How to change permissions for .desktop files?

[SteveRiley]

Did you change the desktop layout to Folder? That's what I always do. Then it becomes easy to put launcher on the desktop. Navigate to the desired program in Kickoff, right-click the icon, and choose Add to desktop from the fly-out menu.

[Citizen Zed]

So additionally, I tried to fix this by installing Root Actions Servicemenu. That done I use it to change ownership to Active User (from root). But get this, I type in a new name and, while it does not change on the desktop (just as before), I see it immediately change in the Dolphin desktop folder. How weird is that?

So on the desktop itself it will not rename... even after rebooting.

[Citizen Zed]

I'm in 4.13.3 installed as a metapackage on top of Ubuntu 14.04


Gave up trying to create a shortcut by means of "add widget" and quicklauncher (it puts a Dolphin and a web browser icon rather than letting one pick what one wants). Then I see I can drag program icons out of the Kickoff selector onto the desktop. It makes .desktop files but one cannot rename them (either directly or via text editor). It says I don't have permission.


How does one fix this?