Changing Workspace Program Icons

KitchM · 2025-09-18 21:10:06

If workspaces start with 1, then is there a difference between desktops and workspaces?

ToZ · 2025-09-18 22:44:43

Xfce only really supports one desktop now, and multiple workspaces on that desktop. Internally, it labels them starting at 1, but X numbers starting at 0.

Can you post the outputs of:

xrandr

...and:

wmctrl -l

You can also test it directly by issuing the command:

wmctrl -s 1

...and using 0, 2, 3, etc to see where you end up.

I'm surprised your ending up in different locations.

KitchM · 2025-09-19 16:12:44

xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 800, maximum 16384 x 16384
HDMI-A-0 connected primary 1280x800+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 800mm x 450mm
3840x2160 30.00 + 24.00 29.97 23.98
4096x2160 30.00 24.00 29.97 23.98
1920x1200 30.00
1920x1080 60.00 59.94 30.00 24.00 29.97 23.98
1600x1200 30.00
1680x1050 59.88
1280x1024 75.02 60.02
1440x900 59.90
1280x960 60.00
1360x768 60.02
1280x800 59.91*
1152x864 75.00
1280x720 60.00 30.00 59.94 29.97 24.00 23.98
1024x768 75.03 70.07 60.00
800x600 72.19 75.00 60.32
720x480 60.00 59.94
640x480 75.00 72.81 60.00 59.94
720x400 70.08
DVI-D-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DisplayPort-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DisplayPort-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

wmctrl -l
0x01200003 -1 XXX xfce4-panel
0x01200007 -1 XXX xfce4-panel
0x01200014 -1 XXX xfce4-panel
0x01200018 -1 XXX xfce4-panel
0x01000028 -1 XXX Desktop
0x04e00024 2 XXX To Automate The Xfce Desktop Startup.odt - LibreOffice Writer
0x03400003 0 XXX Changing Workspace Program Icons (Page 2) / Desktop / Xfce Forums — Mozilla Firefox
0x0460002c 1 XXX Inbox - Local Folders - Mozilla Thunderbird
0x04c0002c 5 XXX snip - Tuta Mail: Login & Sign up for free — Tor Browser
0x06000003 4 XXX Terminal - xxx@XXX: ~

It does indeed appear that the window manager (or at least wmctrl) sees things as starting at zero, while Xfce numbers workspaces as starting from one. I suppose I have to be very careful in scripting and in launcher settings to specify appropriately. I still believe that devilspie2 sees the workspaces starting with one just like Xfce.

I note too that the panel listings are all in workspace 1 while the workspaces must just be an overlay. But it confuses things to see workspace 1 listed as 0. Are the programmers confusing these ideas?

The windows manager seems to be running within the basic OS computer conventions, while the DE appears to go with normal English alphanumeric conventions. This lack of consistency is bound to cause confusion on one level or another, and have we just discovered this in the above item?

Last edited by ToZ (2025-09-19 16:42:48)

ToZ · 2025-09-19 16:45:13

Yes I agree, it is inconsistent. It always has been.

Were you able to create a .desktop file for your second instance so you could start it from the menu?

KitchM · 2025-09-19 19:02:01

I have never created a .desktop file. I understand that it is an informational file used to supply that information to any program than needs it. However, I am unfamiliar with the format and the basic contents or even where to save it.

ToZ · 2025-09-19 21:10:32

Create a ~/.local/share/applications/thunderbird2.desktop file with the following content:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Thunderbird 2
Comment=Send and receive mail with Thunderbird
GenericName=Mail Client
Exec=/path/to/thunderbird/script
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Icon=org.mozilla.Thunderbird
Categories=Network;Email;
MimeType=message/rfc822;x-scheme-handler/mailto;text/calendar;text/vcard;text/x-
vcard;x-scheme-handler/webcal;x-scheme-handler/webcals;x-scheme-handler/mid;
StartupNotify=true

You can change the "Name=" line to be more descriptive or accurate.
Change the "Exec=" line to point to the script we created.
Change the "Icon=" line to point to your second thunderbird icon.

Save the file.
You will now get a second entry in your menu that you click to start it.

KitchM · 2025-09-19 21:45:44

ToZ wrote:

You will now get a second entry in your menu that you click to start it.

"my menu"? Sorry for being dense.

ToZ · 2025-09-19 22:04:00

Yes. Whiskermenu or applicationsmenu. It will show up there.

KitchM · 2025-09-23 20:34:45

Oops! The TB script stopped working completely. I have no idea why.

My first instance of TB is already running. Script creates another one with the same icon. How did I lose my new icon? Did I fail to run xseticon somehow?

ToZ · 2025-09-23 21:43:29

Are you running it from the menu or from the script?
Is it just once it didn't work?
Which order are you starting them?

KitchM · 2025-09-24 14:20:00

The Whisker menu only has the regular Thunderbird and icon. I used the script file by right-click and then execute. Regular TB is always started automatically when system starts up.

ToZ · 2025-09-24 19:50:51

Can you post back the .desktop file you created for it from ~/.local/share/applications?

Can you also post back the final content of the script?

Not sure why this suddenly stopped working.

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#26 2025-09-18 21:10:06

Re: Changing Workspace Program Icons

#27 2025-09-18 22:44:43

Re: Changing Workspace Program Icons

#28 2025-09-19 16:12:44

Re: Changing Workspace Program Icons

#29 2025-09-19 16:45:13

Re: Changing Workspace Program Icons

#30 2025-09-19 19:02:01

Re: Changing Workspace Program Icons

#31 2025-09-19 21:10:32

Re: Changing Workspace Program Icons

#32 2025-09-19 21:45:44

Re: Changing Workspace Program Icons

#33 2025-09-19 22:04:00

Re: Changing Workspace Program Icons

#34 2025-09-23 20:34:45

Re: Changing Workspace Program Icons

#35 2025-09-23 21:43:29

Re: Changing Workspace Program Icons

#36 2025-09-24 14:20:00

Re: Changing Workspace Program Icons

#37 2025-09-24 19:50:51

Re: Changing Workspace Program Icons

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