Binary icons in Dock when running containerized app.
This is purely aesthetic, not a mission critical issue..
I have two apps that I run specific versions of, and therefore have to install from files. Both .deb files.
Both apps install fine, both have their actual icons in app view (gnome), both can be dragged down to the Dock, and both apps run just fine.
However when I start either of the apps I do not get a normal 'open indicator' on the docked app icon, I get a binary gear icon that pops up at the end of the Dock.
Not a critical issue of course, more of an ocd issue, but is there anything that can be done to the container or binary or whatever so the app icon of the containerized apps behaves like all the other 'native' apps pinned in the Dock?
6 Replies
Yeah that’s because the .desktop file calls blend
Which doesn’t have a set icon
One of the apps in question is Opera browser.. Everytime Opera does a significant version update or adds a new 'feature', they break a dozen other 'features' users have been using.. so I run an older version exclusively on all OS platforms. (em steps down from his soapbox) I noticed that the .desktop has blend calling the containerized opera, however the .desktop file for opera itself is calling the icon from opera like it would be if installed natively.. which does not exist because it is in a container - therefore no icon exists for 'opera' and I get the generic gear. So I took the icon link from blend;Debian;opera.desktop and pasted it in opera.desktop in some long cryptic location and while an app icon still pops up at the end of the Dock it is at least the opera icon.
Opera is um spyware
There are way better options
Like Firefox which is preinstalled
I think I should be able to script Dock to combine the instances into the same icon, maybe, but at least for the moment if I glance down at the Dock I can see what is actually open.
pfft.. In order to get Firefox to work like opera, oob, I have to add like a dozen extensions to firefox - after all the third-party extensions firefox is no more 'secure' than any other browser - and its not a particularly secure browser to begin with. Last I saw it ranks in the same tier actually. I have used opera since the 90s with no security issues whatsoever. I have generated sniffer logs which do not show any information outside user requested http surfing traffic moving out, the older versions lack of telemetry is one of the very reasons I use a specific version..
I will get back with scripting results, if I can even accomplish the task, dunno how that could be worked into blend to address the issue. In the end it might come down to simply an issue with the gnome dock..? /shrug
This should get you closer without them