I’m cloning this bug (initially reported as wishlist) as I hade to reinstall Kubuntu 9.04 (64bit) and I can confirm that folder icons works as expected in KDE 4.2.2 and KDE 4.2.4. Icons can be set and are displayed on folders that are on manually mounded file systems owned by root. Even folder icons, that were set, but not displayed, with KDE 4.3.1 are now shown in KDE 4.2.4. In addition I have to report, that in KDE 4.3.1 folder icons can be set and are displayed on some folders on manually mounted disks. I had 5 folders, named 01_live; 02_dead, 03_possible, 04_maintenance, 05_complete. All of these folders are subfolders of “projects” that is on a manually mounted partition. KDE 4.3.1 would let me set and would show folder icons on 02_dead, 03_possible and 04_maintenance, but not on 01_live and 05_complete. I don’t know what is the difference between theses folders, except their names. Now when I have KDE 4.2.4 back, the icons I have set for 01_live and 05_complete folders are displayed as expected. I might be missing some crucial details here, so please do as and I will try to get and post them. +++ This bug was initially created as a clone of Bug #208368 +++ Version: 4.3.1 (using KDE 4.3.1) Compiler: installed via PPA OS: Linux Installed from: Ubuntu Packages This only came about in KDE 4.3.1. I was using KDE 4.2.2 before and didn't have this issue. If I right click on a folder and select “properties” and then change folder icon I expect folder icon to in folder list in Dolphin or Konqueror. If the folder that I want icon to be changed is located on native Linux partition – it works as expected. When folder is located on a partition (NTFS) that is mounted to /media/disk – changing folder has no affect. Everything under /media is owned by root, but permission 777 is set to all folder and files by default. If folder icon is changed for a folder on a manually mounted partition and then this folder is copied to linux native partition – icon changes all of a sudden and it reverts to default blue folder icon as soon as it is copied back to the /mount/disk. I'm not reporting this as a bug, as in principal folder icons are working, but there is some issues with access permissions as far as I can understand it. If anyone can explain how to go around it it will be much appreciated.
*** Bug 208368 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
I can confirm that this happens on Kubuntu Karmic (4.3 packages) for vfat and ntfs mounts. However, I am not marking it as »confirmed« yet as I still need to do some more research on which conditions trigger this bug. Larry mentioned the directory owner: I have tried changing the owner of the mounted vfat resp. nfts volume to the user changing the icon, but this didn't have any effect. Unfortunately I am not experiencing this bug on my (Arch) development where I run a Debug build of trunk, so there is not very much information in any logs. Some messages are written to ~/.xsession-errors though when closing the »Properties« dialog resp. applying the icon change: QFSFileEngine::open: No file name specified couldn't lock local file couldn't lock local file couldn't lock local file
I've accidentally came across sort of a workaround. If you have a folder and it will not display an icon of your choice, try setting “folder-brown” as an icon and click ok and ok again. If your default folder icon changes to the brown-folder, try going back to the settings and selecting the icon you actually want to use. It should be displayed correctly now. I've tested this on Kubuntu 9.10 with KDE 4.3.2 only, but assuming that this should apply to Kubuntu 9.04 with KDE 4.3.1 as well.
Just to give a further update. I'm now using Kubuntu 9.10 64bit witj KDE 4.3.5 on a different laptop and still having the sae isue with folder icons. I can change folder icons on some folders, but not the others. No error message is displayed. Changinf a folder icon does create a .directory file, that is displayed as an icon I chose for the folder, but the folder itself is displayed with default folder icon. Bellow is content of .directory file for a folder that is dispayed as default blue folder [Desktop Entry] Icon=folder-development [Dolphin] AdditionalInfo=7 Timestamp=2010,2,7,11,41,50 ViewMode=1 [Settings] ShowDotFiles=true Ant the workaround I've mentioned before - seems to work in rare cases only, so It's not a really a workaround.
Works for me in KDE Frameworks 5.47.