Embedding an icon in a Linux executable

Question

I have written an application in Java and succesfully compiled it using gcj.

In (X)ubuntu\'s File Manager, my application appears with the default Linux executable

Answer 1

You cannot use ~ userhome, . here, .. up in file paths in desktop files. You must give the complete filepath from / root.
OR
Add all the pertinent filepaths to the $PATH environment variable, then just give the filenames in the desktop entries, e.g.:

Exec=MyJavaApp
Icon=MyJavaPic.png