Downloads Stack not a Stack anymore?

[blurb23]

I'm completely new to OSX, so forgive me if this is a stupid question.

But recently, my Downloads stack is no longer a "Stack" anymore... It's still next to the trashcan, on the right side of the dock. But whenever I click on the Stack, it just turns into a translucent square, with an arrow pointing down. How do I get it to "spring" open again?

I don't know if I somehow accidentally changed a setting or something, because I've been trying to mess around with OSX.

Also, on an unrelated note, I moved my Dock to the left/right side to see if I like that better. I decided that I like it on the bottom, but it's become highly reflective now, instead of being smoky or whatever it was. Anyone know how I can change it back?

 

[zblaxberg]

I think I kind of know what you are talking about because I seem to have a problem where the stack is there but it's just an invisible space on the dock unless I click on in or mouse over it. Unfortunately I have no clue why and this was just recently.

 

[forafireescape]

The stacks have settings if you right click on them; you can try those. Hope that fixes it :]

 

[zblaxberg]

All I had to do was restart the computer

 

[JNB]

Assuming you're using 10.5.2 (this changed from .0/.1), right-click the stack icon and choose the method you want the stack to show. Automatic will change from the fan to the grid you describe once the quantity of files reaches a certain point, to better display what's inside, but you can force each stack icon to display the way you want.

 

[blurb23]

All I had to do was restart the computer

Haha yep, that fixed it.

I figured that a restart would've been the last thing I had to do, considering all the posts I've seen here with people saying that they've only restarted their Macs like 5 times in the past 4 years, and even then only for software updates.