macOS Developers and Programming i need your assistance.

[mrbaseball0909]

So i've tried researching this for myself by doing system traces etc.. Mac Mail, iChat and other programs call a red badge when one has a new message or piece of mail.

I would like to edit the badge to a different image if possible. Only problem is i don't know where the programs are calling it from. Is it a system wide resource or part of the application contents?

I appreciate it.

 

[robbieduncan]

Each app is doing it itself. Most are probably drawing it using code in Quartz. So you won't be able to change it.

 

[lee1210]

In 10.5 and up setBadgeLabel: is available:
http://developer.apple.com/mac/libr...apple_ref/occ/instm/NSDockTile/setBadgeLabel:

-Lee

 

[mrbaseball0909]

In 10.5 and up setBadgeLabel: is available:
http://developer.apple.com/mac/libr...apple_ref/occ/instm/NSDockTile/setBadgeLabel:

-Lee

Thanks for the info Lee, but i must apologize i do not understand all of it. Will i be able to find the location of the image to change it? Or is it something i cannot change?

 

[chown33]

When you say "a different image", do you mean something other than a red circle? Such as "change it to a blue rectangle".

Because unless there is other evidence, there is no compelling reason to think there is an image-file stored anywhere that contains a red circle. It is entirely possible, even plausible, that the red circle is being created entirely in code. That would mean its redness and its circularity are not editable.

I know of no evidence that there is or isn't a file. Nor do I know of evidence it's done in code. Either way, it would take some significant digging into the system guts to discover evidence one way or the other.

 

[mrbaseball0909]

When you say "a different image", do you mean something other than a red circle? Such as "change it to a blue rectangle".

Because unless there is other evidence, there is no compelling reason to think there is an image-file stored anywhere that contains a red circle. It is entirely possible, even plausible, that the red circle is being created entirely in code. That would mean its redness and its circularity are not editable.

I know of no evidence that there is or isn't a file. Nor do I know of evidence it's done in code. Either way, it would take some significant digging into the system guts to discover evidence one way or the other.

Yes i am trying to make it a coin or diamond etc..

I have found other items on the system - dragBadge, ty-badge and more that are the same exact image. i changed the drag badge file and when i drag around multiple messages in mail it displays a blue diamond instead of the red circle badge.

I have not been able to locate the file that the dock uses though to change that file.

 

[foidulus]

You will have to set up the view yourself

From http://developer.apple.com/mac/libr...nce/NSDockTile_Class/Reference/Reference.html

If you want anything other than badge labels you have to draw the entire view yourself using an NSView. So here is a rough outline of the code:

NSView *mySuperDockTile; //Set up your view here
NSDoctkTile *tile=[[NSApplication sharedApplication] dockTile];
[tile setContentView:mySuperDockTile];

Call this whenever you change the view(add icon, remove icon etc)
[tile display];


Hope this helps.

 

[robbieduncan]

From http://developer.apple.com/mac/libr...nce/NSDockTile_Class/Reference/Reference.html

If you want anything other than badge labels you have to draw the entire view yourself using an NSView. So here is a rough outline of the code:

NSView *mySuperDockTile; //Set up your view here
NSDoctkTile *tile=[[NSApplication sharedApplication] dockTile];
[tile setContentView:mySuperDockTile];

Call this whenever you change the view(add icon, remove icon etc)
[tile display];


Hope this helps.

He's trying to do this system wide on apps he doesn't write/have the code for.