Expanded Dock function

[Thundarr]

I would like to be able to expand my Dock to all three sides of my screen. That way, I may keep mounted volumes and trash hidden on the right, open applications hidden on the bottom, and documents or windows hidden on the left. I would also like to have the ability to add separators.

[stephenfleming]

I've found a good solution is to keep a skinny Dock vertically on the right hand side of my screen, and to run DragThing 4.2 (shareware) horizontally across the bottom.

I have (lemme count...) 12 "tabs" on my DragThing dock, holding, (um...) 132 individual icons. All neatly organized, all accessible with a maximum of two clicks. That makes the Apple Dock basically an indicator of open applications.

It works well for me. Your mileage may vary.

[Brad Nelson]

I would like to be able to expand my Dock to all three sides of my screen.

Thundarr, you are a Dock-a-holic. ;) No reason a Dock couldn't grow to wrap around the screen. I would love a preference to have running apps grouped at the end of the Dock in either launch order or alphabetical order. And I don't know if this is a Dock issue or Finder issue but I'd like to be able to dock a folder, and if clicked, have the folder revealed in the currently opened Finder window (if any) instead of having it sometimes spawn a new Finder window.

[Thundarr]

'Thundarr, you are a Dock-a-holic."

I know, I can't help it. For whatever reason, it has increased my productivity leaps and bounds, despite critiques to the contrary. If I could organize it a bit more on my level of working, man would I have even greater productivity.

[Phil St. Romain]

Dock-a-holic! Great word. :)

Have any of you tried DockSwap (http://www.pidog.com/OSX/)?

With DockSwap for OSX you can have multiple Dock setups. Just press control-escape and save the current Dock, then add and remove items. Save the new Dock and you can switch back and forth between Docks by pressing control-escape and selecting the Dock you'd like to use.


- from the web site.

I think there are a few more multiple dock utilities listed on Version Tracker (http://versiontracker.com)

[stephenfleming]

And I don't know if this is a Dock issue or Finder issue but I'd like to be able to dock a folder, and if clicked, have the folder revealed in the currently opened Finder window (if any) instead of having it sometimes spawn a new Finder window.

Try holding down the Command (Apple) key when you click on a folder icon in the Dock.

[Brad Nelson]

Have any of you tried DockSwap?

Phil, I think I did, a long time ago. It's interesting but I didn't find it very useful. Since I've now - TAH-DAH! - reinstalled X in order to once again beta test Default Folder (if you think people are loyal to Apple then you ain't seen nothin' til you've seen a Default Folder user) I've taken a second look at the dreaded Dock. I've found that the Dock is workable on auto-hide and put on the left side of the screen. Considering that once you switch to an app the most likely mousing is often somewhere near the top left, I think this works best. BTW, I've found it MUCH easier to find items on the Dock by using the Transparent Dock application and using it to actually make the Dock opaque.

With the advent of Fruit Menu the Dock is now second-rate when it comes to using it as a launcher (other then a FEW most-used apps like Mail). Fruit Menu's menus are faster and easier to use then a folder docked in the Dock. This is a BIG improvement on using OS X.

[Thundarr]

Hey phil,

I have been using DockSwap for awhile now. I actually keep two different docks on my TiBook, a work-related dock and a personal home use dock. It works pretty well and the switching is quite fast.

[plazman30]

I really don't like the way the Dock minimizez windows to the right, while there is still an app icon on the left. I think all items should get minimized directly into the app icon on the right. Then you right click on the icon and you get a list of all miminized windows, so you can pick the one you want for that app as well as a choice that says "restore all." You should also be able to minimize all in some way.

How are you supposed to tell if an icon has minimized windows? Well, I think the color of the arrow under the icon should change. A green arrow is no minimized windows, a yellow arrow means minimized windows and a red arrow means hidden appilcation.

Just my 2 cents

[Phil St. Romain]

Phil, I think I did, a long time ago. It's interesting but I didn't find it very useful. Since I've now - TAH-DAH! - reinstalled X in order to once again beta test Default Folder (if you think people are loyal to Apple then you ain't seen nothin' til you've seen a Default Folder user)

Ahh, good to see you here! Welcome, buddy!:)

Glad to hear you're having a better time of it in OS X this time around and are finding the helps you need. I'll have to give Default Folder a try. I had come to really like Action Files on OS 9 and hope that something like that makes a return on X.

---------------

Thundarr, glad to hear Dock Swap works for you. I tried it awhile ago and it crashed my Dock three times, so I quit. I'm not missing a second Dock anyway, but was wondering how it worked . . . always curious, here, to try out new software.

Phil

[Brad Nelson]

Glad to hear you're having a better time of it in OS X this time around and are finding the helps you need.

Grudgingly. ;) But thanks. I'll give you guys a full report because I've got a few tips/observations for those who are in my boat and MUST use OS X someday and are not, nor have any desire to be, a Unix, PHP, SAT, BYOB, or MySQL wiz. Just the average Joe's perspective (insert snide remark here, heh heh) on how to make the best of a less than perfect situation.

[Thundarr]

Hey Phil, I noticed that I had a few crashes with an earlier version of DockSwap (1.0 I think). From that I didn't like it.

Then about a month ago, I found version 1.2, used it, and everything seemed better. Have you also used that version and have you seen crashes too?

It isn't a necessary utility in my mind. But it does help keep my work and home stuff separate.

[ddekker]

funny I found this thread about the dock and I had written an article on my site calle "The dreaded Dock"...lol... I will now have to try some of your suggestions and re-write my post

http://trialsoftheswitch.com/?p=4

[ThreeDee]

Why do you keep reviving dead posts? It's not like this will not help your site get a better PageRank or anything, as these pages are already low-ranked.

And DockSwap is dead.