RISC OS pi -- weird issue

Hello,

I’m pretty new to this environment, but really like it a lot. Encountered a strange bug or something the other day that seems to have stopped, but I’d like to know what caused it so it doesn’t happen again or if it does, how to solve it.

I started to notice that all of the program icons started to revert to PlingStore icons. You could launch them all the same, but when all the icons look the same… pretty jarring. Also, when I tried to change theme to Default to try to see if that was the cause-it seemed to not accept the changes.

Any help or guides to things like this would be appreciated.

—forgot to add: I’m not entirely sure how I got it all back, but after a power cycle and theme reset, the icons seem to be good now. Loading the application could sometimes refresh the icon on an individual basis, too. But it would go back to the PlingStore icon after a reboot.

I started to notice that all of the program icons started to revert to PlingStore icons.

Do you actually mean PlingStore icons? The PlingStore has an icon with a shopping bag carrying an “application” logo (an ‘A’ formed of cogs) on the side. This is a visual joke on the default application icon of a green square with an ‘A’ formed of RISC OS cogs, used when no other icon can be found in the system.

I suspect that your icons are reverting to the latter: the “default application” icon. If an application starts with this icon, it means that it either has no icon of its own (which is a valid thing to do), or it has a bug in it which prevents it registering its proper icon with the system. If applications had correct icons and then lost them, it suggests that something has wiped the sprite pool – something I don’t recall ever seeing happen.

I would expect a reboot to to reset things; if that doesn’t always work, there’s something more messed up on your system. I’m struggling to think what, though, as most applications don’t know or care about themes and just push their icons into the Wimp’s sprite pool when they’re “seen” by the filer. They’ll also do this when they’re run (double-clicked), which explains why some of the icons returned when you started the associated applications up.

I would expect a reboot to to reset things; if that doesn’t always work, there’s something more messed up on your system. I’m struggling to think what, though, as most applications don’t know or care about themes and just push their icons into the Wimp’s sprite pool when they’re “seen” by the filer. They’ll also do this when they’re run (double-clicked), which explains why some of the icons returned when you started the associated applications up.

Or maybe the Ctrl key is stuck down on the keyboard (or a KVM thinks it is, I’ve had this a few times), which would cause apps not to be booted, so their icons wouldn’t get loaded.

edited to add: if it’s a KVM thing, sometimes just tapping each CTRL key once or twice seems to ‘unstick’ it in my case.

“The PlingStore has an icon with a shopping bag carrying an “application” logo (an ‘A’ formed of cogs) on the side. This is a visual joke on the default application icon of a green square with an ‘A’ formed of RISC OS cogs, used when no other icon can be found in the system.”

Yep, the cogs forming an A. Definitely the latter as I figured it was using that as a generic go to. Still learning things on here, heh.

“Or maybe the Ctrl key is stuck down on the keyboard (or a KVM thinks it is, I’ve had this a few times), which would cause apps not to be booted, so their icons wouldn’t get loaded.”

I don’t believe the key was stuck — however this issue did arise when I used a new keyboard on the Pi. I didn’t think much of it, but I’ve since reverted to the original one I was using. Thus far have had no further issues with icons.