Changing Default Icons For Video Files?

[joelandsonja]

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I would like to change the default icons for all of my AVI and MPG files to a specific icon, but I don't know how. I would rather not have to change every icon individually, instead I would like to know if there is a function that allows you to simply change all video file icons at once.

I realize you can change certain icons by right clicking the file and clicking on the little Icon Button in the Properties menu, but it doesn't seem to work for changing icons for all of the specific file types.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

[reed9]

How To Change File-Type (mimetype) Icons in Ubuntu - SWiK

[joelandsonja]

Thanks for the reply, but I can't seem to get this to work.

I'm quite new to Ubuntu, so I'm not able to figure out most of the technical jargon they use ... would it be possible for someone to give me step by step instructions that anyone can understand?

I basically only want to change my MPEG files and AVI Files to different Icons.

[joelandsonja]

One more thing to add folks ...

If I could figure out where the default icon for the video file is kept I might be able to make some progress, but sadly I can't seem to find out where it comes from by going to the properties menu.

I really need some help with this one ...

Thanks in advance.

[joelandsonja]

I really need a hand with this one folks, can someone fill me in on a bit more detail for the amateur user?

[reed9]

It would help if we knew more specifically which part was giving you trouble or what you tried.

Icon themes define which icons are used. Icons for a class of files, like documents or video files are identified by their MIME type.

Icon themes are either stored in /usr/share/icons/ (system wide) or ~/.icons (local). Most themes have folders for icons of varying sizes, 24x24, 48x48, and so on.

To change just one icon of a theme, you would need to find the appropriate image file in the mimetypes folder of icon theme and replace it (repeating for each icon size). These files will be in the form of video-x-generic.png which would be the default icon for any generic unidentified video type, or video-x-msvideo.png, video-x-wmv.png and so on.

Once you've replaced all the icons, delete the old cache as described in the guide and restart the desktop.

[joelandsonja]

When I read the instructions to replace the icons with the link you sent me, I thought that was what it was getting at, but for some reason the file I want to change doesn't show up when I try to find it in the icon folders. I'm also not sure how I would change the icons that appear as screenshots since It seems to be defaulting the icon to the first frame of the video itself.

Here's a screenshot of what I mean ...

flickr.com/photos/44912149@N02/4125694339/in/datetaken

As you can see it is mixing the icons with either an icon of the first frame of the video, or that annoying clock icon. All I want to do is default all MPEG files to one particular icon of my own choosing. Your instructions seem simple enough, but I can't seem to find the icon I want to change.

On an interesting side note, my last name is Reed also ...

[joelandsonja]

Any other suggestions out there?

[jmadero]

change your whole icon set to one in your ~/.icon (download from gnome look or kde look), then you can alter or replace the video file one located in there or if you like the one that it comes with just use that.

To change, download and untar icon set, put them in your .icons folder. Go to system -> preferences -> appearance --> customize --> customize --> icons, your new icon set should be in there

[joelandsonja]

Brilliant, that seemed to do it!

I guess all that's left to do is mix and match the right icons ...

Thanks for the help!