Using 'defaults delete' command with com.apple.dock

Question

I have been using the "defaults" command in my scripts to add an icon to a user's dock after a new application has been installed. But now, I'm having trouble trying to figure out how to remove an icon from the dock using the command line. For adding an icon, I use:
defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '<dict><key>tile-data</key><dict><key>file-data</key><dict>
<key>_CFURLString</key><string>/Applications/NewApp/Program.app
</string><key>_CFURLStringType</key><integer>0</integer>
</dict></dict></dict>'
(take out all the carriage returns and spaces. I had to put them in here for the line to show properly on the post)
This works great for adding an icon. But, I cannot seem to write something similar using "defaults delete"
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks,
-Steve
PowerMac G5   Mac OS X (10.4.7)  

Answer 1

Hi Steve,
   If it froze then the code isn't robust against problems. In this case the problem is the web. The command has four spaces in a row in two of the matches. However, the browser smashes that down into a single space. I never understood that aspect of HTML but I know about it and should have considered it. I will replace the spaces with capital Xs. If you replace the Xs with regular spaces, the command should work:
defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps "$( defaults read com.apple.dock persistent-apps | awk 'BEGIN{ ARRAY = "("; ELEM = "" } /^XXXX{/{ while ( $0 !~ /^XXXX}/ ) { if ( ELEM == "" ){ ELEM = $0 } else { ELEM = ELEM "\n" $0 } if ( $0 ~ "_CFURLString\"" && $0 !~ /zzzz/ ){ FOUND = "true" } getline } ELEM = ELEM "\n" $0; if ( FOUND == "true" ){ ARRAY = ARRAY "\n" ELEM }; FOUND = "false"; ELEM = "" } END{ sub( /,[^\n]*$/, "", ARRAY); print ARRAY; print }' )"
In some sense that is poor coding but in the default syntax of the "defaults" command, the only way to determine depth is by how far something is indented. It would have been far more robust to actually count the number of opening parentheses and keep track of the depth but that would have been more complex to code. If I have time, I'll look into changing that.
   I assume that the reason the command hung is that it went into an infinite loop. I've also added a carat, '^', in front of the first group of four spaces that will keep that from happening. When typed correctly the command works without it but now it will fail without going into an infinite loop.
Gary
~~~~
   United Nations, New York, December 25. The peace and joy of the Christmas season was marred by a proclamation of a general strike of all the military forces of the world. Panic reigns in the hearts of all the patriots of every persuasion. Meanwhile, fears of universal disaster sank to an all-time low over the world.
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