[CentOS] [FIXED] Centos 5.7--desktop icons are now a blank sheet of paper with the .desktop filename and they don't work

[fred smith]

On Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 08:45:48PM -0500, fred smith wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 11:22:32AM +0100, Ljubomir Ljubojevic wrote:
> > Vreme: 11/15/2011 03:25 AM, fred smith piše:
> > 
> > > note that the Desktop folder contains a subdirectory named "radio stations",
> > > and that its representation on the desktop looks correct. but when I click
> > > on it to open up that folder, all its contents are also broken in the
> > > same way.
> > >
> > > Anybody got any clues?
> > >
> > 
> > First remove all spaces from folder(s) and desktop files.
> > 
> > Next, there was some trick when you create your own desktop files, I was 
> > receiving similar warning, but I am not sure (at the moment) what was 
> > the solution. While you change names, I will later on look for a solution.
> 
> Tried removing spaces. makes no difference.
> 
> did a reboot with forced fsck, on the off-chance that would fix something.
> no such luck.
> 
> created a whole new user, who CAN create working desktop launchers. which
> tells me it's something in my own login environment that's messing me up.
> Wonder what that might be....

Well, it's fixed. I know the solution, if not the cause:
in my home directory, cd to .local/share/mime, delete (or rename) the
"globs" file. log off, log on. voila.

I note that the globs file in that location is not the same size as the
one in /usr/share/mime globs, which is also no the same size as the one
in /usr/local/share/mime/globs. I have no CLUE how it gets generated 
(unless update-mime-database does it, but I don't know when or by what
agency it gets run.) but after rebooting it has not been regenerated,
but at least my desktop launchers now work. I note that /usr/share/mime/globs
contains:

	application/x-desktop:*.desktop

and that the globs file I renamed in ~/.local/share/mime does not contain
such a line. without doing further spelunking, I can only guess that it
is the absence of that line that broke my desktop.

Wonder how the file could have become broken/corrupted? is there a more
correct method of "fixing" it?

thanks all!

Fred
-- 
---- Fred Smith -- fredex at fcshome.stoneham.ma.us -----------------------------
               But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: 
                         While we were still sinners, 
                              Christ died for us.
------------------------------- Romans 5:8 (niv) ------------------------------