What are the arrows beside icons in the dock?

[Choctaw]

Sometimes I notice an arrow at the LF side of application icons located in the dock. What does that mean?

 

[macthefork]

It means it was an alias icon that was dragged to the dock rather than the app icon. It's OK, though, it will do the same thing.

Alias icons are created when you create a shortcut icon to leave on the desktop (for example). If this later gets dragged to the dock, it keeps it's small arrow. When an app icon is dragged directly to the dock from the Application Folder, it also creates an alias icon. But, it won't show the arrow on these.

 

[SoAnyway]

Icon shortcuts exist in OS X?

 

[Choctaw]

It means it was an alias icon that was dragged to the dock rather than the app icon. It's OK, though, it will do the same thing.

Alias icons are created when you create a shortcut icon to leave on the desktop (for example). If this later gets dragged to the dock, it keeps it's small arrow. When an app icon is dragged directly to the dock from the Application Folder, it also creates an alias icon. But, it won't show the arrow on these.

Thank you....I have lost some of the icons on the dock at times and then look that icon up in the spotlight. Tried to drag it directly to the dock with no success. Thus dropped the new icon on desktop, then dragged it to the dock, and deleted it from the desktop. As you suggested I can drag directly from the Applications folder and fix that arrow from showing.

I am just learning this stuff and asking questions is helpful. The forum has been my life line on several issues.