Items in the Dock vs. Alias

When I create an alias the icon would have an arrow on the left side.
When I drag a item to the dock there are no arrow for the icon.
Are the items in the dock and alias the same thing?
If so why doesn't the items in the dock have the arrow?
Is the dock items an alias or not? Or is it a special kind of alias?
iBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Is the dock items an alias or not?
Good question - if the issue is semantics, it seems Apple is referring to a lot of things as "alias" these days.
The "Finder" aliases, or maybe "alias files" would be a better term, are discrete files that contain a reference to another file (or folder or application...). These are the ones that appear in "Finder" or open / save dialogues, and are marked by the curved arrow, and of which there are two types. One is the classic "alias" (the kind from pre-OS X days) that have all of their information in the resource fork, and have the ability to keep track of their "target" (the original item) even when either original or alias is moved around. Unix "symbolic links" (I'm not sure how these work - it may be a filesystem trick) have the advantage that they are understood by the unix parts of OS X, but will stop working if the originals are moved, and will often stop working when the "alias" is moved (depending on whether it is an "absolute" or "relative" link). A "symbolic link" has a generic icon, whereas a classical alias usually has the same icon as the original (which might include a generic icon). Given how differently they behave in the event something is moved, I think referring to both as simply "alias" (as the "Finder" does) may be misleading, and if you are using "Finder" in "column view" with icons turned off, there would be no way to distinguish between the two. For that matter, since alias names are no longer italicized, there is no way to tell whether a file is any type of alias, or a real file with those view settings...
An "alias" in the "Dock" and "sidebar" or the toolbar is not a discrete file. Such items consist of entries within a property list file somewhere (the com.apple.dock.plist file, for example). I'm not sure, but the entries likely contain the same type of information that the classic resource fork based "alias" file contains. However, since they aren't discrete files, they are not the same as an "alias" file. But can you refer to them as aliases? I don't know what the official word is.
I suspect the reason that the "Dock" icons are not marked with a curved arrow, despite containing "alias data" is simply because it is possible to place an "alias file" in the "Dock". The "Dock" icon reflects the nature of the item that it is referring to, so if the original is an alias, it will have an arrow, whereas if the original is a "real" file, it won't.
Recent developments suggest that the relationship between an alias and its original is becoming blurred. In the past, it was understood that double-clicking the alias would open the original file, and from that point on, you would be working on the original. However, an alias file could be moved to the "Trash", deleted, renamed, marked with a label, whatever, with no effect on the original (not counting a few bugs). This has gradually been changing. In previous OS X versions, it was already possible to move the original item by manipulating the "Dock" icon. I don't have "Tiger", but it is my understanding that it is possible to rename the original item now by renaming the sidebar icon. Since the effect on the original differs between an "alias file" and a "Dock" or "Sidebar" icon, and the existing, well established concept of what an alias is (ie. an "alias file"), I would prefer that the "Dock", "Sidebar" and "Toolbar" icons be referred to by some new term other than "alias".

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Is there a way to lock items to the dock to prevent accidentally dragging them off? Every now and then, I'll accidentally drag something I just meant to click (really, I click too hard while moving my mouse) and I'll see a POOF as the icon disappears... which means I have to dig for it in the finder and replace it. D'oh!

run the following terminal command
defaults write com.apple.dock contents-immutable -bool true; killall Dock
to unlock it change true to false in the command.

Option missing on Items on the Dock Icons

I find that on the applications that i have positioned on the Dock that i can no longer right click and see the windows that the program has open.
For instance for Excel, if i had three spreadsheets open then i could right-click and then select which one i wanted to go too.
I also used to be able to right click or control click on a icon and select force quit, or quit, that is no londer available.
The Mail program no londer goes to the dock so that i can open it again to see the mail, i have to go to the applications folder and open it again.
it used to minimize to the dock.

