/desktoptheme/oxygen/icons
- create a /home/<username>/.local/share/plasma/desktoptheme/default/icons directory
- copy your desired icons into it
- restart your session
- you're done!

Thank you, @claydoh! I'm marking this sucker solved...

Announcement

Location of system tray icons?

[SOLVED] Location of system tray icons?

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