Before I file this as either a buig report or feature request I wanted to check I'm not missing something here.

Say you have an app thats been self-compiled or has otherwise not been fully packaged to include any .desktop file so you need to create your own if you want a shortcut to it; it seems to me that under kde 4.8.3 I still cannot create a app shortcut icon and select its icon at creation time - instead I must create the link first then edit it to select its icon - or am I missing something here?

When you create a new app link shortcut there is a little tool icon that brings up and icon selection window but it doesn't matter what you choose within here, you must create the link first then edit its properties so that its dummy icon becomes clickable it seems?

I think it's because afterwards the .desktop file is created in your local configuration. Nevertheless, it may be a bug.

I've noticed this before too. The dialog for creating the .desktop file (i.e. the dialog that comes up if you are in dolphin, right-click on the background: Create New -> Link to Application...) doesn't currently allow you to set the icon for the shortcut. (just curious if any devs know off-hand) Does it try to do some inspection to find an appropriate icon, or does it just use a generic default?
I'd say this is a bug because nowadays the icon is at least as important as the name, and it does seem obnoxious that you have to edit the shortcut a second time in order to pick the icon.

This is likely to be categorised as a feature request. I believe it uses a generic icon.

I believe it is a bug. I just installed a music player Deadbeef from PPA repository and I wanted to add an entry in the menu editor. It finds icon but I cannot save it. With other programs I didin't have trouble. I don't know why it is so. Maybe it depends on the format of an icon.

Can you please clarify where you are experiencing this?
In the menu editor, or in Dolphin, with New > Link to Application?

bcooksley wrote:Can you please clarify where you are experiencing this?
In the menu editor, or in Dolphin, with New > Link to Application?

You ask me or the author of the topic? I have this problem in menu editor. When I choose icon of deadbeef I can see it but when I click in next field - description the icon disappears and there is no way to save it.

The icon disappearing is definitely a bug. Please file a bug at bugs.kde.org.

My problem is solved. I used classic menu layout when I had this problem. Then I turned to kickoff and it turned out the icon is there. I opened the program closed and turned again to classic menu layout and the icon was there. So it looks like it was just a display glitch.