If the application is hung-up, the "Quit" option when you right click on any item in the Dock will autmoatically say "Force Quit". If the Mac thinks the application is running normally you can hold down the "option" key and then right click on the item in the Dock to reveal the "Force Quit" option.
I'm assuming you've mentioned MS Outlook 2011 for the Mac. I can reveal all windows and select one to switch to through the "Show All Windows" option.
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Can't remove items from the dock

Hey,
i'm having this problem for quite some time, and it's starting to annoy me.
When i try to remove something from my dock, lets say safari, for example, the dock auto reloads and the safari icon appears again. I tried to remove it dragging it out of the dock, using the "Remove from dock" right-click option and dragging it to the trash. It always reloads the dock automatically.
I joke around with the dock appearance a while back, but dont know what i did wrong to create this issue.
Anyone knows what's going on?
Thanks in advance
Sergio

I dont think so, but i'll sure look into that. I'll post back if i find anything. Thanks
Edit: After looking for some dock locking programs, i noticed that this programs lock the dock, not allowing to insert new items on it. As i can insert new things there i assume its not one. I've also searched for some programs like transparentDock and such, but nothing showed up so i guess thats not the problem.
Message was edited by: Nearra

Clear Recent Items from the Dock

When I right click on Preview on the Dock, it shows a list of recently opened files. A friend of mine needs to remove those for some reason..... He tried clicking File>Recent Items>Clear Menu and clicking the Apple Icon>Recent Items>Clear Menu and restarting Preview. This removes Recent Items from the Menu Bar but not from the Dock. Another problem is the last picture that thats open appears when Preview is started. Is it possible to disable this or preferably the entire "Resume" feature of Lion?

macridah wrote:
This also happened to me and I was going crazy because the items might of been deleted or from a DVD that is no longer mounted. So this is how I solved it.
To summarize, you need to delete or rename some files in your local "Library" directory, ie ~/Library/Preferences directory.
For the iWork apps and Preview. Rename these following files with a "~" in the beginning or delete it or to be safe, copy to another location:
"com.apple.iWork.Keynote.LSSharedFileList.plist" to "~com.apple.iWork.Keynote.LSSharedFileList.plist"
do the same for these files
com.apple.iWork.Numbers.LSSharedFileList.plist
com.apple.iWork.Pages.LSSharedFileList.plist
com.apple.Preview.LSSharedFileList.plist
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Choose the Library menu item and open the "Preferences" directory.
Look for the files mentioned above either rename, delete, or move.
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If that doesn't work, then logout and log back in.
Hope this helps or solves your issue.
I just used this to delete the recenttly opened items on Quicktime that appeared on the dock even though the 'Recently Opened' folder frm the Menu was empty. It worked like a charm.
Now I still need to quit the Application after deleting the 'Recently Opened' on the Menu bar in order to make the dock recently opened disappear as well, but it works!

Not able to rearrange items in the dock...

Just curious. My dock is not sluggish, as some have experienced, but I am a bit miffed that I cannot - as yet - rearrange items in my dock. I can remove them, and I can add them to the right side, but, if I try to place an APP or a folder into the dock/move them around, I get nothing. Any ideas?
Take a look - http://www.screencast.com/t/JmaseProJ

have you tried dragging the icon lower in the dock, more at the level of the plate.
see if you go down farther whether or not the two icons split. there is a critical point you need to be beyond. it looks like you are close to it though.
if this isn't the problem then i am unsure.

Can not add items to the dock

I can not add icons to the dock, I am able SOMETIMES to edit the dock (moving icons around or delete them), there is no rule, sometimes I can grab the icon on the dock, and sometimes I just can't (I have the pop up when I can't) , I deleted users/username/library/preferences/com.apple.dock.plist and issued a killall dock command, with no difference.
any help will be appreciated

Welcome to Apple Discussions.
The Dock did not return to default on that command?
Try again and also delete username/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
If it's still no-go create a new User go to System Preferences >> Accounts >> "+" (make it an admin acct) and test the Dock in this new account, if it works the problem is isolated to your User and not systemwide.
Let us know.
EDIT: Also are you running any enhancement software?
-mj
Message was edited by: macjack

I have to "single-click" twice (not double click) to open an item in the Dock.

Can someone confirm if this is Expected Behavior?? (OS = Mavericks)
If you have Assigned an application in your Dock to a Desktop & Display in the application's Dock >> Options (ex: Assigned To: Desktop on Display 2):
Click once on the application icon in the Dock, the application's Menu will populate on the top of your screen, but not the application itself (yet), click the application icon a second time, the application will now show too.
Docked Applications that do not have an Assigned To: Desktop & Display in the Dock options, you only need to single click.
FYI:
For odd Dock behaviors otherwise try this:
You may have a corrupted Dock preferences file.
Open the Finder. From the Finder menu bar click Go > Go to Folder
Type or copy paste the following:
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist (plist = preference list file)
Click Go then move the com.apple.dock.plist file to the Trash, or move it to your Desktop.
Restart your Mac and see if the behavior is resolved. You will have re-configure your Dock settings.

