Odd behaviour on Leopard Dock

[Ihalofbawt]

Hi there, I've been having a problem with the Dock and I looked on the threads to see if it was already there. I couldn't find it so here we go. I have a BlackBook with 10.5.2 and the Dock has been acting a little odd since I changed the Applications, Downloads & Documents standard icons. This is what happens:

I have this 3 on the dock, shown as folders not stacks, and after every boot the Dock shows the Documents folder with the new icon, but the other 2 with the standard (and hideous) icon, so I have to go ctrl+clicking and changing the item to stacks, and then back to folder so I get the new, and cool, icon I set up for Apps and Downloads.

This is my first Mac experience so I'm still kinda of a n00b on scripts and everything around that, but I tried to set up an AppleScript that does the ctrl+clicking for me. Apparently there's nothing to do with the Dock in AppleScript so I'm open to suggestions.

Remember, the custom Documents icon shows properly but the other 2 don't. I've already repaired permissions a zillion times, so that's not the way to fix this. I know a way to force the new icon to show (creating an alias inside the folder) but I don't like that one, and if the custom icon work for the Documents folder it should work for the other 2, right?

[HLdan]

Hi, not to question your intelligence but since you are new to Macs I don't recommend changing icons that deal with the Dock. The Dock is not an added toolbar like some people add in Windows called Rocket Dock, the Mac OS X Dock is part of the Finder and Desktop and can be affected when you modify icons especially the stacks icons.

I don't actually have an answer for you but I'm sure someone will but I am just giving you a heads up about modifications and how they affect the system. Some icons you can change at the desktop level and others get changed at the system level and they affect the rest of the system.

[Ihalofbawt]

... that the Dock is part of the OS, unlike all the things that Windows users use to have a Mac-alike Desktop. If none of the custom icons worked on the Dock I wouldn't even worry, I'd just be stuck with the standard ones. But since the Documents one works, I'm hoping someone comes up with an answer to this problem.

Thanks anyway

[Mal]

Ignore the previous poster, changing folder icons that show in the Dock isn't a bad thing nor a dangerous thing to do.

You might check out LiteIcon or CandyBar, see if they'll effect a little better change, but I don't recall if they change folder icons or not. You might try trashing your Dock preferences, though you'll have to reset your icon arrangements to get it to work.

jW

[Ihalofbawt]

N00b question perhaps, but how do I trash my Dock preferences?

Thx for your help

[Mal]

They're in ~/Library/Preferences/ and should be called com.apple.dock.db and com.apple.dock.plist. I'd suggest not actually deleting them, merely moving them to the Trash then logging out and back in (or restarting). That way if it doesn't help you can move them back and regain your settings instantly.

jW

[Ihalofbawt]

So far, it works. I've only logged out and back in, not restarted yet… Thank you very much Mal. I think I'll keep the preferences I moved to the trash for a while, at least until I restart my computer.

[Ihalofbawt]

Thank you very much Mal, and guys cut the crap and the nonsense fighting. HLdan had a valid point, being such a n00b to Macs, I shouldn't be toying around with unfamiliar ground, but Mal came up with a good fix to my Dock problem.

You'll hear from me as soon as I can't do something with my Mac, or something is not working properly. It's good to finally have registered in MacRumors, after reading forums for about 6 months hehe.


Cheers,