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disappering dock icons? help please

post #1 of 10
9/6/07 at 6:51pm
Thread Starter 
I just bought my girlfriend a macbook a few weeks ago. Soon after she started using it, dock icons started disappearing. Specifically, she was using Safari. When she closes the program, the icon disappears from the dock. The same thing happened to Firefox. They both were set to be kept in the dock, so I'm not sure what the problem is. Is there a preference that I'm missing?
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post #2 of 10
9/6/07 at 7:31pm
You don't have them in the dock, that's the problem. When you don't have an app in the dock it will only appear there while you are using it. You need to open your applications folder in the Finder, decide what apps you want in the dock, and drag the app icons from within the folder onto the dock, they will then stay there. Icons you don't want on the dock you can drag off, and they will poof like a cloud of smoke. Do not worry as those that poof will still be in your applications folder. Just make sure you don't drag any of the apps into the trash.

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post #3 of 10
9/7/07 at 5:26am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ireland View Post

You don't have them in the dock, that's the problem. When you don't have an app in the dock it will only appear there while you are using it. You need to open your applications folder in the Finder, decide what apps you want in the dock, and drag the app icons from within the folder onto the dock, they will then stay there. Icons you don't want on the dock you can drag off, and they will poof like a cloud of smoke. Do not worry as those that poof will still be in your applications folder. Just make sure you don't drag any of the apps into the trash.

That's not the problem. I've been using the dock for a while now and am familiar with how it works. They are launched from the dock upon turning the computer on. In fact it all started with Safari, a program that is initially set to stay in the dock. When I installed Firefox, I right clicked and chose "Keep in Dock". And it had the same problem too.

It's not a problem that happens often, which is annoying because I can't recreate it.
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post #4 of 10
9/7/07 at 5:54am
could it be possible you accidentally dragged the icon off the dock? not that difficult to do... otherwise:

try deleting this file:

/Users/~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist

where ~ is the short name of your user account.

This should reset the dock (equivalent of reinstalling it)

let me know if that works
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post #5 of 10
9/7/07 at 5:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jgbx View Post

That's not the problem. I've been using the dock for a while now and am familiar with how it works. They are launched from the dock upon turning the computer on. In fact it all started with Safari, a program that is initially set to stay in the dock. When I installed Firefox, I right clicked and chose "Keep in Dock". And it had the same problem too.

It's not a problem that happens often, which is annoying because I can't recreate it.

I can nearly guarantee you are doing something wrong. If you can get to an Apple store, ask a so-names 'genius' about it.

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post #6 of 10
9/7/07 at 6:52am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Archstudent View Post

could it be possible you accidentally dragged the icon off the dock? not that difficult to do... otherwise:

No because she closed her items through the top menu.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Archstudent View Post

try deleting this file:

/Users/~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist

where ~ is the short name of your user account.

This should reset the dock (equivalent of reinstalling it)

let me know if that works

I will try this. Thanks!!
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post #7 of 10
9/7/07 at 6:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jgbx View Post

No because she closed her items through the top menu.



I will try this. Thanks!!

It may initially mean that all her added stuff is gone from the dock, but once she re-adds it, it should stick there ;p
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post #8 of 10
9/9/07 at 2:06pm
If the plist delete doesn't work, it could be a cache or other problem.
You could clean the OS in different ways with the freeware utility Onyx. It's a solid little app, an it saved my day several times.
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post #9 of 10
11/28/07 at 10:44am
Hey there just tried your recommendation (deleting file as per below) and it worked - AWESOME! thank you. I had accidentally managed to make both documents and downloads stacks disappear from the dock which was most concerning!
I'm a bit new to this MAC business you see. Anyways thanks a million


Quote:
Originally Posted by Archstudent View Post

could it be possible you accidentally dragged the icon off the dock? not that difficult to do... otherwise:

try deleting this file:

/Users/~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist

where ~ is the short name of your user account.

This should reset the dock (equivalent of reinstalling it)

let me know if that works
Reply
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post #10 of 10
2/24/08 at 11:01am
To reset to default, launch terminal and enter the following commands

rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist enter
killall Dock enter
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