From where are you launching Mail? The only place, unless I've missed or forgotten something, you can launch an application with a single click is from the Dock. Is this what you're doing, or are you attempting to launch Mail from the Applications folder?
Regards.

How to add an item to the dock

I accidentally removed "downloads" from the dock. how do i get it back? the help text says to use "command-shift-T, but that does not work.

Select the Downloads folder and drag it to the right side of the Dock.

Can't launch Photoshop items from the desktop

After recently upgrading to Tiger, I can't open an item in Photoshop after double-clicking or dragging onto the Photoshop icon in the dock. I have to go into Photoshop first to open it. What a pain!
I'm sure this is an easy fix, but obviously I don't know it....
H-E-L-P M-E.......
G4 desktop Mac OS X (10.4.8)

First off, sounds to me the Photoshop icon in the dock was made from an alias, and not the actual application. If the alias lost its way to the original file at anytime, that can break the connection on the Dock. Remove Photoshop from the Dock while it is closed and reopen the application directly, and click and hold the Photoshop icon in the Dock, and select the menu item in the Dock for Keep in Dock. That at least should fix it so dragging an item to Photoshop will launch it if Photoshop recognizes the file format.
Note, if your open/save dialog box is open in Photoshop, it won't allow you to open documents from the Finder. Only when a file is already open, or just the application is open with no user clickable dismissable dialogs are open, will files launch from the Finder.
If none of these applies, you may need to change the Open/With settings by control-mouse clicking the said document and select Open With... Navigate to the Photoshop application itself in the file browser that comes up, and check off the checkbox "Always Open With".

Restoring downloads/documents folder to the dock?

can anybody suggest how i might restore the downloads and documents folders to the dock? i accidentally removed them. and now, of course, i want them back. as they are not apps, i don't know how to get them back in the dock. many, many thanks.

This is easy.
Open up a Finder window and go to your Home directory (this is the one that bears your account name in the sidebar on the left of the Finder window.
Locate the Downloads and the Documents folders.
Now look at the Dock itself. Near the Trash you will find the Dock Divider Bar. Applications go on one side of that -- the side away from the Trash -- and folders and minimized windows go on the other side -- the side near the Trash.
Now just click and drag each of these two folders, Downloads and Documents, into the portion of the Dock on the side of the divider bar near the Trash.
The original folder will stay where it was and a new icon (a pointer to the folder) will appear in the Dock. Since this is a folder you just put in the Dock, it will automatically be shown as a "Stack" view.
To remove an item from the Dock, click and drag it away from the Dock. The icon will go "poof" and vanish. The "real" item, the thing the Dock pointer pointed to, will not be altered.
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--Bob

New to apple - basic questions about personalizing the dock

Hi -
Just got my MBP this week, and haven't used an apple before.
I am curious how I can add and remove icons to/from the dock in a "permanent" fashion so that the format stays constant after I restart the computer. Basically, I'm never (or rarely) going to use some of the standard programs on the dock, and would much rather have my high-use programs (word, for instance) readily accessable on the dock.
Thanks!

Welcome to Apple!
To add or remove items from the dock is very simple. You can simply drag items that are currently onto your dock either to your desktop or to the trash to get rid of them. (This won't get rid of the program or application itself, so don't worry!) Then, to add items, you can click and drag them from your applications folder (or whatever other folder they are in) to the spot on your dock you want them. You can also rearrange items on your dock by clicking and dragging.
I hope this helps, and have fun personalizing!

After upgrading to leopard, I have this problem with the Dock

Any time I try to remove an icon from the dock, it crashes and restarts, hence I am unable to ever remove items from the dock!
Any ideas on how I might fix this?
Thanks in advance!

Barry Hemphill wrote:
If you do not want to do that, I would probably do an archive and install (it will take you about two hours):
I suspect that this might be yet another of those things linked to the way migrating Tiger user accounts to Leopard can cause permissions issues that an Archive & Install (with the default option to preserve user settings) will not permanently solve. I think the easiest way to eliminate this possibility is to create a new user account in Leopard & see if the problem persists. If it does, & continues to do so after repairing systems permissions with Disk Utility, then it may be worth the time to do an A&I; otherwise probably not.

Items in the Dock vs. Alias

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