Edit and Create Custom Launcher Icons, Ubuntu

Edit or create custom launcher icons in Ubuntu.

Create Custom Launcher Icons with Terminal

Create Custom Launcher Icons with Unity

Unity, the graphical user interface (GUI), for Ubuntu Linux allows users to create custom launcher items by hand. A launcher item, similar to a shortcut used in Windows, is a graphical button that will open an application or perform a command when selected. Custom launcher icons are synonymous with .desktop files. Often in Ubuntu it is useful for users to create custom launcher items that will perform specific tasks or open a specific program/application with the touch of a button. There are two methods of creating custom launcher items; through a command line interface or using a graphical user interface. The procedure also varies between Ubuntu builds; 11.04 and earlier/11.10 and newer. We will walk through the command line (terminal) method first.

Create Custom launcher icons Ubuntu 11.10 +:

Unity does support custom launchers from .desktop files. To create custom launcher from a .desktop file you need to create a *.desktop file for your program.

gedit ~/.local/share/applications/name.desktop

The .desktop file should look similar to this:

[Desktop Entry]                 
Name=the name you want displayed
Comment= 
Exec=command to run 
Icon=icon name 
Terminal=false 
Type=Application 
StartupNotify=true

In your file manager open your home folder and navigate to:

.gconf-> desktop-> unity-> launcher-> favorites

Here you will see many folders starting with "app-". You will need to create a folder for your program to reside in. Additionally use the same name.desktop you used in /usr/share/applications. Now go into one of the folders for something that is already on the dock and copy the xml file and paste that into your new folder. Open it with the text editor and change the nae of the *.desktop to your name.desktop.

Open gconf-editor and go to:

desktop-> unity-> launcher-> favorites

Double click the list on the right & add your name.desktop.

Log out and back in and you should now be able to see your launcher. Unity also has a feature called "Lenses." By default, you have two in Unity: Applications & Files. In the future you will be able to install and create many more.

Create Launcher icons Ubuntu 11.04 with Unity

This method will allow users to create custom launchers without needing root privileges.

First create the launcher on the desktop (temporary).

right click your desktop
select "Create Launcher"
create the custom launcher as you will.

Source: StackExchange

Now you should have the launcher on the Desktop. Now to put the launcher in the Launcher Panel.

Open the Home Folder, press Ctrl + H to show hidden files if necessary.
Browse to .local/share/applications
Drag and drop your Launcher from the Desktop into the applications folder.
Now drag and drop your launcher from the .local/share/applications to the launcher bar on the left of the screen.
The launcher on the desktop can now be deleted as it is trash.