Update Dock Icon / Delete Dock Icon

Question

I've written a small utility that changes some system settings. The utilities icon is changed to reflect the state of the system settings. I'm going crazy trying to get the dock icon to reflect the updated application icon. Is there a simple way to force the dock to refresh? I've found an applescript to add an icon and it adds a new icon (and the proper icon) but the original is also in the dock. I need a way to delete an icon, I guess. I can't find anything on the inter-webs on how to do this and all my attempts to delete an icon have failed. Can anybody out there help me with this. Thanks...

Answer 1

Unfortunately, I don't know of any simple way to refresh the Dock, although such a way most likely exists.
However, if you don't mind using [GUI Scripting|http://www.macosxautomation.com/applescript/uiscripting/index.html], the two scripts below should do approximately what you are asking for. Just replace "Stickies" (given here as an example) with the name of any other application. (You must also have enabled the Accessibility Frameworks by clicking the checkbox labeled "Enable access for assistive devices" in the Universal Access System Preference pane.)
To remove the icon from the Dock:
*tell application "Stickies" to quit*
*delay 0.5* -- adjust if necessary
*tell application "System Events" to tell UI element "Stickies" of list 1 of process "Dock"*
*if not (exists) then return*
*perform action "AXShowMenu"*
*click menu item "Options" of menu 1*
*click menu item "Remove from Dock" of menu 1 of menu item "Options" of menu 1*
*end tell*
To add the icon to the Dock:
*tell application "Stickies" to launch*
*tell application "System Events" to tell UI element "Stickies" of list 1 of process "Dock"*
*perform action "AXShowMenu"*
*click menu item "Options" of menu 1*
*tell menu item "Keep in Dock" of menu 1 of menu item "Options" of menu 1*
*if not (value of attribute "AXMenuItemMarkChar" exists) then*
click
else
*key code 53* -- escape
*end if*
*end tell*
*end tell*
Hope it can help.