If there are pictures in folder A, B, C.....Z, how do I automatically set the first picture in each of these folders as its folder icon? Is there a way like a script or something else?
3 Answers
1. Automatically change folder icon into the first found image inside
The python script below will change the icon of all folders inside a directory (recursively) into the first found valid image file inside the folder.
The script
#!/usr/bin/env python3
import subprocess
import os
import sys
# --- set the list of valid extensions below (lowercase)
# --- use quotes, *don't* include the dot!
ext = ["jpg", "jpeg", "png", "gif","icns", "ico"]
# ---
dr = sys.argv[1]
for root, dirs, files in os.walk(dr):
for directory in dirs:
folder = os.path.join(root, directory)
try:
first = min(p for p in os.listdir(folder)
if p.split(".")[-1].lower() in ext)
except ValueError:
pass
else:
subprocess.Popen([
"gvfs-set-attribute", "-t", "string",
os.path.abspath(folder), "metadata::custom-icon",
"file://"+os.path.abspath(os.path.join(folder, first))
])
How to use
- Copy the script into an empty file, save it as
change_icon.py
- In the head of the script, edit, if you like, the list of extensions to be used as valid icon images.
Run it with the targeted directory as an argument:
python3 /path/to/change_icon.py <targeted_directory>
That's it!
2. More advanced
...is to make it a right-click option in nautilus:
The script is slightly different then:
#!/usr/bin/env python3
import subprocess
import os
# --- set the list of valid extensions below (lowercase)
# --- use quotes, *don't* include the dot!
ext = ["jpg", "jpeg", "png", "gif", "icns", "ico"]
# ---
# retrieve the path of the targeted folder
current = os.getenv("NAUTILUS_SCRIPT_CURRENT_URI").replace("file://", "").replace("%20", " ")
dr = os.path.realpath(current)
for root, dirs, files in os.walk(dr):
for directory in dirs:
folder = os.path.join(root, directory)
try:
first = min(p for p in os.listdir(folder)
if p.split(".")[-1].lower() in ext)
except ValueError:
pass
else:
subprocess.Popen([
"gvfs-set-attribute", "-t", "string",
os.path.abspath(folder), "metadata::custom-icon",
"file://"+os.path.abspath(os.path.join(folder, first))
])
To use
Create, if it doesn't exist yet, the directory
~/.local/share/nautilus/scripts
Copy the script into an empty file, save it in
~/.local/share/nautilus/scripts
asset_foldericons
(no extension!), and make it executable.- Log out and back in, it works.
Notes
- This will change the icon of all folders inside the right-clicked folder, not of the folder itself.
- Since
os.path.realpath()
is used, this also works if the targeted folder is a link.
EDIT
Undo (reset) the custom icons inside a directory recursively
If, for some reason you'd like to reset the icons inside a folder to their default icon(s), use the script below. Simply:
- copy it into an empty file, save it as
reset_icons.py
run it by the command:
python3 /path/to/reset_icons.py <target_directory>
The script
#!/usr/bin/env python3
import subprocess
import os
import sys
dr = sys.argv[1]
for root, dirs, files in os.walk(dr):
for directory in dirs:
folder = os.path.join(root, directory)
subprocess.Popen([
"gvfs-set-attribute", os.path.abspath(folder),
"-t", "unset", "metadata::custom-icon"
])
-
I found that I had to input the full path, such as "/home/user/folderName" Jul 9, 2016 at 6:28
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If they add this function to Nautilus, it will be a better file manager. Jul 9, 2016 at 6:43
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Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.– terdonJul 15, 2016 at 10:39
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@JacobVlijm instead of first image in the folder can I make it to choose a unique file, for example
.folder.png
in every folder. this is really helpful for the directories with more than one image. I've been using this script and that's one improvement that I'd love to see in it askubuntu.com/questions/900785/… Apr 30, 2017 at 16:10
"gvfs-set-attribute" in script 1. will make error in python3 Ubuntu 18.0.4
This tool has been deprecated, use 'gio set' instead.
I change to
"gio", "set"
bash version to look for the files named cover.jpg
/cover.png
under the current path and set them as a folder icons for the container folder:
IFS="\n" find . -iname "cover.jpg" -o -iname "cover.png" | read COVER; do \
gio set -t string "$(realpath "$(dirname "$COVER")")" metadata::custom-icon "file://$(realpath "$COVER")"; \
done