Python3 Tkinter...icon. What gives!?

[WnO3M]

Hi,

I'm using Python3, Tkinter.. from the repository (as of today since it didn't come preinstalled) and I immediately headed off for a tutorial. Here's the program.

import tkinter
window = tkinter.Tk()
window.title("Gaia")
window.geometry("600x480")
window.wm_iconbitmap('Orb.xbm')


window.mainloop()

Bearing in mind that the icon is in the same folder as the script...

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "Gaia/init.py", line 16, in <module>
    window.wm_iconbitmap('Orb.xbm')
  File "/usr/lib/python3.3/tkinter/__init__.py", line 1637, in wm_iconbitmap
    return self.tk.call('wm', 'iconbitmap', self._w, bitmap)
_tkinter.TclError: bitmap "Orb.xbm" not defined

Now if I put an "@" in front of the file name I get...

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "Gaia/init.py", line 16, in <module>
    window.wm_iconbitmap('@Orb.xbm')
  File "/usr/lib/python3.3/tkinter/__init__.py", line 1637, in wm_iconbitmap
    return self.tk.call('wm', 'iconbitmap', self._w, bitmap)
_tkinter.TclError: error reading bitmap file "Orb.xbm"

However the file opens up just fine with Gimp and I would really like a colour version.

I also get the same problem with the Orb.xmp, Orb.ico Orb.gif Orb.png

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[RupertPupkin]

For .xbm files I believe you have to use this:

window.wm_iconbitmap(bitmap = "@Orb.xbm")

If you want to use color icons in Tkinter, you have to use gif or ppm files, not png:

#!/usr/bin/python3
import tkinter
window = tkinter.Tk()
window.title("Gaia")
window.geometry("600x480")
img = tkinter.PhotoImage(file='icon.gif')
window.tk.call('wm', 'iconphoto', window._w, img)
window.mainloop()

[WnO3M]

Works brilliantly! Thank you

[mcjarod]

For .xbm files I believe you have to use this:

window.wm_iconbitmap(bitmap = "@Orb.xbm")

If you want to use color icons in Tkinter, you have to use gif or ppm files, not png:

#!/usr/bin/python3
import tkinter
window = tkinter.Tk()
window.title("Gaia")
window.geometry("600x480")
img = tkinter.PhotoImage(file='icon.gif')
window.tk.call('wm', 'iconphoto', window._w, img)
window.mainloop()

why is it not working for me?? the error is not appearing but the icon is not shown in either both ways

[DBelton]

Could be several reasons.. With one of them being this thread (and instructions) are over 9 years old now

[RupertPupkin]

why is it not working for me?? the error is not appearing but the icon is not shown in either both ways

Using the code in my last comment (using icon.gif) the application icon will appear only when the application window is minimized. Does the icon show up for you when you minimize the window?

If you want the application icon to always be displayed—either in a system tray for your DE/WM or at the bottom of the screen—even when the application window is not minimized, then in the previous code you need an extra line (highlighted in red):

#!/usr/bin/python3
import tkinter
window = tkinter.Tk()
window.title("Gaia")
window.geometry("600x480")
img = tkinter.PhotoImage(file='icon.gif')
window.tk.call('wm', 'iconphoto', window._w, img)
window.tk.call('wm', 'group', window._w, window._w)
window.mainloop()

Running this in Window Maker shows the icon always in the bottom row for icons (see the red arrow):

tkinter_icon_persistent.jpg

[rclark]

This works for me in Windows:

class clockTz():
   #=========================================================================
   # constructor
   #=========================================================================
   def __init__(self):
      self.root = tk.Tk()
      self.root.title("Time Zone Clock")
      try:
         self.root.iconbitmap('clock.ico') # must be an .ico, not .png/.jpg
      except:
         pass
...

[RupertPupkin]

This works for me in Windows:

Windows?!?! Boo this man!

[rclark]

I know I know I know.... But had to do some searching to find it, so pass the (recent) knowledge along ... Seems to me the file (as you allude to) is different if same code is run in Linux, but if I recall correctly, it was just change the icon file name to a supported format and my application ran in Linux too.

[RupertPupkin]

Seems to me the file (as you allude to) is different if same code is run in Linux, but if I recall correctly, it was just change the icon file name to a supported format and my application ran in Linux too.

I think—but I'm not completely sure—that Tk application icons are handled differently in Windows than in Linux. Since Windows 95 the system tray I believe always shows the icon for a running Tk application. In Linux many window managers and DEs will show a Tk application's icon if the application is minimized, but to show the icon when not minimized often the "wm group" function is needed.

In your code you're using an icon in ICO format, and you're right that you can't use PNG or JPG with the iconbitmap function. However you can use PNG and GIF if you use the iconphoto function instead.